Boardroom Briefs
February 13, 2019 Meeting of LDSB Board of Trustees
Exploring Pathways for All
The Grade 7/8 Guidance Team works with students at elementary and intermediate schools to empower students to get to know themselves and who they are and how they learn. They also cover various topics such as financial literacy and transition planning to high school.
Much of the work preparing students for high school begins with myBlueprint, an online
This year, the Grade 7/8 Guidance Team has co-planned with The Experiential (hands-on) Learning Team to offer students an opportunity to try out culinary and construction learning. The team is also building capacity in teachers to learn these new skills, too. This learning uses the Contextualized Learning Activities for Student Success, or CLASS, model. This model is an innovative and responsive professional development model that builds capacity in intermediate teachers to provide integrated experiential learning. CLASS promotes student pathways and the expansion of the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) footprint in the Board through economic sector-based inquiry. Check out the student learning at Southview Public School in Napanee.
Finally, Ernestown Secondary School Construction Technology Teacher Matt McLeod explained what students can do once they reach high school. He outlined a recent project that has students building StopGap accessibility ramps - another example of LDSB TechnoMath - combining math and construction tech.
Private Session Update
Trustee Laurie French provided a report from the February 13 private session held immediately prior to public session. The Board approved minutes from its January 16, 2019 session. This evening's session included updates on safe schools and legal matters. No other items were discussed and no motions were approved.
Trustee Brown recognized for advocacy effort for African and Caribbean communities
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Delegation on appointing a First Nations Trustees
Trustees received a delegation on appointing a First Nations Trustee to the Limestone District School Board from community member Laurel Claus-Johnson.Claus-Johnson says Indigenous Peoples deserve a voice at the LDSB Board of Trustees, and adds that that is why she ran for school board trustee in the last municipal election. Trustees agreed to ask staff to bring a report on the requirements of various provincial and federal regulations referenced by Claus-Johnson to help inform future discussions. The Chair thanked Claus-Johnson for her presentation.
OPSBA Update
Trustee Karen McGregor provided an update on the Ontario Public School Boards' Association and its recent Public Education Symposium. She indicated that she believes Limestone was one of the only boards to have all trustees in attendance. She outlined there was a variety of workshops for new and returning trustees and all were informative and useful including an overview of the role of OPSBA provincially as well as the opportunity for valuable one-on-one networking/sharing with Trustees from across Ontario. The next regional meeting will be held in April..
Student Trustee Update
Student Trustees Sean Kim and Shylah Hart shared that the InterSchool Council Meeting scheduled for February 11 was postponed due to inclement weather. Both Student Trustees will attend the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association's annual Board Council Conference in Ottawa where they will learn new ways to represent and advocate for student voice, hear from speakers, plan new and innovative initiatives, and learn about other initiatives from peers.
InterSchool Council continues to plan for its Coffee House and Lip Sync Battle Royale. The jazz-themed Coffee House will take place in March 6 at Loyalist Collegiate & Vocational Institute while the final Lip Sync Battle Royale competition is tentatively scheduled for April 11 at Kingston Collegiate & Vocational Institute.
Budget Development Schedule released
Superintendent of Business Craig Young provided an update on 2019-202 budget development schedule. Ministry has yet to announce details of 2019-2020 Grants for Student Needs (GSN) upon which board budgets are largely based. We anticipate an announcement by the end of March 2019.
Based upon prior year reporting timelines, that school boards will be required to submit their 2019-2020 estimates by June 28, 2019. The budget development schedule has been established to meet this timeline. It is available in the Board agenda package.Health & Safety briefing
Notice of Motion: Live streaming/recording of Board meetings
Trustee Robin Hutcheon brought forth a Notice of Motion regarding live streaming/recording of Board meetings. The motion as presented reads: That the Director, or designate, investigates the options and feasibility of live-streaming and/or recording of public board meetings and brings a report to the March 20, 2019 board meeting for discussion.
The motion was moved and seconded and the floor was opened to discussion. Trustee Karen McGregor asked for a friendly amendment to remove date and replace with earliest available time. Trustee Hutcheon would like a set date for delivery.
The Director of Education indicated that this kind of report would usually come to the Education, Policy & Operations Committee (EPOC) before the Board. She suggested a high-level report could be delivered at the March 6, 2019 EPOC meeting.
Trustees agreed to a broad staff report to be delivered on March 6 that would include information on costs (equipment and human resources), measurement options to determine the return on investment, and the feasibility of having students do the recording and/or borrowing equipment from schools.
One-Year Retrospective – Wellness, Innovation & Collaboration
Director of Education Debra Rantz debuted the "One-Year Retrospective – Wellness, Innovation & Collaboration" video which highlights the work of staff and students in meeting the goals outlined in the 2017-2022 strategic plan. The video profiles outdoor and Indigenous education (wellness), TechnoMath (innovation) and field trip transit pass (collaboration). Although the selected stories are intended to focus on one pillar, each actually demonstrates all three. Video will be shared w/ all stakeholders over next several weeks. View more stories of Wellness, Innovation & Collaboration on our website portal.
Limestone District School Board
Email: communications@limestone.on.ca
Website: www.limestone.on.ca
Location: 220 Portsmouth Avenue, Kingston, ON, Canada
Phone: 6135446920
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Limestone-District-School-Board-308623265872996/
Twitter: @LimestoneDSB