Linda Cumines presented the following report at the recent AGM:
2012 has been about building a strong foundation for our community and creating new benefits for our students. Our past president 2011, Greg Anderson ensured stability in the P&C and this has allowed us to develop. We have reinforced these foundations through improved documentation and have actively participated in creating a united school community. We have maintained P&C commitments in providing services for our students as well as creating new ones.
Documentations
1. Ensured that participants attending the meetings- when signing in were also agreeing to the code
of conduct, as adopted by the P&C federation.
2. Ensured a quorum of members in passing motions.
3. Operated an appropriate membership system, as per P&C recommendations.
4. Elected office bearers referred to the job description as per Federation.
5. Revised all P&C forms – same font, logo, reduce and simplified the number of forms
6. Ensured an appropriate level of insurance cover.
Activities
1. Annual Family Contribution Levy – introduced for the first time in 2012 to allow the P&C to have funds that would go towards providing services to the school as well as sharing the voluntary and monetary load between parents. The levy was paid by 75 families.
2. Annual Membership Fee & Membership Registry- the nominal fee and registry list for membership was introduced in 2012. We had 42 members in 2012 and 58 for the current year. It is a mandatory requirement of the P&C Federation.
3. The 2012 Buzz Book- Parent Contact Book was collated and published by Nick Berg. The difficulty in encouraging parents to participate (complete the form) continues. This maybe due to parents believing that when they give details to the school that the school and P&C are the same,
or communications errors, or parents under valuing the benefits of the contact book. Changes have been made for the 2013 book.
4. Two new instruments, Trombone and Bassoon, were purchased at the request of the school. The purpose of donating instruments to the school is to make available needed instruments for students to learn on. The instruments are given to the school with the understanding that equal access to the instrument is at the discretion of the school.
5. We invited 5 guest speakers to the General Meetings over 2012 –
Mr Ian Barker, Deputy Principal Conservatorium High School – Balancing academic work and Concert demands.
Mr Jeff Wiley, Head of Music Conservatorium High School – the Music Program.
Ms Pieta Van De Ven, Librarian Conservatorium High School- Library & Literacy Program.
Ms Kathleen Kell, Head Teacher Learning- Assessments and Individual Learning Program.
Ms Lyn Willliams, Founder and Artistic Director, Gondwana Choirs- Life as a past student & the Junior Vocal Stream.
6. Buddy System – a support system for new parents ran for the second year. At the start of the school year, parents requesting a parent buddy were assigned a buddy current parent. Previous recipients of the system offered to assist.
7. Soloist Concerts – 2012 saw the introduction of year based concerts. This worked well as the performer was supported by their peers. The concerts were also scheduled to occur prior to the P&C meetings in an attempt to encourage parents to attend both the Soloist Concert & P&C
Meeting. Thanks to Annette Anderson & Val Simkins for a successful schedule of concerts.
8. Student dinners- continued for the second year, included a variety of catering options, cuisines and logistic strategies. Overall positive responses from staff, student & parents to support ongoing service. The regular parent helpers especially Cherry Dutton, Ping Hu and Ros O’Brien
and others, made the distribution of the meals an art form.
9. Concert hosting – hosted a variety of interval suppers e.g. Hot chocolate for the Winter concerts, Gelato for the Summer season concerts. We are grateful to the volunteers who coordinated and serviced the stands. Thanks to Rudi Adlmayer who donated the floral table settings as well as
flowers for guest speakers.
10.Cafe Cantata- Ran on each Saturday of the AMEB exams by allocated year groups under Parent Year Coordinators. Barista classes were offered and all those who attended gained practical training in the art of using the Coffee machine. Thanks to Leah Arthur and Jyoti Horneman for coordinating Barista lessons for parents. New poster board signs were created and made to
improve signage to the cafe. Cooperation with the Student Representative Council was needed to improve the use of the facility (cleaning and security). The BBQ was used regularly on the Cafe days with much success and fundraising.
11.BBQ- the success and over use of the domestic BBQ brought about the need to purchase a commercial BBQ. Thanks to Kathy Drayton for coordinating the selection, purchase and assembly. The BBQ was first used for the ‘Welcome to New Family’ BBQ.
12.‘Welcome to New Families’ BBQ – ran for the 3rd successive year. Thanks to Kathy Drayton for coordinating 2012 event. We supplemented the BBQ by purchasing starters from Aesops Restaurant. We offered complimentary gelato vouchers to new students for the first time as a symbol of hospitality.
13.Performance Shirts – The change over from White shirts and bow ties to Black Logo shirts occurred at the start of Term 4. 118 shirts were rolled out in time for Term 4 concerts.
14.‘Welcome the Start of 2013 School Year’ function at Aesops Greek Restaurant – despite the time frame of this being arranged a few days prior to the summer school holidays, we had a successful turn out of 125 parents, teachers and students. As a sign of goodwill and sincere thank you, all
staff and teachers of the Con High attended as our guests.
15. Speech Day Photograph – Thanks to Karl & Otto Schwerdfeger for donating their professional photography services. Photographs sales have just started.
16. Student Publication Consent form – as a result of Speech Day activity & new website, the need arose for parental consent to be obtained independent of the consents given to the school.
17. The Complete P&C Application Form – combines application for membership, annual family contribution, parent contact book & publication consent forms. This form will be sent with school accounts in the coming week. Parents new to the school at the start of 2013 have already received these forms in the 4 separate formats.
18. Conservatorium High School P&C Website launched. After changing over our web host & contracting the services of a web designer, Kathy Drayton spent many hours and days setting up our wonderful new website. Our website is an important tool that we will begin to use.
19. Portable EFT terminal- contracts were investigated and arranged by Kathy Drayton. It has allowed us to transact credit cards without having to go via the school EFT, especially useful for the uniform shop and points of sales.
20. Conservatorium High P&C Labelled water – provided a opportunity to raise funds as well as the image of our school.
Fundraising
Funds were raised for 2012 predominately via the Cafe Cantata, Uniform shop and Annual Family Contributions.
Thank you
I am in debt to the elected team members – Kathy Drayton, Leah Arthur, Amanda Kirby, Lubna Salah, Val Simkins & Eileen Leather. The success of 2012 would not have occurred without their individual selfless volunteering efforts! We also owe a big thank you to the sub committee coordinators – Nick Berg, Helen Johnson, Annette Anderson, Rosey Jones, David Zhang.
I am grateful to all parents who have helped in many ways – our role of parents extend into to the community of the Conservatorium High School.
A special thank you to Dr Robert Curry and Mr Ian Barker who have availed themselves to attend every P&C meeting in their own time. They have gone above their duties in welcoming and supporting the initiatives of the P&C.
The P&C are also in debt to all teachers and staff, especially to Jan Saunders, Christine Whiting and Cathy Campbell without whose patiences much of the successes of 2012 would not have occurred. 2012 has seen the bonding of the Con High Community from all stakeholders.
Looking Forward
The P&C will continue to raise the bar in providing services and opportunities for our students,
staff and parents. The challenge is for more parents to be involved – have a say, raise issues and
participate. The bond of our community can only be enjoyed by participation.
2013 should be about ‘nothing happens by itself’ – we as parents united need to be active.
Ongoing projects for 2013 include
* outdoor seating and shelter
* moving of the uniform shop
* central storage system of P&C documentation
* planning for Centenary year events, e.g. school song
