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Board Meeting Highlights for November 2020

For Immediate Release
November 25, 2020

GUELPH, Ontario – The November meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board was held on November 24, 2020. The following provides highlights from the meeting.

2020-21 Annual French Review Background Report

Staff presented the 2020-21 Annual French Review Background Report, which reviews the experiences of the 2020-21 Junior Kindergarten French Immersion (JK FI) application process, enrolment, retention, staffing and cap related information.

Staff presented trustees with an overview of:

Following the presentation, the Board of Trustees approved recommendations that no new FI programs be established in 2021-22 and that school-based JK FI enrolment caps remain as is for the 2021-22 school year. The on-time window for the 2021-22 JK FI application process will be from Tuesday Jan. 5 to Friday Jan. 22, 2021 at 4pm.

Annual Accessibility Report

Staff presented the 2019-20 Annual Accessibility Report and reviewed the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan for 2018-2023.

Annual Accessibility Report

The purpose of the Annual Accessibility Report is to highlight the progress the board has made during the 2019-20 school year in providing an environment in all its facilities that builds independences, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for students, parents/guardians, staff and the public. The UGDSB is committed to the goal of giving persons with disabilities the same opportunity of access to its services, in the same location, and in a similar way as these services are available to all others we serve. The report was prepared by the UGDSB Accessibility Steering Committee.

The report supports and reflects all the objectives of the UGDSB’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan and highlights measures the board has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers for persons with disabilities in the areas of policy and procedure, training, education, building an accessible culture and leadership, procurement, information and communication, employment, transportation, the built environment and outdoor play spaces.

The 2019-20 Annual Accessibility Report highlights the goals achieved throughout the school year, including some new initiatives that were implemented as a result of COVID-19.

The full report is posted at www.ugdsb.ca/accessibility.

Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (2018-2023)

The purpose of the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan is to describe the measures the board will take over the period 2018-2023 to identify, remove and prevent barriers for persons with disabilities who work, learn or volunteer in and/or use services in board facilities.

The Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (2018-2023) is in its second year of implementation. It is a living document, meaning it is monitored, updated and changed during regularly scheduled Accessibility Meetings to ensure that the yearly goals are met, prioritized and compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

To view the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, visit www.ugdsb.ca/accessibility.

2020-21 Energy Team Action Plan

Staff from the UGDSB’s Energy Management Team presented their Action Plan for the 2020-21 school year. The Energy Management Team’s strategic goal is to promote efficient use of energy at the UGDSB.

This plan is intended to tie directly to the original Goals and Action Plan for the team, and to integrate with the Board’s Operational Plan. Implementation of the Action Plan   will help reduce the Board’s overall environmental impact. In addition, this year’s plan refocuses some of the team’s resources on reviewing and increasing the ventilation rates and effectiveness at our school sites.

To read the full report, visit https://www.ugdsb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-11-10-Energy-Management-Team-Action-Plan-20-21.pdf.

Renewal Projects 2020-21

Staff from the board’s Capital/Renewal group provided an overview of renewal projects scheduled for this year.

The Capital/Renewal group of the Operations Department is responsible for planning and implementing all new schools, additions, major renovations, energy initiatives and equipment replacement projects in UGDSB schools and administration buildings.

Their goal is to provide safe, serviceable, comfortable and affordable environments for students and staff, while seeking out and supporting environmental stewardship opportunities by linking the buildings to environmental education within the school system. 

The department develops a 5-year plan for utilizing the renewal grant from the Ministry of Education. In the fall of each year, the renewal plan is reviewed, revised and work to be implemented in the current year is formalized so that design work can proceed. The plan evolves over time and is updated as needs are prioritized.

Renewal work planned for this year includes masonry and paving projects, roofing projects, energy projects, general renovations, mechanical/electrical upgrades, and more.

Audited Financial Statements

Trustees approved the board’s 2019-20 Audited Financial Statements and the 2019-20 Audited Financial Statements of the UGDSB Trust Funds, prepared by KPMG. The financial statements are unqualified, which means they are clean. The board and the auditor thanked the Finance Department for their diligent work in financial reporting. The audited statements will be posted on the board’s website.

Policy Update

Trustees approved the following revised board policies: Policy 303 Naming of Schools and Board Facilities and Policy 503 Safe Schools. Policy 503 was also approved to be released for public consultation in order to comply with legislation. Following consultation, the policy may or may not undergo further changes. The deadline to provide feedback is January 19, 2021.

To view all UGDSB policies and procedures, and to provide feedback on draft policies, visit www.ugdsb.ca/policy. 

Trustee Honoraria

From December 1, 2020 to November 30, 2021, trustee honoraria will be set at the following:

The honoraria are set by base amounts plus an enrolment amount based on the Average Daily Enrolment (ADE) from the budget for the previous year.

Trustee Expenses

Trustee expenses for the 2019-20 financial year were received by the board. The expenses totaled $15,342. Travel and Professional Development expenses were lower in 2019-20 due to COVID-19 related restrictions. The expenses are posted on the Finance section of the board website.

The next regular monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday Dec. 15, 2020. Meeting details will be posted online at https://www.ugdsb.ca/board/board-meetings/board-and-committee-meetings-2020-2021/.

About the Upper Grand District School Board

The Upper Grand District School Board serves more than 35,000 students through 65 elementary schools and 11 secondary schools in the City of Guelph, County of Wellington and County of Dufferin. The UGDSB covers the ancestral and traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Six Nations of the Grand River, and Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territories. Student success is the goal of over 4,000 dedicated teaching and support staff who are aided by the contributions of caring volunteers and community partners.

Learn, Lead, Inspire…Together

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Media contact:
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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