Board Meeting Highlights for September 2019
For Immediate Release
September 25, 2019
GUELPH, Ontario – The September meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board was held on September 24, 2019. The following provides highlights from the meeting.
Ministry of Education Request for Capital Priorities 2019
Trustees approved recommendations directing staff to submit business cases to the Ministry of Education for consideration as part of the province’s Capital Priorities Program (CPP).
On July 22, 2019, the Ministry of Education announced the launch of the 2019-20 CPP, inviting school boards to submit up to 10 of their most urgent Capital Priorities for funding consideration. The Ministry stated that for each Capital Priorities request, the work must be completed by the 2023-24 school year. Funding is allocated on a business case basis and must meet the Ministry’s criteria for eligible projects.
The CPP provides school boards with an opportunity to respond to their most urgent pupil accommodation needs. The program provides a source of capital funding to address a number of issues including, relieving accommodation pressures, replacing schools in poor condition, and creating child care spaces in schools.
In the UGDSB report presented to trustees, staff recommended that three capital projects be submitted to the Ministry for funding: A new 308 pupil-place elementary school in the Township of Centre Wellington, a four-classroom addition at Hyland Heights ES in Shelburne, and a four-classroom addition at Glenbrook ES in Shelburne.
Staff will now prepare CPP business cases for the three projects and submit them to the Ministry by the Sept. 30 deadline.
Walking School Bus Project
Staff provided an update on the Walking School Bus Project that is currently running at two UGDSB schools in Guelph.
Last year, Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services (STWDSTS) announced that they received grant funding to launch Walking School Buses in Guelph. The pilot began in April at Mitchell Woods Public School. The WSB program allows students to walk to school under the supervision of a paid walking school bus leader. This innovative project is a way to get students to and from school safely in a group. Adult supervisors are screened, trained and managed by STWDSTS.
This year, the program is running at Mitchell Woods PS and jointly at Ken Danby PS and Holy Trinity CS. Mitchell Woods PS is running two routes with 28 students and Ken Danby/Holy Trinity is running two routes with 40 students.
The next regular monthly meeting will be held on Tues. October 22, 2019, at the Guelph Board Office, 500 Victoria Road North. Everyone is welcome to attend. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.
About the Upper Grand District School Board
The Upper Grand District School Board serves approximately 34,000 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 3,000 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]
Categories: Media Releases • News Tags: Transportation