WCDSB Board Meeting Bulletin -- May 2021

Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

Monday, May 10, 2021 – Meeting Agenda Package

Public Board Meeting

Monday, May 31, 2021 — Meeting Agenda Package

Highlights

Math Strategy Update

As well as providing an update with respect to the following listed math priorities, the Math Update also provided detailed information regarding steps currently being taken by WCDSB to continue proactively responding to the changing landscape of education, including:

Math Coaching Support (Elementary)
Math Professional Learning Opportunities: Reaching Educators Virtually & Digitally (Elem & Sec)
Secondary School Update – Preparing for 2021 De-streamed Culture
Resource Update: Usership data for Knowledgehook, Mathology.ca & Digital Tools
Looking Forward / Next Steps

The report contains many very instructive charts and graphs, that clearly chart the accomplishments, opportunities and ongoing challenges facing the school board.

Going forward into the 2021-22 school year, the following initiatives will be undertaken and/or continued:

Virtual Professional Learning – via webinars, to respond to teacher & student needs in real time
Math Coaching Support for targeted & board-identified schools – support for periphery schools ongoing by consultants; explicit support for St. Isidore staff ongoing by math coaches and consultants
Math Webinars for all divisions of educators and administrators to support the new curriculum, and the educational landscape serving all learners, as it evolves
Continuing Support for pedagogies that promote a blended learning environment
Ongoing Communication with Educators – keeping teachers informed of ministry math resource updates while also keeping them abreast of all support(s) being offered via the weekly Math News Updates
Prioritizing ‘Just-in-Time’ Support – for all educators, students, and administrators

The report is available beginning on page 8 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Huron Brigadoon Boundary Review

In January 2021, the Board of Trustees approved the initiation of the Huron Brigadoon Boundary Review and in February 2021, approved the boundary review’s timeline.

The Final Staff Report was presented to the Board of Trustees on Monday, May 10, 2021. The report was provided for consideration in advance of the June 14, 2021, Board Meeting when a decision regarding the affected school boundaries is scheduled. The draft recommendations are as follows:

That the boundaries of Blessed Sacrament, John Sweeney, Our Lady of Grace, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and the new Huron Brigadoon Catholic Elementary Schools (CES) be modified in accordance with the preferred option (Option 1), effective September 2022 or at such time that the new school opens.
That Grade 7 students enrolled at Blessed Sacrament, John Sweeney, Our Lady of Grace, or St. Kateri Tekakwitha in the 2021/2022 school year, or the school year prior to the new Huron Brigadoon CES opening, be “grand parented” to finish Grade 8 at their current school.
That Grade 7 students “grand parented” at their current school be provided with transportation if they qualify in accordance with board procedure APO012 –Transportation.
That French Immersion be offered at the new Huron Brigadoon CES upon its opening in September 2022, or at such time that the new school opens, starting with Grade 1 and growing a grade per year.
That students enrolled at Blessed Sacrament, John Sweeney, Our Lady of Grace, or St. Kateri Tekakwitha in the 2021/2022 school year, or the school year prior to the new Huron Brigadoon CES opening, who were directed to attend the new Huron Brigadoon CES as an outcome of the Huron Brigadoon Boundary Review, be considered for “grand parenting” at such time as future boundary reviews are conducted in Southwest Kitchener.
That a Transition Planning Committee be formed to support all students who will be moving to the new Huron Brigadoon CES as an outcome of the Huron Brigadoon Boundary Review.

The report is available beginning on page 20 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

School Program Review: New Grade 7 – 12 School

In September 2020, the 7- 12 Program Review Initiation Report was presented to the Board of Trustees to begin the work to establish program recommendations related to the opening of a new Grade 7- 12 school in East Kitchener. The first and second phases of the review are now complete. The report presented on May 10, 2021, provided Trustees with key considerations resulting from research and consultation and provided recommendations for implementation of a Grade 7-12 school configuration.

Based on the public consultation on the draft key considerations – and the input received – the following reflect the final recommended elements which should form the operational and organizational principles for the establishment of a Grade 7-12 school. Trustees will make a final decision on May 31, 2021.

That a Grade 7-12 school will have a single identity for all students and staff and operate under a single name, uniform, teams, colours, and mission.
That a Grade 7-12 school will be administered by a single Principal, and that a Vice Principal(s) be assigned to the elementary (Grade 7 & 8) students and additional Vice Principals be assigned to the secondary (Grade9- 12) students in accordance with the board’s staffing protocol.
That a Grade 7-12 school will be designed to accommodate elementary and secondary students in a single building, while ensuring space for elementary students in a wing or floor(s), and that those areas use materials and finishes to define the space.
That students attending a Grade 7-12 school will dress in a common uniform which ensures students are distinguished from other persons in the school building.
That, consistent with the board’s secondary schools, a Grade 7-12 school will have security cameras throughout the interior and exterior of the building.
That a Grade 7-12 school adopt and implement safe schools practices employed in elementary and secondary schools and apply those practices to either or both panels as appropriate.
That a Grade 7-12 school have a common start and end time, if possible, to facilitate the efficiency of student transportation to and from school and provide opportunities for intentional coordination of supervised school activities involving both elementary and secondary students.
That a Grade 7-12 school have unique schedules for each panel to limit interaction between Grade 7 & 8and Grade 9-12 students.
That Grade 7 & 8 students in a Grade 7-12 school be assigned to a home room teacher and that program be delivered consistently with that offered in elementary schools throughout the board, while recognizing the opportunities of increased access to specialized classrooms.
That special education programming in a Grade 7-12 school be delivered consistently with elementary and secondary panel programming throughout the board.
That student success strategies used in elementary and secondary schools throughout the board be consistently delivered for elementary and secondary students in a Grade 7-12 school.
That Grade 8 to Grade 9 transitions will be managed and coordinated within a Grade 7-12 school.
That transition planning for Grade 6 students be developed to support the move from Grade 6 to Grade 7, which may include the development of orientation programs, school visits, and hosted events for feeder school students throughout the year.
That a Grade 7-12 school ensure panel specific opportunities for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities for Grade 7 & 8 and Grade 9-12
That Grade 7-12 students will have access to a Chaplain and chapel in the school to support faith life and support positive, supportive relationships between students, staff, families, and community members

The report is available beginning on page 62 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Update on WCDSB COVID Education Delivery Plan

At the current time, the schools of Waterloo Catholic continue to learn in our evolving pandemic reality, which currently has us under a provincial “stay-at-home” order. Our staff, students and parents are yet again being asked to adapt, more so in our in-person learning environment than in the virtual environment of St Isidore. That said – it is a challenging landscape across our province as we try to combat the third wave. COVID-19 has changed the landscape of a traditional school experience and the staff of our board have planned, prepared, and now implemented in this new and continually evolving reality. As we continue the journey further into spring, we are also looking to next year and what the school year will look like. Vaccinations for 12-17 year olds are available throughout month of June.

We are now in the process of both working through the ever-evolving operational challenges of this year, as well as navigating our planning for the 2021-22 school year. We met our staffing and budget deadlines which we hit toward the end of March and early weeks of April. Given that we overstaffed this year to keep our class sizes smaller, we have 39 net teachers surplussed in bricks and mortar elementary schools.

Based on current information, St. Isidore elementary school will be reduced from 119 classes to 25. We are receiving direction from the Ministry that would seem to position us for movement toward a more traditional school year. Parents must finalize their decisions regarding next year this week.

In elementary schools, there is an expectation that itinerant teachers will move from class to class, and over the course of the year extra-curriculars could return. In secondary schools, the hope is with vaccination we may be able to offer students classes every day, as well as the hope that extra- curriculars will return to secondary schools over the course of the year.

We have been told at the secondary school level to plan to a 2-period day, with 300 minutes of instruction. This poses challenges, as it is effectively a quadmester model, where in one term a teacher carries 2 courses and in 1 term, a teacher carries 1 course. This imbalance is being worked on to ensure all teachers receive prep time.

With the release of the Grants for Student Needs (GSN) and other associated funding envelopes, we have been able to further refine what our staff and budget plans may look like. We have been providing with discretionary funding that can be used to support needs that have arisen because of the pandemic, its management, and its impact. We are looking at implications for early literacy, re-engagement, innovation, and class size. Details will be fully revealed as the school year budget is finalized.

The report is available beginning on page 131 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Special Education Update

The report presented to the Board of Trustees on June 7 highlighted the special education programs and services that are provided by the WCDSB in accordance with legislation and ministry policy on special education as well as to provide an update on the strategic goals of the MYSP as they relate to special education.

The 2020-21 school year brought several challenges with respect to COVID-19 and provincial lockdowns, with two significant pivots to remote learning after both the Christmas and the April Break. To provide equitable access to learning opportunities for students as per the goal in the MYSP, technological devices were distributed to students with special education needs to access their learning. The number of SEA devices (Chromebook, laptops, iPad) totaled approximately 2,400 devices, which consisted of both existing claims and new claims deployed this year. Training around the use of these devices consisted of 368 individual student training sessions and more than 600 staff that received training. All WCDSB students and teachers continue to have access to Google Read & Write with a total of 14,000 accounts currently in place.

The Special Education Update report is lengthy and highly detailed. Key elements addressed include:

Community & ACTIVE Living Program Review
Staff Professional Development
Mental Health Supports & Professional Development
Professional Learning for Student Services Staff
Celebrations of Success

Looking ahead to Summer 2021, the Ministry of Education has provided targeted summer funding in the areas of: Student Mental Health, Transition to School for Students with Special Education Needs and Reading Intervention for students affected by COVID-19.

As a result, this summer Student Services will be supporting a variety of programs. Both Summer Boost and Headstart will be supported by Student Services and special education staff to assist students with special needs who are registered in the programs. Additionally, the Summer Boost program will include a mental health component and will be supported by our Mental Health Lead.

Like last summer, Social Workers will continue to take referrals and will be proactive in reaching out to disengaged students. Special Education staff will work alongside Student Services staff to assist in transitioning targeted FDK students with high needs through a skill building program offered in August. Similarly, elementary school students with high needs will be offered the opportunity to participate in a transition to school program. Finally, we will be offering a virtual Reading Intervention Program to support students in Grade 1 and Grade 2 who would benefit from additional support in early literacy skills using evidence-based reading interventions. Registration for the Reading Intervention Program is focused on student need and acceptance is based on the learning profile of the student.

The full report is available beginning on page 114 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Energy Conservation Plan

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board has a long history of environmental protection and awareness, and of innovative action toward sustainable operations. The Board’s collective dedication for creating a better future for its students, staff, and community members stems from a deep appreciation of God’s world.

WCDSB conservation measures to date are a broad sweep of inspirational ideas. The way in which these initiatives have been adopted and supported across the Board is a direct result of the Board’s successful history and optimism for the future. While these strategies have provided excellent resources for staff, if we are to truly “live our mission” then green thinking must be woven throughout all future planning and day-today operations. An action-based, goal-oriented Energy and Environmental Plan is needed.

The WCDSB Energy Conservation and Demand Management Report is written to satisfy legislative requirements as they relate to energy conservation, local commitments made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), a need to address budget pressures and the current state of our environment, supporting the creation of a sustainable future for younger generations, and in the context of the requirements contained in the Multi-Year Strategic Plan.

WCDSB is actively addressing long-term sustainability in the following key areas: Energy & Water; Purchasing & Waste; Buildings & Grounds; Food & Drink; Inclusion & Participation; and Local Well-Being. This is in keeping with the guidance of Pope Francis in his historic encyclical, Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home as well as WCDSB’s own mission and vision.

The full plan is available beginning on page 33 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Multi-Year Capital Renewal Plan

As our buildings continue to age, major renovations and repairs are needed to ensure students and staff are safe and our buildings continue to be welcoming, operational and efficient spaces which support the communities in which they belong. Over the previous school years, the Ministry of Education has continued to provide two sources of funding to support major repairs and renovations – School Renewal Allocation (SRA) Funding and School Condition Improvement (SCI) Funding.

School Renewal Allocation (SRA) Funding is provided to allow school boards to revitalize and renew aged building systems and components. This includes replacing aged HVAC systems and roof replacement as well as installation of new building automation systems and air conditioning systems, improving accessibility and maintenance requirements such as painting, roof patching and asphalt repairs. There are no restrictions on its use except that the work performed must be capital in nature. For the 2020-2021 school year, School Renewal Allocation Funding totals $3,818,279. Annual funding for school renewal has supported HVAC improvements, roof repairs, upgrades to electrical and plumbing systems, etc.

School Condition Improvement (SCI) Funding is provided to address the needs at schools that are expected to remain open and operating for at least 5 years. The monies allow school boards to revitalize and renew aged building components that have exceeded or will exceed their useful life cycle. Items eligible for the SCI funding will be identified through the ministry’s School Facility Condition Assessment Program. School boards are required to direct 70% of their SCI funds to replace major building components and systems (roof, windows, HVAC plumbing, etc.). The remaining 30% can be used to address components and systems listed above or alternatively building interiors and surrounding site components. SCI Funding totals $8,561,730 for the 2020-2021 school year.

In addition to the school projects, the construction team has been working on the following projects:

New St. Boniface School – scheduled to open September 2021 (includes a childcare centre and EarlyON Centre)
Huron Brigadoon Project – $10,321,990 (includes a childcare centre)
East Kitchener (7-12 Project) – $37,699,818
Southeast Galt Project – $8,652,378 (joint venture with Waterloo Region District School Board and the City of Cambridge)
St. Agnes CES addition – $6,016,673

The full report is available beginning on page 62 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

French Immersion Review

The 2020-21 French Immersion Review Committee (FI Review Committee) was established to provide guidance and advice to the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees related to French Immersion programming and future accommodation issues. Specifically, the following factors were to be re-confirmed or addressed in this review:

Elementary school organization (i.e., grade structure, single track, dual track)
Grade 1 entry point
Approach to Grade 1 application for FI
Attendance of siblings in FI school Impact of transportation, as it relates to school organization • Establish strategy for delivery of FI courses for grades 9 to 12 to meet secondary FI certificate requirements
Review and confirm criteria for selecting new elementary FI location(s)
Identify areas of future consideration for new elementary FI location(s)
Establish criteria for selecting new secondary FI location(s)

The following recommendations were provided for consideration of the Board on June 14, 2021:

That the Waterloo Catholic District School Board continue to offer French Immersion in Dual Track (English and French Immersion) elementary schools, and prioritize that French Immersion be offered in a Grade 1-8 configuration or a school configuration consistent with English programming in the same facility.
That the Waterloo Catholic District School Board continue to provide a Grade 1 entry point for French Immersion, and that available Grade 1 spaces be determined annually, based on facility and staffing limitations, and that a lottery be held, by site, where interest in French Immersion exceeds available space and that siblings of existing French Immersion students receive priority access when applying to attend French Immersion.
That consistent with the Board’s priority to keep siblings together, the Board review APA003 – Admission of Out of Boundary Students to reflect the admittance of siblings of French Immersion students in a capped school.
That the Waterloo Catholic District School Board continue the practice of not providing bus transportation to elementary French Immersion students who reside outside of a school’s English boundary.
That the Waterloo Catholic District School Board assess the impacts of offering transportation to French Immersion students living outside a secondary school’s English boundary, and that a decision on providing transportation to these students be made prior to November 2021.

The full report is available beginning on page 68 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Long Term Accommodation Plan

The 2021 Abridged Long-Term Accommodation Plan (LTAP) provides an update on enrolment and demographic trends as they relate to future accommodation initiatives and provides a listing of strategic initiatives including potential boundary reviews, new schools, and additions/renovations.

While the current year impacted by COVID-19 has resulted in enrolment in both panels which did not meet previous projections, enrolment is projected to continue to increase in both the elementary and secondary panels over the next 10 years.

Plan Highlights:

Four new capital priorities recommended for submission by May 21, 2021.
Sustained enrolment growth will continue to require modifications to boundaries across the Region in the coming years.
Staff are actively working to acquire school sites or are reserving sites in plans of subdivision to meet the board’s needs.
No planned school closures.

The full plan is available beginning on page 102 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

2020-2021 School Year Calendar

School boards are required to prepare, adopt, and submit to the Minister the school year calendar(s) to be followed by the schools in their jurisdiction for the subsequent school year. School Boards are required to identify a minimum of 194 school days between September 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, of which a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 7 days may be identified as PD days. Three of these must be for Ministry priorities. The remaining school days shall be instructional days. Boards may designate up to ten instructional days as examination days. Each school year calendar must be accompanied by a general outline of the activities to be conducted on PA days. The minimum number of instructional days is 187.

The first day of the school year will be Tuesday, September 7th, 2021. The last day of the school year will be June 29th, 2022. The last day of school in December will be December 17th, 2021, and the first day of school in the new year is January 3rd, 2022. Note: Christmas Break takes place between December 20th and 31st 2021.

The calendar – including a list of all PD Days — is available beginning on page 125 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Board Chair’s Update

Each month, the Chair of the Board reports on the activities of the Board of Trustees. Chair Melanie Van Alphen’s report for April 2021 is available on page 137 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Student Trustees Update

Student Trustees Abby Barbosa and Kate Morrison presented their monthly update – covering activities in WCDSB’s secondary schools. It is available beginning on page 135 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Upcoming Board Meetings

Special Public Board Meeting – Budget Presentation

Monday, June 7, 2021

Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre

Regular Public Board Meeting

Monday, June 14, 2021