Board Meeting Summary, January 27, 2025

Board Meeting Summary, January 27, 2025
Posted on 01/27/2025

This is a summary of the public meeting of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held January 27, 2025.

Acknowledgement of Traditional Lands

Stacey Lewis, Trustee, South Prince Edward County, offered a Land Acknowledgement. 

Presentation: Reculturing Individual Education Plans (IEPs) at Centennial Secondary School

The staff at Centennial Secondary School has been on a journey to review individual education plans (IEPs) after asking the questions What is working with IEPs? and What isn't working with IEPs?

By building relationships and trust with students through conversations about their IEPs and then reviewing the IEP accommodations with students, the next step was for staff and students to together decide whether the accommodations were still relevant, whether they were required and/or even used. Families were invited to be part of the conversation.  

The result? Positive relationships were built among teachers, students, and families. Students became more aware of the IEP accommodations available to support their learning. IEPs are now regularly updated or decommissioned.

Thank you to presenters Jessica Stuart, Learning Support Teacher and Andrew Ross, Principal, Centennial Secondary School.

six people standing in a line in front of a white media with the HPEDSB logo on it

Pictured L to R: Katherine MacIver, Director of Education; Ken Dostaler, Superintendent of Student Services; Kari Kramp, Chair of the Board; Jessica Stuart; Andrew Ross; Stacey Lewis, Trustee, South Prince Edward County.

Rise and report from Committee of the Whole

Board members received information about a legal matter and a human resource matter.

External committee reports

Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA)

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • Board of Directors meeting in November 2024 with a topic about a potential benefits plan for trustees; and
  • attendance at the Public Education Symposium in Toronto last week.
Food for Learning Committee

Highlights from this meeting included the following: 

  • from Superintendent Tina Jones, participation in a think tank meeting last week to generate ideas about building on existing practices in HPEDSB to access Food for Learning; prepared food models through an external provider and other brainstorming about using federal funding for nutrition programs.

Standing Committee reports

Governance and Policy Committee: January 20, 2025
Student Learning, Well-being and Equity Committee: December 2, 2025
Physical Planning, Finance and Building Committee: January 6, 2025

Statutory Committee reports

Special Education Advisory Committee: November 28 and December 12, 2024
Supervised Alternative Learning Committee: December 11, 2024 and January 15, 2025

Advisory Committee reports

Equity and Inclusivity Advisory Committee: December 11, 2024
Indigenous Education Advisory Committee: December 3, 2024 and January 14, 2025
Student Voice Committee

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • student trustees met with representatives from secondary schools on January 16 to follow up about the actions flowing from the student leadership event in late 2024; and 
  • a request for future January Board meetings to be scheduled around exams (a week or two earlier or later).

Ad hoc committee reports

Multi-year Strategic Planning Committee: January 8, 2025
  • Highlights from this report are listed on page 37 of the January 27, 2025 agenda
  • The mission will be: We educate and empower students with skills for success. A mission answers the question Why do we exist?
  • The vision will be: Inspiring and innovating for a bright future. A vision answers the question Where are we going?
Director's Performance Appraisal Committee

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • on target to meet Ministry of Education timelines;
  • presently at the mid-year feedback stage of the performance plan;
  • January 31 is the date of a meeting for two trustees and the director;
  • next committee meeting is February 4, 2025;
  • stakeholder feedback will be sought by April 2025.

Chair's report and invitation for trustee sharing

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • attendance at the Public Education Symposium late last week;
  • well-wishes expressed to students who are writing exams and choosing courses; 
  • attendance at the Grade 8 Night hosted at North Hastings High;
  • $4,000 grant to Hermon PS for girls in Grades 4, 5, 6 to learn about the trades;
  • Physical Education classes go skating in partnership with the local municipalities; and
  • Culinary STEM program at York River PS.

Director's report

Highlights from this report included the following:

  • HPEDSB has been ranked 114 of 300 institutions as one of the best places to work in Canada (500 employees or more);
  • two Ministry of Education personnel visited three schools in early January to see math in action;
  • participation in a family math night at Harmony PS in December; 
  • exams at secondary schools; elementary report cards coming soon;
  • consultation about the dates for the school year calendar for 2025-2026;
  • consultation about the priorities for the new strategic plan; and
  • participated in the provincial CEO/CFO conference in Toronto last week.

Staff reports

Artificial intelligence: HPEDSB Guiding Principles

HPEDSB, like other organizations across various public and private sectors, is working towards a comprehensive implementation plan to safely and effectively integrate artificial intelligence use into its academic and business practices. A first step to achieving this goal has been to develop the Artificial Intelligence Guiding Principles. Find out more on page 38 of the January 27, 2025 agenda

Staffing and recruiting

Ensuring that HPEDSB has qualified staff supporting students is a continued focus of Human Resources Support Services. From September 4, 2024 to January 10 , 2025, the fill rate for daily teaching absences is 95% and the fill rate for support staff (EAs, DECEs, school office staff) is 86%. These rates include qualified and unqualified emergency staff. Find out more on page 50 of the January 27, 2025 agenda

Supports for effective mathematics instruction for students with special education needs

The Student Services team is currently supporting teachers in math instruction for students with special needs through the Ministry of Education’s “Early Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities in Math” funding. Find out more on page 52 of the January 27, 2025 agenda.  

Calendar of events

Committee and Board meetings are scheduled for the remainder of January and February. Find out more starting on page 54 of the January 27, 2025 agenda

Trustee motion for consideration

Notice of motion from the November 25, 2024 meeting

This matter has been made part of a legal proceeding and is now out of the jurisdiction of trustees.

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