Friday, Oct. 11, 2024
The following are the highlights of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) meeting of Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.
Governance manual updated
Former Ministry of Education Special Advisor Wayne Joudrie lent his expertise to the Board in its revision of its governance manual.
The governance manual is a document that guides the Board in the performance of its duties. Mr. Joudrie outlined suggested amendments to bring the document’s language more in line with current Ministry guidelines and regulations.
New process for community partnership available space
The board has created an updated process for communicating the availability of space within NNDSB facilities for community partnership opportunities.
By November each year, NNDSB will notify partners of space available for possible partnership agreements. The full process including a list of available spaces can be found on the NNDSB website.
Class size and student enrolment data presented
The board is required to submit elementary class size reporting to the Ministry of Education by the end of October every year. As per ministry regulation the board is required to maintain 100 per cent of its primary classes at or below 23, and 90 per cent at or below 20. Additionally, the board’s average full day kindergarten classes must not exceed 26 students while individual class sizes cannot exceed 29 pupils. The board submitted the 2024-25 Elementary Class Size report which indicates that all class size requirements were met.
Current enrolment in NNDSB secondary schools for the 2024-25 school year is 3,058 students and elementary school actual enrolment is 6,794 for a total of 9,852 NNDSB students overall.
Director highlights achievements in report
In his remarks, Director of Education Craig Myles noted that Assistant Deputy Minister of Education Clayton La Touche was highly impressed with NNDSB’s collaboration with many community partners during his visit last month.
Director Myles also congratulated all involved in a successful radio broadcast of CBC’s Morning North with Markus Schwabe live on location at F.J. McElligott Secondary School in September.
Myles went on to share with the Board how West Ferris Secondary School continues to meet the priority of Excellence in Innovation by once again being recognized by Apple as an Apple Distinguished School for the 2024–2027 program term.
Work of Indigenous Youth Circle highlighted
In her report to the Board, Indigenous Student Trustee Riley Trudeau noted the secondary school participation in Truth and Reconciliation Day events, which included in-class lessons and planning for a Walk for Wenjack event.
Future plans for the Indigenous Youth Circle (IYC) include beading workshops and ribbon skirt and shirt making at West Ferris and Northern Secondary Schools, and hunt camp and hide camp events at Parry Sound Secondary School.
This year’s major IYC initiative will be a “Stuff the Cruiser” event in partnership with Anishinabek Police Service, which will endeavour to collect toys and financial assistance for the Indigenous Friendship Centre to give to families in need at Christmas.
NNDSB students busy with back-to-school events
NNDSB Student Trustee Nanak Sidhu’s report to the Board detailed a strong start to the school years for NNDSB students. Sidhu detailed student group’s back to school events in September which included Chippewa Secondary School’s annual scarlet and gold tournament, Parry Sound Secondary School movie nights, and Almaguin Highlands Secondary School’s senior sunrise.
Also mentioned in the report were West Ferris Secondary School’s cancer walk which raised an astonishing $50,000 for cancer research and treatment and the annual West Ferris food drive which accumulated 11,000 pounds of food for area food banks.
Sidhu also reports a smooth implementation of the board’s new cell phone policy to which students, staff and families are reacting positively.
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Note: the full agenda package is posted on the website prior to meetings, and official minutes are posted after they are approved at the next Board meeting.