This update provides a summary of the Public Meeting of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held Monday, September 24, 2018 at the Education Centre. It is an unofficial summary of the meeting; official minutes will be approved at the next meeting in October 2018.
Lucille Kyle, Chair of the Board, acknowledged that the meeting is taking place on the land of the Haudenosaunee people. Trustee Mary Schoones was introduced. She will be one of two trustees representing Belleville/Thurlow until November 30, 2018. Student trustees were also introduced: Melissa Elliott, North Hastings High School; Ryan Gentle, Trenton High School; and Merra Moorthy, Eastside Secondary School.
Character Moment of Reflection
Each Board meeting opens with a Character Moment of Reflection. At Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, Growing with Character is our intentional focus on creating safe, caring, respectful and inclusive learning environments where students develop the foundation for good character. Growing with Character is the foundation of the school board strategic plan. Through Growing with Character, we model, teach and expect demonstrations of our eight character traits which are: caring, cooperation, honesty, humour, integrity, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness.
This evening Dwayne Inch, Trustee for South Prince Edward County, asked all to reflect on Trustworthiness: We can be counted on to do what is right. We instill confidence in one another through our actions.
Presentation
"Welcome Back to Learning"video
This video highlighted student learning during the first few weeks of the 2018-2019 school year. It featured students from schools throughout Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.
Recommendations
Approval of the Accessibility Plan
Board members approved the Multi-Year Annual Accessibility Plan for the period September 2018 to August 2023.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) (AODA) and the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2001) (ODA) requires school boards to prepare annual plans to address barriers to persons with disabilities. The plan has had several revisions since it was first published in 2005.
The Accessibility Advisory Committee met in May 2018 to review and update the plan which incorporates plans for the next five-year period. The plan is reviewed annually by the Accessibility Advisory Committee, approved by the Board and posted on the HPEDSB website.
Joint Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee
Board members approved a resolution to authorize individuals to be appointed to the Joint Elections Compliance Audit Committee for the 2018-2022 term.
Section 88.37(1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, requires municipal councils and local school boards to establish a Compliance Audit Committee before October 1 of an election year. The Corporation of the County of Prince Edward, City of Quinte West, City of Belleville, the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, and the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board previously established a partnership of the Joint Elections Compliance Audit Committee for the 2014-2018 term.
2018-2019 Board policy review
Board members approved the review of four policies to determine any revisions to comply with legislation, guidelines, the strategic plan and current practices:
- Policy 3-C: Student Representation on Board
- Policy 3-H: Filling Vacancies on the Board
- Policy 4: Corporate Board Job Description
- Policy 9: Role of the Board Member
The revised policies will be reviewed by the Executive Committee, then be included on the November public Board meeting agenda for approval.
Annual review and approval of the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan: Possibilities Today & Tomorrow
Board members approved the continuation of the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan (Pdf) following an annual review. Progress on the 2018-2019 action plans will be reported through the 2018 Director's Annual Report (to be released in January 2019) and revisited when the next review process begins in February 2019.
Updated Special Education funding for 2018-2019
Board members approved a motion directing staff to prepare a recommendation, relative to the 2018-2019 Special Education per pupil allocation benchmark increase of $1,007.08 per Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 student, and how this unanticipated increase will be utilized to support the Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 students with Special Education and mental health needs.
On August 24, 2018, the Ministry of Education released Memo 2018: B14 Update: Education Funding for 2018-2019 which included a number of updates to the previously announced education funding for the 2018-2019 school year. While the total provincial funding for the Grants for Student Needs is expected to remain at $24.5 billion in 2018-2019, there are some variations between earlier funding and new funding at the board level, leading to a net increase in funding for HPEDSB of $123,956.
Appointment of a sixth member for the Executive Committee
Board members approved the appointment of Mary Schoones as the sixth member of the Executive Committee effective immediately. This appointment is in effect until the end of the current term on November 30, 2018. New elections for trustee roles will take place at the Initial Board Meeting on December 3, 2018.
Information
A number of district and school events (Pdf) are scheduled for the remainder of September and into October 2018.
Upcoming events include the following:
- September 24-27, 2018: Drive Away Hunger Challenge, Tyendinaga Public School
- September 26: Opening of the Community Garden, Kente Public School, 5:00 p.m.
- September 27, 2018: Terry Fox Run, various schools
- October 1, 2018: Orange Shirt Day, various schools
- October 3, 2018: Bus Safety Presentation, Athol-South Marysburgh Public School
- October 5, 2018: Semester 1 Early Progress Reports sent home at secondary schools
Report from the Chair
- Provided verbal and written reports on the 2018 Canadian School Board Association conference held in Halifax, NS in July.
- The 6th Annual Indigenous Gathering is taking place in Toronto this week, hosted by HPEDSB.
Report from the Executive Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Verbal update on recognition dates which will now be shared on the HPEDSB website and banner.
Report from the Student Enrolment/School Capacity Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Update on the lease with the County Food Hub at Sophiasburgh Central School.
- Explanation of the moratorium on accommodation reviews.
- Review of the Long-term Capital and Accommodation Plan.
- Updates on school consolidations at Centennial Secondary School, Eastside Secondary School, Prince Edward Collegiate Institute and Trenton High School.
Report from the Operations and Finance Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Accessibility Advisory Plan
- Funding update
- Community planning and partnerships update
Report from the Program and Human Resources Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Induction of new trustee Mary Schoones
- Board improvement plan update
- Health and Physical Education Curriculum update
Enrolment update
Each September elementary and secondary enrolments are collected then compared to springtime projections to determine the impact on teaching staff and school organizations. This is required to address provincial class size guidelines and budget.
Elementary enrolments were collected on September 7, 2018 and updated on September 14, 2018. Secondary enrolments were collected on September 17, 2018.
Elementary
Elementary enrolment on September 14, 2018 was 10,341 compared to a projection of 10,371, a decrease of 30 students compared to projection.
Secondary
Using the data collected on September 17, 2018, the revised average daily enrolment (ADE) was projected for the year as 4,578. The revised projection shows an increase of 45 ADE over original projections, and a year-over-year increase of one secondary student when compared to September 15, 2017 enrolment.
Administration is in the process of finalizing the impact on staff needs and class sizes to determine what adjustments are required.
Report from trustees and student trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
- The student senators met last week with a focus on multi-cultural inclusion. The senators are eager to work together to establish a vision for their work this year.
- An update about an upcoming meeting of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association meeting later this week. Some of the topics of discussion will include: proposed changes to Indigenous curriculum and the Health and Physical Education curriculum; and freeze of executive compensation.
Upcoming public meetings
All meetings take place at the Education Centre unless otherwise noted.
- Wednesday, September 26: Audit Committee, 3:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 26: Parent Involvement Committee, 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, September 27: Special Education Advisory Committee, 5:00 p.m.
- Monday, October 1: Executive Committee, 11:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, October 9: Program and Human Resources Committee, 5:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 9: Operations and Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
- Monday, October 15: Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 24 Parent Involvement Committee, 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, October 25: Special Education Advisory Committee, 5:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, extension 2354, [email protected]