These are highlights from the public meeting of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held April 28, 2025.
Acknowledgement of Traditional Lands
Julia Cranshaw, Student Trustee, Eastside Secondary School, offered a Land Acknowledgement.
Presentation: Focusing on Culture and Community at Trenton High School
The presentation described the actions underway at Trenton High to build a culture of pride, belonging and academic excellence. These include: 1) positive visibility of THS in the community; 2) safe and welcoming spaces; and 3) celebrating inclusivity and diversity.
Students shared their Tiger Pride at THS. Grade 7s and 8s feel welcome and included in the high school environment. Student Council has the highest membership in three years, with engagement in activities and events being the highest ever. Students engage with the community through co-op, Trash Bash, Earth Day and more.
Thank you the presenters: students Alora Furlotte, Alexis King, Connor McCrae, Ava Bilodeau and Kayce Morrison; teachers Justine Gagne, Justine Palleschi and school administrators Dayna Scaletta, Principal; Stacey Dunning, Vice-principal and Jake Wallwork, Vice-principal.
Rise and report from Committee of the Whole
The Committee of the Whole met this evening; two human resource matters were discussed with a recommendation.
External committee reports
Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA)
Highlights from this report included the following:
- attendance at the Eastern Region Meeting on April 5, 2025 in Brockville.
Standing committee reports
Governance and Policy Committee: April 22, 2025
Highlights from this report are listed on page 24 of the agenda. In addition, Board members approved the
following trustees to be part of the 2025-2026 Director’s Performance
Appraisal Ad Hoc Committee, effective July 1, 2025: Shannon Binder, Kandis Hambly, Kari Kramp, Stacey Lewis and Amanda Robertson.
Student Learning, Well-being and Equity Committee, April 7, 2025
Highlights from this report are listed on page 25 of the agenda.
Physical Planning, Finance and Building Committee, April 14, 2025
Highlights from this report are listed on page 27 of the agenda. In addition, Board members approved a request for quote to Nortex Roofing Ltd. for roof replacement and
associated work at 1) Central Hastings School in the amount of $865,950; and 2) Bayside Public School (upper and annex) in the amount of $872,900.
Statutory committee reports
Special Education Advisory Committee, March 27, 2025
Highlights from this report are listed on page 27 of the agenda.
Supervised Alternative Learning Committee, April 2 and 16, 2025
Highlights from this report are listed on page 28 of the agenda.
Advisory committee reports
Student Voice updates
Highlights from this report included the following:
- the Spring Student Voice Conference is set for April 30, 2025; it will include elections for student trustees (three positions available); and
- student trustees received 258 responses to a survey about washroom safety and the data is being analyzed.
Ad hoc committee reports
Multi-year Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Committee
Board members approved the 2025-2030 Multi-Year Strategic Plan.
Mission: We educate and empower students with skills for success.
Vision: Inspiring and innovating for a bright future.
Priorities
- Strengthening Foundational and Real-World Skills
- Fostering Critical Thinking, Adaptability and Innovation
- Promoting Citizenship, Well-Being and Safe Environments
- Advancing Indigenous Education and Reconciliation
Highlights from this report are listed on page 29 of the agenda.
Director's Performance Appraisal Ad Hoc Committee
Highlights from this report included the following:
- the evaluation cycle is progressing, meeting all targets an on track to provide a report in May.
Invitation for trustee sharing
Highlights from this report included the following:
- progress on creating the new strategic plan is progressing well; planning the budget for the next school year is underway; advocacy efforts remain focused on supporting students; staff will be recognized at the upcoming Inspiring Excellence Awards celebration at Trenton High;
- participation as a judge at the Athol-South Marysburgh PS Spelling Bee competition;
- attendance at the opening of the new high-low boardwalk at the Frink Centre;
- participation as a judge at the recent Quinte Regional Science and Technology Fair;
- family-friendly movie night at Bird's Creek PS using funds from a Parents Reaching Out grant;
- Connecting to Your Future event at North Hastings HS on May 1 and also students competing in the carpentry event at the Ontario Skills event on May 5; and
- student trustee participation with the Director on the Lorne Brooker radio show.
Director's report
Some highlights from this report included the following:
Staff reports
Student success in Grade 9 and 10 destreamed courses and pathways
HPEDSB is committed to supporting all students in achieving success, regardless of their chosen pathway. By applying a framework for change that affirms, adjusts, or abandons practices, the system ensures an
inclusive, adaptable learning environment that incorporates continuous monitoring and responds to student
needs. This approach fosters success for every learner.
As part of the system focus on data literacy, trending data
is being gathered, shared and analyzed by system and school teams to establish responsive next steps
to ensure students have the support to develop critical thinking and foundational skills. For staff, knowledge building will continue to integrate high-impact strategies
that promote equitable outcomes and foster skills necessary for student success across subject areas. We will also engage in a review of Locally Developed Programs to affirm effective strategies and reflect
on programming that may need to be adjusted, adopted and/or abandoned. Highlights from this report are listed on page 34 of the agenda.
Leadership development update
Our leadership development efforts remain focused on enhancing leaders'
capacities across various roles. Our strategy includes superintendent visits, K-12 leadership
meetings and ongoing learning opportunities throughout the school year, all aligned with our
strategic plan.
In the immediate future, our leadership development strategy includes the following:
- continuing to expand our collective knowledge in the areas of human rights and
anti-oppressive practices and Indigenous ways of knowing and doing to further support
equity and reconciliatory actions as fundamental conditions for learning;
- developing a formalized mentoring program for school leaders to ensure we are building
capacity and supporting leaders who are new to the role;
- continuing the accelerated leadership micro-labs to support the sharing of effective practice
and procedural automaticity among current school and system leaders; and
-
working with the inspired leaders who are currently in our administrative pools to provide
opportunities to support their growth, development and readiness for a leadership
appointment in the future.
Highlights from this report are listed on page 36 of the agenda.
Calendar of events
Committee and Board meetings are scheduled for the remainder of April and May, along with various school activities. Find out more starting on page 38 of the agenda.
For more information, please contact Kerry Donnell, Communications and Privacy Manager, 613-966-1170, extension 62354, or 613-847-0696, or [email protected]