Newfoundland & Labrador Federation of School Councils

Goodbye to School Districts

School Districts 2 to10 will soon be relegated to the history books. When school board reconfiguration is completed in September, 2004, these Districts will no longer exist. The Executive and Staff here at the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils would like to acknowledge the contributions made to education in the province by those who have served as trustees on each of the School Boards, as well as the administration and staff in each of the School District Offices. The leadership of those who are leaving us now has set the foundation on which we have to build.

Everyone - the board, staff, students, parents and community - has worked hard these past seven years to make school councils work in the province. The strength has come from the people who pulled together and worked for children.

Everyone in the school districts has been very supportive of what we were trying to do and we've been very successful in getting things done. We certainly appreciate the work you have done with us and for us. We are very grateful for your service to the Districts.

As we say thank you and goodbye to all of you, we look forward to working with the new trustees and staff of the three new districts in the coming school year.

Hello to Three New Districts

On April 23, Education Minister John Otttenheimer announced the names of chairs and members of school board transitional committees. Transitional committees for each of the three new boards, Eastern, Central, and Western, are temporary and will only remain in place until September 2004 at which time they will become the new interim school boards. There will not be any change for the Labrador or Counseil Scolaire school boards.

The Chair for the Western Transition Committee is Nada Borden, for Central is Chief Misel Joe, and for Eastern is E. Bruce Peckford.

On April 30, the Minister announced the locations for regional education centres and headquarters for the three new school districts. The Western School District will have a headquarters in Corner Brook and regional education centres in Stephenville and Lower Cove. The Central School District will have a headquarters in Gander and a regional education centre in Grand Falls-Windsor. The headquarters of the Eastern School District will be located in St. John’s with regional education centre located in Spaniard’s Bay, Burin and Clarenville.

More information is available on the Department of Education web site at: www.gov.nl.ca/edu

Hazel Hickey

Executive Director

NLFSC Holds

Annual General Meeting

The Airport Plaza Hotel in St. John’s was the site for the Annual General Meeting of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils on April 23-25, 2004. Participants consisted of delegates, executive members, speakers, guests, and staff for a total of 53 people. The theme of this year’s conference was “Students Learning–The Circle of Support.”

Despite the competition with other happenings in education, such as the labor dispute, the downsizing of the boards and the teacher cuts, we were able to garner some media attention in the days leading up to and following the AGM.

Much work was done in preparation for the AGM by the local planning committee in St. John’s. The registration desk was handled by parent volunteers from Cape St. Francis Elementary School, Pouch Cove.

If you weren’t able to attend the AGM, you will find the highlights in this issue of The Cuffer. If you would like more information on anything that was covered at the meeting, please contact us at 1-877-739-4830, and we will get it for you.

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A quote from the Minutes of the Steering Committee to form a Newfoundland and Labrador Home and School and Parent-Teachers Association held at Pius Tenth School, St. John’s, on Saturday, May 26, 1979, at 10 a.m.

A notice to principals of all schools asking them to contact Lloyd Horlick giving the names of the executives of their PTA’s was published in the May 15 issue of the NTA Bulletin. A deadline of June 15 was given.”

How are Liam and Briana doing in school? What will help? What factors influence student achievement?

The list is long, intertwined, and includes factors like socio-economic income, home-life, school culture, educating philosophy, individual personality, IQ and so on. It also includes what they had - or didn't have - for breakfast. Children can't learn if they are hungry. For a variety of reasons, hunger is an issue for many students. 77% of students are bussed to school, and skipped breakfast is a commonplace. In cases where hunger is not a problem, nutrition often is.

Study after study confirms the link between nutrition and a child's well-being. Poor eating habits are having a detrimental effect on our children's ability to concentrate and learn and their health . For instance, poor nutrition compromises the immune system, and can effect school attendance. Recent statistics indicate that our children have the highest rate of obesity in the country. We also have the highest rate of Type 2 diabetes in children. More often than not, individual children are not the only ones who suffer the effects of poor nutrition.

Disruptive behaviours, which have a tremendous influence on the learning atmosphere in the classroom, and collectively, the school, can be caused by inadequate or poor nutrition. These nutrition issues total up to cost a great deal. The bottom line is that many of our children are suffering the effects of poor nutrition, and their education and achievement is suffering as a result. The effects will last a lifetime.

The goal of Kids Eat Smart Foundation Newfoundland and Labrador is to ensure children attend class well-nourished so that they are ready to learn. Toward this, Kids Eat Smart works with communities to establish and support community-driven, volunteer delivered child nutrition programs.

Kids Eat Smart is a resource that School Councils can use to help students achieve their maximum potential. Kids Eat Smart-supported programs (Kids Eat Smart Clubs) are community-owned. The Foundation provides guidance and support to programs, and offers funding in the form of Kids Eat Smart grants and matching funds, which match the community contribution. The programs are run by volunteers on site at schools.

Programs vary as school facilities vary: some are cafeteria style, others `grab and go' from a trolley. Most are breakfast, but Kids Eat Smart supports lunch and snacks programs as well. Kids Eat Smart has found that the support of the school is essential to Club success, but encouraging the community to be the driving force behind the program. that the community rather than the teachers and principal are the most effective driving force. Kids Eat Smart Clubs are meant to support teachers in the role as educators. They bring community support into the school. Volunteers include parents, grandparents, community groups (Lions Clubs, church groups) and others.

In addition to providing nutritious meals, Kids Eat Smart Clubs have an overall positive influence on the school environment. One School Council chair reports, "I have personally seen the value of this program when I watched a child eat probably the biggest breakfast he had ever had. And the entire school staff and administration can attest to the difference in the learning environment since we started the Breakfast Club. No stigma, no questions, no excuses...just breakfast for children who want it. And the benefits will keep on coming."

Interested groups can apply for to Kids Eat Smart Foundation Newfoundland and Labrador to set up a Kids Eat Smart Club in their school by contacting: 1-877-722-1996 or visiting www.kidseatsmart.ca

Kids Eat Smart Breakfast Clubs provide a nutritious start to the school day in a positive social atmosphere. That makes a positive difference to their learning environment.

The Cuffer is a benefit of membership in the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils. Annual membership dues are based on school enrolment. The views expressed or implied in this publication are not necessarily official positions of the Federation. The mention of any program, organization, resource, product, person, place, or school does not constitute an endorsement by the NLFSC. Editor: Hazel Hickey. For contact information, see page 1.