This update provides a summary of the public meeting of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at the Education Centre. It is an unofficial summary of the meeting; official minutes will be approved at the next meeting in April 2016.
Character moment: Building Innovative Practices in Numeracy by the Centre Hastings School Group and recognition by EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office)
Superintendent Cathy Portt introduced this topic and the special guests from the Centre Hastings School Group and the Education Centre (see below).
During the past four years, three schools have been involved in a Ministry of Education-funded initiative called Building Innovative Practices in Numeracy, Grades 7 - 10. Through job-embedded learning and professional development, the focus has been on improving student understanding and learning in math through examining and refining best teaching practices. HPEDSB is one of seven school boards involved. The project has had an extremely positive effect on numeracy results at Madoc Public School, Tweed Elementary School and Centre Hastings Secondary School.
Tactics that have been used include videotaping classroom learning as evidence of student engagement and teaching students to communicate their thinking of math equations then sharing with each other.
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Outcomes noted by educators include the following:
- Improved student efforts in class each day and also on the EQAO assessments
- Improved EQAO results
- Professional relationships built between elementary and secondary educators
- Being able to interact with and learn with skilled educators
- Teachers' belief in their own understanding of math has an effect on students' learning
- Enthusiasm and confidence for teaching math increased in teachers and flowed through to students
- School administrators learned that it is important for them to be present with teachers during the learning sessions
Thank you to the following employees who attended tonight's meeting:
- Emily Adams, Teacher, Tweed Elementary School
- Chris Aikman, Teacher, Madoc Public School
- Joanne Barry, Principal, Madoc Public School
- Cassandra Bellwood, Vice-principal, Madoc Public School & Tweed Elementary School
- Tammy Billen, Learning Partner
- Shelley Bonter, Learning Partner
- Susan Carleton-Maines, Principal, Tweed Elementary School
- Lindsay Chisholm, Teacher, Tweed Elementary School
- Jeannie Curtis, Teacher, Madoc School
- Angela Harvey, Learning Support Coordinator
- Eric Harvey, Teacher, Madoc Public School
- Brenda Hollett, Teacher, Centre Hastings Secondary School
- Tina Jones, Student Success Lead
- Chris Lee, Numeracy Coach
- Ian McKendry, Teacher, Tweed Elementary School
- Lisa VandenBosch, Teacher, Centre Hastings Secondary School
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Also, Margaret Fler, Principal, School Support & Outreach Team, Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), presented a provincial Recognition of Achievement to Centre Hastings Secondary School in recognition of improved EQAO results during the four years of the above-noted initiative.
Report from the Committee of the Whole Board
This report included the following:
- Ratification of the Memorandum of Settlement between HPEDSB and ETFO, Hastings-Prince Edward Teachers' Local
Recommendations
Section 23 Programs
Each year the care, treatment and correctional facilities memoranda of understanding, in accordance with Section 23 of Ontario Regulation 287/98, are reviewed by Ministry of Education and school board personnel. These formal agreements outline the roles, responsibilities, and relationship of the school board and the facility.
Board members approved programs to continue during the 2016-2017 school year at the following facilities:
- Parent-Child and Youth Clinic at Queen Victoria School
- Honeywell House, Children's Mental Health Residential
- Junior Day Treatment Program at Park Dale School
- St. Leonard's Home
- Bridge Program at Madoc Public School
Information
Calendar of events
A number of district and school events (PDF) are scheduled for the remainder of March and April 2016. Some upcoming events include the following:
- Thursday, March 31: Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) at secondary schools
April 4 - 6: SEEDS (Seven-Eight Enrichment Day Studies) at Queen's University
- Saturday, April 16: HPEDSB trustees will be hosting trustees from Eastern Region school boards
- Thursday, April 21: LGBTQ+ event at Centre Hastings Secondary School
- Thursday, April 28: Family Night at Coe Hill School
- Various dates in April: Prom Project donated clothing on display and available for free to students who will be graduating
- Thursday, May 19: Student Benefit Auction in support of Food for Learning
Report from the chair
Highlights from this report included the following:
Report from the Executive Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
Report from the Student Enrolment/School Capacity Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Presentation about facility conditions and surplus space in schools
Report from the Program and Human Resources Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Update on math initiatives and connections to the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement & Well-Being
- Section 23 programs
- Update on student well-being initiatives
Report from the Operations and Finance Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Confirmation that funding for the child care facility at Stirling Public School has come though
Reports from trustees and student trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
Notice of Motion: Board Policy Review, Part B
To give notice of motion that a recommendation will be brought forward to the April 25, 2016 Board meeting to approve changes to Policy 11G: Special Education Advisory Committee.
Upcoming meetings
All meetings take place at the Education Centre unless otherwise noted.
- Monday, April 4: Executive Committee, 11:00 a.m.
- Monday, April 11: Student Enrolment/School Capacity Committee, 3:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 11: Program and Human Resources Committee, 5:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 11: Operations and Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
- Monday, April 25: Budget Committee, 5:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 25: Public Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
- Monday, April 25: Special Education Advisory Committee, 5:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, extension 2354, [email protected]