This update provides a summary of the public meeting of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held Monday, January 27, 2014 at the Education Centre. It is an unofficial summary of the meeting; official minutes will be approved at the next regular meeting in February 2014.
Presentation
Student leadership at Moira Secondary School
Mandy Savery-Whiteway, Director of Education, introduced guests from Moira Secondary School who were at the meeting to talk about student-led actions at their school. They showed a student-made video called "Make it Better Now," which raises awareness about bullying and how to bring positive change to schools. Through several initiatives underway now, student voices are heard and student leadership is thriving, all contributing to a positive environment at the school.
Thank you to Principal Grant Montgomery and students:
- Laura Hatt and Braelyn Guppy, representing the Student Council;
- Lesley Gordon, Kiera Sommerville and Rachel Wallbridge, representing the Student Voice Committee;
- Sofia Jelovac, Fiona Stanners and Jacob Gagne, representing the Mentorship Team; and
- Ben Bacic and Fiona Stanners, representing the Gay-Straight Alliance.
Report from Committee of the Whole
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Director's Performance Appraisal.
Recommendations
2013-2014 Revised policies, Part A
According to Procedure 110: Board Policy Development and Review, Board policies are reviewed every three years. Members of the Board approved amendments to the following policies:
- Policy No. 1: Board Mission and Goals
- Policy No. 2: Governance By-laws and Standing Rules
- Policy No. 3-A: Delegations and Presentations
- Policy No. 3: Form 003-1 Request for Delegation
- Policy No. 3-D: Board Communications and Media Relations
- Policy No. 3-I: Indemnification of Board Members
- Policy No. 4: Corporate Board Job Description
- Policy No. 11-D: Executive Committee
- Policy No. 12: External Committees and Trustee Advocacy
Information
Calendar of events
A number of district and school events are scheduled for the remainder of January and February 2014.
Upcoming events include the following:
- During January and February: Kindergarten registration at elementary schools
During February:
- Open Houses at secondary schools for families of Grade 8 students
- Winter Olympics activities at several schools
- Wednesday, February 5: French Immersion information session, Harry J. Clarke Public School, 6:00 p.m.
- Thursday, February 6: French Immersion information session, Bayside Public School, 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 19: Adventure Class information session, Queen Victoria School, 6:00 p.m.
Report from the Chair of the Board
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Acknowledgement of teachers who participated in the Ministry of Education Teacher Learning &
- Leadership Program (TLLP) and their involvement in a provincial symposium in November 2013 to showcase their TLLP projects. Congratulations to: Lisa Fraser and Kelly MacKay from Prince Edward Collegiate Institute, and Christine Zaporzan from Susanna Moodie Elementary School.
Report from the Operations and Finance Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Enrolling HPEDSB in a Microsoft licensing agreement to reduce costs.
- Update on revised estimates for the 2013-2014 school year.
- Update on trustee honoraria for the current school year.
- Review of building renewal projects.
- Update on the upcoming regional focus groups.
Report from the Program and Human Resources Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Update on cloud computing and a Microsoft licensing agreement to reduce costs.
- Update on the upcoming regional focus groups.
- Review of new curriculum documents.
- Update on the implementation of Regulation 274.
Report from Student Trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Beginning to plan the annual student leadership forum through the Student Senate. More to come!
Report from Trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Recognition to the presentation by the Moira Secondary school students this evening, and the theatrical performances by students at Centennial Secondary School and Quinte Secondary School.
- At each event, the students' enthusiasm and pride in their schools is evident. As well, these events demonstrate direct connections to Growing with Character, and to the broader school board and school plans, which include actions for students to reach high levels of achievement.
Reports from Staff
Highlights from this report included the following:
1. Capital projects update
- Showed the progress of construction of the new Harmony Public School through a series of pictures.
- Explained that tender is out for the addition to be added to Harry J. Clarke Public School to accommodate Full-day Kindergarten. Construction is expected to begin in early March 2014.
- Showed pictures of the two-classroom addition at Prince Charles Public School in Trenton. The cost was approximately $700,000.
2. Revised estimates
- School board budgets are referred to as "Estimates" and 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 include updated enrolment information, year-end results and
any other known changes since the budget was completed in June.
- Key changes in board revenues and expenditures 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
changes to the board's entitlement to provincial funding due to enrolment changes and the impact on
expenditures and revenue.
- The various adjustments described above (and outlined in the appendices in the Board agenda package) result in a drawdown of $1,624,491 from the board's accumulated surplus. The original Estimates submitted to the Ministry at the end of June projected a balanced budget.
Trustee proposals
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Request to follow-up with the Ontario Public School Boards' Association about an application for funding towards some costs associated with the upcoming regional focus groups.
Correspondence
The following correspondence was reviewed:
- From the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board:
- Changes to Providing Extended Day Programming to Families with Financial Need
- Consultation - New Development Charges Legislation
Upcoming public meetings
All meetings take place at the Education Centre unless otherwise noted.
- Wednesday, January 29: Parent Involvement Committee, 6:00 p.m.
- Monday, February 3: Executive Committee, 11:00 a.m.
- Monday, February 10: Program and Human Resources Committee, 5:30 p.m.
- Monday, February 10: Operations and Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
- Monday, February 24: Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, February 27: Special Education Advisory Committee, Quinte Secondary School, 5:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, extension 2354, [email protected]