Richmond Rose School Council Meeting Minutes 2025/26
Richmond Rose School Council MINUTES
For Meeting on Monday, November 3, 2025
At 6:30 P.M.
Attendees: Council members: Rashmi Mohanty, Afram Newshaei, Clara Liu, Jacky Chan, Jia Duan, Joanne Xiao, Leila Esmaeili, Robyn Wise, Sophy Jiang, Sorour Rakhsha, Tammy Mermelstein, and Parents: Rene Ren, Shiva Mirzadi Jahiane, Nanik Issrani, Ping Jiang, Emma Zhuang, Sepideh Khodaverdi, Julie Truong, Saeideh Davoudi Tabrizi, Veronika Kulachok, Parlo Kulachok
Staff Representative: Brad Tibando
Minutes Recorded by: Jacky Chan
1. Welcome / Meeting Called to Order
Rashmi Mohanty called the meeting to order at 6:36 PM, welcoming all attendees. He noted that principal and co-chairs were absent as they were attending YRDSB Central School Council Forum that same night.
2. Review and Approval of Minutes from September 29, 2025
The minutes from the September meeting were circulated via email prior to the meeting. No changes required or questions raised.
● Motion to approve: Joanne Xiao
● Seconded by: Sorour
● Decision: The motion passed unanimously.
3. Treasurer's Report
Rashmi Mohanty presented the financial report for the month of October 2025.
● Kome Sales Revenue in October: $12,252.15
● Subway Sales Revenue in October: $3,957.60
● Total in Main Account (including carryover): $12,537.65
● Total in Subway Account (including carryover): $8,015.99
● Total Combined Balance (Main Account + Subway): $20,553.64
● It was noted that invoices from vendors are still pending and will be deducted from this balance.
● Rashmi had also asked for a volunteer who can review the financial report prepared every month and pitch in ideas for improvement. Rene has agreed to do this.
● Motion to approve Treasurer’s Report: Robyn Wise
● Seconded by: Jia Duan
● Decision: The motion passed unanimously.
4. Principal's and Staff Report
Brad Tibando, the teacher representative, provided an update on behalf of the staff.
● Remembrance Day: A ceremony will be held on November 11th.
● Food Drive: A school-wide food drive for the local food bank will run from November 4th to approximately December 18th.
● Mental Health Committee: A "Teachers vs. Students" volleyball game is being organized, with a food bank donation as the price of admission.
● Book Fair: Parent volunteers are needed for the book fair, running from November 17th to 21st during Parent-Teacher interviews.
● Kindergarten Literacy Night: An event for Kindergarten parents is scheduled for November 27th.
● School Activities: The intermediate boys' volleyball team, trivia team, and intermediate band are all active with practices and upcoming events.
5. Activity Report & New Business
● School Lunches Update:
○ Kome: Joanne reported that order numbers are steady and consistent with last year, averaging in the low 90s per day. There has been parent feedback requesting bento-style containers.
○ Lunch Lady: The first order day saw 55 orders, which is on par with the previous Wednesday vendor.
○ Vendor Pricing: The cost from Kome has increased by $0.25 per meal. Combined with an increase in School Cash Online fees, the council's profit margin per meal has decreased from approximately $1.00 to $0.84. This will be considered for future pricing.
○ New Vendors: Robyn Wise noted that a potential new vendor advised waiting until next year to be onboarded.
● First Movie Night:
○ The event is planned for Thursday, December 4th.
○ The status of the movie screening license needs to be confirmed.
○ A subcommittee was formed to organize the event, consisting of Robyn Wise, Rashmi Mohanty, Clara Liu, and Sorour Rakhsha.
● PRO Grant:
○ A grant of up to $800 is available from the YRDS board for a parent engagement initiative.
○ The council discussed options for Math Night with Mr.Trevor Brown, or a workshop on mental health, or any other relevant workshops or keynote speakers
○ Volunteer(s) / subcommittee is needed to lead this initiative and complete the applications and submissions.
○ Tammy Mermelstein and Jacky Chan volunteered to lead this initiative.
● Council Goals & Visibility:
○ A goal was set to increase the School Council's visibility and engagement with the broader parent community.
○ Action: A council information table will be set up during the Parent-Teacher interviews on November 20th and 21st. The purpose is to introduce the council, share information about its initiatives (like the movie night), and encourage more parents to get involved.
○ Volunteers: Tammy, Clara, Robyn and Joanne
○ Transparency: It was suggested to provide a brief summary of how funds raised last year were spent (e.g., supported purchase of Chromebooks for students, interactive projectors for classrooms, cultural connection event for families, mental health presentation by Prof. Joordens from University of Toronto for parents, support for graduation celebration).
● School Fundraising Communication:
○ A parent raised a concern that school-run fundraisers (e.g., cookie and frozen yogurt sales) are often only communicated via in-school announcements.
○ Action: Brad Tibando will suggest to the school administration that information about these fundraisers be posted on Edsby and included in school newsletters to ensure parents are informed.
6. Meeting Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by Rashmi at 7:32 PM.
Next Meeting: Monday, December 1, 2025, at