1. Minister's visit – Trustees received word from Minister Lukaszuk's
office that the Premier has asked him to join her on a cabinet tour; therefore,
he will not be able to tour St. Paul area on January 26. Trustees will be
notified when another date becomes available.
2. Board Awards AP 370 - since the division is moving to
outcomes-based reporting, the criteria for the division awards is now under
question, especially the Grade 6 award. Grade 6, 9, 12 awards have been given
to students with the highest grade average. Principals are bringing the issue
back to their staff and will report back at the next Admin Council meeting. No
changes will be made for the 2011/2012 school year.
3. Student Transportation Survey - Trustees reviewed the draft surveys
for students and parents to complete prior to the spring break. One survey will
be sent home per family. Central Office staff hasn’t determined yet how it will
be distributed.
4. Tribal Chiefs Ventures Initiative - Trustee Starosielski reported
on the January 5 meeting regarding “joint data collection, sharing and
management respecting First Nation students”, under the recently signed
Memorandum of Agreement with Whitefish Lake, Frog Lake, Heart Lake, Cold Lake,
Kehewin and Beaver Lake. Assistant Superintendent Dalane Imeson and Coordinator
Glenda Bristow will attend the next planning meeting.
5. Scholarship Agreement - A new
scholarship has been created thanks to a donation from the Fox and McFadyen
families of Elk Point. The Violet E. McFadyen Memorial Scholarship Fund will
provide a $500 award to an eligible student or employee of the Elk Point
Hospital who will be pursuing training in the medical care profession.
6. Policy Review – Trustees reviewed
Policy 10 Policy Making and Policy 11 Board Delegation of Authority. Policies
to be reviewed in February include Policy 12 Role of Superintendent and
Policy 13 Appeals and Hearings Regarding Student Matters.
7. Two Hills community usage request - a volleyball tournament was
held at the Two Hills School last year to raise money for a family in need.
This year, the same group would like to rent the Two Hills School gym to raise
money for Haying in the '30s. The Board passed a motion to waive the rental
fees for the non-profit group.
8. Superintendent's report:
- all staff given access to handouts on the safe use of technology and especially the use of social media. Handouts include information on division admin procedures as well as legal matters regarding Facebook, etc. - Also looking into the possibility using Facebook to provide one-way information to our stakeholders - the communications committee will follow up.
- succession planning meetings to take place end of January - about 20 staff members have been selected.
- Admin Procedure on Religious and Patriotic Exercises - adjusted the time so that schools could have more flexibility in scheduling Remembrance Day activities, as per a request from community groups such as the Cadets and the Legion.
- Student Information System (SIS) - staying with the MIG (SIRS) system that tracks student data - will include an online information program similar to Students Achieve so that parents/student can access information at home.
- Read and Write Gold - assistive technology for students who require additional assistance in their education - schools are taking further steps to move forward with the technology.
- AISI Literacy - Patricia Gervais will be visiting all schools to conduct an inventory of literacy needs across the division.
- AISI cycles - moving forward on assessment plan for the division, which will then be tailored for each school.
- Diploma exams started today (Jan. 11) for Grade 12 students.
9. Nominal roll for federal students - Aboriginal Affairs and
Northern Development Canada (AAND&C) has challenged funding for 50 federal
students - the division is appealing the decision and believes that at least 20
students should not be disqualified – the decision is related to attendance
issues - presents a challenge for division staffing decisions - could lose
anywhere from $300,000 to $500,000 in funding, depending on the appeal process. AAND&C seems to have less leeway in the eligibility criteria, which presents a significant challenge to the Division budget.
10. Capital Update:
- Racette site meeting January 18 - construction/demolition has begun
- FG Miller - finalizing design
- Mennonite school site meeting January 24 – government does not believe the existing structure can be used in the new construction - won't be demolished until after the construction is complete.
11. Community Engagement meeting - request for proposals have been sent
out to various video production companies - next meeting will take place
January 19. The local Community Development rep will run a mock set-up of the
event at the Board's information meeting on January 25.
12. Tripartite Agreement - the Alberta School Boards Association had a
meeting regularly scheduled for Board chairs, Superintendents and Secretary
Treasurers on Monday, January 9. The attendees found out that the Deputy
Minister and two ministry-appointed lawyers would be attending. The attendees
were told that the lawyers are going to reach a provincial settlement for
Alberta teachers and boards in 10 days. Further information will be given once
the board has received it.
13. CFEP grant - Myrnam School received a $20,000 grant towards their
new playground.
14. 10 Point Plan for School Act – Minister Lukaszuk has released a
10-point plan as a result of the recent community consultations on the School
Act. The plan includes:
- Reducing travel time for students who spend more than one hour on a bus and enabling students to better use technology when they travel.
- Creating more opportunities for students to earn credits in high school and post-secondary at the same time.
- Updating school design specifications to better support communities.
- Co-ordinating building playgrounds and new schools.
- Reducing the administrative burden for charter schools.
- Supporting First Nations students by working more closely with the federal government.
- Creating a stronger voice for parents in the education system.
- Providing better information to increase the transparency, clarity and accountability of the education system.
- Reviewing provincial achievement tests.
- Examining the operational requirements of full-day kindergarten.
