Minutes of Regular Board Meeting
January 16th, 2007 7:00 PM
Location: Regional
Office, Grand Falls-Windsor
Present:
Mr. Thomas Kendell (Chair) Ms. Cynthia Fleet, Director
Mr.
Mr.
Mr. Hubert Langdon Ms.
Bonnie Lane McCarthy
Dr. Greg Woolfrey Mr. Shawn Brace
Mr. Peter Budgell
Mr.
Ms. Ann Sparkes
Mr. Robert Hannaford
Regrets:
Ms. Audrey Whiteway
Mr. Peter Gibbons
Ms.
Mr. Scott Pritchett
Mr. Bill Sceviour
Mr. Kerry Noble
Mr. Charlie McCormack
1. Welcome
The
Chair welcomed the Board Members and informed the Board of Trustees that he had
received a call from Mr. Bill Sceviour in which Mr. Sceviour informed him that
he would be resigning from the Board.
2. Approval of Agenda
Motion: to
approve the agenda as circulated (Langdon, Woolfrey). Carried.
3. Minutes of Meetings
3.1 Regular
Meeting December 19th, 2006
Motion: to
accept the minutes of the December 19th, 2006 meeting as circulated. (Harris/George). Carried.
4.
The
conference is January 25 – 27, 2007.
Trustees’ airline tickets were enclosed in the Board meeting
folders. A purchase order was issued to
cover the costs of accommodations.
Registration has also been pre-paid.
5. Trustee Professional Development Facilitated by Brenda
Kelleher-Flight
The
Chair reported that the past weekend had gone very well. The next PD session for the Board of Trustees
will be February 23, 2007.
Overall
board members found the weekend session to be excellent professional development.
6. Executive Committee Report
The
Chair reported on the discussion at the Executive Committee pertaining to
Executive Committee minutes. Trustees,
through their evaluation forms, gave feedback that the Executive report does
not provide enough detail.
The Executive
Committee made the following motion:
“that to present the option to the board to either
continue present Executive Committee reports or distribute a draft copy of the Minutes
of the Executive meeting during a closed session of the board (Langdon/Noble).” Carried.
Discussion
followed around the wish of the Board members to ensure that all trustees have
information discussed in Executive meetings.
Motion: to move into a closed session. (Hannaford/Brown). Carried.
Motion: to come out of the closed
session. (Budgell/George). Carried.
7. Director's Report
The
Senior Management group has developed a management plan for the next two years.
The
management plan deals with 5 issues. The
focus is on records management; specifically filing and storage of information. The second is school leadership, with the
intent of beginning a new leadership at work group as well as continuing the
present. The third is district office morale,
and the fourth is the development of management policies. The fifth is an internal communication
protocol. This does not negate other
work of the Senior Management group. The
Assistant Directors are now developing work plans which outline reporting dates
to the Director.
The
Director suggested that the management plan containing the 5 items and student
achievement update will be reported on at specific dates throughout the school
year. The Director also suggested that she
would like to report on highlights from the schools on a fairly regular basis.
The
Director noted that Jim Cornish from
8. Additional District Office Staff
The
Director met with the Assistant Deputy Minister and he requested one change in
the organizational chart. The position
descriptions for Senior Administrative Officer Corporate Affairs is not yet
completed.
The
Human Resources Division has advertised for a Senior Administrative Officer and
a Human Resources Officer.
Three
clerks will be hired for the Administration & Finance Division.
The
Program Division will be hiring two Senior Education Officers (SEO’s) who will
be located at the
Overall,
Nova Central is requesting $454,000 of the 1.5 million announced by the
Government in the March 2006 budget.
9. Presentation on Restructuring
Grand Falls-Windsor Restructuring
The Director
has suggested that because of declining enrolments a change is recommended to
the 5 year restructuring plan. That recommendation
is to expand Woodland Primary to be the K-3 primary building for the Town of
January
17th, - Review of capacity availability at Sprucewood.
January
23rd – meeting with parents in Grade 2 from Woodland Primary
January
23rd – Meeting with the Director of School Construction and Design
February
6th – meeting with parents of children 4, 5, 6, 7 years old
The
Director and Chair met with the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor on January 16, 2007
to get an update on school restructuring.
The Director presented information on student population and possible
changes to the 5 year restructuring plan.
Motion: to extend the meeting by 15
minutes. (Brown/George). Carried.
10. Infrastructure Update
·
The
Principal of Gander Academy contacted the Assistant Director of Programs
concerning the demands on space because of increasing enrolments. The Director will do a tour of the school and
report back to the Board.
·
January
22, 2007 the Director will meet with the school council
·
January
31 the Director will meet with the School Councils from
·
- January 29th
the Director will meet with concerned parents from
- The
Director presented a report prepared by Mr. Paul Matheson. The report outlines a number of possible
bussing plan options for the
·
The
contractor has requested an extension to the completion date.
·
St. Stephen’s, Rencontre East
The
expected completion date is January 31st with the official opening
tentatively scheduled for February 19th.
·
Botwood Collegiate Extension
Total
occupancy is scheduled for January 31st.
·
The
delivery of windows is scheduled for January 31st with the installation
expected to be completed by the end of February.
·
The
roof is now weather tight. The
completion depends on the weather.
·
Due
to be completed by March 31st.
·
Waiting
for information from the Department of Education.
·
To
be tendered by the Department of Education and included with the tender for
siding and windows.
·
Dorset Collegiate – Extension/Renovations
Waiting
for information from the Department of Education.
·
A.R. Scammell – Window Replacement
This
project has been completed.
·
Board Office – Renovations and Electric Heat Upgrade
The
offices are now occupied and the electric heat is expected to be completed by
mid February.
·
This
project is now completed.
·
This
phase is now completed.
·
Leading Tickles New School
This
project is now completed and was occupied October 2006.
·
Lewisporte Collegiate – Roof
This
project is now completed.
·
This project is now completed.
·
This project is now completed.
·
Additional Projects that will be completed by March 31st:
J.
M. Olds Collegiate, Twillingate – locker replacement
11. Correspondence
A
letter from the Minister of Education informed the Board that their request for
name change will be examined shortly.
Agenda items for the next Regular Board Meeting,
February 20, 2007:
1. Requests for Construction of School
Board Property re:
·
Airials
Gymnastics Club
·
Town of
2. Director’s Report
3. School Restructuring
·
Report on Parent
Meeting at
·
Direction for
Grand Falls-Windsor
4. Capital Projects – Update
5. Strategic Plan – Update
6. Review of Schools Already Restructured
12. Date of Next Meeting
The
next regular board meeting will be held on February 20th, 2007, 7:00
PM at District Office,
12. Adjournment
Motion: to adjourn the meeting 10:24 PM (Hannaford). Carried
_____________________________ ____________________________
Chair Recorder
MH/fg