This update provides a summary of the public meeting of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held Monday, January 26, 2015 at the Education Centre. It is an unofficial summary of the meeting; official minutes will be approved at the next meeting in February 2015.
Character moment: Performance by the Queen Victoria School Choir
Superintendent Mark Fisher welcomed the students and staff from Queen Victoria School, and introduced Principal Chad Harvey. Mr. Harvey explained that the Junior Choir consists of students who enjoy leading by example and who engage with others in the Primary division through singing. He also described the connections to the school board AiM System Plan, particularly the priorities of Reaching High Levels of Student Achievement and Promoting Well-Being for Students and Employees. Through their involvement in the choir, students are learning to connect learning goals to character development and well-being. Grade 6 student Ha-nee Hood expressed appreciation for the choir being able to perform three songs: "Responsibility," "Winter Song," and "True Colours."
Students in the Queen Victoria School Junior Choir Who Performed at the January 2015 Board Meeting
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Mr. Tebo's
Grade 4 Class
Joey Coates
Natalie Cuculuzzi
Trinity David
Charlotte Genereaux
Joseph Lockhart
Spencer Love
Aubrey Sutherland-
Mahaffy
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Mrs. Charles' Junior
Adventure Class
Arlo Cook
Gavin Davies
Trintiy Irvine-Bellmare
Amelia McIntosh
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Mrs. Macauley's
Grade 5/6 Class
Alexis Asselstine- Follwell
Mya Cooney-Reynolds
Aidan Cunningham
Kate Doll
Cameron Johnston-Rose
Audrey LaBrash
Kirsten Madden
Airica Raven
Destiny Smith
Maria Stewart
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Ms. Mason's
Grade 6 Class
Sean Allen
Abigale Crisp
Marshall Crosbie
Paige Giles
Ha-nee Kim Hood
Haley LaBrash
Logan Rose
Tyler Jordan Sanders
Abigail Slaunwhite
Emma Williams
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Information
Calendar of events
A number of district and school events are scheduled for the remainder of January and into February 2015.
Upcoming events include the following:
- Wednesday, January 28: visits to secondary schools by Grade 8 students.
- Wednesday, February 4: Destinations Programme Information Night, 6:00 p.m. at Moira Secondary School.
- Thursday, February 5: Geoventure Information Night, 6:30 p.m. at Moira Secondary School.
- Thursday, February 10: visits to North Hastings High School by Grade 8 students.
- Monday, February 16: Family Day at the Frink Centre.
- Wednesday, February 18: Public Information Meeting about the new Trenton elementary school, 6:00 p.m. at Queen Elizabeth Public School in Trenton.
- Wednesday, February 25: V.P. Carswell Elementary School Choir sings "O'Canada" at the Belleville Bulls Hockey Game.
Report from the Chair
Highlights from this report included the following:
- A public survey is online until February 8, 2015. Paper copies are available from schools. All are invited to complete it. The purpose is to provide input on the new school board long-term plan which will begin in September 2015.
Report from the Executive Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Director's Annual Report for 2014-2015.
- The circulation of media reports highlighting school- or Board-related articles.
Report from the Operations and Finance Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Building renewal projects for 2014-2015.
- Trustee honoraria.
Report from the Program and Human resources Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Update on the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement, and school improvement plans.
- Update about the Instructional Technology Advisory Committee, including cloud computing and the technology evergreening (renewal) plan.
- Computer training for trustees.
- Update on the public survey.
- Update on the process for developing the new long-term system plan.
- Summary of the process and initial results from the French Immersion and Extended French surveys and focus groups.
Report from the Staff
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Revised estimates. School board budgets, referred to as "Estimates," are required to be submitted to the Ministry of Education by June 30 of each year. In late fall, boards are required to update key data included in the Estimates and submit the revised information to the Ministry of Education. Revisions normally incorporate updated information regarding enrolments, prior year actual results and any other known changes since the budget was completed in June.
- Key changes in board revenues and expenditures for the 2014-15 Revised Estimates are based on the following:
- additional resources provided by the Ministry of Education under the Education Program Other (EPO) category of initiatives and offsetting expenditure increases; and
cost updates arising out of prior year actual results and capital projects activity.
The various adjustments described above and outlined in the appendices result in a drawdown (in-year deficit) of $485,894 from the board's accumulated surplus. The original Estimates submitted to the Ministry at the end of June projected a balanced budget. Administration will continue to challenge for opportunities to achieve a balanced budget.
- 2014-2015 Director's Annual Report. This document is required to be produced and posted on the school board website by the end of January each year. Mandy Savery-Whiteway, Director of Education, commented that this report aligns with the AiM-Achievement in Motion for Student Success System Plan and provides a summary of the goals, priorities, accomplishments and actions still to come. Data on provincial assessments are also included. Printed copies will be available in the coming weeks. The online version is available at: http://www.hpedsb.on.ca/ec/aboutus/documents/annual_report_jan15.pdf
Reports from Trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Attendance at a hockey tournament in Peterborough, particularly the achievement of Centre Hastings Secondary School which won the six games they played.
- Retirement of Linda Jacobs, Secretary at Tweed Elementary School.
- The 'burp_it_on' Challenge at Deseronto Public School. This is a highly-successful international physical education challenge by Jason Lloyd's Grade 5/6 class.
- A new motto and logo for Tweed Elementary School. The new logo is a shield which represents the Canadian Shield within which the school is located.
- Attendance (by five Board members) at the Northern Outdoor Studies Open House at North Hastings High School last week.
- Attendance at festive celebrations at several schools. In particular, students at Coe Hill School visited the local Legion to interact with Legion members.
Correspondence
A letter from The Honourable Liz Sandals, Minister of Education, in response to a one from the Board about mental health supports for students.
Upcoming meetings
All meetings take place at the Education Centre unless otherwise noted.
- Monday, February 2: Executive Committee, 11:00 a.m.
- Monday, February 9: Program and Human Resources Committee, 5:30 p.m.
- Monday, February 9: Operations and Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
- Monday, February 23: Public Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, February 26: Special Education Advisory Committee, Quinte Secondary School, 5:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, extension 2354, [email protected]