October Recap 2023 - 2024
Updated: Nov 15, 2023
The start of October was an exciting month for the Parent Council. Why? It means all of our planning for events and fundraisers get to finally start.
Our first event we started with was Treat Day and we partnered with Tim Horton's. We brought in different options of donuts and also included milk as a drink option for those who aren't able to enjoy the sweet treats. Upon sorting and distribution, we asked if the parents there felt like it was good to have milk as an option - and all parents agreed that they liked having the option available. More available options means that it gives parents the flexibility to still be able to participate!
The Grade 2 teachers reached out to Parent Council for the very first time to request for our assitance in finding volunteers for their in-class field trip; Teacher's Pet. We successfuly managed to help fill the vacant spaces required and many of these volunteers did not have a child in the classroom. It was beautiful to see how parents are willing to step up for the community to help ensure these events do not get cancelled. Many of them volunteered for multiple Grade 2 teachers by taking time out of their own work schedules. We are extremely grateful for their contribution when the parents of the classes were unable to step up to volunteer. You are volunteer angels and to those parents with children in the classes, thank you for making the difference for your children and their classmates. Be the difference and make a change just by volunteering and contributing what you can. If you don't know how to get started, please follow the link here: https://brentwoodcouncil.wixsite.com/mysite/police-clearance-and-forms
We had our first Fun Lunch in the middle of middle month with Subway. What was amazing that parents wouldn't now, is that we signed up with Subway since they were also offering a free platter of subs. We got a chance to offer this platter to teachers and staff in the lunchroom. Our volunteers that day also got to enjoy lunch and then proceed to volunteering for a Grade 2 Teacher's Pet field trip. We love partnering with Subway for their attention to packaging. They make the distribution process smooth and easy every single time. If you cannot participate in purchasing a full lunch, you can still participate by buying a juice box or a bag of chips for example. The way we price our items is simply by just rounding up the amount or to the closest $0.50 or $1. We make cents off each item - quantity matters for us to gain more.
The day before Halloween was eventful. In the morning, we set up a Mini Pumpkinella for the M/W Kindergarten students in the hallway in front of their classrooms. After school, we cleaned up (after volunteering again for a Grade 2 Teacher's Pet field trip) and started setting up the main gym for the actual Pumpkinella even. Students came to meet their parents in the main gym and helped with the entire set up. The set up took us almost 2 hours to complete. The day of the Pumpkinella event, volunteers showed up bright and early at 8 AM to finish up the last touches while also starting to welcome parents and students into the gym and guiding them as to where to place their pumpkins. We wanted to make sure that everyone was included and that the environment was fun-filled and enjoyable for all ages. The first on our agenda was making sure that the gym was still well-lit so any students who are afraid of the dark had nothing to fear. We then wanted to make sure it wasn't eerie walking in - our Treasurer, Chanel, brought in her portable speaker to play child-friendly Halloween music. All teachers signed up and every student got a chance to view the pumpkins and receive a Halloween sticker. We realized that not every child can enjoy candy so we opted for something where every child can feel valued. We even had some Brentwood staff and teachers who participated in a staff contest for those who wanted to participate. We didn't wnat to share this with parents or students so teachers didn't feel pressured. The prizes were bragging rights for winning the best pumpkin by student vote, a $50 Dollarama gift card for supplies, and the class got a small gift of their choice picked out of a basket of goodies. Ms. Bishop won for her Grade 3 class with intricate carving details of a palm tree and sunset.
Watch this video to view our Pumpkinella event and set up:
Lastly, on Monday, after our 2 hour set up for Pumpkinella, the board members rushed home to get ready for our first Parent Council Meeting. If you missed the meeting, please refer to our blog post here and view the Zoom recording: https://brentwoodcouncil.wixsite.com/mysite/post/october-30-2023-parent-council-meeting
November will feature the next Treat Day and Fun Lunch, Casino, Remembrance Day Assembly, Fall Break, P/T Conferences and our first actual fundraiser: Purdy's Chocolates.
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