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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10 Recommendation from Education Committee(6w �y OTrAWA CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD EXTRACT FROM EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT 16 OCTOBER 2000 Teaching Staff Allocations at Schools with Co-located English and Alternative Programs, Trustee Albert Chambers Notice of motion having been given, Trustee Chambers moved as follows: WHEREAS the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board has confirmed its support for the Alternative Elementary Program represented by the motion passed at the 28 September 1998 Board meeting and subsequent meetings; WHEREAS prior to March 1999, the only co-located Regular English and Alternative Programs at Fisher Park PS and Summit Alternative School had separate staffing lists; WHEREAS since September 2000, the two co-located Regular English and Alternative Programs - Fisher Park/Summit and Manor Park PS - have been allocated teaching staff by combining the enrollments of the two distinct programs as if they were a single program. Subsequently, the two programs are separated; WHEREAS the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board corrected an inequity at the twinned schools - Fitzroy Centennial and Fitzroy Harbour - with a cost neutral scenario identified by staff at the COW (Budget) Meeting of 28/29 March 2000; WHEREAS it is clearly inequitable that Fisher Park/Summit and Manor Park should be the only schools in the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board with co-located programs (Regular English, EFI, MFI, LFI and Alternative in Dual or Multi Track Schools) that are understaffed as a result of their enrollments being combined for the purposes of staff allocation; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT beginning in September 2001, co-located Regular English and Alternative Programs be staffed by applying the elementary staffing formula to each program independently. In introducing the motion, Trustee Chambers noted that Tom Sinclair's presentation highlighted the main issues related to this motion. Trustee Chambers provided an overview of the staffing situation at Fisher Park/Summit Alternative School and Manor Park Public School. He noted that it is clearly inequitable that these schools should be the only schools in the OCDSB having co-located programs that are understaffed due to their enrolments being combined for the purpose of staff allocations. Trustee Chambers also noted that the Board corrected an inequity at Fitzroy Centennial and Fitzroy Harbour public schools at the Committee of the Whole Budget meeting of 28/29 March 2000, with a cost neutral scenario. Trustee Chambers pointed out that rectifying the staffing issue now will not have any implications on the 2001 -2001 budget. Trustee Scott noted that the motion refers to a scenario that is different from the staffing issue at Fitzroy Centennial and Fitzroy Harbour Public Schools and she questioned whether the staffing formula for elementary schools should regard the Alternative Program as a track within a school. Superintendent Mason agreed to follow -up with the Human Resources department regarding the staffing implications of applying the elementary staffing formula separately to the Regular English and Alternative Programs at Fisher Park/Summit and Manor Park Public Schools. Trustee Hill noted that the issue was brought to the Education Committee with the intent that members would engage in a philosophical discussion of the issue, rather than a focus on human resources implications. Trustee Libbey noted the importance of addressing this issue in a very careful manner as it is likely the OCDSB will have more multi - tracked schools in the future. In response to a query, Superintendent Mason noted that the staffing guidelines are derived from the collective agreement and that staff is generated based on the figures provided by the Planning and Physical Facilities division. Staff allocation at all OCDSB schools is a result of collaboration between the teachers' federations and the Human Resources department. Speaking in support of the motion, Trustee Norm MacDonald referred to the cost savings that are achieved by schools sharing locations and expressed the view that it was never the Board's intention that the co- located programs be staffed as one. He noted that there does not appear to be a cost associated with separate staffing lists. Trustee Graham noted the importance of recognizing the legitimacy of the Alternative Program by allocating staff in the same manner as in other co- located schools. In response to Trustee Scott's query, Superintendent Mason noted that the staffing issue at Fisher Park/Summit and Manor Park Public Schools is not analogous to the issues of concern in staffing EFI, MFI and LFI programs. Teacher qualifications are not an issue when staffing co- located Regular English and Alternative Programs. Superintendent Mason noted his hesitation in addressing human resources- related queries and that he would prefer that human resources staff provide staffing - related information to trustees. Trustees asked that staff provide costing implications at the Board meeting at which the motion is presented. Trustee Chambers requested that staff provide information about the staffing implications at the twinned schools Fitzroy Centennial and Fitzroy Harbour, as well as an example of an analogous situation involving a school similar to Manor Park to use as a benchmark in assessing the situation at Fisher Park/Summit and Manor Park. The motion was carried. On a motion by Trustee Chambers, your Committee recommends: THAT BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER 2001, CO- LOCATED REGULAR ENGLISH AND ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS BE STAFFED BY APPLYING THE ELEMENTARY STAFFING FORMULA TO EACH PROGRAM INDEPENDENTLY. 3 0 ML EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES OTTAWA CMUETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD 30 OCTOBER 2000 On a motion by Trustee Hill, seconded by Trustee Norm MacDonald, the Board received Report No. 6 from the Education Committee, dated 16 October 2000. Trustee Hill presented and seconded the recommendations in the report, viz: (a) Report No. 11. Special Education Advisory Committee. 4 October 2000 (b) A New Vision for Secondary Schools (c) Co- located Regular ar English and Alternative Programs (Motion by Trustee Chambers) THAT beginning in September 2001, co- located Regular English and Alternative Programs be staffed by applying the elementary staffing formula to each program independently. Recommendations (a) and (b) were adopted by the Board. On a motion by Trustee Chambers, seconded by Trustee Scott, recommendation (c) was referred to the in camera session to be held later.