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HomeMy WebLinkAbout23 Consideration of Policy Resolutions from Other Boards for OPSBA AGMLIZ SANDALS President -211 "Fi . 11 ji� GAIL ANDERSON Executive Director F/V ONTARIO PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDS, ASSOCtAT- 1OiN- -- 439 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, 18th FLOOR, TORONTO, ONTARIO TELEPHONE: (416) 340 -2540 • FAX: (416) 340 -7571 WEBSITE: http: / /www.opsba.org MEMORANDUM TO: Member Board Chairs and Directors of Education Members of the OPSBA Board of Directors OPSBA Member Board Delegates FROM: Florenda Tingle, Executive Co- ordinator DATE: May 21, 2002 M5G 1'18 s PLAY 2 3 2002 ,..�. ' an Tow: ACTION: IWFO COPIES SENT TO: - k FvW _! RE: Proposed Constitutional Amendsments and Member Board Resolutions for Consideration at the AGM In order to give member boards an opportunity to prepare their Voting Delegates for the Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled for June 13 -16, in Sault Ste. Marie, we are including the following: A copy of proposed amendments to the Association's constitution and by -laws which, if passed by the membership, will provide guidelines for attendance requirements for members of the Executive at Executive Council and Board of Directors meetings. 2. Policy resolutions submitted by member boards. These resolutions assist the Association in setting work priorities, developing policies and establishing future directions and should also be reviewed by boards before the annual general meeting. Please note that the complete meeting agenda package, including OPSBA's Annual Report Book for 2001 -2002, that will include the audited financial statements, will be sent to member boards under separate cover in the near future. (W Aft. Proposed Constitutional Amendments Member Boards' Resolutions florendaXwp�agm2002\memoboards OPSBA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Date: June 14, 2002 ISSUE: Proposed Amendments to the OPSBA Constitution Agenda Item #8 Background: During 2001 -2002 a sub - committee of Executive Council examined the issue of non - attendance by Executive Council members at Executive Council and Board of Directors meetings. Following the committee's recommendations, staff with the legal firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP provided the necessary wording in order to enact constitutional changes that would stipulate attendance requirements for members of the Executive at Executive Council and Board of Directors meetings. The requirements are similar to those of school boards. The proposed changes have been reviewed and approved by Executive Council as well as the Board of Directors at their April meetings. It is proposed that a new Section 13.06 be added. There is also one minor housekeeping change proposed to Section 13.01 in order to amend the constitution in order to reflect that quorum for Executive Council meetings shall consist of a simple majority, rather than a majority plus one. BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Constitution of the Association, being By -law No. 5, be amended as follows. A) By adding the following Section 13.06 Except in the case of the Past President, if during any period commencing immediately after an Annual General Meeting of the Association and ending on the date of the next Annual General Meeting of the Association, any member of the Executive Council during such period fails to attend three (3) consecutive meetings of the Executive Council not formally excused by resolution of the Executive Council, such member of the Executive Council shall forthwith cease to be a member of the Executive Council and the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with 8.06 (iii). Except in the case of the Past President, if during any period commencing immediately afteran Annual General Meeting of the Association and ending on the date of the next Annual General Meeting of the Association, any member of the Executive Council during such period fails to attend three (3) consecutive meetings of the Board of Directors of the Association not formally excused by resolution of the Board of Directors, such member of the Executive Council shall forthwith cease to be a member of the Executive Council and the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with 8.06 (iii). The count of absences from Executive Council and Board of Directors meetings shall be calculated separately and not be considered in combination. 86 -2- B) By deleting the words "plus one" from the last line of Section 13.01, so that the last sentence of Section 13.01 would read: Quorum for Executive Council shall consist of a simple majority of the Members of Executive Council. ACTION: For adoption by the membership at the 2002 Annual General Meeting. Staff Resource: Florenda Tingle, Executive Coordinator Gail Anderson, Executive Director florendMagm2002\constltutional amendments Member Boards' Resolutions 1. Greater Essex County DSB Re: Effects on enrolment and funding of the double cohort 2. Ottawa - Carleton DSB Re: Student province -wide testing 3. Durham DSB Re: Support for the preservation of small schools 4. Upper Canada DSB Re: The development of the Ontario teacher certification test 5. Upper Canada DSB Re: Establishing child care facilities in schools 6. Upper Canada DSB Re: Lobbying for equitable transportation funding 7. Upper Canada DSB Re: Impact of emissions from school buses 8. Toronto DSB Re: Continuance of the Ontario Scholar designation 9. Central West Region and Western Region (jointly) Re: Review of the Funding Formula and Addressing the Funding Gap RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION # 1 Origin: Greater Essex County District School Board Subject: Effects on enrolment and funding of the double cohort Background /Rationale: Preamble: The "double cohort" exodus will be felt beginning in September 2002. This will impact school Boards in several ways. Many aspects of this change have yet to be determined or predicted. Some of these will include: Student post secondary choices Admission requirements and availability The students who plan to exit in the fall of 2002 have "fast tracked" by completing five year requirements in four years to get a head start on the greatest exodus impacting Sept. 2003 enrolment. However, many of these same students have also indicated that they may return to complete further credits in 2002 -03. It has yet to be determined just how many current Grade 11 and Grade 12 students will leave for post secondary studies in 2003 -2004. How many will utilize a further year to expand their credits is yet another unknown. This loss of students will allow the Province to remove at least $367 M. annually from school board funding. Since OAC students expected to leave represent approximately 8% of our enrolment, the predicted student exodus for 2003 in Greater Essex County District School Board is 990 students at a loss of $5,910. per student or a total of $5.8M. Assuming the OAC enrolment exodus is 8% or a total of 53,920 students province -wide, the potential savings to the Ministry is $367 M. It is a concern to Boards who will still need to maintain High School programming and meet escalating operational costs. The government must realize that the removal of any of these dollars will only further erode public education. The government must reinvest these dollars in the education system. This will allow boards to meet operational cost commitments. This also could be used to augment the many areas that are currently underfunded. These include Special Education, Transportation, building renewal, salaries and learning resources. WHEREAS some colleges and universities have seen a surge of University applications for September 2002 from students who are currently in grades 12 or OAC. (Normally 8.3% of students complete High School in 4 years. Early indicators predict 15% of students are fast tracking.) and WHEREAS some of these students have also indicated that they may well return to high school in September 2002. and WHEREAS this "double cohort" exodus will result in an estimated savings to the government of $367 M annually. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that OPSBA: develop strategies to present to the Ministers of Education and Finance and ultimately the government. These strategies would encourage the government to reinvest these "double cohort" savings in the education system to maintain the non classroom component of the per pupil amount. This will assist Boards in meeting their fixed cost commitments and help address the urgent funding needs in such areas as special education, transportation, building renewal, salaries and learning resources. Comment: Executive Council referred this issue to the Policy Work Group for study and recommended that the Association endorse this motion. IE �0 - RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION # 2 Origin: The Ottawa- Carleton DSB Subject: Student province- wide testing Background /Rationale: WHEREAS the current provincial testing places stress on students, teachers, and administrative staff to prepare for, participate in and administer the testing and results in significant costs for training, staff support, interpretation etc.; WHEREAS additional testing will add to those stresses and is not in the best interests .of students, parents and teachers, many of whom have expressed concern about expanding the testing program; WHEREAS funds are badly needed in other areas of education and given the province's and local school boards' financial situation, funds should not be allotted to the EQAO for additional provincial testing; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT OPSBA express its opposition, on behalf of member boards, to the Ministry with respect to any expansion of province -wide testing in the form of the current grade 3, 6 or 9 EQAO tests. Comment: Executive Council did not have an opportunity to review this resolution. For consideration at the Annual General Meeting. W-1 RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION # 3 Origin: Durham DSB Subject: Support for the preservation of small schools Background /Rationale: Durham District School Board, like many Ontario school boards, faced the difficult issue of school closures over the last few years. Like other boards, Durham is experiencing significant growth in some communities, with enrolment decline in other communities. The intent of the Durham board's motion is to allow boards in similar situations to maintain some of their more remote or smaller schools without penalizing the board by preventing the development of new pupil places in growing communities. Comments from the Board of Directors The OPSBA Board of Directors considered the motion at its April meeting, and, while supportive of the motion and its intent, identified the following issues to be included in the Association's communication on the issue. 1. The funding formula identifies a "viable school" as one with 350 pupils (in order to qualify for educational, administrative and operational staff support). Most boards operate schools smaller than 350 pupils. The definition of "viable school" must be changed to reflect the realities of Ontario's educational landscape, and must be different for elementary and secondary schools. 2. Boards with many single school communities find it financially punitive to operate these schools given the definitions within the formula. Boards need to have the isolation of schools in rural communities considered. Often, distances between two schools make it impractical to transport students from one to the other. 3. Recognition must be paid to the fact school viability is dependent upon factors beyond student enrolment and finances. In some communities, schools are the only option for extra- curricular activities. 4. Potential cost savings from closing a "small school" could easily be consumed by the costs of transporting those students to the next nearest school. In addition, significant concern was raised regarding very young students riding the school bus for extended periods of time. qA. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT OPSBA: lobby the provincial government to amend its funding formula to provide more resources for the preservation and continuing support of small schools. Comment: Executive Council recommends the motion be supported. RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION # 4 Origin: Upper Canada DSB Subject: The development of the Ontario teacher certification test Background /Rationale: WHEREAS teacher certification is no longer possible in Ontario without passing a written test, and WHEREAS teachers ought to have every opportunity to learn how to emphasize Canadian themes in the curriculum, and WHEREAS teachers and students ought to feel a sense of pride in being Canadian and in purchasing Canadian products, and WHEREAS the first teacher test for Ontario Teacher Certification is being prepared and sold by a New Jersey test agency, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD: request OPSBA lobby the government to have future tests, for the purpose of teacher certification, prepared and sold in Canada to aspiring Ontario teachers. Comment: For consideration at the Annual General Meeting. 9�t RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION # 5 Origin: Upper Canada DSB Subject: Establishing child care facilities in schools Background /Rationale: WHEREAS recruitment and retention of teachers continue to be a priority for school boards, and WHEREAS recruitment of teachers is a costly and time - consuming endeavour for Boards, and WHEREAS strategies for recruiting and retaining teachers need to be innovative and creative to meet the professional ambitions and personal needs of teachers, and WHEREAS many young teachers have young children or wish to have children and are concerned about obtaining quality child care to allow them to continue teaching, and WHEREAS there are parallel needs for child care facilities outside the teaching profession within school communities, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT OPSBA: request that the Ministry of Education, in conjunction with the Ministry of Community and Social Services, explore the possibilities of establishing child care facilities in schools to serve children of school staff and of the broader community as a logical development of and obvious location for the government's Early Years initiative. Comment: Executive Council did not have an opportunity to review this resolution. For consideration at the Annual General Meeting. 9s RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION # 6 Origin: Upper Canada DSB Subject:: Lobbying for equitable transportation funding Background /Rationale: WHEREAS there is not a standardized formula for the busing of Ontario students, and WHEREAS the monies available for busing in the public school system have not kept up with rising costs, and WHEREAS irregularities in the funding provided to different school systems have resulted in disparities in transportation services provided to Ontario students, and WHEREAS these disparities have resulted in increased walking distances for public Board students and a loss of student enrolment in the public system with a subsequent loss of revenue, and WHEREAS these disparities continue to damage relationships within communities by encouraging competition between Boards for students based on transportation services, and WHEREAS the strategies to finance student transportation by public boards is draining funds from other (equally- underfunded) non - classroom areas, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT OPSBA: continue to make equitable transportation funding an urgent priority in its lobbying efforts with the government of this province. Comment: Executive Council did not have an opportunity to review this resolution. For consideration at the Annual General Meeting. 9� RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION # 7 Origin: Upper Canada DSB Subject: Impact of emissions from school buses Background /Rationale: WHEREAS the provision of competing transportation systems results in hundreds of extra school buses on Ontario roads emitting noxious fumes daily, and WHEREAS the federal government has made commitments to reducing fossil fuel emissions in accordance with the Kyoto Agreement, and WHEREAS the provincial government has embarked on a legislated Clean Air campaign, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE OPSBA: request that the Ministry of Education assess.the impact of emissions from school buses on the environment with a view to reducing the number of school buses in Ontario through mandated transportation partnerships and shared transportation and walking policies. Comment: Executive Council did not have an opportunity to review this resolution. For consideration at the Annual General Meeting. ell RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION # 8 Origin: Toronto DSB Subject: Continuance of the Ontario Scholar Designation Background /Rationale: WHEREAS, under the new Ontario curriculum the designation Ontario Scholar will no longer exist; and WHEREAS, the Board values the effort put forth by students to achieve academic excellence; and WHEREAS, many parents, including the York Mills Collegiate School Council, have indicated that they wish to see the continuation of the Ontario Scholar designation; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Ontario Public School Boards' Association support the continuance of the Ontario Scholar designation, inform the Ministry of Education of this resolution, and lobby for support of the resolution. Comment: Executive Council did not have an opportunity to review this resolution. For consideration at the Annual General Meeting. RESOLUTIONS FROM MEMBER BOARDS RESOLUTION #9 Origin: Central West Region and Western Region jointly Subject: Review of the Funding Formula and Addressing the Funding Gap Background /Rationale: Members of Central West Region and Western Region held a joint meeting on Saturday, May 4, 2002 and following discussion regarding the escalating funding pressures being faced by school boards and other funding issues across the province, a resolution was put forward for consideration by the OPSBA membership at the Annual General Meeting. BE IT RESOLVED THAT OPSBA lobby the provincial government to ensure that any review of the funding formula be conducted with the broadest possible representation of boards across the province and in a proportionate manner respecting the number of students served in each of the Public, Catholic and French Language systems; and That, notwithstanding any plans by the provincial governmentto review the funding formula; that OPSBA lobby the government to address the current funding gap immediately, in a fair and flexible manner, acknowledging the diverse problems and priorities of boards across the province. Comment: Executive Council did not have an opportunity to review this motion. For consideration at the Annual General Meeting. florenda/wplagm2002/agm handbook/resolutionsmpd