Milliken Mills High School – School Council Minutes
Meeting Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: MMHS, Library (In Person)
Prepared by: Jeet Panchal, Secretary
Welcome & Attendance
Chair Anuraag Sharma welcomed members and guests to the final School Council meeting of the 2025–2026 school year.
2025–2026 Council Executive
- Chair: Anuraag Sharma
- Vice-Chair: Rupal Panchal
- Secretary: Jeet Panchal
- Treasurer: Chris Lee
2025–2026 Staff Representatives
- Student Council: Melanie & Prem
- Principal: Mark Melnyk
Land Acknowledgement
The formal YRDSB Land Acknowledgement was read, recognizing the treaties with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Williams Treaties First Nations, and reaffirming our shared responsibility to honour Indigenous knowledge and stewardship.
Agenda
- Norms
- Welcome
- Inclusion Activity
- Student Council Updates
- Student Reps
- Teacher Representatives
- Admin Updates
- PRO Grant
- Future Meetings
Meeting Norms
Members reviewed meeting norms, including:
- Respectful dialogue and consideration of diverse viewpoints
- Active listening with the intent to understand
- Notes may be taken, but recording or photographing meetings is not permitted
Approval of Agenda and Previous Minutes
The agenda for the May 19, 2026, meeting was reviewed.
The minutes from the March 23, 2026, School Council meeting were approved without changes.
Inclusion Activity – Favourite Hobbies
Members participated in an icebreaker activity by sharing their favourite hobbies and interests.
Responses reflected the diversity of the school community and included:
- Gardening
- Watching movies and sports
- Soccer and World Cup events
- Baking and cooking
- Camping, hiking, and walking outdoors
- Music and travel
- Spending time with family
- Running and marathon training
- Surfing and outdoor recreation
The activity created a relaxed and engaging atmosphere while allowing members to learn more about one another beyond their School Council roles.
Student Council Update
Melanie and Prem provided updates on recent and upcoming student activities.
Highlights included:
Spring Pep Rally
A successful school-wide pep rally brought students together through interactive games, friendly competitions, and activities designed to strengthen school spirit and student engagement.
Student Council Elections
Preparations are underway for Student Activity Council (SAC) elections for the 2026–2027 school year.
Positions include:
- President
- Vice-President
- Grade Representatives
Students are participating in speeches, campaigning, and promotional activities. Administration noted that campaign materials shared through social media will continue to be reviewed to ensure alignment with school expectations and student safety standards.
June Carnival
Student Council is organizing a June Carnival featuring:
- Games and activities
- Student performances
- Club participation
- School merchandise sales
- Fundraising initiatives
Students will be able to earn prizes and enjoy a variety of community-building activities.
Clubs and Student Engagement
Prem highlighted several student-led initiatives, including dance and recreational activities, that have generated strong participation and enthusiasm throughout the school.
Principal Mark Melnyk acknowledged the creativity and leadership demonstrated by the student council team this year, noting that several initiatives have attracted interest from other schools seeking to learn from MMHS student leadership practices.
Guidance Counsellors
- Jane Wong – Guidance Counsellor (A - G)
- Irene Petrou – Guidance Counsellor (H - Lin)
- Samantha Altorio – Guidance Counsellor (Lina - S)
- Dina Saweriss – Guidance Head (T - Z)
- Ms. Lee - Guidance Secretary
- Sarit Abramovich – Interim Head of Student Services
- Marina Kilada - Assistant Head of Student Services
- Joanna Ding - Student Success Teacher
The team continues to provide individualized support to students throughout the school year.
Teacher Representative Report
Mark Melnyk, Principal, presented highlights from various departments and student achievement initiatives across the school.
Department Updates
Technological Studies
The department reported another successful year featuring innovative student projects and interdisciplinary collaboration with Geography and Science programs.
Student feedback has remained positive, particularly regarding hands-on learning opportunities and exposure to emerging technologies.
Robotics Programs
MMHS robotics programs continue to grow significantly.
Highlights included:
- Participation in both VEX Robotics and FIRST Robotics Canada competitions
- Competition appearances at the district and provincial levels, including Niagara Falls
- Formation of multiple school teams
- Third-place finish at the YRDSB Skills Competition
Staff noted that student participation has grown substantially over recent years, reflecting increased student interest in engineering, design, technology, and innovation.
Geography Department
The Geography Department celebrated several accomplishments:
- Geography Awareness Week activities focused on the "Year of the Glacier"
- Geo Club fundraising efforts supporting environmental conservation initiatives
- Community Partner Day featuring universities and industry representatives connected to geography-related careers
Students also achieved strong results in extracurricular competitions.
Landscape Design and 1UP Competition
Student teams:
- Earned Gold and Bronze medals at the Skills Ontario Competition
- Achieved a fourth-place finish at the 1UP Conference for an atrium design project
Business Department
The Business Department highlighted:
- SHSM experiential learning opportunities
- Participation in DECA events, including competition opportunities in Atlanta, Georgia
- OBEA Business Competition participation
- Student entrepreneurship projects that allowed students to develop and launch business ideas through the school's marketplace initiative
Council members congratulated students and staff on the breadth of opportunities available across departments.
Vice‑Principal Updates
Presented by Mark Melnyk, Principal
Safety and School Operations
- Final fire drill scheduled for June 6 (weather permitting)
- Day School e-Learning Exams scheduled for June 12
Examination Schedule
Administration explained that Grade 12 examinations will begin earlier than those for Grades 9–11 to support graduation timelines and end-of-year requirements.
Key dates:
- Grade 12 Exams: June 15–19
- Grades 9–11 Exams: June 17–23
Upcoming Events
Important upcoming events include:
- Music Banquet – May 21
- SAC Speeches – May 22
- Prom – May 28
- SAC Carnival – June 5
- Athletic Banquet – June 8
- EQAO Mathematics Assessment – June 9–10
- Graduation Ceremony – June 23
Council thanked the administration for providing advance communication to families regarding examination schedules and important dates.
Principal’s Update
Principal Mark Melnyk shared several school-wide updates and reflections.
School Growth & Operations
- Current enrollment: ~1725 students
- Projected next year: 1850 students
- Portables increasing from 4 to 8
- Leadership focus this month:
- Respect for self, others, families, school, and community
- Mental health and student well-being
- Effective and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence
- Anti-oppressive practices and inclusive learning environments
- Supporting MLLs (Multilingual Learners)
Communication & Family Engagement
Mark shared candid reflections on communication challenges:
- Some parents find long emails overwhelming.
- Others prefer PDFs (as done in some schools).
- Some communities (e.g., Chinese, Sri Lankan) may face language or accessibility barriers.
- Mark is evaluating whether families are using Google Calendar effectively.
- He is exploring better ways to reach parents without relying on social media (which he does not use personally).
Parents encouraged continued efforts to provide concise and easily accessible communication.
Community Building
- This year, MMHS collaborated with two neighbouring schools for PRO Grant programming.
- Seema shared that MCI’s principal used traditional games to build community — an idea she appreciated.
- Anuraag suggested a two‑part model for future events:
- Informal community‑building time
- Formal session
- Rupal shared feedback from Indian parents:
- Mondays are difficult due to in‑person work
- Mid‑week meetings may increase attendance
- Parents appreciate reminders
- Mark Melnyk expressed support for exploring additional parent-led initiatives and highlighted opportunities to learn from successful programs at other schools within the region.
Graduation Planning
- Grad tickets must be restricted due to capacity.
- Last year: 150 no‑shows + some unregistered attendees.
- Incoming graduating class: 500 students
- Need a venue for 1500 people
- Suggestions from parents:
- School gym
- Local theatres
- Mark noted challenges:
- Parking
- Shuttle logistics
- Timing (7–11 PM)
- Budget
- Several suggestions regarding venue options and event logistics were shared by council members for consideration.
- Mark is exploring creative solutions.
PRO Grant – The Anxious Generation
Council reflected on the PRO Grant presentation focused on "The Anxious Generation."
- Seema shared that she was spellbound by the cultural section of the event.
- Mark reflected on the strong student voice and cross‑school collaboration.
- Council discussed ideas for next year, including:
- Career exploration nights
- Parent–child volunteering (e.g., tree planting)
- Informal community‑building before structured sessions
Several attendees shared positive feedback regarding the presentation and its relevance to current student experiences.
Future Meetings & Parent Engagement
Tentative School Council meetings for 2026–2027 were presented:
- September 22, 2026
- November 16, 2026
- February 16, 2027 (Virtual)
- April 19, 2027
- May 18, 2027
Discussion focused on increasing attendance and engagement.
Suggestions included:
- Exploring mid-week meeting dates rather than Mondays
- Providing reminders closer to meeting dates
- Better understanding barriers preventing participation
- Supporting new families unfamiliar with School Council activities
- Considering language and accessibility challenges that may affect participation
Council agreed that understanding the root causes of low attendance will be important in developing future engagement strategies.
Reflections & Closing Remarks
- Members reflected on a productive school year and expressed appreciation for the contributions of students, staff, administration, and parent volunteers.
- Mark Melnyk emphasized the importance of continuing to support student mental health while recognizing the positive culture that exists within the MMHS community. He noted the strong commitment shown by students, families, and staff throughout the year.
- Anuraag Sharma thanked all members for their dedication and collaboration. He acknowledged the efforts of School Council leadership and administration and expressed optimism about continuing to strengthen engagement and community connections in the coming year.
Meeting Adjournment
The meeting concluded with appreciation for everyone's contributions throughout the 2025–2026 school year.