School Council Minutes - December 2025

Chairs: Indu Bains & Kristy Karkanas

Secretaries:  Maggie Kobold & Olivia Boylen

Treasurers:  Jessica Hackert & Aoife McDermott

Social Media Officers: Amanda Williams & Indu Bains 

Olivia Boylen

Nadia Jackson

Aoife McDermott

Navneet Binepal

Amanda Williams

Shayna Safarian

Maggie Kobold

Jessica Hackert

Ashley Hooke 

Kristy Karkanas

Indu Bains  

Eila Alopaeus

Nadia Jackson

Haley Smith

Olivia Boylen

Navneet Binepal

Amanda Williams

Jessica Hackert

Aoife McDermott

Shayna Safarian

Ashley Hooke 

Kristy Karkanas

Indu Bains  

Principal:   Craig Barton

Teacher Representative:  Susan McKnight 

Discussion Notes

Call to order 

Indu Bains

Call to Order

Approval of minutes from November 2025 

• all
• Nothing added
• Principal Craig recited the land acknowledgement for our school 

OPEN DISCUSSION 

Meeting started 7:05 (waited for online attendees)

MOTION: APPROVE NOVEMBER MINUTES - PASSED

Principal’s Report

Craig Barton

Land Acknowledgement 

Lunch Assistant

• Monday’s lunch assistant position has been filled.

 Playground update? Report was waiting for “level” 

• Level of playground is “okay”
• Stairs need to be replaced or refurbished.
• Parts are no longer available from the exact playground supplier, so options are using wood to recover the stairs, or refurbish/repair stairs with another supplier’s parts.
• Waiting on quotes, 2 quotes.
• Playground will not get shut down.
• Ashley asked if there is more suppliers/venders to get quotes from – Only 1 supplier 

Decision explanation for “no holiday concert” 

• Ballantrae has faced its biggest reorganization of classrooms/new teachers
• New teachers wanted more time to get to know the children more and their skills are talents.
• Planning to host 2 concerts. (K-3 & 4-8) Estimating in the new year - No dates yet.

Fundraising Plan Status

Craig Barton

Any new items purchased.

• No new items purchased.

Teacher Petty Cash amount will be discussed after dance-a-thon 

• Discussed waiting to provide money until budget is a bit bigger (i.e. after dance-a-thon).
• Agreed we will wait to vote until later

Other needs

• Waiting to hear from board for funding help for Chromebooks.
• Hoping to receive money for at least 20 new Chromebooks
• Hoping to purchase a new robot for the Robotics team.

Financials

Jessica

Review of current financials

• Current Balance: $3,557.36

 Revise/review current council fund allocations 

• $2,069.00 – Safety kit fundraiser profits
• $16.30 – Regarding Pizza night 

Craig is going to check with Diana regarding $16.30 – Regarding Pizza night.

Teacher Report

Sue M.

Extracurriculars Update 

• Boys’ volleyball team won area
• Boys’ volleyball Went to regional
• Currently junior boys/girls’ volleyball happening
• Nights of Columbus – grade 4-8- Jan 15^th, at St. marks.
• After school curling club gr 3-8 Jan 12^th – Beginning of march (Children can still join if interested) Mondays, you need your own transportation.
• 4/5 & 5/6 – Scotties turn of hearts draw event, field trip – Jan 29^th
• Band grades 5-8 – started
• Choir grades 3-8 – started  
• 3/4 &4/5 – using recorders in class
• Lego robotics at lunch time – 5-8
• Hockey Tournament (Grades 6,7,8)– End of February

Council Business

Indu

Social Media Update (Amanda)

• No new members have joined our socials.
• Members can send invites to other Ballantrae parents to join our socials.
• Going to go through our socials and delete members that have left Ballantrae. 

Book Fair draw 

• There will be a draw for a Book Fair gift certificate if you join the social media page.

Gopher Physical Equipment Grant 

• Applied and waiting for response.

Playground Grant (Eila)

• Waiting on reply.

Lost & Found update (Olivia)

•  Ongoing managing it and keeping organized.
• It is looking great so far.
• Going to have a lost and found display table at the possible Spring Concerts.

Indigenous update (Olivia) 

• Going to contact the YRDSB Indigenous contacts and see what options for possible events or activities we have available.

Staff Appreciation Lunch

• Possible date: Wednesday, May 13^th for lunch
• Volunteers needed 10am-2:15pm – Looking for around 6-8 helpers. (Will post in newsletter and socials closer too)
  
   

Amanda and Sue McKnight and Diana will go through our social media followers and update list.

Indu will create the Book Fair draw activity.

Olivia will contact YRDSB Indigenous representatives and build that relationship and conversation.

Craig will check with Staff to approve the Staff Appreciation Lunch for May 13^th.

‘FUN Raising’ Planning/Action

Indu  

Schedule movie nights for Feb and May (Popcorn fundraising)

• Feb date: Thursday, Feb 19^th
• May date: Thursday, May 14^th
• January we will vote and choose the movie option for the Feb movie date.

 FlipGive update (Olivia) • “how to video” update (Amanda & Kristy)

• We will initiate a hard launch of the fundraiser in February.

Dance-A-Thon (Feb 5^th) update

• Donate $25 or more and get a tax receipt, will be added to the advertising post/flyers
• Looking for volunteers, 2-3 for the store.
• In January we will put out a call out for volunteers.

Kernels update for new year (Jessica) 

• Added a extra Monday ($15 instead of $12)
• 5 Mondays will be Kernels Day
• Dates:

February 2, 9 & 23rd 

March 2 & 9^th

Fundraising update (Tru Earth pending, Mabels, FlipGive on, Little Caesar’s next) 

• No more Tru Earth (They will not accept Cheque payment)
• FlipGive – February we will launch and promote.
• Mabels labels – has slowed down, will put a reminder in the newsletter.
• Ashley – will contact Little Caesars.

BBQ ideas & assignments

• June 11^th is the agreed upon date for the BBQ.
• Food Truck Vendor Options: Always fresh $1800 or Mr. Corn $1695.
• Council agreed upon Mr. Corn he has a better price and offers more dietary options as well as provides ingredient list.
• Kristy is Going to book the Magician, fire and ambulance
• Jessica is going to contact Jimmy for the Ice cream truck.

Games and activity ideas

• Magician
• Tattoo Station
• Coloring Station
• Large Lawn Games
• Jessica has Lawn Jenga
• Stay away from renting the large carnival games (to expensive)
• Will need volunteers for stations, closer to the date. 
  
   

Diana will add the Kernal dates to the SchoolCash online portal.

Jessica will arrange the Kernals order and pick-up date.

Olivia can pickup the Kernels order at Upper Canada mall.

Ashley will contact Little Cesars and update next meeting.

Indu will contact Mr. Corn, to see if she can book him.

Kristy is Going to book the Magician, fire and ambulance 

Jessica is going to contact Jimmy to book the Ice cream truck.

Everyone brainstorms for games ideas for BBQ for next meeting.

Meeting Adjourned

Indu

Council WhatsApp chat

• Was created and active – contact Indu if you are not on it yet and want to be

• Other non members of Council can be added to the WhatsApp chat group for volunteer purposes.

Recap any Action items