BOARD OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 67 (OKANAGAN SKAHA)
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
HELD ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012, AT 6:30 P.M.
AT THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE
MINUTES
IN ATTENDANCE
Ginny Manning, Chair
Linda Van Alphen, Vice Chair
Linda Beaven, Trustee
Shelley Clarke, Trustee
Walter Huebert, Trustee
Bruce Johnson, Trustee
Tracy St. Claire, Trustee
Wendy Hyer, Superintendent of Schools
Ron Shongrunden, Secretary-Treasurer
Dave Burgoyne, Assistant Superintendent
Doug Gorcak, Director of Facilities
Don MacIntyre, Director of Instruction
Daphne Adey, Executive Assistant
Jane Owen, Executive Assistant
1.0
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Manning welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2.0
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
MOTION:
Huebert/Van Alphen that the agenda and addendum be adopted.
CARRIED
3.0
PRESENTATIONS BY SCHOOLS AND/OR STUDENTS
3.1
Smoking Cessation Initiative
Principal Alan Stel and Sylvie Hamel, a drug and alcohol counsellor at Penticton
Secondary School, provided an overview of a school-wide smoking cessation plan
recently introduced at the school. The four-year plan to eliminate the smoking culture at
Penticton Secondary begins this year with the grade 9 students and will move to grade
10 in the coming year, and grades 11 and 12 in subsequent years. Sessions were held
with all grade 9 groups and invitations were extended to all students to participate in the
smoking cessation plan. It is hoped that with prevention and education smoking will be
eliminated at the school and replaced with healthy initiatives.
Appreciation was extended to Mr. Snel and Ms. Hamel for their efforts in bringing this
initiative to the school.
“Working Together for Student Success”
School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
4.0
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Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – November 5, 2012
3.2
2012 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence
Trevor Knowlton, a teacher at Summerland Secondary School, was recently awarded the
2012 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Mr. Knowlton has developed a
variety of highly regarded online resources including: LiveTeacher.ca, VirtualGuest.ca,
and StopABully.ca. He also works with community and business connections to provide
students with valuable real-work experience. Mr. Knowlton was recognized for the
honour at the board meeting and was presented with a plaque on behalf of the Prime
Minister.
3.3
Ecommunity Place: The Land-Based Learning Project
An overview of the Land-Based Learning Project was provided by Anne Tenning, Vice
Principal, Aboriginal Programs, and Michael Bezenger, an environmental biologist who
oversees program development for Ecommunity Place at the En’owkin Centre. The
project is intended to teach students about the culture and environment on property close
to the golf course driving range and to help connect all learners to indigenous aboriginal
Syilx language and culture. Funds received through the $10,000 BC Innovations grant
will be used to bring teachers to the sessions and to develop lesson planning.
RECEIVING OF DELEGATIONS AND GUESTS
4.1
Canadian Parents for French
Kirsty Peterson, Chapter Support and Outreach Officer, Canadian Parents for French
along with Mona Smythe, President of the Local Chapter, and Glen Lewis, representing
Canadian Parents for French BC & Yukon, presented an overview of the brief circulated
with the agenda package regarding Early French Immersion. Mr. Lewis noted that during
the provincial enrolment decline over the past 14 years, the number of French immersion
students in the province has continued to grow. The representatives asked the Board to
support the establishment of Early French Immersion in the Okanagan Skaha School
District and offered the assistance of Canadian Parents for French to help make this
occur.
All representatives were thanked for both their presentation and the brief which will be
used during deliberations related to introducing Early French Immersion program.
5.0
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
MOTION:
Van Alphen/Clarke that the minutes of the regular meeting held on October 1, 2012
be approved.
CARRIED
6.0
REPORT FROM CLOSED MEETING
Chair Manning reviewed the following items which were discussed at the closed meeting held on
October 1, 2012:
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Received a report from the finance and management committee;
(During this report, Trustees St. Claire and Huebert declared a conflict of interest and left
the meeting.)
Supported a recommendation for the School Community Connections funding
applications;
(During this discussion, Trustees St. Claire and Huebert declared a conflict of interest
and left the meeting.)
Received a report from the buildings, grounds, safety and transportation committee
meeting;
Confirmed teaching, support, and excluded staff changes;
Received a report on teacher bargaining;
Received a report on CUPE bargaining;
Approved a teacher leave request;
“Working Together for Student Success”
School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
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7.0
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Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – November 5, 2012
Received a report on possible implementation of Early French Immersion in SD67 and
directed staff to proceed with a series of steps for further study;
Received information on student suspensions;
Received information on an upcoming BCPSEA meeting; and
Discussed a personnel issue.
CORRESPONDENCE
7.1
Letter from Teachers’ Pension Board of Trustees
A letter from the Teachers’ Pension Board of Trustees regarding the Teachers’ Pension
Plan 2011 Actuarial Valuation Report and announcing a 1.3 percent increase in member
and employer contribution rates.
7.2
Summary of Copies of Letters to the Board
Copies of the letters to the Board listed below are available in the trustee reading file:
•
•
•
•
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School District No. 45 (West Vancouver) to the Minister of Education
congratulating him on his new appointment;
School District No. 78 (Fraser-Cascade) to the Minister of Education expressing
concern regarding partnership with the Seabird Island First Nation Community
School;
School District No. 38 (Richmond) to the Select Standing Committee on Finance
and Government Services enclosing their recommendations;
School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) to the Integrated Early Care &
Learning in BC supporting the Community Plan for a Public System of Integrated
Early Care and Learning, otherwise known as the $10/Day/Child Care Plan; and
British Columbia Teachers’ Federation to the Select Standing Committee on
Finance and Government Services enclosing their brief (a copy of the brief is
available in the trustee reading file).
MOTION:
Huebert/Johnson that the correspondence be received.
CARRIED
8.0
REPORT OF COMMITTEES
8.1
Education Committee
Trustee Johnson reported on the education committee meeting held on October 30,
2012:
a.
Ikeda Exchange Program
Jeff Guy, Vice Principal, Penticton Secondary, and four students presented
information on their recent trip to Ikeda, Japan. Students showed pictures and a
video of their experience. Mr. Guy reported that not only was it a great trip and
experience, the students from Penticton Secondary and Summerland Secondary
were excellent ambassadors for their schools and community.
b.
Cyber Bulling/Sexual Exploitation Action Committee
Todd Manuel, Vice Principal, Penticton Secondary, provided trustees with an
overview of this committee and their first meeting which was held on October 24,
2012. Meryln Horton, a well-known speaker with extensive resources in this topic,
has accepted an invitation to visit Penticton to provide presentations for students
and parents. This presentation will take place at Penticton Secondary School on
December 10, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Parents from any of the SD67 schools are invited
to attend. Student presentations will also take place at KVR Middle School and
McNicoll Park Middle School on December 11. This committee will be ongoing and
has representation from a wide variety of community partners.
“Working Together for Student Success”
School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – November 5, 2012
c.
Sexual Health Learning Outcomes
Director of Instruction Don MacIntyre provided an update on how the Sexual Health
Learning Outcomes of Personal Planning are being covered in our schools.
d.
Early French Immersion (EFI) Feasibility Study
Assistant Superintendent Dave Burgoyne reported on his attendance at the
Canadian Parents for French, Okanagan Skaha Chapter’s executive meeting on
October 10. The chapter members are committed to providing assistance in the
implementation of an EFI program in the district. The CPF Chapter associates
were invited to attend the Board Meeting on November 5th to provide a short
presentation.
MOTION:
9.0
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Johnson/Herbert that the report of the education committee be received.
CARRIED
REPORT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER
9.1
Technology Update
Secretary-Treasurer Shongrunden presented an illustration of the bandwidth that
connects SD67 schools together and how these schools are connected to the outside
world. Except for four outlying schools, SD67 schools connect at a very high 10 GB
speed internally but must share a small 0.2 GB pipe to access the external world. SD67
envisions the total number of devices accessing the outside world to more than double
which will cause an already overloaded pipe to become even more saturated.
Mr. Shongrunden further added that the Ministry of Advanced Education has announced
that BC will offer post-secondary students free online textbooks and if these online
resources were offered to the K-12 school system, it would further compound the
bandwidth issue.
The Board discussed options to advocate to the Ministry for increased bandwidth and/or
financial resources and to further explore the option of providing a district owned high
speed fiber link to Kelowna.
9.2
10.0
2013-14 Carbon Neutral Capital Program
The secretary-treasurer reviewed details of the provincial government’s 2013-14 Carbon
Neutral Capital Program. This capital funding program will be an amount equal to, or
greater than, the annual cost of carbon offsets for school districts, which in 2011 was
$4.7 million. The Ministry is looking for proposals which will show measurable emissions
reductions and a simple payback period. Director of Facilities Gorcak indicated the
district could submit for the project to link Skaha Lake Middle School to the new
geothermal project at Princess Margaret Secondary. The deadline for submissions is
January 11, 2013.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
10.1
International Student Program
Superintendent Hyer provided an update on the international student program advising
that the district is currently working with Korean agents to bring approximately 40
students from grades 3 to 10 to the district for a month long stay in January. The agents
will be in Penticton on November 12 and 13 and will tour a number of schools on
November 13. Penticton City Councillor Konanz and Colleen Pennington, the economic
development officer for Penticton, will join the group. Ms. Hyer added the district is in the
process of developing a brochure for agent fairs and showed the presentation file which
will be shared with agents.
“Working Together for Student Success”
School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
10.2
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Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – November 5, 2012
Field Trips
Director of Instruction MacIntyre reviewed a listing of field trip requests circulated with the
agenda package, one of which had been approved by the superintendent pursuant to
district policy. Following discussion,
MOTION:
Huebert/Van Alphen that the following field trips requests be approved in
principle:
•
•
May 22 to 26, 2013, for 40 band students from Summerland
Secondary School to travel to Alberta on a musical tour, performing
at several schools and taking in a variety of sites; and
May 12 to 18, 2013, for 26 grade 8 stage band students from
Summerland Middle School to travel to Ottawa on a cultural/
educational exchange with Immaculata High School students,
participating in performances, visiting museums and Parliament
Building, and other cultural and sporting events.
CARRIED
10.3
Enrolment
Superintendent Hyer reviewed enrolment as of October 31, 2012, which showed an
increase of 14 students since September 28. There are currently 6,219 students in the
district.
10.4
Class Size Report
Assistant Superintendent Burgoyne reviewed a class size report which indicated the
average class size for kindergarten is approximately one-half of a student below the
provincial average of previous years and the average class size of grades 1 to 3 is very
close to the provincial average. The average class size of grades 4 to 7 is below the
provincial average by one student and the grades 8 to 12 average class size is close to
the provincial average. Mr. Burgoyne added there are nine classes greater than 30 for
this September compared to 33 in September 2011 and attributed the reduction to both
the trending down each year and the new learning improvement funds provided by the
Ministry for this September.
11.0
REPORT OF REPRESENTATIVES
12.0
NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS
13.0
INFORMATION ITEMS
13.1
BCSTA Provincial Council Meeting
Trustee Clarke reported on the BCSTA Provincial Council Meeting held on October
26/27, 2012, in Vancouver, the notes from which were circulated to trustees prior to the
meeting. Ms. Clarke noted that Deputy Minister Gorman, in his presentation, advised he
would be pursuing increased bandwidth for the province and spoke about personalized
learning, changes to the way completion rates are reported, opportunities for input into
Science 10, the budget, and a bullying summit on November 13, 2012. Ms. Clarke also
noted there are 17 companies interested in the procurement process for a new student
information system to replace BCeSIS.
13.2
BCSTA Thompson Okanagan Branch Meeting
Trustee Van Alphen provided information on the BCSTA Okanagan Branch meeting held
on October 12/13, 2012 in Revelstoke, at which trustees toured two new Neighbourhood
of Learning schools and had presentations on their Early Learning Hub and partnerships
between the community and school district.
“Working Together for Student Success”
School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
13.3
14.0
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Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – November 5, 2012
Date of Next Meeting
• December 10, 2012, 6:30 p.m., Inaugural and Regular Meeting, School Board
Office
TRUSTEE COMMENTS
14.1
Recognition of Student Success
School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha) extended congratulations to the students and
groups for outstanding examples of success as shown on the listing circulated with the
agenda package.
14.2
Recognition of Student Artwork
Congratulations were extended to the students from Skaha Lake Middle School for their
artwork currently on display at the school board office.
14.3
Trustee Comments
Trustees provided comments on a number of district events including the Power to Girls
workshop, We Day activities, Pumpkin Runs, and upcoming Remembrance Day
activities.
15.0
QUESTION PERIOD
Comments/questions from the media included questions on the learning improvement funds, the
teachers’ pension fund increase, BCeSIS request for proposals, early French immersion, report
from closed meetings, the former theatre at Penticton Secondary School, class size funding, and
use of acronyms.
16.0
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION:
St Claire/Van Alphen that the meeting be adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
CARRIED
____________________
Chairperson
____________________
Secretary-Treasurer
November 9, 2012
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“Working Together for Student Success”