June 20, 2022—This update provides a summary of the public meeting of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held June 20, 2022, livestreamed (the recorded version will be available within 24 hours). It is an unofficial summary of the meeting; official minutes will be approved at the next regular meeting in June.
Land Acknowledgement
Bonnie Danes, Trustee, Central Hastings, recited the Land Acknowledgement: As we begin this meeting, we would like to acknowledge that we are gathering on the traditional land of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabe and Wendat Huron peoples. As we, as a society, delve deeper into truth and reconciliation, we need to consider not only our relationships with each other but the relationship we have with the land. What does this land mean to you and how can you protect and nourish it? A Land Acknowledgement is nothing without action to support a path forward together. What relationships do we need to cultivate? What actions do we need to take? What is necessary to enact real, substantive change?
Presentation
International Student Program
Emily Mosher, Manager, International Student Program, presented a year in review, featuring statistics, as well as showcasing students, activities they participated in and homestay families. During this school year, the program hosted students from 14 countries, including Austria, Bermuda, Brazil, China, Germany, Korea, Mexico, Spain, Netherlands, Thailand, Vietnam and more. Recruiting for the upcoming school year is underway and already 55 students from 13 countries have been accepted for September 2022.
Presentation of the OPSBA Achievement Award
Congratulations to Rihanna Harris, Queen Elizabeth School, recipient of the Achievement Award through the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association. In February 2021, Rhianna presented at the Board meeting about Black history being taught at HPEDSB schools. It was acknowledged that Rhianna demonstrated leadership in other roles, including fundraising for Sick Kids in Toronto, writing articles and being a part of community events.
Presentation to outgoing student trustees
Outgoing student trustees, Moira Gaddes, Eastside Secondary School and Kiydan Zachariah, Prince Edward Collegiate Institute, were acknowledge for their service. Both were in the student leadership roles for the past two school years. It was noted that being a student trustee is a significant time commitment. Moira and Kiydan were thanked for their leadership and commitment to ensuring the student voice was heard at the Board table. Chair Binder welcomed back Lawson Hung, Trenton High School, who will serve a second term, and be joined by Julia Webster, Eastside Secondary School and Shoshannah Spencer, Centennial Secondary School, for the 2022-2023 school year. Their term begins August 1, 2022.
Recommendations
Borrowing resolution
Board members approved various borrowing resolutions in order to meet 2022-2023 operating and capital expenditures, as follows:
- authorizing borrowing up to $24,198,065 for various school improvements under the School Condition Improvement Program;
- authorizing borrowing up to $7,713,800 for an addition and renovations at Eastside Secondary School under the Capital Priorities Grant;
- authorizing borrowing up to $1,646,960 for an addition and renovations at Central Hastings School under the Capital Priorities Grant; and
- authorizing borrowing up to $14,295,520 for the demolition of an existing building and the construction of the new K-8 Easthill Elementary School on the Queen Elizabeth site under the Capital Priorities Grant, Full Day Kindergarten and Child Care programs.
2022-2023 Budget
Board members did not approve the 2022-2023 budget in the amount of $221.6 million. The Budget/Finance Committee will meet again at a date to be determined. Find out more starting on page 11 of the June 20, 2022 agenda.
Information
Report from the Director of Education
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Congratulations to three students for achieving top honours at the Canada Wide Science Fair held in May in New Brunswick
- Nina Graciano, Eastside Secondary School
- Surya Narayan Santhakumar, Virtual School
- Harshita Srikanth, Eastside Secondary School
- Congratulations to two Bayside Secondary School students for winning Gold and Bronze in welding at the national Skills Competition
- Ian Ketcheson, National Champion, Gold Medal in Welding
- Marshal Tebworth, National Champion, Bronze Medal in Welding
- Attending art installations at various schools; thank you to artist Emebet Belete and the Arts Council for making these activities possible for students
- 100th anniversary celebration at C.M.L. Snider School earlier this month
- Retirement Dinner and Celebration last week attended by 24 of 53 retiring employees
- Participation in the Think Indigenous Day at North Hastings High School last week
Committee meeting dates for the 2022-2023 school year
The various Board and committee meeting dates for the next school year were shared. Find out more starting on page 36 of the June 20, 2022 agenda.
Capital and building renewal projects update
Kim Horrigan, Senior Manager, Facility Services, presented capital and building renewal projects underway. The team reviews building condition assessment reports on a regular basis and works with schools each year to develop a list of high priority building renewal projects. The bulk of the construction/renovation work occurs during the summer months. This report outlined various capital funding sources and scheduled work at various schools. Find out more starting on page 39 of the June 20, 2022 agenda.
Report from student trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
- meeting of current and new student trustees on June 2, 2022 to plan for the future;
- plan to increase social media presence to connect and communicate with students; and
- times are scheduled for Student Voice meetings starting in September.
Report from the Audit Committee meeting, June 1, 2022
Highlights from this report included the following:
- introduced to Tracey Rodgers, Senior Manager, Finance;
- reviewed completed audit summaries for payroll, expense claims and safe schools;
- upcoming procurement process for year-end audit external audit; and
- meeting in July or August to complete a final audit report in September 2022.
Report from the Parent Involvement Committee meeting, May 30, 2022
Highlights from this report included the following:
- updates of the student and staff This is Me in HPE census reports;
- playground equipment report; and
- strategic plan update.
Report from the Budget/Finance Committee, June 6 and 13, 2022
Highlights from this report included the following:
- update on the QSS Capital Priorities Submission, which was not approved for funding by the Ministry of Education
- preliminary draft budget, which contained a significant deficit and is being revised by staff
- the next meeting is June 6, 2022
Report from the HPE Learning Foundation/HPEDSB Ad Hoc Committee meeting, May 9, 2022
Highlights from this report included the following:
- no updates further to the budget mentioned above.
Report from the Special Education Advisory Committee, April 28 and May 17, 2022
Highlights from this report included the following:
- Ministry funding and Special Education grant changes;
- Special Education Plan for the 2021-2022 school year;
- summer supports for students;
- meeting dates for the upcoming school year.
Report from the HPE Learning Foundation/HPEDSB Ad Hoc Committee Final Report
At the January 24, 2022 Board meeting, a motion was approved to establish an ad hoc committee to review Board Policy 18: The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation collaboratively with members of The HPE Learning Foundation. Several meetings have occurred since that time. Through discussions, the Ad Hoc Committee agreed to write a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining the future work of the two organizations. It was agreed that upon signing a new MOU, the March 2020 MOU would be revoked.
As part of the path to establishing a revised MOU, further discussions of the Ad Hoc Committee included a review of the following:
- The HPE Learning Foundation as the lead agency for the Student Nutrition Program;
- partnership proposal between Food for Learning and Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board;
- 2018 Student Nutrition Program Guidelines; and
- The HPE Learning Foundation COVID-19 priority student programs, March 2020 - March 2022.
Find out more starting on page 62 of the June 20, 2022 agenda.
Director's Performance Appraisal Ad Hoc Committee, May 30, 2022
Highlights from this report included the following:
- the process for the Director’s Performance Appraisal is underway;
- a third party consultant has been hired to conduct interviews with stakeholders;
- interviews will take place in June and July.
OPSBA Information Exchange (Ontario Public School Boards Association)
Highlights from this report included the following:
- a few trustees attended the AGM in Ottawa in early June;
- presentation from Nik Nanos about provincial politics;
- panel discussion about government relations;
- planning additional pandemic recovery through hearing the student voice; and
- new trustees were voted in for the Eastern Region.
Report from trustees
Highlights from this report included the following:
- participation on the committee to review the Public Property Scholarship applications;
- acknowledgement of Indigenous History Month and Pride Month;
- educators and students participating in community Pride events;
- request to engage stakeholders to find solutions for the budget shortfall.
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