Roden School Council

What is Roden School Council?
The Council is a group of parents, together with staff and student reps, who volunteer their time to help build and support the school’s community.

Is it all Bake sales and Fundraising?
No! Over the course of the year, we raise funds to support programs in the school, but we also arrange events that support school spirit and expand our community’s education beyond the valuable work of our teaching staff in classrooms – everything from evening talks for parents to movie nights, shopping events and a big celebration at the end of the school year.

In addition, the School Council is a way to have parent voices heard by the administration and TDSB on issues such as staff allocation and selection, budget allocation, etc. The new carpet project, for example,is happening in large part because of the hard work of our retiring Chair, and last year’s free Parenting
Workshops saw several speakers give interesting and informative presentations to our parents throughout the year.

Where does the Money go?
All funds raised by the Council are spent on improving and enriching the school and the experience of learning here. Recent examples include the purchase of the 3D printer, sports equipment and musicalinstruments, which are integrated into class programs across the full age range of the school; the Cultural Enrichment performances of music, dancing and puppetry, which were free to all students last year; and subsidising Book Publishing club, through which over 100 students saw their own masterpieces in print.

Council-raised funds are also used to support health and nutrition in the school, including the Nitwits lice check and snack / breakfast programs.

What can I do?
All parents are welcome to attend Council meetings, and children can come along to (Contact Secretary@roden.ca if you will need childcare, otherwise children are welcome to stay in the Library with their parents).

If you’re interested in becoming involved, consider joining the Council. For those who want to run events, contact sponsors and apply for grants, your fundraising capacities will be invaluable, but even if fundraising is not your forte or interest, there are many ways to be involved from photocopying and putting up posters, to joining subcommittees, helping with Council’s social media and website presence, preparing the newsletter and more. There is no minimum time commitment from Council members and your support will always be valued.

Even if you don’t want to be involved this year, make sure you sign up for the Council’s newsletter (note this is a separate list from the Principal’s newsletter) and Like us on Facebook to stay in touch!

Check out the many reasons to join School Council or volunteer:
(click on image below to enlarge in your browser)

Print and complete return this form to the office by 4pm, Friday September 15th to join School Council this year:

A few parents are looking at bringing the Kids Lunch Program (Rose Reisman Catering) to Roden and Equinox.

The program offers “Real ingredients, real food, never processed, kid-friendly, healthy menu made for child’s tastes with flexibility”, as noted on their website.

Check out their website and email communications@roden.ca by Thursday September 14th if you are interested in participating in this program.

Staff and students spilled out of the last day of school into the Roden Summer Send Off, where they could feast on South Asian dinner and pizza, and treats including ice cream from Swag Sisters’ Toy Store. In the gym and outside, they had the choice of burning off their energy with sports offerings from Toronto Athletic Club, Monarch Park Stadium and the Special Olympics all for free, and in the Library they could sign Canada’s birthday card, stick and cut and colour at the craft tables or have their faces painted by our great team of Grade 8s. And later on, there was a chance to throw pies at Mr Walters, Mr O’Shaughnessy and departing Principal, Mr Lasso.

The raffle and silent auction proved popular again, with prizes as diverse as a boat cruise from Lance and Brenda Van der Kolk (Realtors, Re/Max Hallmark Realty Ltd), a giant teddy bear and gift cards for local businesses including Brooklyn Tavern, Occasions Restaurant, Via Mercanti, The Pantry, Eulalie’s Corner Store, Cristiano Health and Fitness, and On the Off Beat Music School. Thank you to all families and businesses who donated prizes. Next year, four students will take a turn at being staff for the day – Noah C (Principal), Sebastian P (Vice-Principal), Asher G (Gym Teacher) and Shane C (Librarian) – while Ian W heads back to Kindergarten for a day in Ms Revoredo’s class. Winners should get in touch with the appropriate staff member from September to make arrangements. Other prize winners should already have been contacted to have your prizes delivered.

In hosting a smaller event this year, we hoped to give our volunteers a rest, so we are very grateful to all those who stepped up to stand behind tables and to carry them before and after the event, to prepare and serve food, paint faces and supervise activities. The winner of the volunteers raffle prize was Eileen G. Over 50 parents, staff, students and former students helped to make the event so successful and our thanks go to all of them – we really couldn’t have done it without you!

Some of our larger sponsors also took a year off, but we are grateful to Kristin Shensel, (Realtor in The Brel Team, Sage Real Estate), Swag Sisters, The Wren, Victoria Whole Foods and Loblaws for their donations of funds to subsidize our expenses.

Our primary purpose this year was “Fun, not Fundraising”, but an initial count suggests that nearly $3,000 will be added to the School Council’s budget for next year. This money goes towards a variety of student opportunities, including the Book Publishing club and Cultural Enrichment performances, and supports the snack & breakfast programs, nitwits checks and sports / music equipment for the school. If you are interested in finding out more about the School Council and/or having a say in how it acts, all parents and friends of the school are invited to attend meetings or to join Council from September.

Thanks to everyone who got involved in the Roden Summer Send Off, in whatever way. Have a happy, healthy and restful summer!

Officer Adam Whyte from 55 Division will continue to meet students in the Roden field for some summer sports fun on alternating Tuesdays from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. as long as it is not raining.

Please mark the following Tuesdays on your calendar.

August 1
August 15
August 29

EVERYONE WELCOME!!

One winning ticket is still unclaimed. Check your tickets! Ticket number 531850 wins Ms. Press/Ms. Clarke’s class art piece. Contact communications@roden.ca if you have the winning ticket.

This year’s collection was extremely creative, beautiful and vibrant.