April 28th, 2014

On Monday, April 28 the Waterloo Region District School Board held its monthly board meeting. The agenda and reports for this meeting can be found here.

Trustees approved the following Consent Agenda:

Trustees approved/received the following minutes:
Special Education Advisory Committee Meeting – March 5, 2014
Board Meeting – March 31, 2014
Committee of the Whole Meeting – April 14, 2014

Trustees approved/received the following reports:
Suspension Expulsion Report to March 31, 2014
Staffing Information – Retirements and Resignations
Staffing Recommendations – Appointments

Celebration of Board Activities
Trustees received a presentation from Sarah Jacobs and McKenna Szczepanowski, who helped to organize the ‘Clara’s Big Ride’ event at KCI this past March. Students hosted Clara for a morning at the school, in partnership with Grand River Hospital, for Clara to share her story struggling with mental illness. Students at the school pulled together to create an excellent event. KCI is currently building a wellness atrium at the school, which will be an area where students will feel welcome, and can visit to find a safe place. The visit from Clara, and the experience of hosting the event inspired students to look at ways they can get involved in their community, and help spread the word about mental illness, and help eliminate the stigma that is still associated with mental illness.

 

Reports

BIPSA Presentation: English Language Learners
Laura Hodgins, Superintendent of Education presented trustees with information on the English Language Development (ELD) program at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute. Superintendent Hodgins touched on the stories of students in the program, many of which had not attended school before, and how the program has helped them gain language knowledge. Trustees also had an opportunity to read books that have been published by students in the program. This program has helped to enforce the overall goal for the 2013-14 school year of ‘specified groups will improve their ability to communicate their thinking.’

 

Proposed 2014-15 Budget Meeting Dates

Trustees approved the following dates for the 2014-15 budget discussions:

Special Committee of the Whole Meeting – June 2
Special Committee of the Whole Meeting – June 4
Special Committee of the Whole Meeting – June 11
Special Committee of the Whole Meeting – June 18
Special Board Meeting – June 25 (if necessary)

All of the proposed meetings begin at 7:00pm and will be held in the Board Room at the Education Centre.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:20pm

 

Categories: Board