Monday, Sept. 16, 2024
The following are the highlights of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) meeting of Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2024.
New student trustees appointed
Two new student trustees were welcomed to the Near North District School Board.
Nanak Sidhu of Chippewa Secondary School is the Student Trustee and Riley Trudeau of Northern Secondary School is the Indigenous Student Trustee for the 2024-2025 school year.
They were sworn into office by Director of Education Craig Myles, after which an honour song was performed by Zachary Beaudette.
School climate survey results
Every two years, school boards must administer voluntary and anonymous school climate surveys to their students, parents/guardians and staff. The surveys help school boards assess perceptions of safety, make informed planning decisions about programs to help prevent bullying and promote safe and inclusive schools, determine the effectiveness of programs on an ongoing basis and build and sustain positive school climates. The survey was available between April 29 and May 17, 2024 for students in Grades 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12.
The results from the survey identify areas for further growth, including a larger variety of clubs, teams and initiatives for secondary school students, tailoring bullying prevention initiatives, modeling kindness and initiatives to help students feel safer in school washrooms.
In a presentation to the Board, Principal of Safe Schools, Early Years and Leadership Development, Emily Samuel, explained that using the software program PowerBI allows the data to be broken down to school and grade levels, so administration is better able to determine needs and address them with the appropriate groups.
Trustees move March 2025 meeting
Looking ahead to the March Break, Trustees agreed to move the March 2025 Board meeting (which falls on the Tuesday of March Break) to the following Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
New guideline outlines elementary outdoor learning
Trustees were provided with a new administrative guideline that covers outdoor learning for elementary students. The 30-day consultation period for the draft Guideline concluded in May. It was co-authored with the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit.
The guideline is grounded in experiential learning theory and provides guidance and tools for teachers and administrators, so they feel confident supporting inquiry and experiential learning approaches to outdoor learning experiences.
Director welcomes all to a new school year
Director Myles welcomed the Board to the 2024-2025 school year.
He reported that over the summer, NNDSB saw a new playground installed at MacTier Public School. Families on school council and volunteers from the community had been fundraising for eight years. The Shania Twain Foundation and Mitch Marner Assist Foundation donated the $65,000 required to complete the installation of the accessible playground. Myles remarked on the incredible community support.
TOROS and other summer school courses were offered, helping students either get ahead or catch up in credit courses. Myles noted the community collaboration and the involvement of TOROS and Dreamcoat alumni.
Myles also noted that Trustee Bill Steer is Chair of the Northern Caucus of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), giving NNDSB two votes at the OPSBA table.
Revised Code of Conduct accepted by Board
Trustees voted to accept the revised code of conduct, which now addresses personal mobile devices and vaping. The Ministry of Education announced changes to PPM 128 Provincial Code of Conduct and School Board Codes of Conduct, which boards were to bring into effect by Sept. 1, 2024.
The updated PPM places new measures on student use of personal mobile devices while at school or attending school events. NNDSB is requiring that students keep their phones turned off or set to silent in lockers, if applicable, or in backpacks. Phones may not be kept in pockets or other easily accessible areas.
Elementary students (Grades K-8) are not permitted to access their personal device during the instructional day, including recess and nutritional breaks. Secondary students (Grades 9-12) are not permitted to access their phones during instructional time, but can access their phones during breaks and lunch.
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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.
