Good News Items
- Board Chair Karen Packard highlighted the 4 Wing Cold Lake holiday reception, where trustees connected with local leaders and shared in the festivities. Trustee Roy Ripkens noted the event was a great opportunity for networking and advocacy. MLA Scott Cyr and Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland were presented with an RCAF Centennial coin during the event.
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Trustee Debra Lozinski commended Kikino School for a heartwarming and entertaining Christmas concert. The finale, featuring students and staff singing Silent Night in Cree, was a memorable highlight.
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Trustee Lois Phillips congratulated Haneen Elkadri on winning the division's Preschool Colouring Contest.
Annual Facilities Department Accountability Report
Director of Facilities Leah Rout provided the Board with a summary of work done in schools over the summer. The major focus this summer was dealing with damage done to Ecole Plamondon School due to a flood. With much hard work by facilities staff and contractors, students and staff were able to return to the school for the start of classes in September.
Other notable projects included creating a secure front entrance at Nelson Heights School in Cold Lake. This has been a focus for the division over the last few years with one or two schools having their entrances upgraded annually. There were also many upgrades to unseen areas of schools such as boilers and air handling units.
The Board discussed several areas of potential cost-savings, including closing off unused areas of underutilized schools to save money on utilities and other costs. Rout noted that the savings could equate to close to $10,000 per building just in utility costs.
Secretary-Treasurer Paula Elock noted that board across the province are advocating for increased funding for operations and maintenance, without reducing funding in other areas, to address increases in insurance, utilities, and other costs.
Elock also shared that the schematic design for the replacement school for Vera M. Welsh Elementary School in Lac La Biche was nearing completion and should be ready to share with the Board at its next meeting.
Staff Wellness Accountability Report
Associate Superintendent Jimmi Lou Irvine provided an overview of staff wellness initiatives, emphasizing their importance in attracting and retaining staff amidst ongoing labour market challenges.
Truth and Reconciliation Committee
Trustee Lois Phillips highlighted progress from the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, including work on a position statement for the Alberta School Boards' Association to advocate for Indigenous spaces in the planning of new schools.
Student Advisory Council
Board Chair Karen Packard thanked the students participating in the Student Advisory Council, representing grades 5-12 across the division.
In their November meeting, students shared feedback on:
- The new personal device restrictions in classrooms
- What success means to them
- Supports needed to help them succeed
The Board looks forward to meeting with the council again in the spring.
School Plan Session
The Board was appreciative of the opportunity to meet with school administrators to discuss their school plans and the many strategies that are being implemented to address school and division priorities. Associate Superintendent Bill Driedger noted it was a valuable experience for administrators as they had the opportunity to learn about what other schools are doing, ask questions, and collaborate.
Policy 4 - Trustee Code of Conduct
The Board approved an update to Policy 4 - Trustee Code of Conduct and its related appendices. The updated policy has been posted on the NLPS website: Policy 4 - Trustee Code of Conduct.
Letter to the Minister from Wolf Creek Public Schools
The Board expressed support for Wolf Creek Public Schools’ feedback to the Minister of Education on provincial data and reporting processes. The Board will draft its own letter, emphasizing the importance of accurate data to inform decision-making and supporting the points raised by Wolf Creek.