5/7/2002 - Regular Board MeetingTHAMES VALLEY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
BOARD ROOM
TUESDAY,2002 MAY 07
5:00 p.m.
AGENDA
1.CALL TO ORDER
V-Verbal
M -Material
2.APPROVAL OF AGENDA M
3.CONFLICTS OF INTEREST V
4.BUDGET UPDATE V
5.ADJOURNMENT
r
THAMES VALLEY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
2002 MAY 7
I
The Boardmet inspecial session on 2002 May7 inthe Board Room at the Education Centre, meeting in
public session at 5:05 p.m. The following were in attendance:
TRUSTEES
J.Bennett,Chair
G.Hart
J.Hunter
T.Roberts
Regrets:P.Schuyler,M.Rhoden
ADMINISTRATION AND OTHERS
B.Bryce
B.Greene
P.Gryseels
C.Murphy
J.Thorpe
J.Empringham
S.Deller
D.Stewart (5:10)
P.Sattler
P.Jaffe
A.Cartier
K.Havelka
G.Jazey
P.Mennill
M.Sereda
R.Murray
K.Wilkinson
K.Dalton
8.Peters
L.Stevenson
D.Anstead
B.Beatty
V.Corcoran
J.Roth
K.Meeson
S.Christie
D.Bradford
1.CALL TO ORDER •Chairperson Bennett called the meeting to order.
2.APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved on motion of S. Deller,seconded by D.Anstead.
3.CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
A potential conflictof interest was declared by P.Jaffe related to staffing for Program Services.
4.BUDGET UPDATE
Director Bill Bryce updated trustees on budget preparation notingthe Board shares the frustration of
other boards across the province related to budget pressures.He described communication plans
including a post card campaign and a public meeting.Chair Bennett described the need to move
foward with staffing in preparation for September.
Executive Superintendent Cathy Murphyoutlinedthe background tothe development ofthe proposed
reallocation of special education staff and communication with the system.Trustee Sattler suggested
holding a meeting withSchool Councils and Home and School representatives to review the impact
of the proposed reductions needed to achieve a balanced budget.
Following discussion on the matter,the following motion was moved by P.Jaffe,seconded by G. Hart
and carried:
Whereas the Thames Valley District School Board has not yet received its revenue grants
for the 2002-2003 school year from the Ministry of Education and there is no confirmed date
specifying when they will be received and
2002 May 07...2
4.BUDGET UPDATE,cont'd
Whereas the Teacher Collective Agreements require the Administration to commence the
staffing/transfer process prior to the end of April and
Whereas the staffing transfer process must commence now in order to allow the Board to
hire teachers in a timely fashion to fill the vacancies that will remain at the end of the
staffing/transfer process and
Whereas hiring must commence as soon as possible to ensure that the best possible staff
is available to provide programs to all students ofthe Board at a timewhen there isa scarcity
of teachers,and
Whereas the Education Act requires that a balanced budget for 2002-2003 be adopted by
the Board and
Whereas Ministry ofEducation officials have directed Administration to ensure thatthe 2001-
2002 deficit is eliminated by 2003 August 31,
BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1.The Board consult withSEAC on the preliminary Special Education staffing model
proposed for the elementary and secondary system as attached and
2. The Board seek inputon the elementary and secondary staffing changes proposed
outside the formal budget process and
3. When the revenue grants are received from the Ministry and a draft budget is
prepared based on that revenue, the Boardholdpublicmeetings to receive inputto
the draft budget.Such inputmay address the preliminary special education staffing
model,elementary and secondary staffing and any other facet of the draft budget
and
4.That the Board hold an emergency meeting with all School Council Chairs,Home
and School Associations,and principals to notify each school community about the
implicationsof budget reductions that will be required to achieve a balanced budget
for September,2002 and
5. A letter be sent to the Minister of Education outlining the impact that under funding
will have on the special education students of the Thames Valley District School
Board as well as our obligations for proper consultation In budget development with
all our stakeholders.
Trustee Jaffe noted that trustees are required to comply with the Education Act in balancing the
budget.He raised the concern that it was necessary to move forward with preparation of the Budget
without having received the revenue figures from the Ministryof Education.Trustee Hart suggested
that a letter be forwarded to the Ministry emphasizing the difficulty in not receiving funds ina timely
manner and stressing the underfunding of public education in the province.
Superintendent Murphy described research conducted into programs run by other school boards
related to congregated and integrated models of special education delivery.
2002 May 07...3
5.ADJOURNMENT -The meeting adjoumed at 5:40 p.m. on motion of L.Stevenson and S. Deller.
CONFIRMB
Chairperson