The Tennyson PAC is thrilled to welcome back the wise, funny and articulate Nicola Doughty on March 1st to discuss kids, relationships and conflict. You will leave this presentation with practical tips as well as a deeper understanding of age appropriate behaviour. In order for Nicola to best address our areas of interest, please reply in the comments below any specific items you would like covered. Please include:

• Specific examples without personal details (age, scenarios, etc.). 
• What you want to get out of this presentation? 
• What you need to feel supported at school and at home as a family? 
• What we need to understand about the COVID environment and the context of the school changing (i.e., physical indoor/outdoor space). 

• Will discuss relational aggression - a little bit more learned and becomes habitual. It is not the same as targeted bullying but there is overlap. Will lead into social media use by parents. Use of relationship builders versus confrontation (i.e., social media is less of a relationship builder). How to minimize conflict, deeper understanding of children. What are families doing for compensation after school? 

​About Nicola Doughty
Nicola Doughty spends her time counselling, facilitating workshops and coordinating social emotional learning curriculum for children and youth. After 23 years in the field of education working first as an elementary teacher and then a school counsellor, she is particularly keen on dispelling the myth of the “terrible teen years”, assisting parents in bridging the transition in a deeply caring and connected way. Nicola is currently living and breathing this work, as mom to an active and interesting 14-yr-old. When not at work as a counsellor or mom, Nicola enjoys reading, hiking and roller derby.

This PUDO map has been approved by the City of Vancouver per the VSB. The arrows are preferred direction flow of school traffic. They do NOT indicate one way streets. 

Registration details can be found here

Thank you to everyone who came to the January PAC meeting to discuss the budget. The full budget can be viewed below. Please make any comments you might have in the comment section below and we will look to pass this budget at the Feb 22 PAC meeting.

Questions re: Outdoor Spaces from Tennyson PAC:
 

• Could the construction company provide a 10’ fence on the northwest corner of the gym (sidewalk side, north end of Maple Street and west end of 10th Ave)? This would allow ball games in this area without the risk of losing balls onto the street. There is currently exactly this type of fence on this corner around what I think is a generator. The typical 6’ fences are probably not high enough. Ideally we’d keep this fence until the end of the school year or until such time as there was another space available for ball games. Another area that could benefit from a higher temporary fence is on 11th behind the yellow portable. Could we consider a permanent 10' fence on the corner of Maple and 10th?
• Can the VSB provide additional supervision aides to allow the use of the old playground / more trips offsite?  I realize we are already up to 5 from 3, but we have a very challenging situation to navigate and the additional help would allow trips back and forth to the big kids’ playground, and potentially to Connaught or Granville parks. An additional 2 would probably facilitate this.  If not the above, could parent volunteers provide a safe corridor for primary kids to traverse the sidewalk during the primary kids' lunch recess?
• Can the construction company provide a 2m corridor within the grounds so the old playground is safely accessible? I realize we are going to lose the big kids’ playground in a couple of months, but that just makes one of the above scenarios seem that much more urgent. 
• If no other solution is possible, could a portable toilet be installed at the old playground site so that if a cohort travels to the old playground “zone” they can stay there for the whole recess (not requiring additional supervision aides for safe sidewalk access)

• Can we possibly do away with the “zone” system outdoors at the school? I realize this is a health and safety issue, but curious if we are in a place now with covid that this could be re-visited. If this is a VSB issue, could/should parents address this directly with the VSB? Would you have any suggestion on whom we would contact?
• What can parents do to help facilitate continual outings to Connaught or Granville park? Do we need more volunteers? Is there a way that it can be broken up by grade as opposed to cohorts?
• Mud Pits.  What can parents do to advocate for the mud pits being fixed ASAP?  We have very limited space on the new school side, and this takes a large piece of that real estate away from the kids.
• Can we paint games onto the pavement of the new school grounds (see attached photo of another VSB school).  Can the kids do this as an art project?  Parents on the weekend? 
• What kind of fencing will surround the rest of the grounds?  The current fencing is problematic because it is too low for ball games.  Will the parking lot be protected from flying balls? Field? 
• The parking lot. Looking at the plans again, we were thinking that the parking lot could be used as additional play space until the field is complete (approximately 18 months from now). I think it goes without say that play space for the students is infinitely more important, and less easy to find an alternative for, than parking. I’m not sure under who’s directive the parking lot falls (is it the City that dictates what parking is needed? The VSB? Teacher’s union?). Perhaps there could be a work around via special permit parking in the area?
• Currently the K-1 playground has no accessible elements. We are looking at activity panels similar to the attached photo along the fence, or freestanding (not on the safety surfacing area).  There is barrier free access to the inside of the fence from the rubberized surfacing.
• Is there a site on the grounds that would allow for some of these accessible musical instruments?  Per Habitat they do not need to be installed on safety surfacing of any kind.  This would increase the accessibility of our playspace and provide additional playspace beyond the limited square footage of the intermediate playground. (See attached photo example) 
• One of our longer term goals is to build an outdoor classroom.  What materials / suppliers are approved to provide this equipment for us?  Habitat offers configurations like the attached photo but I believe we are not allowed to use wood, is that still correct?  What materials are allowed, do you have examples of where this has been done in other schools?  Could this classroom area have a roof / shelter of any kind so it could be used in all weather by teachers and students?
• Intermediate Playground Installation - we would like to ask the VSB to consider paying for the difference between a community install (what we had budgeted for as a PAC) and the habitat install.  Since the PAC agreed to wait to install the new playground structure on the new school site, there is a significant cost savings to VSB and it would help greatly if VSB would consider paying the difference in the two installations if a community install is not possible in the spring / summer.
• Outdoor covered areas.  What are the rules about canopies, covered spaces, etc.  We would like to talk about where might be possible to add some weather cover on the grounds.  We think the area in the courtyard might be a good spot for this because it is behind a locked high fence overnight for security.
• The old Tennyson field had a long jump pit area that was used by the track and field team.  Will there be a long jump pit on the new grounds?  Parents have requested one (we have a large number of students who participate in track and field in the spring), can we discuss if this is possible?
• How many bike racks will be installed when the project is finished?  Is it enough for the number of students and staff who bike to school?  Is it possible to have some undercover like at the old building for rain cover
• Are there benches / picnic tables in the plans for the new building?  If so, how many?  
• There look to be 2 basketball courts in the plans - could one be used for ball hockey?  This is a popular pastime at Tennyson.  Could hockey nets replace the basketball nets for one of the 2 courts?  
• Brick plinths with concrete tops. These seem dangerous
• What are the security concerns around the low fence of the whole school and little kids
• slippery stones near little kids playground
• Do we have enough interior blinds for lockdown drills

 

Lord Tennyson PAC Meeting
General Meetings – Jan 18, 2021
AGENDA
 

• Call to Order – Acknowledgement of meeting recording – please mute your mic
• Land Acknowledgement
• Approval of Agenda and New Business Requests
• Previous Minutes Approval (Nov 16, 2020)
• Kits House presentation on covid protocols
• Principal’s Report 
• Vice-Principal’s Report
• Treasurer’s Report
• Key Updates 
  • Parking and Traffic (311) - call for volunteer parents
  • MOVE!
  • Holiday Hampers + staff gifts
  • Water fountains/bottle refill stations 
  • Lost and Found
  • Kickstart: goal is $10,850. Current balance at end of Dec was $10,319.15 - WOW
  • Quebec 2021, 2022 up-dates. Quebec Futures - call for volunteer parents
  • Events (Spring Fling, A-Thon, others)
  • Parent Speakers (current + future) 
  • Outdoor play space
    • Big playground up-date
    • Additional Structures can only be added after demolition is complete. Survey of options will come in the spring
    • Issues being assessed: park visits (need volunteers), big kids playground visits (need volunteers), plinths at entrance points, mud, boulders, temporary fencing for ball games
    • Covered spaces: Doug looking at picnic tables and old tent, other options being discussed with grounds to see what is possible. 
  • Diversity & Inclusion Committee (ELL, anti-racism, anti-bullying) – call for parents
  • DPAC update
  • Budget discussion in prep for Feb PAC meeting budget vote
• Volunteer Opportunities – Quebec Futures, park and playground access, 311 for parking, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
  
• New Business Items

 
IMPORTANT DATES
Wednesday, Jan 20: Parent Speaker: Saving for your Child(ren)'s Education
Monday, Jan 25: Pro-D Day
Friday, Feb 12: Pro-D Day
Monday, Feb 15: Family Day (no school)
Monday, Feb 22: PAC Meeting


PLEASE ENTER INTO THE COMMENTS ANY ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA YOU WOULD LIKE CONSIDERED

Saving for your Child's/Children's Education

Who: Tyler Mann, Robert MacKinnon, Kouros Ghanavizchian
What: Saving for your Child's/Children's Education
When: Wednesday, January 20, 2021 7:00-8:30 pm
Where: Virtual (In your own home)

Getting tailored financial advice has become increasingly important for Canadians as they navigate a world full of uncertainties. As licensed financial planners at RBC on Vancouver’s Westside- Tyler, Kory, and Robert are on a mission to bring investment and retirement planning to as many British Columbians as possible, focusing on those who have an appetite to grow and protect their wealth. They are committed to delivering well rounded financial advice through their trusted network of professionals who can support your real estate and mortgage needs, banking, tax planning, and estate planning.
 
In their upcoming presentation on Wednesday January 20th, they will be providing advice on saving and investing for important goals like education and retirement.

From a Tennyson parent re: Funderland after school care.

"The after school care program [my daughter] has been going to at Funderland has been so great. She has such a fun time and often doesn’t want to leave when I pick her up. Unfortunately, enrollment is very low from Tennyson kids and only 1-2 kids attend on Mondays & Tuesday’s. Because of this they may to consider cancelling the pickup service. It would be great to support this small female-run business. I can’t speak highly enough about Azi and her team."

Details & video below:

***After School Games & Arts Club***
***Free Pick-up***   

Try a FREE Drop In !!!

Fee: $23/day
Time: 2:50-5:20 pm
Also
Winter Camp
Pro D day
Spring Camp

Visit www.Funderland.ca