Board Meeting Summary, September 23, 2024

Board Meeting Summary, September 23, 2024
Posted on 09/23/2024

This is a summary of the public meeting of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, held September 23, 2024. 

Acknowledgement of Traditional Lands

Kandis Hambly, Trustee, Trenton and CFB Trenton, offered the Land Acknowledgement.

Presentation: Travel for Credit summer learning

This presentation highlighted the Travel for Credit program launched during Summer School in July 2024. Two excursions were offered, each for 10 days:

  1. Grade 10 Civics and Careers course that visited Ottawa, Montreal and New York; and
  2. Grade 12 English 4U course that explored Edinburgh, Scotland and London, England.

The students experienced learning through hearing stories, walking alongside others in the locales. Students earned one high school credit. Watch the video by student Sutton Calder

group photo

Thank you to presenters Emma McLeod, Grade 9 student who went on the Civics trip; Jack Mallette and Anita Cook, Grade 12 students who went on the English 4U trip; Christine Harris, Teacher of the Grade 10 Civics/Careers trip; Keith Sled, Teacher of the English (ENG4U) trip; and Teri Cook, Principal.

Rise and report from the Committee of the Whole

This report noted that a discussion about an embargoed topic took place.

External committee reports

Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA)

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • the Chair attended a recent OPSBA meeting, with topics involving policy development;
  • an update from the new Associate Deputy Minister;
  • legal opinion about meeting attendance; and
  • Local Government Week update.

Food for Learning Committee, September 12, 2024

Highlights this report included the following:

  • volunteers are sought for school-based Food for Learning programs; and
  • the cost of nutrition programs has increased significantly since 2015, possibly due to the amount of pre-packaged food purchased particularly during the pandemic.

Standing Committee reports

Governance and Policy Committee: September 16, 2024

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • reviewed the amendments to the HPEDSB By-Laws for Regulation 463/97
  • reviewed the Governance Directive for the Multi-Year Strategic Ad Hoc Committee;
  • second review of Policy XX: Director’s Performance Appraisal;
  • second review of Policy XX: Filling Vacancies on the Board; and
  • reviewed the Trustee Learning Sessions Survey Results. 

In addition, Board members approved the following recommendations:

  1. That the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board provide advance notification that the HPEDSB By-laws will be revised at the October 28, 2024, Regular Public Board Meeting. 
  2. That the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board approve the Governance Directive for the Multi-Year Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Committee. Trustees Shannon Binder, Kandis Hambly, Kari Kramp, Rachael Prinzen and Amanda Robertson will form the committee membership for the Ad Hoc Committee.
  3. That the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board approve Policy XX: Director’s Performance Appraisal.

Find out more starting on page 17 of the September 23, 2024 agenda.

Physical Planning, Finance and Building Committee, September 9, 2024

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • reviewed and discussed the 2024-2025 Capital Priorities Program;
  • reviewed the Long-Term Capital and Accommodation Plan (LTCAP), which will be presented at October PPFB Committee meeting;  
  • reviewed an Interim Financial Report update; final information will be shared at Audit Committee meeting on November 20, 2024 and public Board on November 25, 2024;
  • reviewed a Capital Projects/Procurement overview;
  • reviewed trustee expenses for the 2023-2024 school year; and
  • received a verbal update on enrolments. 

Find out more starting on page 85 of the September 23, 2024 agenda.

Statutory Committee reports

Audit Committee, September 18, 2024

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • received the resignation of Regional Internal Audit Manager;
  • reviewed the 2024-2025 Annual Report on Internal Audit Activities;
  • reviewed the 2024-2025 Regional Internal Audit Plan and the Internal Audit Charter, with a recommendation to be brought to the Regular Public Board Meeting on October 28, 2024;
  • reviewed the Annual Report to the Board of Trustees;
  • reviewed the Annual Report to the Ministry of Education, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Education; and
  • received a verbal update on the External Audit.

Find out more starting on page 86 of the September 23, 2024 agenda.

Supervised Alternative Learning Committee: September 18, 2024

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • 33 students approved; and 
  • two students were ineligible based on compulsory school age.

Find out more starting on page 87 of the September 23, 2024 agenda.

Advisory Committee reports

Student Voice Committee

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • sports teams are in full swing at Eastside Secondary School; Spirit Assembly for the whole school;
  • Grade 9 Day at Centennial Secondary School;
  • the house system at North Hastings High School is running again, with a focus on team-building; and
  • student trustees gathered feedback from students and school staff about the new ban on cell phones in schools.

Chair's report/trustee sharing

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • the Chair participated in a visit by the Education Minister Jill Dunlop to Easthill Elementary School on September 17;
  • welcome back to Amanda Robertson, Trustee for Belleville/Thurlow following the Bay of Quinte by-election;
  • attendance at the Bayside Secondary School reunion last weekend; and
  • September 25 is Rowan's Law Day.

Director's report

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • welcoming students and families to the new Easthill Elementary School on the first day;
  • participation in the visit to Easthill with the Minister of Education;
  • 45 school administrators and 45 educators participated in professional learning about math in August;
  • the new reading screener is in its implementation phase now;
  • welcome to 61 international students from 11 countries;
  • paying close attention to the revised code of conduct about cell phone use and vaping on school property;
  • monitoring the code of conduct as community members interact with schools and the Education Centre; 
  • appreciation to staff who hosted a booth at the Military Family Resource Centre "Ops Welcome" event last Saturday; 
  • the Together to Learn online series is underway again this school year and is being promoted on @HPEschools social media; and
  • Orange Shirt Day on September 30, 2024.

Staff reports

Enrolment update

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • elementary enrolment is 20 students over projection at 10,722; fewer JKs than anticipated, more students in Grades 5 and 6;
  • secondary enrolment is eight students over projection at 4,807 students; modest increases in Grades 9-11, fewer in Grade 12.

Summer learning and mental health supports

HPEDSB used a variety of Ministry of Education and school board funding to provide comprehensive learning opportunities during the summer for diverse student populations, emphasizing academic advancement and access to mental health resources.

Find out more starting on page 88 of the September 23, 2024 agenda.

Capital projects update

This report provided an update about the capital construction work completed during the 2023-2024 school year.

Find out more starting on page 91 of the September 23, 2024 agenda.

Multi-year Strategic Plan year-end review

Staff are reviewing the development and progress made during the 2023-2024 school year towards meeting the goals of the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. The Student Achievement Plan will be updated and developed for the 2024-2025 school year in the coming months. This includes an opportunity to hear from stakeholders on the plan and its goals. 

Find out more starting on page 93 of the September 23, 2024 agenda.

Calendar of events

Committee and Board meetings are scheduled for the remainder of September and October. Find out more starting on starting on page 94 of the September 23, 2024 agenda.

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