Highlights of the October 2012 board meeting
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
November 2, 2012
GUELPH, Ontario: The October meeting of the Upper Grand District School Board was held on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. The following are highlights of the meeting.
Vice-principal transfers and appointments
The board approved three elementary school vice-principal appointments, effective November 5, 2012.
- Kim Kowch, vice-principal at Kortright Hills P.S., will become the new vice-principal at Rockwood Centennial P.S.
- Natasha Skerritt, currently a Curriculum Leader in the Program Department, will become a half-time vice-principal at Island Lake P.S., and work half-time (acting) as the Board’s School Effectiveness Framework (SEF) Lead.
- Julie Young, a teacher at Sir Isaac Brock P.S., is appointed vice-principal of Kortright Hills P.S.
Parent delegations on the King George JK-8 FI Boundary Review
Trustees heard delegations from two parents who shared concerns, comments and recommendations regarding the King George JK-8 FI Boundary Review, which will set a JK-8 French Immersion (FI) attendance area for King George Public School effective September 2014.
Martina White presented on behalf of 58 families from the Victory P.S. community. White provided trustees with her own analysis of enrolment projections for Victory P.S. and King George P.S., arguing that there is a very large buffer built into the UGDSB projections and that “cuts to Victory do not need to be so deep.” Scenario 1, recommended by staff, proposes to relieve enrolment pressures at Victory P.S. by reassigning Grades 4 to 6 FI students to King George P.S. in 2014. White countered that “simply cutting Grade 6 gets us to a reasonable capacity without disrupting the community.” Under the proposal put forward both regular track and FI Grade 6 students would be affected, with Grade 6 FI reassigned to King George P.S. and Grade 6 regular track students reassigned to Willow Road P.S.
Aaron Blair told trustees that in a meeting of over 50 parents, representing 110 of Victory’s students, there was a consensus that both of the scenarios in Report #2 were in conflict with the group’s collective values of community, stability, safety, inclusion, academic achievement, involvement and care for the environment. Blair said the group understands the issues of enrolment pressures at Victory P.S. and under-utilization of King George P.S. “We want to help the board, but not at the expense of losing our community.” Blair affirmed there is support among FI parents for making Victory P.S. a JK-5 dual track school, but also urged the board to consider other options that would not involve a boundary change or grade cut.
The slides for both presentations have been posted to the King George JK-8 FI Boundary Review web page at www.ugdsb.ca/kgbr.
New committee will tackle bullying prevention
Acting upon an earlier presentation to the Program Committee, trustees voted to create a new system level Safe, Equitable and Inclusive Education Steering Committee that will include parent and student representation. The staff-chaired committee will meet three times annually. Membership will include:
- Two trustees
- Staff representatives from Special Education, Community Use of Schools, Equity lead, Aboriginal lead, Student Success, Program Department, Communications and the superintendent responsible for Safe, Equitable and Inclusive Schools
- Two parent representatives, one each from the Parent Involvement Committee and the Special Education Advisory Committee
- One to two student representatives.
The committee will monitor the implementation of board policies on student discipline, bullying prevention, equity and inclusive education. It will also report to and advise trustees, and receive feedback from community consultations.
New Lee Street school on track
The building of the new Lee Street Public School in East Guelph has moved a step further ahead with a Concept Design Report. The new JK-8 regular track school is being designed by ZAS Architects of Toronto. The steep topography of the 7.5 acre site creates both challenges and opportunities. With a target opening date of September 2014, the 498-pupil place school is expected to cost about $8.2 million. The school will relieve projected overcrowding at nearby Ken Danby Public School. Students destined for Lee Street will attend the King George Holding School in the 2013-2014 school year before moving into the new facility. The Lee Street Public School Concept Design Report has been posted to www.ugdsb.ca/fdk.
Contract awarded to build new Shelburne school
The contract to build a new JK-8 regular track school on Fiddle Park Lane in Shelburne was awarded to low bidder Tambro Construction Ltd. of Guelph. Nine construction companies bid on the project, which will cost $7 million including site preparation, permits, architectural fees and furnishings. The two-storey school will have places for 426 pupils, and will relieve projected enrolment pressure at Hyland Heights and Centennial Hylands elementary schools. Construction will begin as soon as possible, weather permitting.
Boundary review schedule
Trustees approved a revised schedule of boundary reviews that must be completed before the final implementation of Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) in September 2014. Boundary reviews for two Guelph elementary schools are already underway — King George P.S. and a new elementary school on Zaduk Place. Coming up:
- Spring 2013 – Settlers Creek in Orangeville (new elementary school, East Garafraxa P.S.)
- Spring 2013 – Sir Isaac Brock 7/8 Feasibility Study
- Fall 2013 – Rockwood (new elementary school, Rockwood Centennial P.S.)
- Fall 2013 – Centre Wellington (James McQueen P.S., J.D. Hogarth P.S.)
The next regular monthly meeting of the board will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 27 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Guelph Board Office. 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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