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PAC
Annual General Meeting Wednesday, May 20, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., Library
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Our last PAC meeting of the year is the Annual General
Meeting (AGM), at which the current Executive will report on its activities
this past school year, and elections for the PAC Executive of 2009-2010 will
take place. In addition, there are three proposed amendments to the PAC
constitution which will be discussed. This is a vital meeting and we strongly
encourage all parents to attend. If we do not reach quorum, we will not be
able to conduct elections for the PAC Executive for the next school year. There
will be special refreshments to celebrate another great school year at Kits.
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School
Renewal - Seismic Mitigation News
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The
committee will report on the year's activities at the PAC AGM on Wednesday,
May 20 where there also will be discussion on a Next Steps proposal. This
would include developing an information package, composed of the Vision
Document and links to documents produced by the committee this year, to
update and gather support from our multiple political, educational, and
community stakeholders. The Committee II, Planning and Facilities meeting
minutes of April 7, where both the Kits PAC and the staff made presentations
on the Visioning process, are now available at http://www.vsb.bc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/852DFCA4-C3CB-489B-871D-F30FC70FBF16/0/09April07op.pdf
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Call for
Nominations for the PAC Executive 2009-2010
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The PAC Executive for 2009-2010 will be elected at the
AGM on May 20. The elected positions on the executive are: Chair, Vice-Chair,
Treasurer, Secretary, and DPAC representative. Parent representatives for the
School Planning Council (SPC) are also elected at the AGM according to our
current constitution. However, there is a proposed amendment to the
constitution that would change the terms of office of SPC elected parent
representatives; please see below for further information.
Remember you can nominate yourself! Forward any nominations to kitspac@hotmail.com
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Proposed
PAC Constitutional Amendments
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The following
proposed bylaw amendments were presented at the April 21, 2009 meeting, prior
to the May 20, 2009 Annual General Meeting (AGM), as required by the
Kitsilano PAC bylaws. At the AGM, each proposed amendment will be processed
separately. For each proposed amendment there will be discussion, followed by
formulation of a motion to be voted upon. The Kitsilano PAC bylaws require a
majority of 75% for a proposed bylaw amendment to pass.
1. Proposed amendment to shift the SPC term from the school year to the
calendar year.
2. Proposed amendment to strengthen the safeguards on PAC finances.
3. Proposed amendment to have the Canadian Parents for French (CPF)
Representative become a member of the executive.
For details on how these amendments would affect the constitution and its
language, please see http://members.shaw.ca/yht99/K-PAC-bylaw-amend-proposals.html
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Staff Appreciation
Lunch Thursday, June 18 - Coordinators & Volunteers Needed
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At the end
of every school year, the PAC hosts a special lunch for the teachers and
staff in appreciation of the support and encouragement Kits students receive
every day of the school year. This is an opportunity for families to
contribute a favourite dish or dessert to a special buffet for a very
appreciative Kits staff. If you are interested in helping coordinate this
event, and/or if you would like to contribute food, please contact kitspac@hotmail.com
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Youth
Theatre Action Group 2009
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YTAG, the Youth Theatre Action Group, would like to
announce its 2009 production of */tic talk/*.
*/tic talk/* involves youth from all over Vancouver in a performance that
deals with anxiety and situations that relate to it, including gang
involvement and computer game addiction. The youth involved in the creation
of this production believe that these issues affect a lot of teens and wanted
to write and perform a play that will raise awareness.
The play opens on June 4 at the Roundhouse Theatre in Vancouver, with
admittance by donation. Seats for various showings are still available.
To reserve seats please call Heather at 604-714-3484, press 1, then press
2267.
Thanks for your interest in this play that is for youth and by youth
On behalf of the YTAG tic talk Team,
Mark Rayter, MSW, RSW
Manager, Vancouver Community
Child & Youth Mental Health Services
Vancouver Coastal Health
#200 - 520 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
V5Z 4H5
T: 604.874.7626 | F: 604.874.7661
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Advice
for Grad Season
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A parent sent us the following article to share with
Kits parents, especially parents of grade 12 students.
Here's some advice; Grad season
Courier-Islander (Campbell River), Page A8, 13-May-2009
Campbell River, like all other communities, is getting ready on many levels
for another grad season. It's a coming of age, and time of beginning;
exciting, frightening, and adventurous. Every year, parties are held not just
by the grads but for the grads. Parents wrestle with the ideas of letting
their "grad" go to parties where they know there will be alcohol.
Some parents try to do the right thing, and keep the party at their house.
They will say to anyone who asks, "I know they're going to drink. So I'd
rather that they did it at home, where I can keep them safe".
The grads of course struggle with having the party at their house, because
peer pressure and teen social pressures abound. The party has to be just
right. It has to enhance their social standing. Having a drinking party with
parental permission seems to be right. At least they get to drink. Parents
feel better about their own kids being at home or at a friends where they'll
be supervised. Maybe even some of the other parents come over to help monitor
the party. Sound familiar? I'm sure it does. This scenario plays out
countless times every year, and in particular around grad time. Not only are
there offences against the Liquor Control and Licencing act, but more
significantly, there are much greater consequences awaiting the hosts.
Have you stopped to think about the liability involved? Have you considered
what you'll do when the party for 12 or 15 friends, is crashed by 60, 70 or
even more kids who've been texted, or emailed or called about the booze
party? What then? What do you do when these kids, most of whom you won't
know, start breaking things, or punching holes in your walls, dropping
cigarettes or worse on your carpet? What if those kids all pile onto your
second story deck and break it away from the house, or destroy your pool or
hot tub? What about the broken furniture, windows and artwork that is
damaged? Or the personal items that can't be replaced. You can call the
police and we'll come to help shut down the party, but by then the damage is
done. It will be too late and you'll be faced with possible charges, the
clean up and a huge bill.
Julie Skelton of Hub Barton Insurance Brokers advises that the average claim
after a party like this is $40,000 to $50,000. If the owner is involved in a
liability loss or if the child of the owner is found to have instigated the
damage, your claim may be denied. If the parent is involved in providing
liquor to the youth and a liability claim ensues then the insurance coverage
may be void as it is with most homeowner programs. Generally, personal
liability insurance does not cover any bodily injury or property damage
caused by your intentional or criminal act or failure to act.
Taking it to the next level; what happens when one of these kids leaves the
party drunk, drives away and gets into an accident. As an adult, who provided
the venue or both the venue and the liquor, you are responsible. How do you
live with that guilt; knowing that you are responsible for someone's injuries
or death. If a car is involved, ICBC may cover the initial payout for the
injuries to the innocent victims, but will then pursue the driver and you as
the persons responsible. Currently, persons who are injured and become
paraplegic are being awarded $300,000 to 700,000 in compensation from the
courts. You may be sued privately by the injured party or their family. If
more than one party is determined to carry the responsibility and one of them
does not pay, then the outstanding amount can fall to the others. How do you
maintain any sort of a lifestyle, when you have to pay out that kind of
money? The average split in liability is 75% with the driver and 25% with the
host. That can vary with circumstances but regardless we seldom think of our
responsibility after the partiers leave. What if it's your child who is
killed or permanently injured?
With Grad 2009 quickly approaching, the Campbell River RCMP want you to take
the time to seriously consider these and many other consequences that you may
face, should you decide to be "that parent". As a parent you must
set the example. You have to be responsible. You have to make the right
choice.
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