BOARD OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 67 (OKANAGAN SKAHA)
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
HELD ON MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2014, AT 6:30 P.M.
AT THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE
MINUTES
IN ATTENDANCE
Bruce Johnson, Chair
Tracy St. Claire, Vice Chair
Linda Beaven, Trustee
Shelley Clarke, Trustee
Walter Huebert, Trustee
Ginny Manning, Trustee
Linda Van Alphen, Trustee
Wendy Hyer, Superintendent of Schools
Bonnie Roller Routley, Secretary-Treasurer
Dave Burgoyne, Assistant Superintendent
Pam Butters, Director of Instruction
Danny Francisco, Director of Information Technology
Doug Gorcak, Director of Facilities
Don MacIntyre, Director of Instruction
Maureen Maywood, Director of Finance
Ron Shongrunden, Director of Business Development and Technology
Daphne Adey, Executive Assistant
1.0
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Johnson welcomed everyone to the meeting and acknowledged that we were on the
traditional territory of the Okanagan people.
2.0
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
MOTION:
Van Alphen/Huebert that the agenda be approved.
CARRIED
3.0
PRESENTATIONS BY SCHOOLS AND/OR STUDENTS
3.1
Science Fair Winners
At the Regional Science Fair held in Kelowna in April, a grade 8 student, Grant Mansiere
from Summerland Middle School and Charley Smith, a grade 8 student from McNicoll
Park Middle School, were selected to attend and compete at the Canada-wide Science
Fair in May in Windsor, Ontario. Both Grant and Charley described their projects and
shared highlights of their trip to the national competition. Principals Lloyd Lindsay and
Jason Corday accompanied the students to the meeting. Charley won a third place
medal and $1,000 scholarship along with $100 cash at the championships for his
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School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
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Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – June 9, 2014
demonstration of building and running a car by burning wood. Grant won a gold medal
and received three prizes of $700, $500 and $100 each, a telescope, a Blackberry and a
$4,000 scholarship to Western University for his demonstration “Does Light Cause
Crime?”
Following a number of trustee questions, the students were thanked for their
presentations and congratulated on their successful projects at the championships.
4.0
RECEIVING OF DELEGATIONS AND GUESTS
4.1
Community Recognition
The Board of Education recognized and thanked Ms. Alana Buckingham for creating the
Giant’s Head Marathon. Also recognized but not present were Neil and Michelle
Jamieson who were instrumental in organizing the raising of funds for elementary school
breakfast clubs in Penticton run by Meals on Wheels.
4.2
District Literacy Plan
District Literacy Plans are multi-year, annually updated plans that are developed by
means of community-wide processes with organizations that work to enhance literacy for
all age groups. School districts are one of the many partners and boards of education
are required, by legislation, to prepare and submit to the Minister of Education a District
Literacy Plan with respect to improving the literacy of all citizens within the district. Joan
Chambers, Coordinator, Literacy Now South Okanagan-Similkameen, reviewed the goals
and accomplishments of the past year and presented the four goals and action plans for
the 2014-15 year: revitalize the Task Group to become a working group responsive to
community needs; maintain and enhance the current programs that address the literacy
needs in our community; determine procedures to create sustainability for the current
literacy programs offered; to build more relationships to reach adult learners, and
enhance awareness of adult literacy programs, through connections and partnerships in
the community.
MOTION:
Beaven/Clarke that the District Literacy Plan be accepted and submitted to
the Minister as required by the School Act.
CARRIED
Appreciation was extended to Ms. Chambers and the literacy group for their successes to
date.
5.0
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
MOTION:
Huebert/St. Claire that the minutes of the regular meeting held on May 12, 2014
be adopted.
CARRIED
6.0
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7.0
REPORT FROM CLOSED MEETINGS
Chair Johnson reviewed the following items which were discussed at the closed meeting held on
May 12, 2014:
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Received correspondence;
Received a report from the finance and management committee meeting;
Received information related to teacher negotiations:
Reviewed and approved budget changes;
Received information related to a principal resignation and principal/vice principal
appointments;
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School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
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8.0
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Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – June 9, 2014
Received information related to student suspensions;
Received a staffing report for both teaching and CUPE staff;
Received information on CUPE bargaining;
Received an update on a legal matter; and
Reviewed information related to a contract for the director of business development and
technology, which will not be renewed.
CORRESPONDENCE
8.1
Letter from British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA)
A letter forwarded by Michael Marchbank, Public Administrator, BCPEA, providing an
explanation of the partial lockout which took effect on May 26, 2014.
8.2
Letter from Minister of Education
A letter forwarded by Minister of Education Peter Fassbender to Teresa Rezanoff,
President, British Columbia School Trustees Association, and all board chairs expressing
appreciation for the opportunity to engage at the BCSTA annual general meeting in April.
8.3
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. 61 (Greater Victoria) to Michael Marchbank, Public
Administrator, BCPSEA, recommending to BCPSEA that a mediator be engaged
immediately;
Michael Marchbank, Public Administrator, BCPSEA, in response to the letter
from School District No. 61 (Greater Victoria);
School District No. 70 (Alberni) to the VISTA President requesting an emergency
meeting with VISTA to discuss funding issues;
School District No. 20 (Kootenay-Columbia) to the Minister of Education
expressing concerns about the climate that districts across the province are
facing as districts transform the public education system to be in line with the
vision described in the BC Education Plan;
School District No. 28 (Quesnel) to Minister of Education Peter Fassbender
expressing concern regarding the significant impact of unfunded cost pressures
and Ministry of Education initiatives that their board has had to fund over the last
number of years;
School District No. 61 (Greater Victoria) to the Minister of Children and Family
Development expressing concerns regarding the recent Ministry of Children and
Family Development announcement of plans to close the Victoria Youth
Detention Centre;
School District No. 39 (Vancouver) to Premier Christy Clark and Minister of
Education Peter Fassbender calling on the BC government to bargain in good
faith, including bringing adequate resources to the table, and to step back from
recent pressure tactics such as threatened wage rollbacks and teacher lockouts;
School District No. 47 (Powell River) to the Minister of Education strongly
encouraging BCPSEA and BCTF to work harder to obtain a fair, negotiated
settlement;
School District No. 74 (Gold Trail) to the Minister of Transportation and
Infrastructure opposing plans to increase the speed limit to 100 km/h near a
school close to Highway 97; and
School District No. 73 (Kamloops/Thompson) to the Minister of Education
regarding the move to cost sharing of capital projects and informing the Minister
that their school district does not have $16 million in potential surplus funds for
that purpose as the majority of these funds are earmarked.
MOTION:
Clarke/Manning that the correspondence be received.
CARRIED
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School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
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9.0
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
10.0
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
10.1
School Improvement Plans
Director of Instruction MacIntyre provided a brief overview of the district process used to
develop School Improvement Plans. As well, the School Improvement Plan for Princess
Margaret Secondary School, outlining the key components of the plan, was reviewed.
Assessment data, which is difficult to collect with the current job action, will be added
later. All reports have been reviewed by district staff and will be posted on the district
website upon Board approval.
MOTION:
10.2
Manning/Huebert that the Board of Education approve the school
improvement plan for every school in the school district.
CARRIED
District Achievement Contract
The School Act requires each board of education in British Columbia to prepare and
submit to the Ministry of Education an Achievement Contract with respect to standards
for student performance and plans for improving achievement in the district.
Superintendent Hyer provided an overview of the district’s Achievement Contract and
provided supporting documentation for the two district goals: to improve student success
in reading comprehension and, secondly, to increase the likelihood that ALL students will
successfully complete their educational programs with a positive sense of optimism,
purpose, and control. Ms. Hyer added that the report must be submitted by July 15th of
each school year. Again, some of the assessment documents need to be added to this
draft report.
MOTION:
10.3
Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – June 9, 2014
Van Alphen/Beaven that the Board of Education submit its achievement
contract for the school year to the Minister and make its achievement
contract available to residents of the school district and to parents of
students attending schools in the district.
CARRIED
Field Trips
Director of Instruction MacIntyre reviewed the listing of field trip requests circulated with
the agenda package, two of which had been approved by the superintendent pursuant to
district policy.
MOTION:
Huebert/St. Claire that the field trip request for July 1 to 22, 2015, for 25
grades 10 to 12 students from Princess Margaret Secondary, Penticton
Secondary, and Summerland Secondary schools to travel to and
participate in a humanitarian trip to Arusha, Tanzania, be approved in
principle.
CARRIED
10.4
Enrolment
The superintendent of schools reported that enrolment as of May 31, 2014 showed 5,964
students in the district, a decrease of three students from the previous month.
10.5
Year-end Activities/Performances/Celebrations
Superintendent Hyer reviewed a listing of year-end activities, performances, and
celebrations noting that some of which have been cancelled due to job action. Ms. Hyer
added that principals and vice principals are working hard trying to ensure some of these
events occur.
10.6
Research Proposal
The superintendent advised that Debbie Field, an occupational therapist with Sunny Hill
Health Centre for Children in Vancouver, BC, is seeking permission to invite our school
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School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
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Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – June 9, 2014
therapists, children, and families to investigate the impacts of providing power
wheelchairs to children and youth with mobility limitations.
MOTION:
11.0
Clarke/Van Alphen that permission be granted for Debbie Field, an
occupational therapist with Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children in
Vancouver, BC, to invite school district therapists, children, and families to
investigate the impacts of providing power wheelchairs to children and
youth with mobility limitations.
CARRIED
REPORT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER
11.1
Rental Policy
Secretary-Treasurer Roller Routley advised that at the last Board of Education meeting,
draft Policy No. 700 – Rentals was approved in principle and circulated to partner groups
until June 5 for any suggestions for changes. To date, no suggestions have been
received to modify this policy and the policy is therefore recommended for adoption as
circulated with the agenda package.
MOTION:
11.2
Manning//St. Claire that draft Policy No. 700 – Rentals be approved as
circulated with the agenda package.
CARRIED
Board of Education Meeting Dates
The secretary-treasurer reviewed a memo outlining proposed Board of Education and
committee meeting dates for the 2014-15 school year. The proposed schedule is based
on a monthly meeting being held on the second Monday of each month, with adjustments
for statutory holidays, as well as the practice of holding committee meetings two weeks
prior to the board meeting. The committee meeting dates, with operations committees
(buildings, grounds, safety, and transportation committee and finance and management
committee) being held on one day and education committee on a separate day, are only
scheduled up to the trustee election date so that the new board can set the remaining
committee dates. Policy committee meetings will be scheduled as needed.
MOTION:
Clarke/Manning that the proposed schedule of Board of Education and
committee meeting dates for 2014-15 be approved:
Board Meeting Dates
Beginning at 6:30 p.m.
September 8, 2014
October 6, 2014
(Thanksgiving, Oct. 13, 2014)
November 10, 2014
Finance and Management
(F&M); Buildings, Grounds,
Safety, and Transportation
(BGST); and Policy
Committee Meetings
August 25 Committees
1:00 – 1:45 – F&M
1:45 – 2:30 BGST
2:30 – 4:00 Policy
September 22
1:00 – 1:45 – F&M
1:45 – 2:30 BGST
2:30 – 4:00 Policy
October 27
1:00 – 1:45 – F&M
1:45 – 2:30 BGST
2:30 – 4:00 Policy
Education
Committee
August 26
3:30 p.m.
September 23
3:30 p.m.
October 21
3:30 p.m.
December 1, 2014 (Inaugural)
December 8, 2014 (Regular)
January 12, 2015
February 2, 2015
March 9, 2015
April 13, 2015
May 11, 2015
June 8, 2015
CARRIED
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School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
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Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – June 9, 2014
Trustees Beaven, Johnson, and St. Claire requested that their negative votes be
recorded.
11.3
Trustee Indemnities
Pursuant to Policy No. 150 – Trustee Financial Matters, the secretary-treasurer, at the
June meeting annually, shall report the trustee indemnity rates to the Board for
consideration. Trustee indemnities shall be increased each September by the Consumer
Price Index for British Columbia for the previous 12-month period unless the Board
declines the increase.
MOTION:
11.4
Clarke/Beaven that, based on a -0.1% decrease in the Consumer Price
Index for British Columbia for the previous 12-month period, there will be
no increase to trustee indemnities for September 2014.
CARRIED
Trustee Elections
Secretary-Treasurer Roller Routley reviewed that the trustee elections will be held on
November 15, 2014, for seven (7) trustees from three electoral areas:
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Four (4) trustees from Municipality of Penticton
Two (2) trustees from Summerland area
One (1) trustee from the rural areas
Trustee elections are the responsibility of the City of Penticton for Trustee Electoral Area
1 and the responsibility of the school district for Trustee Electoral Areas 2 and 3. In
Trustee Electoral Areas 2 and 3, the election may be conducted by the Board directly or
by or in conjunction with the local government under an agreement with the Board made
pursuant to Section 38 of the School Act. In preparation for the 2014 Trustee Elections, a
resolution for the following appointments was requested. For information, it is not
necessary to have appointments for the election of four trustees from Trustee Electoral
Area 1.
MOTION:
11.5
12.0
Manning/Huebert that Bonnie Roller Routley be appointed as the Chief
Election Officer and that Daphne Adey be appointed as the Deputy Chief
Election Officer for the election of two trustees from Trustee Electoral Area
2 and for the election of one trustee from Trustee Electoral Area 3 as
approved by the Minister of Education.
CARRIED
Technology Update
Director of Business Development and Technology Shongrunden provided an overview
of goals and objectives, initiatives undertaken, and accomplishments since assuming the
position one year ago. Mr. Shongrunden advised a number of contracts and applications
are underway, the IMC building can be available to the public for television broadcasts,
and additional revenue of $30,000 over five years was generated by a shared services
contract with additional shared services contracts expected in the fall. Mr. Shongrunden
added that PLNet, which connects all school districts in the province, needed an
additional $234,973 per annum from SD67; however, with the infrastructure in place in
this district and though discussions, SD67 does not have to implement budget reductions
to pay this $234,973 per annum. Over five years, this amounts to $1.17 million. Mr.
Shongrunden urged trustees to continue advocacy, which has been very beneficial over
the past few years. Appreciation was extended to Mr. Shongrunden for his efforts during
the past year as well as his dedication to the district over the past 34 years.
NEW BUSINESS
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School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
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14.0
15.0
Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting – June 9, 2014
REPORT OF REPRESENTATIVES
13.1
Trustee Comments
Trustees commented on a number of district activities including Princess Margaret
Secondary winning the provincial championships in soccer, recent aboriginal graduations,
13 handmade quilts for students to deliver to Tanzania in July, and a possible change in
traffic patterns for the 700 block of Main Street. Also mentioned was the high school art
exhibit with artists from the three secondary schools and May Day Festival in Naramata.
Congratulations were extended to Beamer Wigley and Teigen Litke who received
provincial titles at the Performing Arts Festival hosted in Penticton and Sinclaire Lovett for
a very successful Colours 4 Kids Run held on June 7.
13.2
Meeting with MLAs
Chair Johnson reported that the Board met with MLA Dan Ashton and MLA Linda Larson
on May 16, 2014, noting the meeting was set to review goals, exchange ideas, and work
together on a number of topics, one of which was shared services. A number of items
will be followed up.
INFORMATION ITEMS
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 attached listing.
14.2
Recognition of Student Artwork
Congratulations were extended to the students from Summerland Secondary School for
their artwork currently on display at the school board office.
14.3
Date of Next Meeting
 September 8, 2014 6:30 p.m., Regular Meeting, School Board Office, or at the
call of the chair
QUESTION PERIOD
Comments/questions from the public and media included:
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16.0
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Information that Derek Hurst represented DPAC at a recent meeting of BC Confederation
of Parents and extended an invitation to the Minister of Education to visit SD67;
Clarification on funds generated by the director of business development and technology;
Clarification as to what would be considered essential services if a teacher strike occurs;
A question on how many events and celebrations have been cancelled due to the strike;
A question relating to the last trustee indemnity increase;
A question regarding the rental policy and possible increases; and
Clarification on committee meetings dates.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION:
St. Claire/Manning that the meeting be adjourned at 9:16 p.m.
CARRIED
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Bruce Johnson, Chair
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Bonnie Roller Routley, Secretary-Treasurer
June 19, 2014
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