Board Meeting Highlights

November 6, 2007

• Board agenda was corrected to reflect the location of the OPSBA Annual General Meeting. The location was listed as Toronto and corrected to read Niagara Falls.
• The Fort High Senior Band performed for those present at the Board Meeting. The band received the November Recognition of Excellence. Under the leadership of John Dutton, this concert band is one of the most prestigious and widely recognized extra-curricular organizations in Fort Frances High School.
• Information Technology Coordinator, Chris Denby, provided a presentation on e-Learning.
• Special Literacy/Numeracy Coordinator, Dianne DeBenedet, presented the Coaching/Co-Teaching Model. A literacy coach is someone who helps teachers to recognize what they know and can do, assists teachers as they strengthen their ability to make more effective use of what they know and can do, and supports teachers as they expand their knowledge base by becoming an on going learner, while offering support and encouragement as needed.
• Chair, Dan Belluz, provided an update from the Special Education Advisory Committee meeting held on October 16, 2007. Highlights included site visits/school concerns, student safety plans, and a CODE grant.
• Chair, Dan Belluz, provided an update from the Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee meeting held on October 16, 2007. Highlights included the after-school tutoring program and ongoing planning for Parental Involvement Workshops.
• Trustee, Judy Eluik, provided an update from the Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA). Highlights included the election of an OPSBA President, which is to be held on November 30/December 1 2007. The Public Education Symposium will be held on January 24-26, 2008.
• Chair Dan Belluz, and Trustee Glenda Belluz, attended the OPSBA Northern meeting held in Sault Ste. Marie on October 19-21, where Nancy Naylor provided staffing, transportation and budgeting presentations.
• Student Trustee Meredith Ivall provided an update on activities taking place at the high schools.
• Director of Education Jack McMaster reported that the Administration Team will be refocusing to ensure that the System plan is moving in the right direction. Regionally, the NOEL conference in Thunder Bay provided excellent workshops. The Oral Language Project has been condensed from two projects into one. David Bouchard received a commendation from the Director of Education for Mr. Bouchard's keynote speech at Fort High about Literacy/Numeracy. Assistant to the Director, Linda Hill, has moved to the position of Effectiveness Leader.
• Human Resources Administrator, Diane Ross, provided an update on the November 2007 Personnel Report.
• Effectiveness Leader, Linda Hill, presented a report on The School Effectiveness Framework: A Collegial Process for continued Growth in the Effectiveness of Ontario Elementary Schools.
• Assistant to the Director, Brent Tookenay, presented a report on fall harvest. This year there were over 200 Rainy River District School Board students that participated at the Seven Generations Education Institute. Forty students from Rainy River High participated at the fall harvest held at Big Grassy First Nation.
• Assistant to the Director, Brent Tookenay, presented a report on the After School Tutoring program, which has been set up at Red Gut and Seine River First Nations.
• Manager of Plant and Maintenance, Raymond Roy, provided an update from the Health & Safety Committee meeting held on October 23, 2007.