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Highlights of the November 2013 board meeting

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
November 28, 2013

GUELPH, Ontario — The regular monthly meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board was held on Tuesday, November 26, 2013. The following provides highlights of the meeting.

Elementary Principal Eligibility List

Congratulations to Paola Argentino, Kathy Gosling-Speers and Gillian Muir, appointed to the Elementary Principals Eligibility list. Further appointments will be made next month. 

Elementary Principal/Vice-Principal Transfers and Appointments

Principal Transfers

Principal Appointment

Vice-Principal Transfer

Vice-Principal Appointments

All Vice-principal appointments are effective January 1, 2014. Congratulations to all!

French Immersion Starts in Rockwood in September 2014

Trustee confirmed the decision made at the Business Operations Committee meeting on November 5, 2013 to begin a JK/SK/Grade 1 FI program in Rockwood as of September 2014. The location of the program, which will grow by one grade per year, will be determined by the outcome of the New Rockwood Elementary School Boundary Review in January 2014. As of September 2015 and beyond, the standard entry point for FI in Rockwood will revert to JK/SK only. For more information on the Boundary Review, go to www.ugdsb.ca/rbr.

Motion of Reconsideration – FI Implementation Plans for East Guelph/East Wellington 

Trustee Kathryn Cooper asked the board to reconsider motions originally approved in January 2012 during the Edward Johnson Boundary Review. These motions direct students in East Wellington and East Guelph to FI schools, effective September 2014.
Trustees agreed, by a two-thirds majority, to reconsider the original motions. As a result, the motions were then defeated and new motions put on the table. In these new motions the following was proposed:

These motions were passed.

Motions to allow the 21 JK to grade 4 East Wellington students currently enrolled in FI programs in Guelph to continue to attend Guelph schools past June 2014 (Edward Johnson and King George and then JF Ross CVI) with transportation were questioned. Staff indicated that they were concerned with enrolment in FI programs in Guelph. Transportation was discussed and it was stated that costs involved to provide busing past June 2014 would continue to burden the already over budget transportation line (by approximately $45,000 – the cost of a bus). As a result, an amendment that these children are allowed to remain at the Guelph schools, but without transportation, was placed and approved. Staff will modify the implementation plan and flow charts from January 2012.

Special Education Advisory Committee Report

A motion from SEAC was presented to the board for consideration. The motion calls for the elimination of limits in a software application to the number of accommodations that can be included in an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for a student with special needs. Currently there are up to 10 accommodations that may be included in each of three categories, for a total of 30 accommodations. Tracey Lindsay, Superintendent of Program, indicated that the limits were included following the review/audit of the IEP process. A student IEP is created with parental involvement (and the student, where appropriate) and any number of accommodations can be included as required. The limits in the software are not hard and fast, and can be overridden if needed. However, limiting the numbers helps ensure that accommodations are purposeful, precise and individual. Trustees agreed to receive, but take no action, on the SEAC motion to eliminate the IEP accommodation limits in the software. 

Capital / Renewal Plans

The board received a report from the Capital Building Department on the various projects underway during the current school year. These include the building of four elementary schools, as yet unnamed but referred to as: Zaduk Place (Guelph), Lee Street (Guelph), New Rockwood and Settler’s Creek (Orangeville). There are also 17 Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) projects underway or due to commence, to meet the introduction of the FDK program in all elementary schools in September 2014. Also provided was the Capital / Renewal Plan for 2013-2014, part of a five-year plan to implement the annual renewal grant for condition improvements to schools. Most of the renewal projects in this school year are tied to FDK renovations. Approximately $5 million in renewal funds is available to the board. Due to the heavy workload, the usual consultation process with schools regarding renewal has been put on hold, but will resume next school year.

New Rockwood Elementary School and Ponsonby PS Boundary Reviews

Report # 2 for both reviews were received by the Board. Decisions on the boundary reviews are expected for the new Rockwood School on January 28, 2014, and Ponsonby on December 17, 2013. In advance of the final decisions, the staff committees will be meeting to consider public input received, in order to prepare the third and final reports for both reviews. Report # 3 for Ponsonby will be provided to trustees on Tuesday, December 10, and posted on the board’s website on Friday, December 6. For the New Rockwood School, Report # 3 will be posted on the website on Friday, January 10, 2014 and presented on Tuesday, January 17. For more information see www.ugdsb.ca/pbr for Ponsonby, and www.ugdsb.ca/rbr for the new Rockwood Elementary School.

Partnership Report

Boards are required by the Ministry of Education to report annually on the opportunities to co-build new schools, or share underutilized schools with appropriate community partners on the board’s Partnership List. At the present time, no new elementary schools have been confirmed as co-build opportunities. Based on the Ministry’s requirements, the board identified two existing schools that have demonstrated, over a two-year period, that there are more than 200 pupil places empty or less than 60% occupancy in these schools. While Grand Valley and District and Ross R. McKay public schools meet the criteria, planned residential growth in the schools’ catchment areas preclude partnership opportunities at this time. On the secondary front, there are no new secondary schools planned, and no school meets the occupancy or pupil place criteria. As a result, the board will inform the Partnership List that there are no new co-build or partnership space opportunities. This information will also be posted on the board’s website.

Accessibility Report

The Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA, 2001) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA, 2005) require that the board, as a public sector organization, give all persons with disabilities access to its services in the same location, and in the same way as all other persons, if possible. Regulations to support the legislation have been released focusing on Customer Service, Information and Communications, Employment and School Transportation. In addition, the board must create two accessibility documents. One is a five-year plan (2013-18) outlining measure the board will take to identify, remove and prevent barriers for persons with disabilities. This plan was presented to trustees in December 2012 and is posted on the board website. The second is an Annual Report highlighting the board’s progress in identifying, removing and preventing barriers over the past year. The Annual Report, prepared in an accessible format, outlines the board’s successes in the areas of policy, physical and attitudinal barriers, information and communications, education and training, and employment during 2012-13. Among the board’s progress was the development of a new policy and procedures in this area, upgrades to schools and facilities including ramps, accessible washrooms and door openers, ongoing development of an accessible board website with a potential launch date in 2014, training for staff on customer service standards, workshops for staff to support persons with specific disabilities, providing educational resources in accessible formats, and the development of emergency response plans for employees with disabilities. The annual report will be posted on the board website to meet the legislative requirement for public notification.

Trustee Honoraria

Each year, staff calculates and reports to the board on the level (dollar amount) of honoraria paid to trustees. This is based on the average daily enrolment (ADE) of the board. Rates differ for trustees, and the board chair and vice-chair. As a result of small increases in the estimated enrolment for the 2012-13 year, trustee honoraria has increased slightly to the following: Board Chair – $17,919 (up $6.00), Vice-Chair – $14,639 (up $5.00) and Trustees – $11,359 (up $5). The honoraria are in effect from December 1 2013 to November 30, 2014.

Audited Financial Statements

The board was presented with the 2012-13 Audited Financial Statements and the board’s Trust Funds, by the board’s auditors, KPMG. The auditors presented a clean audit findings report and no issues were noted. The board reviewed the financial statements, which had been discussed in depth by the board’s Audit Committee on November 12. The statements were approved by the board, and will be posted on the board’s website.

Treasurer’s Report

As required by the Ministry of education the annual Treasurer’s Report was presented with a summary of investment activity. The Treasurer’s report was received.

Trustee Expenses

Trustees were provided with information on their expenses for the period from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013. The amount for professional development, travel, office supplies and meeting expenses has been calculated for each individual trustee and for the two student trustees (combined). Some trustees travel longer distances to meetings at the Guelph Board Office, and responsibilities of the Chair, Vice-chair and representatives to the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association are noted. Trustee expenses will be posted on the board’s website. 

Annual Audit Committee Report

Trustee Jennifer Waterston, Chair of the Audit Committee, presented the annual Committee Report. It provides a summary of the activities of the committee, its membership (three trustees and two external representatives), meeting dates, and notes on the relationship with both the external (KPMG) and internal (Ministry) auditors. The report was received and will be forwarded to the Ministry.

Recognition Letter

The board will write a letter to Don Drone, Director of Education for the Wellington Catholic District School Board, who is retiring August 31, 2015 to commend him for his service to students during his career.

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On Tuesday, December 3, 2014, the Board will hold its Inaugural Meeting and elect its Chair, Vice Chair and Committee Chairs. It will also make appointments to board committees for the next year. The meeting begins at 6:45 pm with the final board meeting for this year, followed by the Inaugural Meeting.

The board will hold its regular monthly meeting on December 17, at 7:00 p.m. in Board Room at the Guelph 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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