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Highlights of the November 2012 board meeting

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
November 28, 2012

GUELPH, Ontario: The November meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board was held on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. The following are highlights of the meeting.

Tentative Collective Agreement with Secondary Teachers Ratified

Trustees unanimously voted to approve the tentative agreement reached between the Board and secondary school contract teachers (District 18 OSSTF). The teachers have also ratified the contract, which will be sent to the Minister of Education for formal approval.

Elementary Principal and Vice-Principal Transfers and Appointments

The following Vice-Principal transfers and appointments were announced effective January 7, 2012:

Delegations

Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA)

Sara Wilbur, Executive Director of the Grand River Conservation Foundation provided trustees with plans for building a new purpose-built nature centre at Guelph Lake Conservation Area. Students from Upper Grand schools participate in a variety of nature-oriented outdoor education programs at the current facility. It is anticipated that the new centre will be three times larger than the existing building, with dedicated classroom and general purpose space It is estimated that the new nature centre will cost approximately $3 million. The centre – Window to the Watershed – will allow the authority to introduce new programs and serve more students. The foundation is the GRCA’s charitable partner organization.

King George Public School Boundary Review

Five parents from Victory Public School delegated the board about the current King George Boundary Review. In a variety of different presentations, parents asked for Victory to be removed from the King George review and for trustees to consider a specific review for their school. The community wants long term plans to help them reach their goal of ensuring that Victory is an accessible, community-based dual track school within the current catchment area. They object to all the scenarios proposed by staff to relieve enrolment pressure, specifically in the FI program. Trustees will review the Third Report of the Boundary Review at the Business Operations meeting on December 11 and are expected to make a decision at the regular board meeting on December 18. The King George Boundary Review Report #3 will be posted on the board’s website on Friday December 7. For more information visit www.ugdsb.ca/kgbr.

Head Caretaker Program

The board received information on the new Head Caretaker Program developed to support the Director’s Operational Plan objectives. A joint improvement team, supported and endorsed by the union (CUPE) provides a systematic way for Head Caretakers to gain the required skills and abilities to be successful in the role. The program provides a combination of hands-on, classroom and computer-based technology designed to cover the skills needed beyond those of a caretaker. It also includes on-the-job experience and soft-skills development. Beginning in September 2013, employees will be required to successfully complete the program to receive an assignment as Head Caretaker. A total of 31 employees have enrolled in the program in its first year.

Multi-Year Plan – Maintenance Services 2012-14

Based on goals established by all staff in Operations, the Multi-Year Plan for Maintenance Services serves to deliver the Operations mission to promote student success by building, maintaining and operating safe, healthy, efficient and sustainable learning environments for students, staff and the community. A status report from 2009-2011 tracks the implementation of the goals, with much of the work complete or partially complete and next steps identified. The goals include delivering a more proactive approach to servicing the board’s buildings and their systems, reducing costs and a reduction in the reliance on outside specialists. Goals for 2012-14 have also been determined as the process continues.

Trustee Honoraria

Based on provincial regulation, Trustee Honoraria must be adjusted each year based on the enrollment reported in the board’s Estimates. This year’s adjustment shows a slight drop in the honoraria paid to trustees: a $4 decrease in the Chair and Vice-chairs rates and a $5 decrease for other trustees. Rates are as follows for the 2012 year:

Policies Approved

Trustees approved three policies: revisions to Policy #605 Cooperative Education and #105 Trustee Honoraria, and the new Policy #321 – Copyright – Fair Dealing. The policies will be posted on the board’s website.

2011-12 Audited Financial Statements and Trust Funds

The board approved the 2011-12 Audited Financial Statements as prepared by KPMG, the board’s auditor. The report is clean and incorporates changes that resulted from Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act: frozen salaries; the Retirement Gratuity entitlement; and changes to retiree’s involvement in the board’s current benefit plans. Last year was the seventh and final year for incorporating Public Sector Accounting Guidelines into the board’s financial statements, and no changes to the Financial Statements were included as a result. Also approved were the Financial Statements for the Upper Grand District School Board Trust Funds.

Treasurer’s Report

On behalf of the board’s Treasurer, Superintendent of Education Janice Wright presented the annual Treasurer’s Report as required by legislation. This report provides details on Board Borrowing, Investing and Other Financial Matters (Regulation 41/10). The report highlights the Sinking Fund investments held by the board. These are the only investments held by the board that require the borrower to save money for several years, earn interest on the savings then use those savings and interest to make a “balloon payment” at the maturity debate of the debenture.

Trustee Expenses

With the completion of the Audited Financial Statements, a summary of trustee expenses were shared. They will be posted, as required, on the board’s website. The summary covers three areas – Professional Development, Travel, Office Supplies and Meeting Expenses. Travel from outside the city of Guelph to meetings, and representation on the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) is taken into account when determining expenses for trustees.

The next regular monthly meeting of the board will be held on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room at the Guelph Office.

Trustees will elect their Chair, and Vice-chair, Standing Committee Chairs (Program, Business Operations) and make committee appointments at the Inaugural and Organizational Meetings to be held on Tuesday, December 4, 2012.

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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