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Highlights of the Board Meeting of June 24, 2014

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
June 25, 2014

GUELPH, Ontario – The Upper Grand District School Board held is Regular Monthly Meeting on June 24, 2014. The following are highlights of the meeting.

Board budget passed

The 2014-15 school year budget was approved by trustees. The operating budget totals $351,129,761 with a capital allocation of $42,378,093. The budget is balanced and compliant. A further release and budget highlights has been sent.

Delegation – East Wellington French Immersion (FI) student transportation to King George PS

A delegation of Rockwood parents led by Jen McLeod petitioned the board for a solution to their busing concerns. Currently there are 22 FI students from East Wellington who have been granted out of area permission to stay at King George Public School and finish high school in Guelph at John F. Ross CVI. However, at the end of this year according to a previous board motion no busing would be provided commencing in 2014-15. The parents suggested that current bus routes can continue to be used without additional cost to the board. They also cited the issue of overcrowding had been solved by the boundary reviews and the start-up of a FI program in Rockwood. Many of the families, according to the delegation, are considering switching to other school boards or leaving the FI program if busing is not provided. 

Reconsideration of Motion

Trustee Cooper had placed notice at the May meeting that she would ask for reconsideration of the “no busing” motion affecting the East Wellington FI students. She urged her fellow trustees to vote in favour of the reconsideration motion, and defeat the motion on the books. The reconsideration motion passed and the original motion was then defeated. Trustee Cooper put a new motion on the floor asking for bussing to be reinstated for these students but that it be “at no net cost to the board”, and “reviewed annually”. Trustees were concerned about what “no net cost” meant and the amount of work for staff involved in determining this, as well as the timing for an annual review. An amendment regarding courtesy transportation was defeated, as well as a motion to defer the issue to the August Board meeting. After a long debate, trustees approved the following motion: 

“That those East Wellington FI students who attended JK to 4 at Edward Johnson PS in 2011-12 and were permitted to attend King George PS on an out of area basis until 2014, be allowed to continue attendance at King George PS until Grade 8 and then attend John F. Ross CVI for grade 9 to 12, and that transportation be provided until grade 8, provided that there are no additional costs, and that transportation be provided for grades 9–12 consistent with the new Rockwood boundary report.”

The vote was recorded and passed with trustees Cooper, Moziar, Schieck, Busuttil, Gohn and Borden voting in favour, with trustees Waterston, Topping and Bailey voting in the negative.

Strategic Plan draft approved

The Board voted in favour of the draft vision, mission statements, principles and goals of the Strategic Plan developed by the board’s Strategic Planning Committee. Further work will be done to refine the plan for further presentation to the Board in the 2014-15 school year. 

Renaming of the Orangeville Education Centre

Trustees Borden and Topping were selected to serve on the renaming Committee for the Orangeville Board Office.

The Special Education Report (2013-14) and the Special Education Plan (2014-15)

The Special Education Report for the current year was received by the board. It describes the philosophy and goals for special education, the ways in which the staff work and provide services, the interaction with the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) and the parents/students receiving special education.
The Plan, which was approved, informs the Ministry of Education and the public about the special education services provided by the board in accordance with Ministry policy and legislation. It is composed of a number of elements required by the Ministry of Education. The board has also included the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement (BIPSA) as it relates to special education and Targeted Goals for Student with Special Needs, developed from a survey of parents whose children have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and require special education services
Both the Report and the Plan will be posted on the board’s website.

Policies approved

The following policies were approved and will be posted on the Board’s website:

Policy #607 Safety in Elementary Science and Technology was rescinded. Policy #604 was rewritten to cover safety in both the elementary and secondary panels.

Annual Report of the Director of Education

The Director of Education presented the annual Report for the 2013 year. She highlighted the contents, remarking on its layout and design, and the coverage of the three goals of the current Strategic Plan: Student Achievement, Energizing Staff and Public Confidence. Stories and pictures relating to the three goals are included in the report. A copy will be posted on the board’s website, and additional issues will be circulated in the community.

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The board will recess for the month of July, with the next monthly meeting to be held on August 26, 2014 at the Guelph Board Office, 500 Victoria Road north. 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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