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Home My WebLink About12.0 REVISED Special Board Meeting_Aug26_2020 KG 1 SPECIAL BOARD PUBLIC MINUTES Wednesday, August 26, 2020 9:00 pm Zoom Meeting Trustees Present: Justine Bell, Christine Boothby, Rob Campbell, Chris Ellis, Lyra Evans, Mark Fisher, Wendy Hough, Jennifer Jennekens, Keith Penny, Sandra Schwartz, Lynn Scott, Charles Chen (Student Trustee), Joy Liu (Student Trustee) Staff Present: Camille Williams-Taylor (Director of Education), Brett Reynolds (Associate Director), Mike Carson (Chief Financial Officer), Janice McCoy (Superintendent of Human Resources), Michele Giroux (Executive Officer, Corporate Services), Carolyn Tanner (Human Rights and Equity Advisor), Dorothy Baker (Superintendent of Instruction), Prince Duah (Superintendent of Instruction), Mary Jane Farrish (Superintendent of Instruction), Eric Hardie (Superintendent of Instruction), Shawn Lehman (Superintendent of Instruction), Shannon Smith (Superintendent of Instruction), Peter Symmonds (Superintendent of Learning Support Services), Nadia Towaij (Superintendent of Program and Learning K-12), Kevin Gardner (Manager of Financial Services), Karyn Carty Ostafichuk, (Manager of Planning), Sandy Owens (Manager, Business & Learning Technologies), Diane Pernari-Hergert (Manager of Communications & Information Services), Michael Guilbault (AV Technician), Nicole Guthrie (Manager of Board Services) and Amanda Pelkola (Board/Committee Coordinator) Guest: Andrew Parent (Principal at Gloucester High School) 1. Call to Order -- Chair of the Board Chair Scott called the public meeting to order at 10:16 p.m. She acknowledged that the meeting is taking place on unceded Algonquin Territory and thanked the Algonquin Nations for hosting the meeting on their land. 2. Approval of the Agenda Moved by Trustee Ellis, seconded by Trustee Schwartz, 2 THAT the agenda be approved. Carried 3. Report from Committee of the Whole Budget 3.1 Approval of the 2020-2021 Staff Recommended Budget Chair Schwartz provided a report on the 2020-2021 Staff Recommended Budget, from the Committee of the Whole Budget (COW budget) meeting and noted that substantial discussion took place on the budget. The motion before the Board from COW Budget, had several amendments to the staff recommended budget. Chair Schwartz shared her support of the budget and its subsequent delivery to the Ministry of Education. Moved by Trustee Lyra Evans, seconded by Trustee Schwartz. A. THAT the unconsolidated 2020-2021 operating budget of $1,008.3 million as presented in Report 20-063, 2020-2021 Staff-Recommended Budget and detailed in the 2020-2021 Staff-Recommended Budget Binder be approved, subject to Ministry authorization to use the accumulated surplus in the amount required to balance the budget, amended as follows: 1. THAT $95,976 be removed from the School Programs and Support budget which pays for two dedicated SROs [at Gloucester High School and Ridgemont High School]; 2. THAT the $95,976 be apportioned to the two schools [Gloucester High School and Ridgemont High School] on a per pupil basis to be administered within the Urban priority high school framework; 3. THAT a budget allocation of $150,000 be made for the funding of effective school councils across all Schools and the work of an engaged Parent Involvement Committee to ensure it meets obligations regarding communications with School Councils and to “undertaking activities to help parents of pupils of the board support their children’s learning at home and at school”. 4. THAT the Board approach the province for more funding, if necessary, to ensure the safety of OCDSB students and educators. 5. THAT the Chair of the Board communicate immediately with the Minister of Education and Premier, with a copy of the communication also sent to Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) member boards and local media, calling on the province to: 3 (a) Commit to making school boards whole with respect to their extraordinary COVID-19 related use of reserves, (b) Commit to making school boards whole with respect to any unplanned COVID-19 related shortfalls arising directly however from either (i) their Ministry- confirmed plans, further changes in Ministry direction, or unforeseen and unavoidable local COVID-19 related circumstances, and (c) Commit to asking Ontario's Chief Medical Officer to immediately review and publicly respond fully and directly to the expert advice on COVID-19 risk reduction for schools provided on 19 August 2020 by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO), and the Minister and Premier then to reassess as may be indicated the Province's financial support and direction around COVID-19 risks reduction in its schools. B. THAT the 2020-2021 capital budget of $97.9 million as presented in the 2020- 2021 Staff-Recommended Budget Binder, be approved; C. THAT the In-Year Deficit Elimination plan presented in the 2020-2021 Staff Recommended Budget Binder, as amended, be approved; D. THAT the accumulated surplus be used to further increase the recommended $4.0 million COVID expense provision by $471,491; E. THAT the new funding of $3.5 million as shown in Ministry of Education Memo 2020: B11, Investments to Support School Reopening in Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak, be added to the 2020-2021 Staff-Recommended Budget operating revenues and that a corresponding increase in planned operating expenses be reflected; and F. THAT the new funding of $1.9 million as shown in Minister of Education Memo dated 14 August 2020, Additional Guidance and Funding for School Reopening, be added to the 2020 -2021 Staff- Recommended Budget operating revenues and that a corresponding increase in planned operating expenses be reflected. Trustee Ellis requested that parts A1 and A2 of the motion, regarding the School Resource Officer (SRO) program at Ridgemont High School and Gloucester High School, be voted on separately. In response to a query from Chair Scott regarding amendments to the motion, Executive Officer Giroux advised that a vote against the two 4 amendments would eliminate them from the final motion, and would result in the funds being allocated as proposed in the original staff recommended budget. Trustee Schwartz noted that several members of the community had contacted her regarding the SRO program and provided rationale for and against the cessation of the program. The most important fact addressed by the community was regarding the lack of consultation on this decision predominately with students. There was concern that the dedicated SRO position at Gloucester High School and Ridgemont High School may cease to exist even if the funds were diverted directly to the schools' framework. Trustee Schwartz highlighted that some feel that the SRO program is important and that it is necessary to conduct a review to hear from recently graduated students, current and marginalized students. ***** 10:30 pm vote 2/3 majority voted to continue **** Trustee Bell shared that she has been learning about white privilege and systemic racism, and she has made a commitment when issues and opportunities arise to provide her support. Trustee Bell highlighted that she will be voting to support the SRO fund withdrawal motion. Trustee Campbell noted he had originally voted in favour of the amendments regarding the SRO program, but added that this decision would result in the affected schools no longer having the option to invest in the program, even if it was viewed as the best expenditure of their funds. Trustee Campbell expressed his support for a review of the SRO program and advised that he would not be in support of the motion. In wrap-up, Trustee Lyra Evans stated that the Board heard from the Somali community, the Black community and former students of the OCDSB who stated they do not feel safe or comfortable in the presence of SROs. She agrees with Trustee Bell and encourages the battle of systemic racism. Trustee Lyra Evans highlighted that despite her request for a consultation on the SRO program, no review has taken place despite the OCDSB's responsibility to the student community. Trustee Lyra Evans expressed her disappointment in the actions of her colleagues. Moved by Trustee Lyra Evans, seconded by Trustee Schwartz 1. THAT $95,976 be removed from the School Programs and Support budget which pays for two dedicated SROs [at Gloucester High School and Ridgemont High School]; and 2. THAT the $95,976 be apportioned to the two schools [Gloucester High School and Ridgemont High School] on a per pupil basis to be administered within the Urban priority high school framework; 5 Defeated At Trustee Ellis’s request, a recorded vote was held and was defeated on the following division: FOR: Trustee Ellis, Lyra Evans, Bell, (3) AGAINST: Trustee Boothby, Hough, Campbell, Jennekens, Penny, Fisher, Schwartz, Scott, (8) ABSTENTION: Nil (0) Moved by Trustee Lyra Evans, seconded by Trustee Schwartz. A. THAT the unconsolidated 2020-2021 operating budget of $1,008.3 million as presented in Report 20-063, 2020-2021 Staff- Recommended Budget and detailed in the 2020-2021 Staff- Recommended Budget Binder be approved, subject to Ministry authorization to use the accumulated surplus in the amount required to balance the budget, amended as follows: 1. THAT a budget allocation of $150,000 be made for the funding of effective school councils across all Schools and the work of an engaged Parent Involvement Committee to ensure it meets obligations regarding communications with School Councils and to “undertaking activities to help parents of pupils of the board support their children’s learning at home and at school”. 2. THAT the Board approach the province for more funding, if necessary, to ensure the safety of OCDSB students and educators. 3. THAT the Chair of the Board communicate immediately with the Minister of Education and Premier, with a copy of the communication also sent to Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) member boards and local media, calling on the province to: (d) Commit to making school boards whole with respect to their extraordinary COVID-19 related use of reserves, (e) Commit to making school boards whole with respect to any unplanned COVID-19 related shortfalls arising directly however from either (i) their Ministry-confirmed plans, further changes in Ministry direction, or unforeseen and unavoidable local COVID-19 related circumstances, and 6 (f) Commit to asking Ontario's Chief Medical Officer to immediately review and publicly respond fully and directly to the expert advice on COVID-19 risk reduction for schools provided on 19 August 2020 by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO), and the Minister and Premier then to reassess as may be indicated the Province's financial support and direction around COVID-19 risks reduction in its schools. B. THAT the 2020-2021 capital budget of $97.9 million as presented in the 2020- 2021 Staff-Recommended Budget Binder, be approved; C. THAT the In-Year Deficit Elimination plan presented in the 2020- 2021 Staff Recommended Budget Binder, as amended, be approved; D. THAT the accumulated surplus be used to further increase the recommended $4.0 million COVID expense provision by $471,491; E. THAT the new funding of $3.5 million as shown in Ministry of Education Memo 2020: B11, Investments to Support School Reopening in Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak, be added to the 2020-2021 Staff-Recommended Budget operating revenues and that a corresponding increase in planned operating expenses be reflected; and F. THAT the new funding of $1.9 million as shown in Minister of Education Memo dated 14 August 2020, Additional Guidance and Funding for School Reopening, be added to the 2020-2021 Staff- Recommended Budget operating revenues and that a corresponding increase in planned operating expenses be reflected. Carried A recorded vote was held and the motion was carried on the following division: FOR: Trustee Boothby, Hough, Campbell, Jennekens, Penny, Bell, Fisher, Schwartz, Scott (9) AGAINST: Trustee Ellis, Lyra Evans (2) ABSTENTION: Nil (0) 4. Adjournment 7 The meeting adjourned at 10:52 pm. Lynn Scott, Chair of the Board