This update provides a summary of the public meeting of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held Monday, June 17, 2019 at the Education Centre. It is an unofficial summary of the meeting; official minutes will be approved at the next meeting in September 2019.
Shannon Binder, Chair of the Board, acknowledged the First Peoples of the territory. This evening we acknowledge that the land on which we are gathered is part of the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee people. We acknowledge the land to show respect and recognize the First Peoples of the territory; their history, culture and perspectives and as a step towards reconciliation.
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 Bonnie Danes, Trustee, Centre Hastings, 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.
Presentations
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Truth and Reconciliation Performance, Prince Edward Collegiate Institute
Tina Elliott, Superintendent of Education introduced guests from Prince Edward Collegiate Institute: principal Earle Wright, teacher Matthew Sheahan and several students. Elliott explained about local recognition for the school through creating and performing a play about truth and reconciliation. Wright explained the background about how the concept of a performance became a reality through research by the students in small groups and a large group. They curated each part of the performance, building upon the story from one segment to the next.
Thank you to Teacher Matthew Sheahan and students Abby Attwells, Kennedy Babutac, Maddy Colton, Anthony Cumpsty, Talia Epstein, Aliyah Jarvis, Amanda Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Maggie Lindsay, Anna Louder, Nylah Molyneux, Brynn Peck, Amber Peeling and Kayla Zachariah.
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Students from Prince Edward Collegiate Institute researched, wrote and performed in the community a play about truth and reconciliation.
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Congratulations to students from Bayside Secondary School who won awards at skills competitions: Mia Hobson, Bronze for Graphic Design Presentation; Nolan Porter, Silver in Welding; and Jacob Radocsay, Gold in Photography.
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Skills competitions winners, Bayside Secondary School
Tina Elliott, Superintendent of Education introduced guests from Bayside Secondary School who achieved awards at skills competitions. Eleanor Hoecht-McNevin, Curriculum Coordinator, explained that 70 students competed in the local competition then some moved to the provincials. Students scored three medals in Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Congratulations to teachers Mike Burns and Mark Adams, and their students Mia Hobson, Bronze for Graphic Design Presentation; Nolan Porter, Silver in welding; and Jacob Radocsay, Gold in photography.
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Teacher presentation at the Stockholm, Sweden International Series Festival, Bayside Secondary School
Ken Dostaler, Superintendent of Education made opening remarks prior to introducing teacher Kent Allin, Bayside Secondary School. Dostaler explained since 2008, Allin has been teaching a Grade 12 English course on graphic literature. For the past five years Allin has combined his passion for comic books with an interest in Indigenous literature. In his talk at the Canadian Embassy in Stockholm, Allin examined the use of First Nations, Métis and Inuit comic books and graphic literature as a means to promote cultural awareness.
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For the past five years Kent Allin, Teacher, Bayside Secondary School has combined his passion for comic books with an interest in Indigenous literature. In his talk at the Canadian Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, Allin examined the use of First Nations, Métis and Inuit comic books and graphic literature as a means to promote cultural awareness.
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Parents Aaron Dunleavy and Erin Spicer-Bowland presented information about the Adventure Class at Queen Victoria School to address the rationale for ending the class in 2021.
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Delegation by parents of students in the Adventure Class at Queen Victoria School
Parents Aaron Dunleavy and Erin Spicer-Bowland presented information about the Adventure Class at Queen Victoria School to address the rationale for ending the class in 2021.
Recommendations
2019-2020 Budget
Board members approved the 2019-2020 operating and capital expense budgets in the amounts of $202,737,725 and $26,900,366, respectively. The overall budget contains an in-year surplus for compliance purposes of $20,007.
Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board is on a Ministry of Education-mandated three-year financial recovery plan. This plan contains a number of permanent and non-permanent savings measures that include: consolidating/closing schools, reducing staff, reducing department and school budgets, deferring the replacement of technology, and taking a number of other measures with the goal of rebuilding an adequate accumulated surplus by the end of 2018-2019.
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The planned last year of the financial recovery plan is 2018-2019, although the Ministry of Education has indicated that boards are not released from financial recovery plans until the financial statements for the final year are available and the revised estimates for the following year are reviewed to ensure that the board is maintaining a balanced or positive financial position.
Enrolment projections for the purpose of developing the 2019-2020 budget were calculated based upon input from schools. These projections show a slight increase for elementary enrolment and a decrease for secondary enrolment. Overall, it is anticipated that the board enrolment for 2019-2020 will be 14,895, a decrease of 37.5 pupils relative to 2018-2019 revised estimates.
The 2019-2020 budget is based upon the most recent information on funding released by the Ministry of Education. The expense budget includes classroom staffing at levels similar to present (no changes in elementary schools, secondary school classes continued at an average class size of 22) and continued savings measures that include a small reduction in support staff.
The Grant for Student Needs (GSN) funding for 2019-2020 has been significantly reduced in many areas from prior years, notably for elementary and secondary teachers, creating a gap in this area between the cost of teachers deployed to schools and the funding to support that expense. This, coupled with other funding reductions, results in the requirement to continue the savings measures that have been implemented under the financial recovery plan in order to produce a balanced budget.
Information
Calendar of events
A number of district and school events (Pdf) are scheduled for the remainder of June 2019. Upcoming events include the following among many more.
- June 19: Grade 4 French Immersion Orientation, Prince Edward Collegiate Institute
- June 20: Adult Education Graduation, William. R. Kirk School
- June 24-27: Graduations at various elementary and secondary schools
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Presentation to outgoing student trustees
Shannon Binder, Chair of the Board and Lisa Anne Chatten, Vice-chair of the Board, acknowledged the outgoing student trustees and presented them with a memento of their time on the Board. We wish all the best to Meera Moorthy, Eastside Secondary School; Melissa Elliott, North Hastings High School; and Ryan Gentle, Trenton High School (absent from photo).
Report from the Executive Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
Report from the Audit Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Meeting the new regional internal audit team and the proposed audit schedule
Report from the Budget Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Review of the draft 2019-2020 budget
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We wish all the best to Meera Moorthy, Eastside Secondary School; Melissa Elliott, North Hastings High School; and Ryan Gentle, Trenton High School (absent from photo).
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Report from the Student Enrolment/School Capacity Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Update on two capital projects: renovations to Centre Hastings Secondary School and the upcoming construction of Easthill Elementary School
- Consolidation of students in Grade 7 & 8 into Bayside Secondary School and North Hastings High School
- Report for information about boundaries for the west side of Trenton
Report from Operations and Finance Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Update about records and information management
- Livestreaming Board meetings
- Electrical switchgear work at various schools over the summer
- Reports relating to energy use, water/environment and work at schools during the summer
Report from the Program and Human Resources Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Update about the Quinte Adult Education program which has 1,300 students
2019-2020 Board and committee meeting dates
A month-by-month list of meeting dates for the upcoming school year was included in the agenda package.
Terry Fox Milestone Award
Mandy Savery-Whiteway, Director of Education, acknowledged a letter from the Terry Fox Foundation indicating that HPEDSB schools have collectively raised over $1 million for the charity.
Reports from trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Participation at an event for homestay families with the International Student Program
- Comment about the delegation possibly not being provided with information about the delegation process; the director of education explained that it was explained to the delegation presenters that the Board would hear the report for information and then refer it to staff for handling as an operations item
- Attendance at the reunion last weekend for Pinecrest Memorial Elementary School and Queen Elizabeth School (Picton)
- Request for a land acknowledgement plaque to be placed in all schools; for discussion at a meeting of the Program and Human Resources Committee in the fall
- Recognition by trustees and student trustees of Mandy Savery-Whiteway, Director of Education as this was her last Board meeting due to retiring on August 31, 2019
Upcoming meetings
All meetings take place at the Education Centre unless otherwise noted.
- Tuesday, September 3: Executive Committee, 11:00 a.m.
- Monday, September 9:
- Student Enrolment/School Capacity Committee, 3:30 p.m.
- Program and Human Resources Committee, 5:30 p.m.
- Operations and Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
- Monday, September 23: Public Board Meeting
- Tuesday, September 24: Parent Involvement Committee, 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 25: Audit Committee, 3:30 p.m.
- Thursday, September 26: Special Education Advisory Committee, 5:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, extension 2354, [email protected]