Board Meeting Highlights

December 4, 2007

• The Director of Education called for nomination for the position of Chair. Dan Belluz was nominated and acclaimed Chair for the term December, 2007 to November, 2008.
• Chair Belluz called for nominations for the position of Vice Chair. Judy Eluik was nominated and acclaimed Vice Chair for the term December, 2007 to November, 2008
• Trustee Eluik was acclaimed to the position of OPSBA Representative to the Board of Directors, and Trustee Belluz will serve as Alternate on the OPSBA Board of Directors.
• The Board recognized J.W. Walker School for Friends of the Earth. Through the leadership of Angela Petsnick, Grade 2/3 teacher the school has implemented a composting program and recycling program. Trustee Dittaro commended Angela Petsnick and J.W. Walker for the influence these efforts will also have on parents and families of students.
• Janet Maxwell, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, provided a presentation on Reading Recovery. Reading Recovery is an early literacy intervention which seeks to close the achievement gap for children identified at risk. The program is in its ninth year of implementation in the Rainy River District.
• Chair, Dan Belluz, provided an update from the Special Education Advisory Committee meeting held on November 14, 2007. Highlights included site visits, follow up visits with agency service providers, student safety plans, and a CODE grant.
• The Board approved several policies for stakeholder consultation.
• Vice Chair, Judy Eluik, provided an update from the Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA). Highlights included the election of OPSBA President, Colleen Schenk. Discussions at the OPSBA meeting included government funding for full-time SK students, with concerns that large growth boards may not be ready for the change. There were also discussions about the drinking water in schools.
• Student Trustee Meredith Ivall provided an update on activities taking place at the high schools. Highlights included Christmas activities, drug awareness, and fundraising to build a school in Africa.
• Trustee, Glenda Belluz commented that she was happy to see a new stop sign erected at Fort High and she anticipates that the new sign will further increase safety.
• Trustee, Marg Heyens noted that the Donald Young School community is requesting information on Prohibitive to Repair schools. The Director of Education indicated that he would meet with school council.
• Director of Education Jack McMaster reported that he attended the Circle of Light conference with Superintendent of Education, Heather Campbell and Assistant to the Director, Brent Tookenay. The Director commended Heather Campbell and Brent Tookenay on the presentations the two provided at the conference. Regionally, the Director attended a November 13th meeting in Kenora with Minister Kathleen Wynne. Discussions included that Special Education is not currently tied to enrolment and if it ever should be, it would have a negative impact. Also, there have been many Ministry initiatives and time is required for implementation. On November 26, the Director attended Treaty #3 conference, The Gathering. Within the Board, the first public Accommodation Review meeting was held on December 3. The Director highlighted the accomplishments of Grade 11 SCAP student Felicia Schmutz with her Adopt-A-Doll project. Felicia is the fourth SCAP student to the Entrepreneurial Awards regional competition. She was recognized province-wide. The Director also commended SCAP teacher, Philip Giles.
• Human Resources Administrator, Diane Ross, provided an update on the December 2007 Personnel Report.
• Superintendent of Education, Heather Campbell, provided an update on the Pupil Accommodation Review. The Accommodation Review Committee has completed its orientation of members and has moved to the public consultation process, whereby school information/data is reviewed by members in a public forum. An accommodation review is a public, seven-month process, with all information pertaining to this initiative posted the Board web site.
• The Director of Education presented the 2006/2007 Director's Annual Report and provided highlights from the document.