Boardroom Newsbrief – May 28, 2019

(The Newsbrief is meant to provide the highlights of the decisions made at the Board meeting for the benefit of our community. The notes do not serve as the official record of the meeting. Please refer to Board or Committee minutes).

In  Camera Motion

Trustee voted to authorize staff to move forward with respect to the acquisition of a new student information system.

Chair’s Briefing

2019 OCDSB Volunteer Appreciation Reception and Community Recognition Awards!

The OCDSB Volunteer Appreciation Reception and Community Recognition Awards will take place at the Confederation Education Centre located at 1635 Woodroffe Avenue on June 13th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

Please join us as we celebrate the valuable contributions of all our volunteers and celebrate our 2019 Community Recognition Award winners and nominees at our annual appreciation event.

This is our chance to show our appreciation for the contributions our volunteers make every day in supporting students, staff and our schools. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with our community and show our appreciation for the significant and valued work that our volunteers do in our schools for our students.

OCDSB Strategic Plan 2019-2023

We are currently seeking feedback on the new OCDSB draft strategic plan. Our new plan is about building a culture of innovation, a culture of caring and a culture of social responsibility. It recognizes culture as a driver of change. Please share your thoughts by June 7th, 2019.

Canada’s Greenest School

The Canada Green Building Council and the Canada Coalition for Green Schools are looking for schools that are weaving sustainability education into their curriculum and bringing programs and activities to students that encourage awareness about the environment. The winning school will receive $2,000 in prize money to use for a green activity and the coveted title of Greenest School in Canada. The deadline to apply is June 15, 2019.

Director’s Briefings

2019-2020 School Year Calendar Approved by the Ministry

The 2018-2019 School Year Calendar has been approved by the Ministry. School year calendars are distributed to all students at the beginning of each school year. The school year calendar lists school holidays and other important dates.

Committee of the Whole Budget, Meeting May 29

Staff will present the 2019-2020 Staff Recommended Budget at the Committee of the Whole Budget meeting on Wednesday, May 29 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Community members who would like to make a delegation are encouraged to attend. We will be accepting requests for 4 minute delegations until 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Delegations registering just prior to the start of the meeting will be granted up to 2 minutes to speak. Delegations will also be heard at the Committee of the Whole Budget meetings on June 3rd and June 10th.

The 14th Annual Student Recognition Awards – May 30, 2019

The 14th Annual Student Recognition Awards take place on Thursday, May 30th. Secondary students will be recognized for their will to succeed, their dedication to finish what they started, and their commitment to achieving their personal best.  This year’s winners will be posted on the District’s website.

Public Motions May 28, 2019

Elementary English with Core French Program

Staff was directed to prepare a report for Board discussion in early fall 2019 comparing the current and projected student enrolment numbers of elementary English Core French programs with the elementary Early and Middle French Immersion programs.

The report will include:

  • Enrolment for special education (non-gifted)
  •  English language learners (ELL)
  • SES, all disaggregated by grade, division, and program co-location nature
  • Contribution rates to high school pathways, disaggregated by program co-location nature

In addition, this report is designed to identify:

  • Any key operational, financial, pedagogical, community-impacting, or other strategic advantages and/or disadvantages related to its findings
  • Any major programming, accommodations, policy, resourcing, and/or other strategic changes which might be expected to significantly and reliably address any concerns identified

Trustees felt the issues identified in the motion required further exploration. Work has already begun on reviewing the English with Core French program. An update is slated to be presented in the fall of 2019. The timeline will allow staff to present a report which provides for a robust discussion prior to anticipating action items.

Receipt of Committee of the Whole Budget Report April 16, 2019

The Committee of the Whole Budget report, dated Apri1 16, 2019, was received. The Staff Recommended Budget will be presented at the next Committee of Whole Budget Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

Feedback to the Ministry of Education on School Board Hiring Practices and Class Sizes

Trustees approved the OCDSB feedback on the Ministry of Education’s School Board Hiring Practices Consultation Guide and the Class Size Consultation Guide as amended. In general OCDSB Trustees, like many other boards have advocated for the repeal of Regulation 274 – Hiring Practices. Trustees would like all hiring decisions to be based on who is the best candidate for the position. As for class size regulations, Trustees addressed the need for sufficient and full funding to allow for implementation without compromising student achievement including; adequate funding for technological requirements and if necessary offering high school students a fifth year to fulfill their course requirements. Trustees also approved the need for consultations with unions.

Evaluation process, job description, and performance assessment guide for the 2019-2020 evaluation of the Director of Education

Trustee approved the evaluation process, job description and performance assessment guide to be used for the 2019-2020 evaluation of the Director of Education as outlined in Report 19-058.

Guide

Policy P.051.GOV provides for an annual evaluation and a comprehensive evaluation at least once in every contractual term of the Director's employment. Policy  P.051.GOV sets out the process and instruments for the evaluation of the Director of Education. It provides for an annual evaluation and a comprehensive evaluation at least once in every contractual term of the Director's employment.

The assessment guide is consistent with the Director's employment contract and expectations and that achievable goals are clearly outlined. The Board will have an opportunity next May to once again review and, if required, update the policy, job description, and assessment guide; and  It may not be possible to establish specific goals for every area of responsibility in the Director's job description.

Report 19-056, Appointments to the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) for July 7, 2019 to 07 July 2020

Trustees Boothby and Penny were acclaimed as the two directors to the OPSBA Board of Directors, the voting and alternate delegates for the Eastern Regional Council meetings, and the voting and alternate delegates for the OPSBA Annual General meeting for the period July 7, 2019, to July 7, 2020; and Trustee Jennekens and Trustee Blackburn were appointed as the two alternate directors to the OPSBA Board of Directors for the period of July 7, 2019, to July 7, 2020.

Eastern Area Accommodation Review: Monitoring Impact on Student Achievement and Well-being 

Staff, students, and parents of the former Gloucester and Rideau High School sites have continued to work hard to create a vibrant school community and address the challenges that were experienced in the first year of the transition. 

In terms of the key observations from the data:

1.       After several years of decline at both sites, enrolment seems to have stabilized at Gloucester High School

2.       The number of students living in the former Rideau High School boundary attending Gloucester High School continues to grow

3.       New students continue to account for approximately 1/3 of the school population, with the largest proportion of new students coming from the former Rideau High School boundary

4.       Student attrition has decreased over the past few years (particularly in 2018), with more students enrolled in other OCDSB schools the past two years than any year prior to the amalgamation

5.       Rates of cross-boundary transfers continue to decline

6.       The number of unique courses has increased slightly this year and continues to remain greater than the number of options available prior to amalgamation

7.       Student achievement on the Grade 10 OSSLT was slightly lower than the previous year (combined total), which resembled the trend at the District level

8.       In line with the historical data, a larger proportion (72%) of former Gloucester High School  students were successful on the OSSLT compared to students who previously attended Rideau High School (50%)

9.       Grade 10 credit accumulation was slightly lower (reduction of 2%) in 2018 than the previous year (compared to a combined total from the previous year)

10.   Parent ratings of (a) school inclusivity, (b) how welcome they feel at Gloucester, (c) how well the school supports positive behavior and learning, and (d) parent ratings of school safety all increased compared to OurSCHOOL School Climate Survey parent results for Gloucester High School prior to the amalgamation

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.