Board Meeting Highlights for February 2017
For Immediate Release
March 1, 2017
GUELPH, Ontario – The February meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board was held on February 28, 2017. The following provides highlights from the meeting.
Teacher recruitment and staffing for French programs
Trustees received a presentation outlining updates in the recruiting of French qualified teachers in the UGDSB.
Trustees were informed of the challenges faced in Ontario for all boards looking to hire French qualified teachers, due in large part to the new two-year Teachers’ College program, and its impact on the number of new licensed teachers in Ontario available for hire. Whereas 12,400 new licensed teachers were forecast to graduate in Ontario in 2015, just 2,800 were forecast to graduate in 2016.
Staff also presented highlights of recruitment efforts taken so far this year, including attending numerous job fairs, both in Ontario and outside of the province.
The 2016-17 French Review Report
Staff presented the 2016-17 French Review Report, which outlined the feasibility and proposed location of any French Immersion regional holding sites for the 2017-18 school year, and outlined the feasibility of new FI programs in 2018-19.
Junior Kindergarten (JK) FI registration occurred from January 9 to 26. At the close of the JK FI registration window, there were 715 registrations across the system for 603 JK FI spots.
Trustees were presented with updated numbers, including the number of on-time registrations per school and the number of registrants on a waitlist, based on the school-level enrolment caps.
Across the board, there were 10 schools over the enrolment cap and four schools at or below the enrolment cap. A random selection process was initiated for the 10 schools above the cap. Parents and guardians were informed of their registration status by email on Feb. 28.
Trustees also received data on the number of registrants with siblings in FI, and the space available to registrants without siblings in FI. Based on January 2017 registrant information, the average across the board is just over 46% of registrants with a sibling in FI, meaning 54% of spaces were open to registrants without siblings in FI.
In the report, staff outlined the challenges in finding qualified French teachers and actions taken to meet these challenges. The report outlined the feasibility of creating regional holding sites for the 2017-18 year, determining that Willow Road PS in Guelph and Parkinson Centennial PS in Dufferin are feasible as one-year holding sites, beginning in September 2017.
The report also identified that there are underutilized schools in Guelph and Dufferin where new sustainable programs could be accommodated starting in 2018-19. Further information on staff recruitment will be available in the spring, and staff will present new 2018-19 program location(s) to trustees in April/May 2017.
Board launches boundary review to address continued French Immersion enrolment pressure at Dufferin schools
Trustees approved the initiation of the Orangeville/South Dufferin French Immersion (FI) Boundary Review to address long term French Immersion enrolment pressure at Princess Elizabeth PS (PEPS) and Mono-Amaranth PS (MAPS). The review will not involve modifications to any existing JK-8 Regular Track boundaries.
The review will involve changes to current PEPS JK-3 FI and MAPS Grade 4-8 FI boundaries to create a new FI school boundary. There are also changes proposed to the current FI grade configurations at PEPS and MAPS.
The boundary review will take place from February 28 until the final decision of trustees at the board meeting on April 25, 2017. The public may delegate at any of the Standing Committee or Board meetings during the review process.
A Public Information Session is also scheduled for March 23, 2017, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Princess Elizabeth PS. The purpose of the public meeting is for board staff to share the information from the Initial Boundary Review Report, gather input into the recommended option and answer questions.
Members of the school community are encouraged to visit www.ugdsb.ca/osdbr for more information about this review including reports, timelines, delegation opportunities and an online form where you can submit comments to staff and trustees.
The next regular monthly meeting will be held by on Tues. March 28, 2017, at the Guelph Board Office, 500 Victoria Road North. Everyone is welcome to attend. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.
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For more information:
Heather Loney, Communications and Community Engagement Officer
Upper Grand District School Board
519-822-4420 ext.725
[email protected]
Megan Sicoli, Administrative Officer, Communications
Upper Grand District School Board
519-822-4420 ext.764
[email protected]
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