Friday, April 11, 2025
The following are the highlights of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) meeting of Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Director’s report highlights PA Day activities, plans
Director of Education Craig Myles’ written report to the Board expressed a welcome to the new Minister of Education, Paul Calandra. Myles noted he looks forward to the minister’s leadership in the board’s continued commitment to providing the highest quality education for every NNDSB student.
The report included details of the April 4 PA Day, which saw teachers engaged in a variety of learning opportunities. Myles thanked the system principals for their work in the planning of a productive PA Day.
The spring Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) assessments will be held between May 7 and June 25. Primary and junior division assessments will be held from May 7 to June 11, and the Grade 9 mathematics assessment will take place between May 28 and June 25.
Indigenous Student Trustee’s report
Indigenous Student Trustee Riley Trudeau’s written report noted that the Indigenous Youth Circle (IYC) plans to meet virtually this month on April 22. The meeting will allow IYC to discuss upcoming meetings, powwows, and events, as well as organize the retreat at Nipissing University.
Trudeau noted the activities of Indigenous students at all the secondary schools in NNDSB, including activities to support fundraising for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
Among the impacts of IYC students are the first-ever powwow at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School and a contest for students to submit and vote on art to be featured on IYC hoodies for this year’s youth group.
Student Trustee’s report
Student Trustee Nanak Sidhu reported on the status of sports, arts and experiential learning events taking place throughout the district. Highlights include Chippewa’s senior concert band and the Jazz Ravens who earned a Silver Plus rating at the Northern Ontario Music Festival and have been invited to Nationals. Almaguin performed at the Huntsville Festival of Music, earning three gold standings.
A board-wide spirit day was held recently with Almaguin Secondary School placing first with 86 per cent of students participating.
Motion to move meetings to afternoon withdrawn
After being discussed at the February and March Board meetings, Trustee Jeanie Fuscaldo withdrew her motion at the committee of the whole meeting to move Board meetings from evening to afternoon.
Trustee Fuscaldo and Vice-Chair Howard Wesley brought the notice of motion forward to move the committee of the whole meetings to 1 p.m., and Board meetings from 6:30 to 2:30 p.m. Among the reasons for requesting the change were aligning the meetings with standard working hours and minimizing late-night travel, reducing the burden on staff by eliminating the need to work late into the evening and improving work-life balance, enhancing safety by limiting night-time travel for trustees and staff and leveraging research showing improved decision-making and cognitive performance during daytime hours.
A report prepared by the Director’s office noted that school Board meetings “historically and consistently” take place in the evenings in Ontario to ensure public transparency, equitable accessibility, security of the staff workspace and public engagement. The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) is not aware of any school boards in Ontario that schedule daytime Board meetings and the organization cautions boards against daytime meetings to ensure accessibility for the public. The report further notes that the board office is a busy and confidential workspace where all staff carry out the day-to-day operations of NNDSB. Evening meetings enable staff attendance without impacting operations and without the disruption of physical and privacy considerations for staff.
After much discussion and proposed amendments, there was consensus that too many options had been discussed, moving away from the initial motion.
Board seeks meeting with North Bay mayor
Trustees voted to send a letter to North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico asking for a meeting to discuss continuing concerns about the low-barrier shelter located across the street from Chippewa Secondary School.
The letter outlines the growing number of risks and expenses incurred by NNDSB and explains that funding ongoing expenses is not sustainable for the board. Further, Chippewa students, staff and school community members experience distress and trauma when interacting with clients of the shelter.
Signed by Chair Ashley St. Pierre, the letter requests a meeting with the mayor and NNDSB leadership to hear how the City of North Bay plans to work with the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) and other organizations to address the issues, and their plan for the future with NNDSB.
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