This update provides a summary of the public meeting of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held Monday, May 26, 2014 at the Education Centre. It is an unofficial summary of the meeting; official minutes will be approved at the next regular meeting in June 2014.
Presentation
13th Annual Great Place Awards
Chair Dwayne Inch called on Communications Officer Kerry Donnell to introduce the 13th Annual Great Place Awards. The Great Place Awards are the highest recognition within Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board. They recognize the outstanding contributions made to students, and emphasize the commitment to Growing with Character and the school board attributes of caring, cooperation, honesty, humour, integrity, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness. The committee reviewed 19 nominations and selected nine award recipients.
Congratulations to Great Place Awards recipients:
- Beverly Affleck, Teacher, Prince Edward Collegiate Institute
- Chris Barry, Police Officer, Belleville Police Service
- Jane Bonter, Educational Assistant, Madoc Township Public School
- Kate Cockburn, Teacher, North Hastings High School
- Cindy Cooper, Teacher, Moira Secondary School
- Eileen Lucas, In-school Resource Teacher, Madoc Public School
- Reta Sporring, Volunteer, Sir John. A. Macdonald Public School
- Sadie Stewart, Teacher, Centre Hastings Secondary School
- Gerarda Wagenmakers, Teacher, Hermon Public School
Recommendations
Report from the Committee of the Whole
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Director's Performance Appraisal
- Elementary teachers who have completed probationary status.
- Construction schedule for the Trenton replacement school.
- Negotiations update on Tri-Board Student Transportation Services.
Appointment of student trustees for 2014-2015
Student representation on the Board is valued and allows for the student voice to be heard. Board Policy 3-C: Student Representation on the Board, requires the formation of a student senate with two representatives elected from each of the Board's secondary schools' student body and for that group to elect and recommend to the Board, at its Board meeting in May of each year, the names of two student trustees and an alternate.
Board members approved the student trustees for the 2014-2015 school year and alternate, as noted below:
- Cameron Barry, Centre Hastings Secondary School;
- Alyssa Mifflin, Centennial Secondary School; and
- Brooke Gilbert, Centennial Secondary School, as the alternate.
The following students were appointed to roles within the student senate:
- Deanna Melanson, Trenton High School as the chair;
- Brooke Gilbert, Centennial Secondary School as the vice-chair.
Information
A number of district and school events are scheduled for the remainder of May and June 2014.
Upcoming events include the following:
- Friday, May 30: Youth Forum, Loyalist College
- Friday, May 30: Relay for Life, Centennial Secondary School
- Friday, May 30: HornetFest Annual Event & Name the School Mascot to be announced that evening, Hermon Public School
- Tuesday, June 3: Recognition Awards, Moira Secondary School
- Thursday, June 5: School Group Track and Field Meet, Trenton High School
- Friday, June 6: Butterfly release day at several schools
- Wednesday, June 11: District Track and Field Meet, Mary Anne Sills Park
Report from the Chair
Highlights from this report included the following:
- The Trustee Retreat is scheduled for Monday, June 16, 2014. It will be a working session with one of the items being to provide input to the 2014-2015 AiM System Plan.
Report from Executive Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- The decision to include the trustee representative for the Ontario School Boards' Association is proving to be valuable, as the representative is helping the Executive Committee to make connections to provincial initiatives.
Report from the Operations and Finance Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Update of capital projects-current and upcoming-along with a summary of the renovations or additions at schools for Full-day Kindergarten.
- Update on the accommodation review process.
Report from the Program and Human Resources Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Report from the Information & Technology Services Team about a pilot project using Google Apps for Education (GAFE), and an update about another pilot project related to adolescent learning.
Reports from Staff
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Visual presentation showing photographs of construction that is currently underway. Projects-on-the-go include the following:
- constructing a new Harmony Public School;
- constructing an addition at Harry J. Clarke Public School;
- constructing a day care addition at Stirling Public School (in the design phase now);
- constructing a new Trenton elementary school (selecting the architect now);
constructing additions at Tyendinaga Public School and Foxboro Public School; and
doing renovations at Kente Public School, Maynooth Public School and Sophiasburgh Central School.
Reports from Trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Development of a concussion policy; presentation from Open Source Text Canada which was about online texts being available to students, with the most recent version always available rather than having to wait for new books to be printed.
- Legislative updates and proposed changes to fire systems.
- Update on the Food for Learning Student Benefit Auction which raised approximately $14,000 for student nutrition programs.
- Participation at Celebration of Dance.
- An forestry-related event for students in North Hastings, where they learn about trees, healthy forests and forestry equipment.
- Attendance at the Open House for Harmony Public School.
- Participation in the tri-board Special Education Advisory Committee meeting which was hosted at Limestone District School Board.
- Re-dedication of the stained glass window at Tweed Elementary School. This window depicts World War I soldiers.
Reports from Student Trustees
- Highlights from this report included the following:
- Participation at a recent conference for student trustees.
- Welcomed the two incoming student trustees.
Upcoming public meetings
All meetings take place at the Education Centre unless otherwise noted.
- Wednesday, May 28: Parent Involvement Committee, 6:00 p.m.
- Monday, June 2: Executive Committee, 11:00 a.m.
- Monday, June 9: Program and Human Resources Committee, 5:30 p.m.
- Monday, June 9: Operations and Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, June 12: Special Education Advisory Committee, Quinte Secondary School, 5:00 p.m.
- Monday, June 16: Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, extension 2354, [email protected]