Swan Valley School Division Minutes – October 11, 2016

Swan Valley School Division

Executive Summary of the
October 11, 2016
Regular Board Meeting

Submitted by:
Tim Mendel, Superintendent/CEO




1. The Secretary-Treasurer provided the Board with an update on the year end financials to June 30, 2016. The auditors will be in over the next few weeks to conduct the annual audit. Official audit results will be presented at a future Board Meeting and posted on line.

2. The Board is planning to spend Saturday, November 5 reviewing its vision, mission and value statements. The Board wants to also spend some time during that day talking about and exploring a new governance structure. A number of boards have changed to a modified policy governance structure similar to Evergreen School Division. The Board wants to discuss and study this structure to see if policy governance would work in Swan Valley.

3. The CEO presented a plan to address the shortage of substitute teachers available in the area. The plan will be to get some Educational Assistants and activate responsible adults who are involved in the local schools registered for temporary uncertified teacher substitute certificates. These uncertified substitutes would only be used when certified teachers are not available. They would also be required to attend an interview, provide a current Criminal Record check and a Child Abuse Registry check and attend a half day information session. The pay would be $30.00 less than the certified sub rate, about $118.00 per day.

4. The Board was informed that some late teacher hiring had occurred to fill the last few outstanding positions. In the case of the Grade 6-8 French Immersion position, no certified immersion teacher could be found. The Division ran ads across Western Canada, made inquiries through contacts with institutions in Quebec, contacted provincial universities and department contacts to no avail. Chris Chmelowski, a French speaking parent who has been an avid supporter of the Immersion Program, has graciously accepted to take on this teaching position. While Mrs. Chmelowski does not have a teaching degree, she does have several years of university training in the field of Music. She has also taught Music for several years in the area. The Division will provide supports/resources to Mrs. Chmelowski in her role as Grade 6-8 French Immersion Teacher.

5. The CEO shared a draft process for the creation of a new strategic plan for the Board. The plan will include participation from a variety of stakeholders in the area.

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Minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees held in the Division Office Board Room on
October 11, 2016 commencing at 7:30 p.m. (unapproved)

The following were present:

Chair: K. Riehl
Vice-Chair: L. Evans

Trustees: D. Burghart, S. Haluschak, K. Highmoor, V. Rooks, W. Schaffer, B. Stephen, G. Wowchuk

Superintendent: T. Mendel
Secretary-Treasurer: B. Rausch
Student Services Coordinator: D. Burnside

Absent: D. Coulthart, C. Staniland

3.0 Additions to Agenda by consensus:
9.7 Honourable Cameron Friesen, Minister of Finance – invitation to participate in the October 21st, 2017 Budget Consultation
13.3 Policy Committee Verbal Report

Resolutions:

R1 S. Haluschak, G. Wowchuk:
THAT the Minutes of the regular meeting of September 26, 2016, be adopted. CARRIED

R2 L. Evans, B. Stephen:
THAT the Staff Report of the Superintendent/CEO, 8.2, as presented, be ratified. CARRIED

R3 B. Stephen, G. Wowchuk:
THAT the Report of the Secretary-Treasurer, 9.2, on Capital Disbursements, be received and authorization of payments outlined, be approved. CARRIED

R4 G. Wowchuk, S. Haluschak:
THAT as per the Report of the Secretary-Treasurer, 9.3, a by-law to provide for the borrowing of up to $478,400.00, by issue of Promissory Note #LTPS0058, to meet the costs for projects as authorized on Schedule “B” attached, be read a second time, that the rules of procedure be waived and that it be taken as read a third time, be now finally passed, signed by the Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer and numbered 8/2016 and the seal of the School Division affixed thereto. CARRIED

R5 B. Stephen, G. Wowchuk:
THAT as per the Report of the Secretary-Treasurer, 9.4, a by-law to provide for the borrowing of up to $498,700.00, by issue of Promissory Note #LTPS0063, to meet the costs for the ESRSS Exterior Wall Envelope and Roof Replacement, as authorized on Schedule “B” attached, be read a first time long and numbered 9/2016 and the seal of the School Division affixed thereto. CARRIED

R6 L. Evans, B. Stephen:
THAT as per the Report of the Secretary-Treasurer, 9.5, the accounts listed on cheque vouchers and being the general cheques numbering 49110 to 49197 and B 48798 to B 48833 inclusive; which includes general in the amount of $1,327,943.27 and payroll in the amount of $813,779.58 plus additional payroll cheques numbering 2461 to 2469 in the amount of $8,791.03, for a total of $2,150,513.88 for the month of July be approved for payment. CARRIED

R7 D. Burghart, B. Stephen:
THAT the Report of the Secretary-Treasurer, 9.6, Revenue (Cash Basis) & Expenditure By Program for the month ending July 31, 2016, be received. CARRIED

R8 G. Wowchuk, W. Schaffer:
THAT as per Item 13.1, the Report on the Plan for Expanding our Substitute Teacher List, be received and the Superintendent be authorized to proceed as outlined. CARRIED

R9 D. Burghart, B. Stephen:
THAT as per Item 13.2, the Minutes of the Non Union Support Staff Ad Hoc Committee Meetings of September 21 and October 5, 2016, be received and the changed wording to the Educational Assistant Education Premium, be approved. CARRIED

R10 V. Rooks, K. Highmoor:
THAT as per Item 14.1, the Field Trip request for the SVRSS French Exchange Trip to St. Bruno, Quebec, February 9-18, 2017, be approved in principle. CARRIED

R11 S. Haluschak, G. Wowchuk:
THAT the Board move to In-Camera. CARRIED

R12 D. Burghart, G. Wowchuk:
THAT the Board move out of In-Camera. CARRIED

R13 W. Schaffer, G. Wowchuk:
THAT the Finance Report of the Secretary-Treasurer, 2.0, be received. CARRIED

R14 B. Stephen, D. Burghart:
THAT we do now adjourn at 10:16 p.m. CARRIED