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HomeMy WebLinkAboutChairs' Committee Report 5 26 Apr 2006 Minutes PublicOTTAWA- CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD TO: The Board REPORT NO. 5, CHAIRS' COMMITTEE DATE: 26 April 2006 A meeting of the Chairs' Committee was held this evening commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Trustees' Committee Room, 133 Greenbank Road, Ottawa, with Trustee Lynn Graham in the Chair, and the following also in attendance: TRUSTEE MEMBERS: Riley Brockington, Alex Getty, Greg Laws and Lynn Scott OTHER TRUSTEES: Bronwyn Funiciello, Margaret Lange, Jim Libbey, David Moen, and Joan Spice STAFF: Lorne Rachlis, Director of Education and Secretary of the Board Larry Archibald, Superintendent of Instruction Mike Carson, Superintendent of Facilities Janice McCoy, Superintendent of Human Resources Michele Giroux, Executive Officer (Administration) Monica Ceschia, Manager of Board Services Dan Wiseman, Manager, Safe Schools LEGAL ADVISOR: Roger Mills NON - VOTING REPRESENTATIVES: Lisa Falls, Ottawa - Carleton Elementary Teachers' Federation (OCETF) Hal Grossner, Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAL) Elaine Morgan, Ottawa - Carleton Assembly of School Councils (OCASC) 1. Call to Order Chair Graham called the public session of the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. 2. Approval of Agenda On a motion by Trustee Laws, the agenda was approved as circulated. 3. Public Question Period a) John Paquin John Paquin asked if the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board is a government institution and if so, why is it pursuing a defamation suit against some of its constituents. Director Rachlis advised that as the matter is before the courts, the Chairs' Committee 1 26 April 2006 Board is unable to comment publicly on the issue and questions would be referred to the Board's legal counsel. b) Jane Scharf Jane Scharf, citing the case of the Township of Montague vs. Donald Page, asked why the Board is not abiding by the court's ruling in that case that a government entity cannot sue a citizen for defamation. Trustee Graham reiterated that the matter is before the courts, therefore, the Board is unable to comment on the issue. C) Lorraine Paquin Lorraine Paquin advised that she would withdraw her question. Bill 78 - Education Statute Law Amendment Act (Student Performance), 2006 Your Committee had before it staff report No. 06 -103 providing a draft submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy regarding Bill 78 - Education Statute Law Aniendnient Act (Student Performance), 2006. Executive Officer (Administration) Giroux advised that while staff is supportive of a number of the concepts contained in the proposed legislation, there remains a degree of concern with respect to several sections of the Education Act being replaced with additional discretionary powers to the Minister to regulate standards in areas such as the use of resources, student outcomes, health and safety, special education and student records. School boards could be held to a higher standard than under the existing legislation and could face government reprisals including being placed under provincial supervision, should they fail to meet the imposed standards. She noted that a hearing date for submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy has not yet been received. In response to a query regarding the response by Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA) on this issue, Trustee Moen advised that the policy committee is of the opinion that the Bill properly assigns items to regulation instead of legislation but that new section 11.1 could extend significant power to the Minister to oversee and control decisions made by local school boards. He noted that under the proposed bill, a regulation could prescribe outcomes and implies that the province could take over a board, for example, that does not achieve expected EQAO test results. The policy committee is of the opinion that a regulation which outlines measures should not also dictate outcomes. Trustee Laws moved as follows: A. THAT the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board make a submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy to express its concerns with Bill 78 Education Statute Law Aniendnient Act (Student Pei forniance), 2006; and B. THAT the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board send a copy of the submission to the Minister of Education with copies to MPPs, Ontario Public School Boards' Association and local area school boards. Chairs' Committee 2 26 April 2006 During discussion staff addressed trustee queries, and the following points were noted for inclusion in the submission: • all items related to new section 11.1 be grouped together, • comments supporting increases to trustee remuneration, • the Board's position against a non - binding vote for student trustees, • the ambiguity of recording non - binding votes prior to a binding vote, i.e., is the non- binding vote just for student trustees, • the potential pressure that could be placed on student trustees to divulge confidential information if they attend in camera sessions, • a request that funds be provided to cover the costs of any additional work resulting from the legislation, • comment regarding the need to protect student information collected under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and • avoiding the loss of instructional days to gain additional professional activity days. Trustees requested that the draft submission be revised to incorporate trustee comments and that staff bring forward a motion to Board regarding any new policy positions outlined in the submission. Trustees agreed that some of the language of the submission should be tempered. An amendment by Trustee Spice to replace "MPPs" with "local area MPPs" was withdrawn with the consent of the Committee. Staff agreed to follow -up in an effort to obtain a date to present to the Standing Committee. The motion was carried. On a motion by Trustee Laws, therefore, your Committee recommends: A. THAT THE OTTAWA- CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MAKE A SUBMISSION TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL POLICY TO EXPRESS ITS CONCERNS WITH BILL 78 EDUCATION STATUTE LAW AMENDMENT ACT (STUDENT PERFORMANCE), 2006; (ATTACHED AS APPENDICES A AND B) AND B. THAT THE OTTAWA- CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD SEND A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION WITH COPIES TO MPPS, ONTARIO PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDS' ASSOCIATION AND LOCAL AREA SCHOOL BOARDS. Revision to Policy P.019.GOV - Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAL) Your Committee had before it staff report No. 06 -089 recommending amendment of Board policy P.019.GOV, Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAL) and seeking approval of a request from the Ottawa Deaf Centre for membership on SEAC and the appointment of its representative. Monica Ceschia advised that staff are recommending a number of housekeeping revisions to the policy as well as approval of the membership of the Ottawa Deaf Centre on SEAL. Chairs' Committee 3 26 April 2006 Trustee Laws moved the recommendation in the staff report. In response to trustee queries, staff agreed to include the definition of "local organization" as specified in the regulation and to take under advisement a policy revision regarding an annual recruitment drive for representatives from eligible organizations. Some trustees expressed support for a more proactive approach to membership and asked if there are additional exceptionalities without representation on SEAL. Hal Grossner advised that he would raise the issue at the Committee's next meeting. Trustee Lange noted that some groups are represented at the Children and Youth at Risk Advisory Committee (CAYARAC) and that the Board should be aware of potential overlap and the difficulty for the same community groups to be represented on a variety of committees. The motion was carried. On a motion by Trustee Laws, therefore, your Committee recommends: A. THAT *BOARD POLICY P.019.GOV, SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SEAL) BE AMENDED TO DELETE LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS AND ADDITIONAL ASSOCIATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN WITHOUT REPRESENTATION FOR LONGER THAN SIX MONTHS, SPECIFICALLY: • EASTER SEAL SOCIETY (ESS) • NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION CHAPTER OF THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (CHADD) • OTTAWA REGIONAL SPINA BIFIDA AND HYDROCEPHALUS ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO • CAPITAL REGION CENTRE FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED (CRCHI) • HEAD INJURY ASSOCIATION, OTTAWA VALLEY (HIA). B. THAT *BOARD POLICY P.019.GOV, SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SEAL) BE REVISED BY AMENDING THE FOLLOWING NAMES: • LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION OF OTTAWA TO LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION OF OTTAWA- CARLETON • OTTAWA- CARLETON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS' ASSOCIATION TO OTTAWA- CARLETON ELEMENTARY OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. C. THAT THE OTTAWA DEAF CENTRE BE APPROVED AS A MEMBER OF SEAC UNDER THE ADDITIONAL MEMBER CATEGORY AND THAT *BOARD POLICY P.019.GOV SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SEAL) BE REVISED ACCORDINGLY, AND D. THAT THE BOARD CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF SARAH COLBECK AS THE REGULAR MEMBER REPRESENTING THE OTTAWA DEAF CENTRE ON SEAC FOR THE TERM ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 2006. Note: Revised Policy P.019.GOV Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAL) is attached as Appendix C. Chairs' Committee 4 26 April 2006 Update on Trustee Priority re Provincial Funding Trustee Graham advised that she, along with Trustee Brockington and Superintendent Clarke, would be making a presentation to the Eastern Ontario Liberal Caucus on Friday April 28 with respect education finance and the Board's priorities. She noted that MPP Richard Patten (Ottawa Centre) is meeting with Education Minister Pupatello on Tuesday of next week and that she and Trustee Spice, with the assistance of Superintendent Carson, would be providing Mr. Patten with notes as well as a one -page summary of the presentation to the Eastern Ontario Liberal Caucus. Review of Board and Committee Meeting Schedule, Structure and Agenda Distribution Your Committee had before it staff report No. 06 -095 summarizing the feedback received from the agenda and meeting schedule review and to make preliminary recommendations for trustee consideration. Executive Officer (Administration) Giroux outlined the process to date and noted that following consultation, the following four areas were identified in which change could be beneficial to the various users, • the usability of agendas, reports and minutes, • information accessibility, • effectiveness of meetings, and • a reduction of the number of meetings. Ms. Giroux circulated examples of possible Board and committee agenda layouts and noted that additional information will be provided in paper and electronically in an effort to better service both internal and external clients. A Tuesday and Thursday meeting schedule was developed which includes the combining of Business Services and Chairs' Committee into one committee, meeting twice monthly. Director Rachlis noted that this would also work as a Tuesday and Wednesday schedule. Either schedule would provide stakeholders with additional time to respond. A reduction in the number of Human Resources Committee meetings to six per year with additional meetings at the call of the Chair when necessary was proposed. She suggested that committee reports to Board be revised to include only recommendations, and that detailed minutes of meetings could be circulated for background information but would be submitted to the originating committee for receipt and approval. Also offered for consideration is that the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAL) report directly to the Board and not through the Education Committee and all committee structures be revised to include seven trustees with voting limited to committee members only. Some trustees expressed support for the concept of combining Business Services and Chairs' Committee but noted that it could result in an uneven committee workload for trustees. There was some support was expressed for a Tuesday / Wednesday schedule as a number of trustees expressed the view that meetings on Thursdays would result in conflict with the meetings of other organizations such as Ottawa - Carleton Assembly of School Councils (OCASC) and Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA). Hal Grossner noted that Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAL) would not be averse to a Tuesday / Thursday schedule but requested that a meeting be held in August and one Chairs' Committee 5 26 April 2006 in mid December. He noted that SEAC would prefer to continue reporting to Education Committee as it provides trustees with an opportunity to direct questions to the SEAC representative. Mr. Grossner asked staff to confirm that SEAC would have representation on the proposed combined committee. Most trustees expressed support for the current reports to Board noting that the reports provide a summary of the debate that took place at committee level which supports effective decision making at the Board table. Some trustees noted that partial reports are not very helpful and should be provided only when absolutely necessary. Several trustees expressed support for the current committee structure and the right of all trustees attending to vote. A few trustees expressed support for replacing Procedures for Meetings and Organizations by M.K. Kerr and H.W. King with Robert's Rules of Order as the Board's authority on parliamentary procedure. Staff will consider trustee input and advise trustees of the deadline for additional submissions regarding this item. A motion to continue the meeting past 10:30 p.m. was carried by a two - thirds majority vote. New Business Trustee Libbey noted that the Academic Athletic Community Partnership (AACP) athletic facility at Cairine Wilson Secondary School was endorsed by City Council and that work should be commenced on a possible agreement for use of the facility. Superintendent Carson advised that staff have worked with the AACP for over a year and requested a business plan and feasibility study which were not provided until approximately one month ago. Mr. Carson noted that staff have some concerns and will be providing further feedback to the partnership. Staff plan to bring a report to the May or June Business Services Committee meeting. Superintendent Archibald advised that staff had noted concern with respect to proposed enrolment levels and school use during construction. In response to a query as to why the Ottawa Metro newspaper published a story that Cairine Wilson Secondary School was at risk of closing, Superintendent Archibald advised that the story was published without the information being verified by the paper and that the Communications Department has been in contact with the newspaper to have the story corrected. Adjournment On a motion by Trustee Moen, the Committee went in camera and subsequently adjourned at 11:00 p.m. Chairs' Committee 6 26 April 2006 The following information items were noted: Board Motions Tracking Report Review of May Agendas and Long Range Agendas for Standing and Statutory Committees Lynn Graham Chair Chairs' Committee /BAF Chairs' Committee 7 26 April 2006