Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on Monday night, the 18th of March. We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who attended, contributing to the success of the event.
Before delving into the President's report, I would like to thank our outgoing members for all they've done and welcome our newest members, and our ongoing members for joining the P&C and those who have taken on roles.
Here are the new appointments:
Executive Committee
President: Cass Aldcroft
Vice Presidents: Michelle Martin & Lauren Phillips
Treasurer: Katrina Hughes
Secretary: Cassie Wagstaff
Assistant Secretary: Caitlin Taynton
P&C Swim Club Sub-Committee
Chairperson: Amie Baldwin
Vice-Chairperson: Bianca Kemp
Secretary: Alisha Busoli
Treasurer: Nicole Griffis
Canteen Organiser: Kristina Hayes
Other Positions
Book Club Coordinator: Nicole Nicholls
Social Media Marketing Coordinator: Kylie Thomas
Containers for Change Coordinator: Caitlin Taynton and Julia Delaforce
Sponsorships and Fence Advertising Coordinator: Amie Baldwin
Grants Working Group Coordinator: No nominations received - position unfilled
2nd Hand Uniform Shop Coordinator: Kass Carter
Website Administrator: Brad Aldcroft
Project Coord – Connection Corridor: Zoya Slavinskaya
Project Coord – Toilet Transformation: Michelle Martin
Project Coord – Mural & Artwork: Cathy Howie
Now, whilst it makes for a longer blog post I'd like to share with you the President's report reflecting on 2023 and looking forward to 2024.
Capalaba State College P&C Association
President’s Annual Report 18/03/2024
Good evening. It is a privilege to be presenting the President’s annual report to you all on the P&C’s activities for 2023.
As I look back on the year gone by, I am in awe of the incredible individuals that up our P&C. These are individuals who make meaningful contributions enhancing our own children and other children's educational experience. It's an honour to present my third P&C President's report, and I take pride in my ongoing involvement in this fantastic community, now entering my eighth year as a dedicated P&C member.
Can I say it? Last year was big one for our P&C. Although, they all feel like big years…. we achieved over $100,000 in income comprising from all of our operations, fundraising events, sponsorships, and donations. The School Colour Fun Run was our highest profiting event since our last fete. I’m sure we can all agree what a successful event this was thanks to the almost single-handed efforts of Nicole Nicholls. Nicole had never run an event like this, took a chance upon herself to lead and organise. Congratulations is well deserved and at this point I would like to invite Nicole to present the college formally with the School Colour Fun Run trophy to display in the school’s trophy cabinet.
Alongside Colour Fun Run, your P&C also ran BBQs, Mothers & Father’s Day Stalls, Raffles and Movie Night & Disco. All of our events are run from the heart, with efforts to make them unique and enjoyable as well as profitable to show respect to our volunteers who give up their time and effort to make them happen.
As well as fundraising, last year our P&C focused on “community” and “service” with many accomplishments and initiatives that reflect our commitment in this space. These include:
· Launching the Toilet Transformation Project, commencing on Junior Campus. Special thanks to Michelle Martin for spearheading the launch of this project, it’s been on our own wish list for many years.
· Managing the operations of the Second-Hand Uniform Shop. Because of our focus on volunteer wellbeing, we took the opportunity to introduce a barcode system with the necessary hardware purchased to help streamline the tagging and sale process.
· Continuation of our own P&C grant process via the wish list funding initiative, awarding funds for: Yungaburra Reflection room supplies, hospitality and event equipment, initial SMT Shirts, Junior Library furniture and metal signage for junior common areas.
· Forming a new connection with a local Quandamooka representative from QYAC to further the incorporation of indigenous culture and education into the design of our initiatives and major projects.
· Continuation of a partnership with local signwriter Wild Web Print & Sign to assist in promoting our P&C beyond the gates of the school community.
· Maintaining regular communications with the school community through our Facebook Page, Year Level Facebook Groups and through school emails.
· Upskilling P&C volunteers through access to seminars and networking events, including P&C Qld’s State Conference.
· Connecting with other P&Cs to share ideas, provide support, and improve how we do things.
Moving into 2024, we hope to continue strengthening these relationships and initiatives and build upon our role within the community both within the school and beyond.
Reflecting on 2023, also brings me to acknowledge the revival of our wonderful Capalaba Amateur Swimming Club, the Piranhas. Our swimming club is an example of our P&C bringing the community together as it welcomes all local swimmers, not just from Capalaba State College. For me, the night is a family affair, with my youngest daughter Abby having grown up at the pool almost from the day she was born, and my eldest Emma now in High School commencing with the club in Grade 1. At our 2022 AGM, it was heavy heart that Brad needed to step back from the club, meaning that the club essentially went on pause. We had hoped that absence would actually make the heart grow fonder, and someone else would step forward. This in fact did happen, just 12 months later, with wonderful volunteers – Amie, Niamh, Alisha and later on Bianca and Nicole. You are a wonderful team, you’ve bought back the club with excitement and the flourish of activity that it is today. And I further acknowledge Brad and the P&C Executive team for always being on call to support our newest Swim Club family of volunteers when they needed it. It isn’t easy jumping into the deep end and we can all appreciate the value of lending a hand.
It would be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge our newest initiative that occurred last year which was building the relationship between the P&C and our Senior Student Management Team. I would like to thank Michelle Martin for leading the way for us in this space. At Capalaba State College, the P&C plays dual roles across our campuses. While we witness greater parent and carer engagement with our Junior families, as parents often take on active fundraising roles, our role with the Senior Campus often focuses on supporting and nurturing the leadership development of our senior student leaders. In the past year, the Executive Committee has really thought about how to best fulfil this role and what should be our direction moving forward. This has led us to start thinking about how we enrich the experience of our senior leaders through P&C community initiatives, fostering intrinsic motivation, and nurturing a sense of charity. Looking ahead to 2024, we are committed to strengthening our partnership with the SMT, supporting their initiatives, and providing opportunities to build and grow in that community space.
2024 has already been extremely busy for us all, with Junior Disco, Democracy Sausage BBQ, Come check out the new hall event, and soon Movie Night all completed before Term 1 is over. We also have set out some wonderful goals for this year that I would like to highlight:
· Launching Toilet Transformation Project campus wide, building on the momentum of Stage 1 at Junior.
· Continue the implementation of Connection Corridor initiatives including yarning circles, peace poles and explore integrating more first nations culture through totem poles and storytelling (for example, through murals).
· Focus on one main raffle for the end of the school year with a 6 – 8 week ticket sales period to maximise sales. This allows time to source donations without losing favour with our regular doners and to sales.
· Achieve Mural & Artwork outcomes through playground art and wall murals.
· Increase awareness and utilisation of the 2nd Hand Uniform shop, increasing donations and stock levels. Achieve stability of volunteers for the shop.
· Increase fence advertising revenue to cover operational expenses.
· Increased recognition of P&C volunteers in our school community.
· Increase P&C community engagement. We are lucky be a college wide P&C, however our numbers of volunteers don’t always reflect this. So, we hope to improve our profile across the college families and encourage more people to become involved.
There are countless wonderful activities that the P&C is involved in, and I cannot possibly mention them all in this report (although at times it might seem like I have). However, this is our moment to stop and express appreciation for every person who dedicates their time to planning, attending, supporting, and encouraging one another. We don’t get many of those moments to truly stop, reflect and publicly say thank you.
I also want to extend my thanks to the College Staff for their support and commitment to the projects, communications, and the joint efforts to raise the profile of volunteering. Thank you to Lachlan for your patience and for going along with the special humour that comes along with volunteering. Thank you to Stuart for showing up to our events, for being a huge support of the P&C and for making us feel valued and welcome. And I feel like I should say a special thanks to Tristan about what is to come as the P&C forges forward to build that relationship with Senior Campus – so possibly thank you in advance 😊 And thank you to Carlie Freeman for looking after our many requests, for connecting us with assistance on campus, for helping us with our contractors and for working with us to improve the college experience for the students.
As we look back on the progress made during 2023, I have the final acknowledgements for my fellow P&C Executive. Special thanks to Lauren and Cassie who survived their second year of the roles and are still smiling and back for more. The dynamic with working alongside you both brings joy to our events and planning. If it wasn’t for either of you, I’m not sure you would’ve ever seen me at a BBQ event, it only took 8 years to get me to one.
And special mention to Karensa. Karensa is stepping down from Treasurer this year. Karensa, you are loyal and fiercely passionate. Your humour and sarcasm speak to my heart, and you’ve left a lasting impact upon us all. I will miss working with you, and I’m sure I speak for the others to say they feel the same way. I term your departure as undergoing a sort of “Treasurer Transition Turmoil”. First, there was Denial - surely Karensa couldn't be leaving us, right? Then came the Bargaining phase - but what on earth could we offer? Next, when we realised all the work she would leave us when she wasn’t here (cue the sad violin music). But fear not, I think maybe we are reaching Acceptance. While we'll miss her terribly in the Treasurer role, we feel that we have made a friend for life. As a token of our appreciation, we have prepared gifts to express our gratitude for your invaluable contributions to the P&C. If we can pause my report for a moment whilst we present, you with these gifts.
It’s on that note that I finish up my P&C President report.
I look forward to our continued success and our plans for 2024.
Thank you.
Cass Aldcroft P&C President Capalaba State College