Highlights of the February 2012 board meeting
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
February 29, 2012
GUELPH, Ontario – the February monthly meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board was held on Tuesday February 28, 2011. The following are highlights from the meeting.
Long Term Financing
Trustees approved a By-law that authorizes the board to enter into a long term Loan Agreement with the Ontario Financing Authority to provide funding for capital projects under the government’s Good Place to Learn, Prohibitive to Repair, Primary Class Size and the wrap up of the New Pupil Funding projects. Money to pay the loan, which totals $7.67 million and carries an interest rate of 3.654%, is provided to the board annually over the 25 years of the loan by the Ministry of Education at no cost to the board.
Superintendent of Program Appointed
Doug Morrell, currently Superintendent of Education for eight elementary schools and seven secondary schools in Wellington and Dufferin Counties, has been transferred to the position of Superintendent of Program effective April 1, 2012. Mr. Morrell is replacing current Superintendent of Program, Heather Boswell, who retires on March 31. The position of Superintendent of Education will be posted.
Superintendent Selection Committee
Trustees Jennifer Waterston, David Gohn and Marty Fairbairn were appointed to the Superintendent of Education Selection Committee.
Leave of Absence Granted
Trustees approved a leave of absence for Heather Clemmer, the Easter Seals representative on the Special Education Advisory Committee until the fall of 2012.
Revised Policy Approved
Changes to the board’s Educational Field Trips policy were approved. The policy removes billeting as an option for overnight trips, and makes it necessary for schools to ensure that venues used for field trips carry new liability insurance minimums. Day trip venues will require $2 million and overnight trips $5 million in liability insurance.
Ontario Student Trustees’ Association Membership Fees
The Board did not approve the payment of approximately $1,400 in annual membership fees for the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association (OSTA/AECO). Payment of the fees is not mandatory for student trustees to participate in the association. They are used to provide additional support to the provincial organization for its conferences. Trustees agreed to write a letter to the Ontario government indicting that since the Ministry of Education made student trustees mandatory it should cover the membership costs associated with OSTA/AECO.
Federal Government Legislation re Suicide Prevention
The Board will write to its local Members of Parliament indicating its support for Private Members’ Bill C-300 which highlights the position that suicide prevention is everybody’s responsibility. This is in response to a letter sent by the Ontario School Boards’ Association to all federal government MPs that suicide prevention measures that support mental health in children and youth are more critical than ever.
The next monthly meeting of the Board will be held on Tuesday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m. 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]
Categories: Media Releases