Trustee Report - February 11, 2015

Calendar Approval: Trustees approved the school calendar for the 2015-2016 year, developed collaboratively with administration, staff, trustees and community stakeholders. The first day of school will be August 31, 2015.

Strategic Planning - April 13 & 14, 2015:  The Board will meet with principals, teachers, students, trustees, and community members to develop its vision and mission statements in keeping with current practices.  Additional information will be provided by the Board.

Division Satisfaction Survey: Every four years, a division satisfaction survey will be administered, to be used by the Board to provide specific direction for the division.  It is distinct to the accountability pillar sent from Alberta Education.  The survey will be completed online by students in grades 4-12 and staff April 7-24.  Parents will receive paper surveys that will be sent home with students prior to Spring break and are appreciated to be returned by April 17.

Forensics 9 Locally Developed Course: Trustees approved this new course, requested in Mallaig School.  Students will gain an understanding of how science is used to solve crimes by looking at evidence, such as fingerprints, trace evidence, blood, DNA evidence, and specific scientific processes that link cross curricular competencies to many Alberta Education core subjects.  AP218 requires schools to seek board approval for a locally developed course and AP291 governs the assessment of the course.

Policy Review:  Policy 12, Role of the Superintendant, was reviewed, with minor housekeeping changes.  Policy 13, Reviews, Appeals and Hearings Regarding Student Matters, was reviewed with no changes. 

Annual Alberta School Council Association AGM Conference, April 24 - 26: Trustees approved sponsoring two parent members to attend the conference.  Additional information will be provided to School Council chairs.

Superintendant’s Report:

myBlueprint Education Planner: This program for students in grades 9-12 offers learning styles and interests assessments, information on career paths for various course choices, and planning and financial information for post-secondary education.  The program will be implemented in September 2015, but schools also have the option to launch the program in February, 2015.

New Employee Assistance Provider: Information about the change in service provider for the Division EAP program was sent to all staff on January 15. Posters and brochures will also be distributed in the schools.

Website Updates: Principals were asked for feedback further to a recent meeting focused on technical support and content standards for Division websites.

Dual-Credit Strategy: Principals were asked to send in information about students enrolled in dual-credit courses from Lakeland College in the second semester. Currently, about 10 students are taking part in the partnership.

Substitute Teacher’s Appreciation Week - March 9 – 13

Student Learning Assessment (SLA) Implementation: Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) are still evolving into SLAs. Alberta Education has decided that more time is needed to ensure the grade 3 SLAs are a valuable assessment tool before transitioning from PATs to SLAs in Grades 6 and 9. The Grade 6 SLA pilot will be rescheduled, with a target of Fall 2016 for the first administration. As a result, the May-June 2015 and May-June 2016 Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Tests will be a regular, full administration across the province.  Current students in grade 2 will be completing SLAs in September, 2015 when they are in grade 3.  Grade 6 and 9 students will be writing PATs in May/June, 2015. SLAs are expected to be implemented in grade 6 in 2016 and grade 9 likely in three years.

Family Student Liaison Worker (FSLW) Support: FSLW began originally as a FCSS led initiative by the counties and local towns before SPERD took on the program.  Currently about 1,200 students in the division participate.  The Town of St. Paul recently donated $ 10,000 to the program and is utilized by 220 of the town’s students.  The County of St. Paul donated $ 30,000, and is utilized by 320 of the county’s students.

Administrative Procedure 315 - Accident Reports: Medical decisions made at the hospital, when failing to get a hold of a parent or guardian will be made by the medical professional.

Administrative Procedure 351 - School Dress: Ultimately, the privilege to wear headgear, defined as caps, hats, bandannas, or scarves, or the like, except during official gatherings, like Remembrance Day, in a school will be determined by the school’s administration and staff, as advised by school councils.

Financial Report: The division is operating within its budget.  Money not used for collaborative professional development for teachers were re-allocated to the following school year.  Information of the division budget is available on our website.

Capital Projects Report: The Two Hills Mennonite School (THMS) construction project has a projected completion date of September, 2016.  Two modular classrooms for the THMS have been approved and are anticipated to be on site in Fall, 2015.  Meeting dates are forthcoming for project management for the new build proposed for Ashmont.

Alberta School Board Association Division Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) Report: SPERD is proud that it has a pupil teacher ratio is considerably lower than other school jurisdictions in the province, with 14.95 pupils per teacher.  The provincial range is 10.40 to 19.90 for the 61 school jurisdictions listed. SPERD places a priority on having more teachers for each student and wishes to continue this practice.  There are instances when we are challenged to keep PTR in a lower range due to programming and building constraints.

Trustee Report - January 14, 2015

Education Act Regulations Review – Alberta Education has released 16 proposed regulations and is looking for further public input. The Education Act Regulatory Review Committee was established in April 2013 to lead discussion on the regulations that will support the Education Act upon its proclamation later this year. The 16 regulations are posted online at http://education.alberta.ca/edu-act and feedback is sought until the deadline on January 31, 2015.

Infrastructure Maintenance Renewal (IMR) Schedule - $1.1 million of general maintenance work on local schools has been approved to take place over the next year, the majority of which will take place during July and August.  The Province doubled the division’s allocation for IMR funding in this year’s budget.

Two Hills Adult Learning Request – The Board waived the fee for the local council to use the school in Two Hills as part of an English as a Second Language program for adults.

Educational Tours Admin Procedure 262 – Due to unforeseen circumstances at the personal and school level, a couple of events have occurred over the last two years where the division had to reimburse funds for cancelled trips. As a result, the Superintendent is strengthening the procedures necessary for school trips abroad.

Students with Severe (Anaphylactic) Allergies Admin Procedure 318 –The Board reviewed the final adjustments to the procedure and commended administration for their due diligence.

Satisfaction Survey – Trustees reviewed further changes to the questions for the upcoming division-wide survey to take place after spring break. The Board approved the questions, the proposed timelines and the communications plan for the survey.

Policy Review – Policy 10 Policy Making and Policy 11 Board Delegation of Authority were reviewed with no changes.

Superintendent’s Report:

Fundraising and gaming regulations – Through some research admin discovered that schools are not eligible to apply for raffle licenses, but schools do not need a license if there is a skill component (ie. how many jelly beans in the jar?). However, parent fundraising societies, registered under the Societies Act, are eligible to apply for raffle licenses.

Education planners – administrators are excited about MyBlueprint.ca and may include it as a division-wide purchase. It allows for student goal setting, career planning and academic tracking. Students can easily research post-secondary opportunities.

Division Calendar – continuing to gather input from draft calendar released in December. Early feedback suggests little to no changes, but feedback will be received until the February board meeting.

Website workshop – staff completed a workshop on Jan. 9 in the ongoing effort to improve the division and school websites.

School Dress (AP 351) – admin doing a complete review of current procedures.

Verification of Bus Driver License Credentials/Demerit Accumulation (AP 555) - This new AP requires all drivers who operate commercial vehicles for the Division to provide authorization for driver abstracts annually and to report any driving infractions to the Director of Transportation within two weeks of the infraction. The AP provides guidelines for drivers who have demerits on their license and will be used as a guideline when reviewing driver abstracts for volunteer drivers who operate non-commercial vehicles.

 All helmets used for school skating activities must be CSA approved.

Financial Report:

Preliminary budget planning for the next school year is commencing; however, the current economic climate is creating some caution at this point.

Capital Projects:

Two Hills Mennonite – Since the project has been suspended for over a year, there are still a few outstanding financial items the government needs to settle with the general contractor. The changes to the original plan, including the structural slab, underslab drainage system and methane ventilation system, have been approved.

Ashmont Schools – will continue the planning process as previously announced.

Trustee Report – December 10, 2014

Satisfaction Survey – In preparation for the division satisfaction survey, taking place after spring break, Trustees suggested some minor changes and additions to the questions. All students Grades 4 -12, staff and parents will take part. The information from this survey assists in guiding the Board and Division with its goals, policies and procedures.

Strategic Planning – April 13 and 14, 2015 has been set aside for school and community members to collaborate and create a new vision/mission and strategic plan for the division.

Calendar Development – Draft #1 of the 2015/16 school calendar will now be circulating throughout schools and will be discussed at school councils until the end of January. Calendar development always starts with counting backwards from diploma exam dates in January. Since the September long weekend falls at a later date (Sept. 7), school will start before the long weekend (August 31). Since Remembrance Day falls on a Wednesday, it cannot be attached to teacher lieu day and PD day like in November 2014. Instead, there will be a bit of a longer break over Thanksgiving.  Christmas Break needs to be in full weeks, so it will begin on December 19, with kids back on January 4. A midweek to midweek Christmas break is not effective for learning. School finishes a bit earlier for most students on June 24. High schools will be open June 27 and 28 for exams.

Dual Credit Proposal – High school students will have opportunities to explore some college level courses while still attending high school. The recent proposal involves SPERD joining the existing partnership between Lakeland College and East Central Catholic school division. Current online courses include early childhood courses, environmental science, esthetics, heavy oil and agriculture sciences.  The Board supports the proposal with the first round of classes starting in February.

FSLW Support Letters – the Board is once again sending out letters to its partnering municipalities asking for support of our Family School Liaison Program. This family-school counseling program originally began at the municipal level and has been taken over by the division and subsequently grown so that every school in the division has access to FSLW staff.

Policy Review – Trustees reviewed Policy 18 Community Engagement and Policy 19 School Councils with a minor housekeeping change in wording.

C2 Committee update – ATA Local President and C2 Committee member Connie Landsiedel reported on the collaborative PD day in November. It was greatly received by teachers who traveled/collaborated with other teachers around the division or in neighbouring divisions. Local committee and ATA members will use speaking points from the list of items of the C2 teacher workload survey last year in order to gather ongoing feedback.

Two Hills Playschool request – the playschool is requesting use of school space at Two Hills School. After consultation with the school and school council, the Board approved the request.

Transportation Survey – Buffalo Trails division initiated a meeting and survey to gather information on the common challenges that rural boards are facing. SPERD provided its survey answers to the rural transportation committee.

Superintendent Report:

Admin Procedure Reviews – School fundraising – schools are trying to follow gaming regulations but finding some cumbersome roadblocks – still investigating regulations pertaining to school activities. Also looking into further regulations and practices regarding health emergencies that may occur during field trips of sporting activities.

My Blueprint – a couple of schools and our division counselors are testing an online career planning program. It uses real-time student marks and individual goal planning to determine post secondary plans. It is still in investigative stage, but admin will explore it as a division-wide program.

What happens when busses aren’t running? After two “snow days” already this year, admin is moving forward, guaranteeing that there will be a minimum of 50% learning in classroom during snow days.

Libraries now know as Learning Commons according to a Ministerial Order. The traditional “library” has evolved into a communal place where students and staff gather to learn and discuss.

What is happening during PD Days? Starting in January, look for information in your school newsletters and/or social media for what staff is learning during professional development days.

What happens when my child isn’t going to be on the bus? Administrators discussed the possible need for a common notification method for students who may not be on their regularly-scheduled bus before or after school.

Edwin Parr nominations for first year teachers are due in March.

Financial Report – The audited financial statements for the 2013-14 school year show a deficit of $763,288 which represents 1.3% of the Division’s $58,405,177 budget. Total annual operational spending per student is $14,050 which works out to about $71 per day. The deficit is the result of a reserve distribution approved by trustees last year to address priority facility and student needs. Facility funds were used for school upgrades such as gym floors and improved wireless capabilities, while the school specific funds were primarily allocated for technology, updated equipment and furnishings as well as targeted professional development.

The fall budget update for the current year is projecting a similar small deficit of $683,773 mostly due to the carry-forward of allocations related to the above reserve distribution.

Capital Projects:

TH Mennonite School construction will resume once all of the revised agreements are properly signed. Alternate accommodations for the growing student population will be reviewed during a special Board capital planning meeting on. Dec. 17.

Ashmont schools were involved in value management session on Dec. 8 and 9 – Planning is leaning towards a replacement school instead of a renovation. Once this phase is finalized, the project will go back to Treasury Board for cost approval. The next planning meeting will occur in January.

Trustee Report – November 12, 2014

Satisfaction Survey – The division will be completing its own satisfaction survey after the spring break. The last survey was completed in the 2010/11 school year. This falls under the policy of having a division survey once per election term. Division students, staff and parents will be surveyed. Information will be coming forward closer to the date.

ASBA Proposed Policies for Fall General Meeting (FGM) – Trustees across Alberta will be discussing and voting on a number of policies at their FGM on Nov. 17 and 18, including weighting of provincial exams, needs-based funding for public rural schools and funding new school and modular start-up costs.

Faith Based Alternative Programs – Trustees received a letter from new Education Minister Gordon Dirks ensuring boards with alternative faith-based programs are meeting obligations under the School Act and Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Buffalo Trail Transportation Concerns – Due to a number of challenges in providing transportation in rural areas, the Buffalo Trail board is hosting a meeting at the FGM. Board Chair Starosielski and Superintendent Brodziak are attending the meeting.

Wind Power Update – The lengthy approval process for the School Board Commodity Purchasing Consortium in constructing a wind power project is progressing. The project should be complete and up and running by January 2016 and will provide power for a number of school divisions across the province.

Policy Review – Trustees reviewed Policy 2 Role of the Board and Policy 6 Role of the Vice Chair with no changes.

Superintendent’s Report:

• Annual Report and 3-year Plan due at end of November. Admin has completed draft changes for Board review. Feedback due by Nov. 26. Will also go out to schools once complete.
• ECS Entrance Age – Will continue to keep our policy as is due to potential changes at the provincial level with the implementation of the new Education Act in 2015.
• SLA (Student Learning Assessment) – admin gathering feedback on pilot implementation at the Grade 3 level.
• Admin Procedures – non-certified staff grid discussion – safe and caring schools – parent and public inquiries.
• Post-it Note Story – building a welcoming environment using positive comments – if further interest from Success Coaches, contact Mallaig School. St. Paul Journal offered to donate Post it Notes.
• SPUR Radio donation for music programs will be given to junior and senior high music programs that have instruments.

Financial Report:

Annual audit complete and will be presented to Board on Nov. 26. The Board will also be presented with the fall budget update.

Capital Project Update:

• TH Mennonite new school build – the Board received word from the Province that construction will be commencing at the existing site shortly.
• Ashmont modernization– will be participating in an upcoming planning meeting with Provincial officials.