Board Meeting | Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Presentations
2019-2020 Impact Award of Excellence winners
Director Hahn of Education presented awards to the 2020 Impact Award of Excellence winners. The Board’s annual Evening of Excellence could not take place in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Director Hahn congratulated each award winner as they were honoured for their contribution to student achievement and well-being.
2020 Administrative Leadership Impact Award of Excellence
Christa Bradburn, Vice Principal (VP) at Fenelon Falls Secondary School (FFSS) is a winner of a 2020 Administrative Leadership Award. Bradburn has taken on many leadership roles in her 9 years at FFSS, and is known as an administrator, a mentor, a counsellor and friend, and she puts the welfare of students and staff as her top priority. She supports and develops a respectful rapport with students, teachers, parents, and community partners. Described by many as genuine, compassionate, honest, and calm, Bradburn demonstrates her active leadership at FFSS every day.
2020 Administrative Leadership Impact Award of Excellence
Dean Burke, Principal at King Albert Public School (KAPS) is a winner of the 2020 Administrative Leadership Award. Burke is a hard working, motivated, and energetic leader who makes KAPS a welcoming place for students and staff. An alumnus of the school, Burke’s pride shines through in all that he does. His energy to do his best each day for every student is contagious. Burke takes time to get to know each student by name and listens closely to what they have to say. This active relationship building is essential to the support that he provides, and when a student is having a difficult time, he is a calm but firm presence as he helps get their day turned around.
2020 Co-Curricular Impact Award of Excellence
Gravenhurst High School Teacher Iggi VanKooten is a passionate teacher who inspires students to pursue learning in science and technology. VanKooten is not only an energetic classroom teacher, he is also a Link Crew trainer and facilitator, a committed basketball coach, and has launched a robotics program at the school that continues to grow and expand each year. VanKooten is known throughout the school community as a wonderful mentor. He identifies students who would benefit from belonging to a team and learning new skills, encourages them to join, and supports them along the journey. His success rate with students who are disengaged from their other classes in both academics and attitude, is a testament to his hard work, compassion, dedication, and positivity.
2020 Teaching Impact Award of Excellence
Teacher Pam Koekebakker recently retired from I.E. Weldon Secondary School (IEWSS). Not only was she the lead biology teacher at IEWSS for over a decade, she was an integral member of the Visual Arts Department, and worked with International Baccalaureate students. Koekebakker provided students with rich learning opportunities, bringing her passion and dedication to everything she did. The photography and yearbook classes Koekebakker taught were engaging and challenging, inspiring her students to think outside the box, set high standards, and strive for excellence. Koekebakker was also a fierce advocate for gender equality and Indigenous rights, bringing accurate and effective inclusion of Indigenous matters into the classroom. Past graduates shared that Koekebakker was a creative, inspiring, caring light in their lives, and they felt privileged to have had her as their teacher and mentor.
2020 Support Staff Impact Award of Excellence
In her 10 year career as Custodian and Lead Hand with Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB), Alice Sorensen, currently at Leslie Frost Public School, has proven herself to be kind, positive, and supportive. Sorensen’s work ethic and knowledge of the custodian role is exceptional. An unassuming, cheerful, and effective leader, Sorensen has the ability to put nervous new custodians at ease as she teaches them the Board’s procedures, cleaning techniques, health and safety protocols, and administrative duties. Sorensen’s positive attitude and friendly personality as she interacts with staff, students, and the school community makes her the ‘go-to’ person for anyone needing assistance. Sorensen takes pride in her work and her school, and her dedication is appreciated by everyone she helps each and every day.
2020 Support Staff Impact Award of Excellence
Jennifer MacDonald is a Designated Early Childhood Educator at Muskoka Beechgrove Public School. MacDonald is a true believer that all students can succeed and she is committed to supporting her students in not only reaching their learning goals, but exceeding them. She has been recognized by her nominators for her incredible heart, her ability to reach all children no matter their needs or struggles, and her evident passion for her job as an educator. MacDonald consistently goes above and beyond in order to care for the children in her charge and to reassure worried parents. MacDonald greets all of her students, past and present, each morning with a big smile. She guides them through the day, providing love, comfort, and fun, helping them grow in confidence and learning. Many parents/guardians have shared how lucky they feel to have had Jen in their children’s lives.
Equity work in JD Hodgson Elementary School and Haliburton Highlands Secondary School
Superintendent Katherine MacIver introduced staff from JD Hodgson Elementary School (JDH) and Haliburton Highlands Secondary School (HHSS) who shared stories from their schools about recent equity and inclusion initiatives.
Principal of JDH, David Waito, outlined a social justice journey initiated by Teacher Mme. Marina Thomazo and her Grade 7/8 class. This enthusiastic group are on a journey to see the inclusion of two Haliburton athletes to be depicted on the local arena wall mural. During Black History month, students realized that two former black students, Track-and-Field Athlete Lesley Tashlin and Canadian Football League Player Taly Williams were not represented on the current mural. The class has met with the local Dysart et al Council and are working with the Dysart Council Cultural Resources Committee to finalize the process. This experience has had a significant impact on the students.
“When I see youth of today taking up causes like this, I feel incredible hope about the future,” said Waito.
HHSS Principal Chris Boulay and Vice Principal Jennifer Mills outlined the Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) initiative at the school, which began as a learning opportunity for staff, and resulted in a series of learning modules for students. Staff and students have established two goals for JEDI:
- Creating positive change in the world by increasing awareness and acting to reduce factors that impinge on equal opportunities for everyone regardless of gender, race, class, ability, religion, sexual orientation, identity, or circumstance.
- Creating and fostering a positive school environment where each person’s unique set of ideas, beliefs, and skills are valued and represented.
Some examples in the school where changes have taken place include ensuring there is diversity in Language Department resources, Indigenous topics embedded in courses, establishing a smudging practice, and offering an Equity and Social Justice Course in the 2021-2022 school year. At least half the students at HHSS are involved and engaged in JEDI learning and, while there is still work to be done, most feedback has been positive.
Director’s update
Re-registration for 2021-2022 school year
Director Hahn provided an update on the recent information on the province’s phased roll-out to resume outdoor and indoor activities. While this is welcome news to everyone, there is no information from the Ministry of Education or public health at this time about students returning before the end of the 2020-2021 school year. The Board’s focus is on planning for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year. All staff and students over 12 years of age will have had the opportunity for vaccination by the time school begins in September. Families have been asked to re-register their students choosing bricks and mortar in-school learning or at-home learning. It is very important that the Board receives numbers of students now to have time to determine staffing, build timetables, and organize for in-school and at-home learning for September. At this time the plan is for cohorting, masks, and the other health measures in place this school year, to continue. Every effort is being made to keep things stable and manageable, knowing that there are a lot of variables right now. When or if there are new directives from the Ministry of Education, there is the capacity to pivot, as has been the case several times this current school year.
2020-2021 Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement (BIPSA) and Annual Report
Due to the unusual circumstances of this school year, Director Hahn presented to Trustees the 2020-2021 BIPSA and Annual Report that would typically have been available in the fall of 2020. The report provides an overview of the priority items for all departments, as well as EQAO information, graduation rates, and credit accumulation data. Each superintendent of learning (SO) provided an update on one or more areas of their portfolio: SO MacIver spoke about secondary school credit accumulation; Superintendent of Business Services Tim Ellis shared information about the personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution, as well as facility upgrades; Superintendent of Human Resources Services Traci Hubbert outlined various accommodations provided to staff related to COVID-19, including specialized PPE; SO Paul Goldring spoke about mental health supports provided over the course of the school year, as well as the intense ongoing work for the Technology Services Department; SO Jay MacJanet highlighted literacy and numeracy initiatives and resource development; SO Jennifer Johnston shared information about autism programs and supports; and District Manager of Communications Services Catherine Shedden spoke about communication during a pandemic.
Administrative reports
School Year Calendar
Superintendent MacIver presented an update on the previously approved 2021-2022 school year calendar. The Ministry of Education has strongly recommended additional professional development days be held prior to school starting on September 7. Trustees approved the modified school year calendars.
International Students Plan for 2021-2022
Superintendent MacIver updated Trustees on the plan to welcome international students in the upcoming 2021-2022 school year. There are currently no requirements from the Ministry of Education (EDU) to accept international students, however the Board has developed an admission plan which is meant to support, not replace, any regional, provincial, or national health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which the Board must comply. The plan aligns with TLDSB Return to School guidelines, and reflects expectations for pre-arrival, arrival and entry in school. TLDSB has made a commitment to continue the International Education Program in compliance with the guidelines for accepting international students that have been established by EDU and the Canadian Federal Government.
2021-2022 Budget Overview
Superintendent of Business Services Ellis provided an overview of the draft 2021-2022 Budget. The balanced $222,947,200 proposed budget includes funding from Grants for Student Needs (GSN), recently released by the Ministry of Education (EDU), as well as other sources of revenue including Priorities and Partnership Funding (PPF), also from EDU. As always salaries and benefits make up the bulk of expenses along with staff development, supplies and services, fees and contract services, and more. The final draft budget will be presented to Trustees for approval at the June Board Meeting.
Equity and Inclusion Report
Superintendent Johnston shared with Trustees plans for the upcoming Pride month in June. As part of the ongoing work of the TLDSB Equity and Inclusion Task Force, support for the Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Plus (2SLGBTQIA+) community and their allies is part of the Board’s commitment that all people are able to feel safe, welcomed, included, and respected. A review of the status of Positive Space and related initiatives with school administrators has taken place recently with most schools indicating they are supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and are ready to go deeper and continue cultural competency learning for staff, students, and community.
This Pride month will begin with the progress pride flag flying from June 1 at the two education centres in Muskoka and Lindsay, as a symbol of respect and celebration of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Positive Space documents and website pages will be updated and ready for promotion to staff, students, and school communities. Educators will be supported with curriculum connections and resources to further embed 2SLGBTQIA+ perspectives into classroom instruction. As a culminating activity to the month-long focus on Pride, and in support of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, the progress pride flag will be raised at all TLDSB schools from June 21 to June 30. The rainbow colours of the pride flag have long been a symbol of hope and peace and raising the flag will visibly highlight the continued commitment to ensuring equity, dignity, well-being, diversity and inclusion of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in TLDSB.
Policies approved
The following policies were reviewed, revised, and approved. All policies may be found on the Board’s Policy and Procedure page on the Board’s website.
- ES-5002 Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting Policy (rescinded as Ministry of Education documents cover same material)
- BU-3015 Procurement of Goods and Services Policy
- HR 4535 Progressive Discipline Policy
- BD-2105 Flag Protocol Policy
2021 Board and Committee of the Whole meeting schedule
| Meeting | Date | Time | Location |
| Regular Board Meeting | June 8, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | MEC or Virtual |
| Regular Board Meeting | August 24, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | MEC or Virtual |
| Committee of the Whole | September 7, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | TBD |
| Regular Board Meeting | September 21, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | MEC or Virtual |
| Committee of the Whole | October 12, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | TBD |
| Regular Board Meeting | October 26, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | MEC or Virtual |
| Committee of the Whole | November 9, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | TBD |
| Regular Board Meeting | November 23, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | MEC or Virtual |
| Organizational Meeting | December 7, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. | MEC or Virtual |
| All Committee of the Whole and Regular Meetings of the Board are webcast and may be accessed through the TLDSB website www.tldsb.ca. | |||
