Riverview East School PSSC Minutes

Thursday, November 22^nd, 2023

5:45-7:15 p.m.

In Attendance:  Matthew Dixon (Principal), Paula Murnaghan, Dr. Kathy Reddin Sleigh, Erica Marney, Tammy Boudreau (teacher representative), Becky Coughlan (teacher)

Regrets: Patricia Worthington Leblanc, Harry Doyle (DEC chair), Felicia Burton, Craig Lutes

This is the first meeting of the Riverview East PSSC for the school year 2023-2024. 

• Members were asked to introduce themselves and their connection with the school community.
• Ice breaker game – Everyone answers two random questions from selected jar.  Carousel activity.

The PSSC meeting agenda, the PSSC manual, and the PSSC declaration was prepared by Matt Dixon beforehand and presented to members.

• Reviewed PSSC package and shared PSSC information pamphlet.
• Matt Dixon read the Roles and Responsibilities of members.
• Discussed declaration and signing of declarations.
• Need to create a code of conduct as many members are new since we have become a K to 5 school.
• Code of conduct ideas: Be on time, participate in discussions, respect other ideas, ensure continuity, focus driven in accordance with School Improvement Plan.

No passing of minutes today, as we are brand new PSSC, and we will be passing of minutes at our next meeting.

We need a Chair, a Vice Chair, and Secretary. Matt Dixon led the meeting this evening, however, the Chair needs to be a parent representative.

Motion by Matt Dixon: I move that we wait until next meeting to elect positions we need to fill.

Seconded by Paula Murnaghan

Teacher reports:

Grade 4 & 5’s – Tammy Boudreau shared that teachers are planning, working, and creating common formative and summative assessments. Teachers are working collaboratively to ensure best practice, effective lessons, common planning, and common assessment. We are collecting data together and using assessments to group students and guide interventions/differentiations. These grade levels are participating in benchmark assessments.

Kindergarten to Grade 3 – Becky Coughlan shared about EGLA (Early Grade Literacy Assessment) and how all K to 2 English Prime teachers and Grade 1 to 3 French Immersion teacher are using as a formative assessment tool. It is being piloted in New Brunswick K-2 classrooms during the 2022-23 school year. The Early Grades Literacy Assessment (EGLA) supports teachers in evaluating and tracking the acquisition of the five foundational skills of reading: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The structure and content of EGLA has been aligned with the province’s new K-2 ELA Holistic Curriculum Framework.

We can use this data to plan for instruction, create groupings, interventions/enrichment, and flex groupings. Data is passed on with students as they move up grade levels.

Social Emotional Learning – Nathaniel Steeves shared about our learning centers, and how it is being used. There are mindful mornings for students so they can participate in calming activities to prepare for their day and learning. Sensory room will be created with generous funding from the Homestead. It will upstairs in the room off the elevator.

Nathaniel shared how there will be outside agencies who will set up booths on parent teacher interview night and day in the cafeteria. For example: Vogue Optical, Magma, YMCA, 2 on 1, Riverview Public Library, Boys and Girls Club etc.….

Friends of the Eagles – Paula Murnaghan shared our change from a Home and School to a Friends of the Eagles. Purpose to bring our community together and fundraise to support our school and the students in it. Money from fundraisers have provided new slides on playground, iPads for classrooms, field day barbeque.

It would be nice to get more members as we lost some when we became a K to 5 school.  Currently there are 9 members who are part of PSSC.

School leadership – Eco team at lunch in the cafeteria that help with recycling, garbage, and younger students at lunch time. We used some money from the budget to get vests for these students.

Matt Dixon – School Improvement Planning

He shared the District Collective Goals and our SIP school documents. He will meet with the new SPR teachers, continue to refine the RES, School Improvement Plan and then share with PSSC next meeting.

Literacy– All students will be able to read, write, and communicate orally at grade level in both languages of instruction.

Numeracy – All students will be a grade level in numeracy.

Safe & Caring – All students and staff will feel safe, cared for, and engaged in learning.

Graduation – All students will graduate from high school.

Principal Report –

Enrollment 504 (as of Thursday, November 22^nd, 2023)

Capacity for 650 students

Staff members 65

Welcome Wednesday – Nathaniel takes new students/families on tours.

Breakfast program – many students are eating breakfast.  Thank you BGC of Riverview

Clubs – Many student clubs are being offered at RES.  

Cross country championships

Wall Ball Tournaments (CDT, RES, FLB, WRES)

Next meeting: Wednesday, January 17^th, 2023 (6 – 7:15 pm)

Meeting adjourned: by Matt Dixon. at 7:17 pm

Seconded by Dr. Kathy Reddin Sleigh