Good News Items
- Trustee Garry Kissel congratulated Glendon School on a well-attended Welcome Back Barbecue and Community Awareness Night. The event is a partnership between the school and the community to showcase what is available for families.
- Trustee Lois Phillips was honoured to attend the Truth and Reconciliation even held in McArthur Park in Lac La Biche. She said it was very sombering to listen to the residential school survivors who spoke at the event.
- Trustee Debra Lozinski congratulated Ecole Plamondon on their Titanic themed Awards Night and Family Barbecue. Students received academic and athletic awards at the ceremony.
- Vice-Chair Cheryl Edwards highlighted the welcome back events hosted by Bonnyville Centralized High School and H.E. Bourgoin School in Bonnyville. HEB's featured the school's annual colour run.
- Vice-Chair Cheryl Edwards congratulated the students from Ardmore School who participated in the recent student council elections. The number of students participating was impressive and they showcased their flexibility and ingenuity when the technology set up for voting didn't work.
- Trustee Roy Ripkens highlighted the BCHS welcome back event and first school council meeting for the year. He said it was great to see so many parents interested in supporting the school and lots of positive energy in the school.
- Superintendent Rick Cusson congratulated Kikino School teacher Raylene Cardinal on being featured in the latest issue of Canadian Geographic magazine. Uncle teachings and auntie laughter profiles three Indigenous teachers, including Cardinal.
- Board Chair Karen Packard thanked Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Energy and Minerals Brian Jean, and Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA for meeting with the Board earlier this month to discuss the Board's capital priorities and how to move the Vera M. Welsh replacement school project forward to the construction stage.
- Board Chair Karen Packard also congratulated the students from Cold Lake High School who received awards at the school's awards night held on September 26th.
- Nicole Garner, Communications and Public Relations Manager, presented highlights from schools throughout the division, including welcome back events, fundraising events to support cancer charities, Truth and Reconciliation activities, community projects, and more! The full Good News presentation is available on our website.
Transportation Update
Matt Richter, Director of Transportation, reported a smooth start to the school year. He noted that having a deadline for parents to apply for transportation prior to the school year starting is helpful for the carriers and in providing timely information to parents about routes.
In town busing was full in most areas prior to school starting and an in town route was revived to accommodate students in Lac La Biche. Richter noted that while all routes currently have drivers, there are few spares available. This may result in bus routes being cancelled during the year when drivers are ill and there is no one to replace them.
Richter also advised the Board that he is aware of contractors who plan to retire at the end of the school year and it may be challenging to find replacements. He noted there may be contractors interested in taking on the routes, but they may not be able to find buses. New and used buses are extremely hard to find in North America right now and prices have increased by 70% over the last five years. Replacement parts are also difficult to find and prices for some parts have doubled or tripled. Richter noted that this summer when the division had several vacant routes, contractors interested in taking them on struggled to find buses. The division ordered a new bus in May that was supposed to arrive at the end of September and is now delayed until November.
The NLPS driving school has been busy training bus drivers, offering Class 2 and S courses. In July, the division's senior driving instructor earned her qualification to teach Class 5 and is training her first cohort now. The rideSAFE program has started up again, and will be offering programming to students this fall.
Richter also advised that flybys continue to be an issue throughout the division, with drivers reporting 5 or 6 per week this year. He is working with contractors and municipalities to identify hot spots. He noted other boards across the province are reporting similar issues, including some with extended stop arms being knocked off of buses as vehicles pass illegally.
Summer School Report
Karen Draycott, Director of Learning - Grades 7-12 Instructional Support, provided the Board with an overview of what was offered in the division's Summer School program as well as some highlights.
Enrollment increased this year with 201 students completing courses, up 84 from last year. This enrollment increase included students from outside the division seeking to take courses over the summer. Many students opted to complete work experience or take part in the Registered Apprenticeship Program.
Nine students took part in the new Introduction to Trades dual credit course offered in partnership with Portage College. They spent two weeks working with instructors at the college and learning about four different trades: welding, carpentry, power engineering, and pipe trades.
Trustee Compensation
The Board's ad hoc Trustee Compensation Committee recommended an increase to the monthly honorariums for trustees, board vice-chair and board chair. The committee noted that honorariums have not been adjusted for several years and, in the case of the Board chair, there has been an increase in time commitment and expectations since the last review. They also looked at the compensation rates for other school board trustees in the province when determining what the new rates should be.
The new monthly honorariums are as follows: $800 for trustees, $1,000 for vice-chair, and $2,000 for board chair.
Meeting with Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement Council
The Board met with Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement Council members to discuss how they can work together to advocate for a school to be built on the Settlement. Buffalo Lake is currently the only Metis Settlement without a school. Students are currently bused from Buffalo Lake to Caslan School.
Buffalo Lake has a plan to co-locate a school with other community services, the site is already serviced, and the project is shovel ready. The project is included on the NLPS Capital Plan after a replacement school for Vera M. Welsh Elementary School in Lac La Biche and a Cold Lake solution that addresses infrastructure needs for Art Smith Aviation Academy, North Star Elementary School and Cold Lake Junior High. Council members noted a school on the Settlement would provide greater opportunities for cultural and afterschool activities as well as community connections. It would also reduce the length of bus rides.
The Board will continue to advocate for a school for Buffalo Lake and provided several suggestions for moving the project forward.