Madeira Park Parents Advisory Council
The next PAC meeting is on June 10th at 6:30PM in the School Library
We are excited to report that a mountain biking program called SPROKIDS is currently being organized for implementation at Madeira Park Elementary School. This is largely due to the generous support that we are receiving from the Rotary Club. We can not thank them enough for their support. The first SPROKIDS bike day is on May 19th. At the last Executive PAC meeting on May 13th, we discussed a working budget for the next school year. As an executive we felt that it was important to keep the existing annual fundraising events in place. These are two Chicken Sales, a Scholastic Book Fair, Magazine orders, one Silent Auction/ Quiz Night and a Halloween Fun Night. The latter may lessen the focus on fundraising and place more on fun. In terms of fundraising, Principal Thorsell has encouraged us to first identify projects to fundraise for. The working budget identifies the areas that the PAC Executive proposes the PAC continues to subsidize in the upcoming year. This includes School Supplies, Hot Lunch, Babysitting for kids of parents attending PAC meetings, School Start BBQ, Canadian Springs Water for Teachers and Students, Harbour Spiel Advertising, Sex Education Presentation, Bully Proof or other Special Presentation, Sports Projects, Swimming Days, Skating Days, Classroom Start-up fund, Discretionary Fund, Website Domain and Hosting, Subsidizing Field Trip Transportation Costs and Subsidizing Year End Field Trips. In addition to continuing to Subsidize the above mentioned areas, the PAC Executive is hopeful to provide future implementation and support to the following areas. One idea is to create an afterschool program that engages the kids in creative, educational, and fun activities. This program would also serve to provide supervision of kids during the gap between when school ends and when most parents work day ends. Suggestions for these activities were girls volleyball, leadership club, boating/canoeing/kayaking club, Drama Club, Sign Language Club, Yoga, Spelling Bee, Math Games, Interaction with Elderly Program, Boys and Girls Running Club, Board Game Club, Basketball, Road Hockey, Dodgeball, Webkinz Club, Fishing Club, Visiting Local Businesses Club, SPCA Club, Bootcamp Club, Self-Esteem Workshop for Girls, and a Book Club. In addition, one of the kids suggested a Ghost Hunters club. We'll see about that one. The Executive discussed the possibility of designating one day of the week for each of these suggestions, in order to fill the week with a variety of activities. We would try to break these activities up further to separate primary and intermediate. Another idea is to create a consistently available drop-in tutorial service that provides children with help on the difficulties that have arisen throughout that current day. By addressing the problems close to when they arise, the amount that a child will potentially fall behind will be minimized. In a recent Executitve PAC meeting we also discussed ideas that could be implemented during school hours. One was an acts of kindness reward program. We also discussed further subsidizing the Hot Lunch program to make it more affordable and gear it even more to nutritional education. We desperately require more volunteers to make this happen. Finally, Field Trip ideas were gathered. New suggestions were cross country skiing and snowshoeing at Dakota Ridge, visiting local Farms, and Nature Safari. The latter would include visiting a variety of natural habitats including wetlands, seashores, forests, meadows,creeks and lakes. It could also include Species counting, i.e. birds. Past Field Trip ideas were re suggested which include the Iris Griffith Centre, Egmont Heritage Centre, Science World, Aquarium and Playland, If you have any other ideas on the direction you would like the Elementary school to go in, or if you have passion for ensuring the implementation of any of the above mentioned ideas, please contact the PAC. It is important to note that in order to implement new ideas and continue providing existing programs, volunteers are of upmost importance. The PAC continues to try to find new ways to draw more parents in to volunteering. Several volunteer opportunities are currently available. We ask any parent that has a child currently enrolled in Madeira Park Elementary to contact us if they are able to help. Please see the volunteer page for more details. In addition, donations are the cornerstone of our ability to improve the educational experience for all of our children. In order to achieve our goals, we're asking the community to help out with donations in any amount. If you would like to donate an item, please contact the school at 604-883-2373.Ways To Help Your Community's Elementary School
As always, you can donate money via cash or cheque in order to help us achieve our goals. For donations over $50.00, the School Board will be able to offer a tax receipt.
Make the cheque payable to:
Madeira Park Elementary School
Mail to:
ATTN: Madeira Park PAC
5012 Gonzales Road
Madeira Park,B.C.
V0N 2H0
You can also make a secure donation using your credit card through PayPal. Unfortunately, we cannot offer a tax receipt for donations done through Paypal at this time. Click here to donate.