Highlights from the February 2015 Board Meeting
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
February 25, 2015
GUELPH, Ontario – The monthly meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board was held on Tuesday, February 24, 2015. The following are highlights from the meeting.
Delegation – Rickson Ridge Public School
Heather Staines and Kristy Mitrovic, parents of Rickson Ridge PS students and members of the School Council delegated the board about 2013 decisions regarding Sir Isaac Brock Pubic School. Those decisions made Sir Isaac Brock a JK-7 school in 2015 and JK-grade 8 facility in 2016 instead of sending grade 7 and 8 students to Rickson Ridge. The parents have concerns that the enrolment of Rickson Ridge will drop, preventing the school from offering a robust program. They asked for a review of the enrolment numbers for their school, the reassignment of Development Areas (DA) to Rickson Ridge and a boundary review in the South End of Guelph to be completed before January 2016.
Trustee Schieck placed a motion of reconsideration of the February 2013 decisions that would direct grade 7 and 8 students residing in the attendance area for Sir Isaac Brock to remain at the school. These motions will be reconsidered in March 2015.
Trustee Moziar requested a staff report (information only) for the March 10 meeting of the Business Operations Committee that outlines enrolments for Rickson Ridge and Sir Isaac Brock for three years, and the implications if grades 7 and 8 remain at Rickson Ridge until the district-wide Long Term Accommodation Plan can be developed.
Kenilworth Public School
Trustees confirmed their decision from the February 10 Business Operations meeting to keep Kenilworth Public School open. The board will undertake the renovations required for the Full Day Kindergarten Program at the school, complete the facility renewal required, and keep Kenilworth maintained to the standards of all other schools in the district. Parents and Accommodation Review Committee members Mollie Loughran and Sonya McNabb attended the meeting and thanked trustees and staff for their work on the ARC and the decision to keep the school open. Documents and reports related to the review will remain online at www.ugdsb.ca/wnar.
Policies Approved
Trustees approved the revisions to Policy #308 Selection of Architects and #204 Research Projects in Schools. Both polices will be posted on the board’s website.
Motion of Reconsideration
Trustees Busuttil placed a motion of reconsideration for the March Board meeting. The previously approved motion to be reconsidered: “The Board appoint five trustees; two from Guelph, two from Wellington County and one from Dufferin County to a committee that will develop Terms of Reference for a French Immersion Review, which will be completed no later than the end of March 2015”.
Long Term Financing
Trustees approved a by-law that will see the board finance a number of capital projects (new schools) over the long term through the Ministry’s approved vehicle, the Ontario Financing Authority (OFA). The Ministry provides the money for the loan payments to the Board. The $6.8 million dollars is at an interest rate of 2.993% until 2040. The loan funds the cost of capital construction work that was completed by August 31, 2014.
School Year Calendars
The board approved the Elementary and Secondary School Year Calendars for the 2015-16 school year subject to the approval of the Ministry of Education. School will start for students on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. The Holiday Break is from Monday, December 21 to Friday, January 1. March Break begins on Monday, March 14 and runs until Friday, March 18. There will be one Ministry-mandated Professional Activity Day on Thursday, September 3, 2015 for all school staff and five other PA Days during the school year. The Wellington Catholic District School Board has calendars similar to Upper Grand. The tentative calendars will be posted on the Board’s website and sent out to all schools.
Everyday Heroes
Trustees serving on the Everyday Heroes Selection Committee will include Chair Bailey, Vice-Chair Fairbairn, Trustees Evoy, White and Moziar. Everyday Heroes recognizes “unsung” heroes of UGDSB who go above and beyond their responsibilities to make schools great places to learn and work.
Other Business
Trustee Busuttil requested a full workshop for trustees on French Programs (Core French, French Immersion and related French programs) offered in UGDSB schools before the end of March.
Trustee Moziar requested that the board send a letter to Halton DSB Director Dave Euale, congratulating him on his retirement. Euale was a teacher and superintendent with UGDSB for many years.
A discussion on the closure of schools in cold weather will be held at the Business Operations meeting on March 10.
The next monthly meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board will be held on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, at the Guelph Board Office beginning at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend.
For more information:
Maggie McFadzen, Communications Officer
519-822-4420 ext.725
[email protected]
Mark Weidmark, Administrative Officer – Communications
519-822-4420 ext.544
[email protected]
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