March 18th, 2014

On Monday March 17, 2014 starting at 7:00pm , the WRDSB held its Committee of the Whole Meeting. The agenda and reports for this meeting can be found online here.

Two delegations appeared at this meeting, speaking to the rebuild of Westmount PS and the IB Programme at Cameron Heights CI.

Policy and Governance
Review of Board Policy 4003 – Trustees approved the proposed revisions to the policy.
Review of Board Policy 5007 – Trustees agreed to delete the policy, as the policy is now covered through collective agreements.
Review of Board Policy 6002 – Trustees approved a name change of the policy to Compulsory Student Enrolment.
Review of Board Policy 6010 – Trustees approved the proposed revisions to the policy.

Reports

BIPSA Presentation – Full Day Kindergarten, Assessment for Learning, Student Voice
Trustees received a presentation from Superintendent of Education, Elaine Ranney. The presentation focused on how Full Day Kindergarten and learning through play helps support the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement.

System Fiscal Review Update – Final Report
Trustees instructed staff to continue the System Fiscal Review process for the 2013-14 budget year, as the board had to find $4.6M in savings to balance the budget. Throught the year, Trustees have received updates from staff on the process for finding the required savings.

The report outlines areas where staff were able to find ongoing savings for the board – more information on these savings can be found in the report. The implementation of the identified actions will start immediately, to impact the 2014-15 budget process.

Most of the changes are of an operational nature, however, a change to Board Policy 6011, Fees for Learning Materials and Activities, is required to implement the recovery of costs for the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

This report presents identified savings and efficiencies that will result in $4.98M in annual savings. The work completed by staff to date has focused on expenditure reductions that will have the least direct impact on students and the classroom learning environment. However, as we continue to work through changes in Ministry Funding and declining enrolment in the secondary panel, it is anticipated that any future reductions may have a broader impact on students, the classroom learning environment and the provision of direct programs and services. Therefore, a series of broader consultation methods will support further decision making in the Board’s efforts to ensure the fiscal sustainability of the Board’s operations.

Trustees did not approve the following motion:

The Waterloo Region District School Board approve a change to Board Policy 6011, Fees for Learning Materials and Activities, section 2.5, which would permit the charging of fees for specialized programming as permitted by the Ministry of Education.

External Member Appointment on Board Audit Committee
Ontario Regulation 361/10 requires all school boards to establish an audit committee. The regulation states that ‘where a board has eight or more board members, but less than fifteen, the audit committee shall consist of five members, including three board members and two who are not.’ The selection committee for the external members was composed of the Chair of the Audit Committee, the Director of Education, and the Executive Superintendent of Business and Financial Services.

The external member appointments are effective immediately. Their term expires December 31, 2015.

Trustees approved the following recommendation:
That the Board appoint Wayne Dunkel and James Chmiel as external members of the Board Audit Committee for the term ending December 31, 2015.

Motion – Trustee C. Watson re Section 23 Programs
At the Board Meeting of December 16, 2013, Trustee C. Watson served a Notice of Motion as supported by Trustees C. Harrington and M. Johnston, that she intended to present a recommendation for staff to explore the possibility of a hybrid program for the Z by the Y and New Dawn programs and that staff also report on the financial implications around adding an Educational Assistant at each site.

The members of the Agenda Development committee determined the report would be scheduled for consideration at the March 17, 2014 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

The following motion was defeated:
That the Waterloo Region District School Board direct staff to explore the possibility of creating a hybrid program for the Z by the Y and New Dawn and the financial implications associated by adding one Educational Assistant at each site for Waterloo Region District School Board students.

Motion – Chairperson T. Martin re Distribution & Determination Ad Hoc Committee
At the Board Meeting of February 24, 2014, Chairperson T Martin served a Notice of Motion as supported by Vice-Chairperson E. Fung and Trustee K. Woodcock that he intended to present a recommendation that an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of trustees and staff be formed to determine trustee representation for the 2018 Municipal Election and that a report would be presented to the Board an no later than June 2015.

Trustees approved the following motion:
That the Waterloo Region District School Board strike an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of trustees and staff to determine trustee representation for the 2018 Municipal Election using whatever means it determines appropriate such as consultation and research; and

That the Committee provide a report to the Board at a Committee of the Whole Meeting no later than June 2015, after which the Committee will disband.

The meeting adjourned at 9:50pm.