SD #27 Board Highlights - Dec 11th mtg

Editor's Notes:

1) Interesting the Board of Education took a very cold attitude towards the Kwaleen Elementary PAC application to BC's Ombudsperson.  The Secretary-Treasurer (B. Roller) said the application won't change the deadline for the Board to make decisions in relation to the 'Initial Options' report on Jan 22nd, 2013.  Guaranteed that the Kwaleen Elementary closure will end up before a judge.  The Board could have shown some profound regret that it regrets the stress the 'Initial Options' report public consultation meetings' have put parents' through - I really wonder if School Trustees really care at this point how parents feel or if they've made up their minds and there are going 'through the motions' to cover their butts...

2) During the meeting - The Board of Education had to consider three motions, of which two were defeated, in order to form a sub-Committee of two School Trustee, a Staff person from SD #27 and reps from the City of Williams Lake and RCMP to consider traffic issues on 3rd Ave at Marie Sharpe Elementary.  Their motion-making makes Williams Lake City Council look really good...

Meeting details:

Present: Chair W. Van Osch and Trustees J. Austin, S. Boehm, D. Neufeld, J. Cooper and T. Guenther

Staff:

Mark Thiessen - Superintendent
Bonnie Roller - Secretary-Treasurer
Harj Manhas - Assistant Superintendent
Mark Wintjes - Director of Instruction (Human Resources)
Corinne Newberry - Confidential Secretary

Meeting called to order at 6:44pm

Members of the Public: 8
Press: WL Tribune

Agenda approved
Nov 7th and 27th meeting minutes approved
Receipt of Sept 18/25, Oct 9/16 Closed and Nov 7/27 Special Closed Meetings Report approved

Business:

1) Open Correspondence Report received
2) Capital Replacement Bylaw #126546 (Bus Replacement - 16) was adopted
3) Board received 2011-12 SOFI Report
4) Board received Superintendent Report on Student Achievement
5) Board to permit School of Choice applications (Secondary Schools) to Feb 22nd, 2013 for this school year only
6) The Board of Education received public/stakeholder feedback on the 'Initial Options' report and that the public electronic summaries be released to the public.  It was noted by the Secretary-Treasurer that the summaries total some 1,500 pages and that summaries for 'Trustees Eyes Only" will not be released to the public.  The Board also agreed to release a 10 year capital plan previously a In-Camera document to the public
7) Secretary-Treasurer reviewed upcoming school board meetings for Dec 2012-Jan 2013
8) Board agreed to form a Ad-hoc Committee of 2 Trustees and Staff, and reps from City of WL and RCMP to review traffic issues around Marie Sharpe Elementary
9) The Superintendent (M. Thiessen) reviewed his attendance at recent meetings
10) Trustee Cooper reported on a recent meeting of First Nations Education Committee while Trustee Guenther reported that the policy committee was still considering a head-lice policy.

11) Trustee Guenther reported on a recent BCSTA Provincial Council meeting while Trustee Boehm reported on a recent BCPSEA meeting

12) The Chair called for public questions for items "not" on the Agenda in which Tom Hoffman asked questions on Marie Sharpe project & formal complaint from Kwaleen PAC to BC's Ombudsperson with the Secretary-Treasurer responding to Mr Hoffman's questions on Marie Sharpe and Ombudsperson complaint.

Meeting adjourned at 8:27pm