Grundschule Educational Council Meeting 18th May 2010

Frau Pavlicikova welcomed everyone to the meeting. The agenda for the meeting was adopted. The minutes from the last meeting were accepted.

Frau Pavlicikova gave a brief up-date on the philosophy that is at the fore-front of early education principles. These principles include the need for children to be aware of the community that they are part of and how to interact positively to their environment. The European Commission is also supporting this which reflects the school reforms that many European countries are taking, by setting new guidelines for ES in primary education. The key competencies should include learning to learn, social and civic competencies, sense of initiative, communication in mother tongue as well as foreign languages, competence in Maths, science and technology, digital competence, and cultural awareness. ESK primary school already addresses all these issues through the varied projects, class trips, and events that take place throughout the year. Projects and events this year included:

• The Harmonic Tower where other members of the school community are invited, such as Frau Marmillot and Herr Schnitzer.
• Well-supported pupil class rep, where responsibilities are clearly defined for the pupils.
• Support of charities such as the Burundi project, the DM Detektiven and the Haiti appeal
• Fit macht Fun and the Bike programme and other sport festivals such as the Kinder marathon, Leichtathletikmeisterschaft, swimming tournaments and football tournaments to support life-style
• Garden projects, old paper collections
• Bike riding certificates, first aid courses, Class 2000 and the Grune Woche
• Biotoproject
• ESKA digital films projects
• EuroJunior
• ESKADO choir, choir festival in Munich, Christmas musicals,
• Theatre
• Singing programme for the unveiling of the sculpture for “Europa bewegt sich”.
• Project days and Open Day.

Art will be a priority project for next year for the KG with the Project Kunst-Stück . This has the support of the R. Bosch Stiftung, 2 professional artists and the Kunsthalle.

Frau Pavlicikova thanked all the teachers and staff who have given their time to make the projects and events so successful and the significant contribution they have made towards primary school education was acknowledged and also thanked parents who supported our choir ESKADO.

Inspectors
The primary school were visited by 4 inspectors this year. 2 inspectors had to cancel their visits. All reports were satisfactory.

Budget
This past year the following work done/equipment was bought:
3 new smartboards
2 classrooms for SWALs teaching,
new safety locks on doors
garden work
a stage for Pasenhof Bau B
display cabinets
new lights for safety reasons
changing rooms for the Bewegungs room
Biotop
a new football pitch behind Bau B

The following work is due to be done in the summer holidays
Kindergarten garden
New toilets in KG
New class for Kindergarten
Renovation of the outside of the buildings
New shutters for Bau A
New cupboard doors for Bau B

 Frau Pavlicikova reported on the directors’ meeting in Mol.
The main message was that in future there will be a very strict control of the budget and that all ES have been charged with saving money in every aspect.

• The original September 2010 plan to split classes if there are over 28 pupils has been put forward to September 2011. Only classes that have over 30 pupils will be split this September.
• The rules regarding SWALS will be strictly adhered to. Pupils will no longer be allowed to change their L1 choice. Mother-tongue L1 teaching will only be offered when certain criteria which have been set down by the Board of Governors have been reached. Details of SWALS at ESK are on the school website.
• The SEN budget must be more effectively used and there will be a reduction in inspector visits. Schools will be responsible for SEN arrangements.

Teachers for 2010/2010

Frau Ravidat is leaving this summer. It is planned that she will be replaced by a seconded teacher. It has not yet been decided who will take over EuroJunior from Frau Ravidat. The school will miss Frau Ravidat’s hard work and enthusiasm shown in all aspects of school life.
2 new seconded teachers will be starting in the English section - Mrs Rebecca Johnson for Kindergarten and Mrs Charlotte Thalammi for Grundschule.
Seconded teacher, Mr Gmeiner, will be joining the school for 1 year in the German section.

Teachers in Kindergarten:
German section D. Herrmann, S. Altdörfer English section Rebecca Johnson French section T. Quéré

Teachers in Grundshule
English Class 1 J. Fitzgerald
class 2 C. Maddock
class 3 J. White
class 4 C. Thalami
class 5 J. Mackenzie
German
Class 1 B. Braun
class 2 D. Gabriel
class 3 B. Theisz
class 4 M. Zilly
class 5 E. Kisker

French class 1 C. Mombaerts
class 2 M. Culot
class 3 G. Spenle
class 4 S. Bialecki
class 5 TBA

Kindergarten is now full to capacity.
There will be 2 german classes in Kindergarten from September 2010.
KiTa - the new nursery will start in November 2010. It is fully subscribed.

End of term dates

25.5.10 - 27.5.10 SEN conferences

2.6.10 Test day for new pupils

4.6.10 Sport fest

7.6.10 Parents evening for class 1

14.6.10 - 18.6.10 Class 4 school trip

20.6.10 Summer fest

21.6.10 Sport fest for class 5 (transition programme)

22.6.10 Farewell concert for 5th class, diplomas, farewells

2.7.10 MoMi child-care available

Please note: The lesson timetable for Tuesday and Thursday afternoons will be swopped in the last week of term. This is to enable the class teachers to see their class for the final time before the summer holidays.

Parents’ Association

The teachers were thanked for all their hard work over the year and especially for the enthusiasm they brought to the project days and Open Day. The PA were very happy with the success of the Open Day and felt that this was attributed to the contributions of all the teachers that took part ensuring the pupils could gain as much as possible from the occasion.

It was requested that forms and letters which are handed out to the children be made available on the website to download by parents if necessary as often forms can get damaged or spoiled at the bottom of rucksacks! There was reservation about putting this information on the website, as currently there is no password for access. It was agreed that the new school website (due to be launched in January 2011) will have such facilities for all parents.

Canteen - It was requested that teachers periodically check that children are not deliberately missing their lunch in order to play with friends.

A concern was expressed that the use of non-syllabus DVD films seems to be on the increase. This is to be checked by Frau Pavlicikova, but she reassured the PA that non-syllabus DVDs are only used in extreme circumstances. There was also concern that some films/television being used in Kindergarten are upsetting a few children as they are not used to watching television at home. The teachers requested that parents talk directly with them if children are experiencing any difficulties so that a more sensitive approach can be taken.

The PA was very pleased to see the “Bullying in school” policy for GS on the school website and see this as a positive step towards dealing with a very difficult topic. Parents are also aware that there are other forms of bullying such as cyber bullying or mobile phone bullying and Frau Pavilicikova agreed that this was an area that had to be carefully monitored.

The PA reported that parents are still requesting prior information if a teacher is planning to be away. Also information for parents of substitute teachers that will take the class would be useful.

Parents would like to see much more mixing of sections, so that pupils have the opportunities to become friends with children with other languages. Frau Pavlicikova pointed out that there are many projects and events throughout the year that allow pupils to mix together. It was suggested that the pupils do not take advantage of this and will naturally stick with their friends, so the teachers were asked to encourage activities that help pupils interact more with pupils in another section.

The PA reminded everyone that the Summer Fest was the next social event on the calendar and they hoped that the GS teachers were able to offer another exciting programme for this year. It was pointed out by the teachers that this is always a challenge as there is so much going on in the last few weeks of term. Mrs Pavlicikova said that the program should be share with OS as well.

Frau Pavlicikova thanked everyone for attending. The meeting closed at 5.30pm
 

Present: Frau Pavlicikova, Herr Voorneman, Frau Gabriel, Frau Spenle, Frau Mombaerts, Frau Maddock, Frau Delle Donne, Herr Messmer, Frau Sierig, Frau Winthrop