Click Here to View September 27th Board Meeting
Agenda
September 28th, 2017
(Brockville, ON) – Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board
(UCDSB) met on Wednesday, September 27th, 2017 to discuss a number of
topics including:
1) Director’s 2017-2018 Work
Plan: Director Stephen Sliwa presented his work plan for 2017-2018 which
lays out key actions to be completed in the coming year based on the priorities
identified by Trustees through their work plan. The areas of focus for 2017-2018
are to:
- Increase the graduation rate by 2 per
cent;
- Increase to 50 per cent the level
of staff who feel there is good communication within the Board and that they are
valued and recognized by the UCDSB;
- Increase the capacity of students to
deal with stress while at school and self-care;
and
- Make a greater connection between the
Board and community stakeholders.
Eighteen separate actions are planned to
meet these goals including: improving tracking of at-risk students and credit
accumulation; creating materials to better connect staff with the CREW Strategic
Plan; developing and implementing service standards for internal communication
within our organization; developing and implementing wellness goals at all
schools using the Healthy Schools Framework; creating a discussion table with
community leaders regarding career education; and strengthening collaboration
and consultation between UCDSB leaders, local agencies and business leaders
through more frequent dialogue.
2) UCDSB Summer Educational
Programming for Students and Staff: Superintendent Valerie Allen and
Superintendent Tim Mills reported on the success of the Board’s summer educational programming including:
the Summer Semester Program, Summer Learning Program, English as a Second
Language (ESL) Summer Program, Grade 6-7 Transitions Program, and Summer
Institutes. Summer educational programming allows the Board to provide students
more pathways to attain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). The Summer
Learning Program provided 45 hours of math and literacy instruction and 15 hours
of organized recreational activity to 391 Grades K-5 students. The English as a
Second Language Summer Program supported 71 ESL students in Grades K-8. They
received 45 hours of literacy and oral language instruction and 15 hours of
organized recreational activity. Twenty-seven students enjoyed the Grade 6 to 7
Transitions Program. The program provided 45 hours of instruction in science and
technology as well as three days of environmental education at the Mill of Kintail
Conservation Area, the
Aquatarium or the St. Lawrence River
Institute.
The increasingly popular Summer Semester
Program enabled 1041 students to expand their options in obtaining an OSSD. The
Summer Semester was delivered through four key programs including: the Reach
Ahead On-Line Program for Grades 9-12; the Cooperative Education Program for
Grades 11 and 12; the Grade 8 Reach Ahead Cooperative Education Program and the
Cadet Cooperative Education Program. The Summer Semester Program enabled our
students to attain 1292 credits.
The Board also offered professional
development for staff throughout July and August through its Summer Institutes.
A total of 366 staff enjoyed six days of voluntary training sessions and 30
days’ worth of professional workshop sessions.
3) Special Recognition Days:
Superintendent Phil Dawes and Interim Manager of Communications and Relationship
Management Andrea Walasek presented a report on Special Recognition Days
proposed for 2017-18. The pair outlined a list of 61 special international,
national, provincial or local events that will be officially recognized by
the Board of Trustees, ranging from International Literacy Day to
Local Government Week. To qualify, days or events must meet two or more of the
following criteria: a demonstrable educational value; a clear connection to the
Board’s mission, vision, values and/or CREW Strategic Plan; the day or event is
understood to promote the general benefit of the community. These days
offer a starting point for schools to consider what events they also wish to
acknowledge or celebrate, as part of their focus on teaching and
learning.
For more information, please contact:
Jeff McMillan, Chair
Upper Canada District School Board
613-340-5515