Members: Rosalind Minaji, Frank Torelli, Kaywana Gargarello, Marie Patenaude,
Carrie Crockett, Lori Prevec, Tracey Cseresnyes
Regrets: Susan McClure, Deborah Doody, Mary Finstad
Guest: Suzanne Miller

The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 7:15 p.m.

1. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES
The minutes of November 20/03 were approved.

2. UPDATE

Volunteer Hours:
Total = 96 hours

Treasurer's Report:
Opening Balance: $ 1130.42
Revenue: $ 650.00 Champlaine Book Sale
$2,187.00 Membership rebate
$0.71 Interest
$1,700.00 FI Advertising Promotion grant

Expenses: $ 310.50 Photocopying newsletter
$ 89.09 membership mailings
$ 18.40 Photocopying concert tickets

Balance on Hand: $5,250.14

Membership:
Carrie reported 2 renewals and 1 new membership. She has also taken the initiative to send all local FI schools (public and Catholic) a pamphlet about CPF and the benefits of a corporate membership (i.e. AMO kits). She also suggested asking or proposing to schools to have a CPF notice board in each school staff room.

Communications:
Roz updated our website to include links to all FI schools (public and Catholic), Westdale's FI information night (Feb. 9/04) for grade7 and 8 students and parents interested in attending the school in the fall 2004, and a listing of the courses in the local FI high schools (Westdale and Cathedral).

Two issues of the last newsletter were printed and distributed - one for the Catholic Board and one for the Public Board. The difference consisted of the date and time of the Etiénne concert.

3. French Book Sale
The book sale in November was a great success and we will consider hosting the event at the same time later this year. However, improvements to consider for next time include requesting packing slips for each box, so that errors in quantities or materials can be verified, negotiate a graduated percentage of the total sales (commission) rather than a fixed rate, and consider and find other potential suppliers.
It was also suggested that we buy books for prizes for Le Concours contestants at the sale.

4. Level 2 French Course
Presently there are 14 registrants in the course. Thus, we will proceed in offering the course, which will start February 10/04. However, if the enrollment does not surpass 15 participants, the honorarium given to the instructor will not be as much.

Lori and Marie reviewed the material. The pages of vocabulary words still required translating. Roz will type the corrected version of Level Two and print it for the students. Marie will photocopy the course material so that she has a copy to show CPF Ontario all the errors that were present and required editing. Lori will retrieve a copy of Level 1 from Annette and forward it to Roz. Roz will then electronically forward this corrected version to CPF Ontario in accordance with last Fall's agreement.

5. Etiénne Concert
Suzanne Miller attended the meeting to inform us about the "opening act" puppet show that they will be providing before the evening performance. The two-person production is titled "L'Etoile de Daniel", which is about a little boy whose dream is to catch a star. All props and audio equipment will be provided and set up by Suzanne and Rachel. The 10 to 15 minute French production will incorporate music and audience participation also.

Lori has been working with Giselle and Westdale's principal and organizing the daytime concerts. There are about 900 people planning to attend the 10:00 a.m. concert roughly the same number of students and teachers at the 1:30 p.m. show. Seating will be expanded into the balconies. Earl Kitchener will split their student attendees between both concerts.

Lori has also organized maps, arrival and departure procedures, bus arrangements etc. for all the teachers. Efficiency and safety are priority when working with this large volume of students within the time frame of Westdale's own operating schedule. Lori, Roz, Giselle, and Tracey will help run the Westdale performances, but at least two more volunteers are needed. The concert is general admission seating, with everyone seated 15 minutes prior to the start of the show. There are door prizes for all the attending teachers, so names of all the teachers must be known also.

A thank you card and gift certificate will be sent to Stella (Westdale principal) for the adjustments and provisions made at Westdale for the concert.

For the evening performance, Etiénne and his sponsors will supply door prizes. Roz will do a one-page poster advertising the play and concert and e-mail it to the CPF HW reps to post in their home schools. These flyers/posters will be posted in the public schools next week, giving the Catholic schools advanced warning.

Roz, Carrie, Lori and Kaywana will volunteer at the evening concert. The CPF display will be set up, as well as a refreshment booth, where pop and chips will be sold. Carrie will call Tralco to see if they are interested in setting up a booth at the concert. If not, she will approach Scholar's Choice. Kaywana will look into having garbage cans available. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Kaywana reported that evening ticket sales have been very slow. Members will got tickets from Kaywana after the meeting in order to try and sell them.

Gift certificates will also be given to Giselle, Suzanne and Rachel for their efforts and commitment. A thank you card will be sent to Cathedral's principal as well for hosting the evening venue. The stage crew at both locations will be paid for their time and efforts too.

6. Le Concours
There are 4 local FI teachers involved in the public speaking contest: Madame Greve, Madame Bromhead (Norwood Park), Madame Kohler (Dalewood), and Marie Patenaude (G.R. Allan). The interschool competition dates are not yet set, however, it is proposed that it may occur before the March break. (Dates will be set at the next FIAC meeting.) The contest in Toronto takes place in May. The winners will be asked to speak at our AGM in April.

Kaywana sent information regarding this contest to the Catholic schools, but has not heard any feedback yet. Lori suggested setting dates this spring in preparation for next year. Hopefully, more schools will participate with the advanced notice. Giselle will be one of the judges at the local competition.

7. CPF AGM/Parent Information Night
Thursday April 22/04 (from 7-9 p.m.) was set for our AGM.
Frank suggested Dana Robins, the Editor of the Spectator, to be a potential candidate as our guest speaker. Marie will approach G.R. Allan's principal for use of space at the school for the meeting, and if this is not possible, Lori will approach Earl Kitchener's principal for another potential site. Marie will not contact Tony Mallica as of yet, regarding his interest or availability.

8. Members' Event -May 2004
Executive members were asked to think of ideas for an event to hold for our local chapter members, to show appreciation and provide something exclusive to them for joining our chapter.

9. Public Board School Events/Issues
Our chapter was granted $1700 to promote JK/SK registration nights ($850 per school Board). Roz inquired about advertising rates at the Spectator. For the first three Wednesday editions in February (Wednesday being a very popular issue), one can purchase 2 small spaces (ie.3"x4"), and get the third free. These ads would cost $1,388.65.
Frank suggested using the free sections of the paper. He also made some suggestions to a draft advertisement to minimize the printed information and increase white space.

10. Separate Board Events/Issues
Frank attended a Parent Information Night at Cathedral last Tuesday, where he introduced and supported Ted Karp as the guest speaker. The evening went well, and Ted was effective and well spoken.

11. Other Business
CPF Ontario distributed 10 posters promoting French Immersion enrollment to each of their Chapters. We, in turn are to distribute them to our local daycares to post and promote FI enrollment locally. We will receive a $50 rebate for doing this. Roz has asked the Communications and Public Relations Committee at Norwood Park to distribute some of these posters, since they already plan to send out similar promotional material to the Mountain daycare centres. Carrie will send posters to other daycares in Hamilton with a covering letter listing the FI information nights.

The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

The next meeting will be Wednesday March 3/2004 at 7 p.m.