Around the Horseshoe
Limestone District School Board Trustees' Update Winter 2017
January Board Meeting
Mental Health Strategy
LDSB's new Chief Psychologist & Mental Health Lead Dr. Amy Yuile updated Trustees on the Board's Mental Health Strategy to support students and staff. Capacity building is the foundation of the Board's strategy - building awareness, understanding and skills across our district. Because one in five people experience mental health challenges, it is important to be able to understand and address the effect this has on students' well-being and learning. Limestone has dozens of initiatives under way including providing staff with trauma and mindfulness training, as well as promoting self-regulation, social emotional learning and anxiety coping tools. Teaching resiliency is also key. Dr. Yuile underlined the Board's success working with community partners on several student support initiatives including suicide prevention protocols. Molly Brant Elementary School also has a new drop-in clinic available to support students and families via a collaboration with Pathways for Children and Youth.
10-Year Capital School Renewal Projects
Facilities Manager Dave Fowler presented Trustees with a 10-year plan highlighting various facilities-related projects such as code and regulatory changes, building envelope, electrical and site improvements, and upgrades to heating and mechanical systems, energy controls and accessibility. Limestone will receive a total of $18.8M - $4.3M for school renewal and $14.4M for school condition improvements. Recent funding of $742K ear marked for community hubs will be used to support accessibility projects at schools where potential new community partnerships are possible. These sites include: Joyceville Public School, Clarendon Public School and North Addington Education Centre.
Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)
Trustee and SEAC Chair Karen McGregor provided an update on the committee's work to draft a letter to the Ministry of Education regarding the impact of reduced special education funding in Limestone. The Committee also learned about a new project to support students with trauma and attachment challenges including the development of Trauma Sensitive Schools in partnership with local child psychologist Dr. Sian Phillips.
Director's Annual Report 2015-2016
The Director's Annual Report for the 2015-2016 school year was presented to Trustees. The e-report, available on our website at http://annualreport.limestone.on.ca/, provides a snapshot of learning activities and milestones across the district. The report focuses on progress toward the Board's three strategic goals: Improving Student Achievement; Ensuring Equity, Inclusion & Well Being; and Enhancing Engagement, Accountability & Sustainability.
Science, Language & Math learning using mBots
Bayridge hosts Kingston & Islands MPP Kiwala
Students show off their culinary skills
Technical Illustration program highlighted
OPSBA Public Education Symposium
Several Trustees travelled to Toronto to attend the Ontario Public School Boards' Association's Public Education Symposium, better known as PES. The three-day event brings together public school board trustees from English and French school boards across the province to share best practices and support professional development. Sessions included policy development, Truth and Reconciliation, strategic planning, social media and labour. LDSB Trustee and OPSBA President Laurie French facilitated a session with Education Minister Mitzie Hunter and Associate Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris.
Visual Paradise: Annual Creative Arts Exhibit
Canadian Flags in Limestone Classrooms
Limestone recognizes Pink Shirt Day
February Board Meeting
Technology in the classroom
Molly Brant Elementary School Grade 5 Teacher Simon Pottery and students Quiriyanna and Olivia shared how technology supplements teaching and learning in the classroom - all of which is inspired by students. Mr. Pottery says he uses social media in particular to encourage responsible use and promote leadership. He says it allows students to see their work is valued.
Revised Estimates & Interim Quarter 1 Financial Report
The Board's average daily elementary enrolment is up by 114 students and secondary was down by 52 students. Some of the increase in the elementary panel is due to Syrian newcomer families joining our schools. These changes to enrolment resulted in an increase of 12.6 full-time equivalent staffing overall. The full report can be found here http://bit.ly/2llYhbt.
Capital Priorities Funding
Work was recently completed at The Prince Charles Public School in Napanee to retrofit a classroom to add child-care space. Funding will also see the retrofit of three classrooms at North Addington Education Centre for future potential child-care facilities. All child-care facilities in Limestone schools are operated by third-party service providers who pay for lease and maintenance on a cost-recovery basis.
Student Trustee Report
Trustees Will Sanderson (rural-Sydenham High School) and Josiah Ascough (urban-Loyalist Collegiate & Vocational Institute) provided an update on their work with the Ontario Student Trustees' Association to promote student voice. Both sit on the policy committee where student leaders from across the province are discussing various position papers around curriculum changes including the need for more financial literacy and First Nations education, as well as a possible binding vote for Student Trustees.
March Board Meeting
Supervising Principal Michele Babcock reported to Trustees on how Limestone is supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) students as part of our equity and inclusion strategy. The Board has drafted a "living" support document that includes definitions and explanations regarding appropriate language, terms and pronouns students may prefer. Ms. Babcock also reported that every school in the district now has at least one gender-neutral washroom so everyone can feel welcome and comfortable. Kingston Collegiate & Vocational Institute (KCVI) Teacher Virginia Puddicombe, who leads the school's Gender Sexuality Alliance, also demonstrated how students and staff there are supporting LGBTQ+ students within positive and safe spaces.
Daily Indigenous acknowledgment in schools
Trustee Alec Ross moved a motion to require all schools read the Board's new official Indigenous acknowledgment of territory daily before the national anthem. The acknowledgment was developed by the Board's Aboriginal Advisory Committee for use at formal Board and school events as appropriate. There was much discussion on the topic. Many Trustees felt the Indigenous community should be consulted for their feedback including on whether this specific acknowledgment is appropriate for daily use. There were also concerns about day-to-day impact in schools and educational supports to assist educators and families. An amended motion was presented that will see staff develop a strategy that will include consultation with the Indigenous community.
LDSB Road Ahead: Strategic Planning update
Director of Education Debra Rantz provided an update to the recent strategic planning consultation process. More than 2,250 stakeholders participated in the online and phone survey. Another 478 participated in a prioritization survey to share what areas/initiatives they felt are most important. The Board also conducted several face-to-face sessions with key Board committees, and hosted its first-ever Twitter chat. With consultation complete, analysis of feedback has begun and senior staff will work with various themes and supporting data to develop a draft plan to share with Trustees in the spring.
Limestone District School Board
Email: ldsbcomms@limestone.on.ca
Website: limestone.on.ca
Location: 220 Portsmouth Avenue, Kingston, ON, Canada
Phone: 613-544-6920
Twitter: @LimestoneDSB