2696 February 27, 2013

The Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Pembina Hills Regional Division No. 7 was held on February 27, 2013 at the Jarvie School. In attendance were Trustees S. Allen, A. Bokenfohr, D. Schaffrick, D. Truckey, S. Volorney, S. Watson, and K. Webster. Also in attendance were Superintendent C. Symyrozum-Watt and Secretary Treasurer T. Meunier.

Call to Order Chair Volorney called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m.

Invocation Trustee Webster provided the invocation.

Agenda The following amendments were made to the agenda:

8. Committee Reports Delete h) Expulsion Hearing

Adopting the Moved by Trustee Webster that the Agenda be adopted as submitted and amended. Agenda – February 27, Carried 2013 5938/02/13

Adopting the Moved by Trustee Watson that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Minutes – Trustees of Pembina Hills Regional Division No. 7 held on February 13, 2013 be February 13, adopted as circulated. 2013 Carried 5939/02/13

COMMITTEE REPORTS

The following Committee Reports were presented: - GROWTH - Meeting with Bruce McAllister, MLA, -Rockyview - School Council - ASBA Zone 2/3 - Public Christian School Council - Barrhead Composite High School Council

NEW BUSINESS

Cancellation of Superintendent Symyrozum-Watt provided an overview of the recommendation to March 13, 2013 cancel the March 13, 2013 Regular Board Meeting and re-schedule Board Planning Regular Board for 2013-2014. Meeting and Re- scheduling of When the 2013-2014 Strategic Planning Process was ratified by the Board on Board Planning November 14, 2012, it was forecasted that the Provincial Budget would be released in February 2013, allowing the Board and Administration to plan in February/March, with ratification of key strategic priorities (i.e. Education Plan priorities, co-op pool, allocation formula, calendar, etc.) to occur at the March Regular Board Meeting. Therefore, no accountability reports were scheduled in the Board’s Workplan for March.

The Provincial Budget has been delayed to March 7, 2013. This delays the dates for School Administrative Planning and Board Planning as well as delaying the Board’s ability to ratify strategic priorities. Therefore, it is recommended that the Board cancel the March 13, 2013 Regular Board Meeting. The second day for Admin Planning would occur on March 21, 2013; Board Planning would be re- scheduled to April 2-4, 2013 with ratification of key strategic priorities at the April 10, 2013 Regular Board Meeting.

5940/02/13 Moved by Trustee Bokenfohr that the Board cancel the March 13, 2013 Regular Board Meeting. Carried

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5941/02/13 Moved by Trustee Allen that the Board re-schedule Board Planning for April 2-4, 2013. Carried

Board Meeting Superintendent Symyrozum-Watt provided an overview of the recommendation to Schedule – May amend the 2012-2013 Board Meeting Schedule. 22, 2013 The 2012-2013 Board Meeting Schedule indicated that the March 13, 2013 Regular Board Meeting was to be held at Vista Virtual School, Barrhead location. Given the cancellation of the March 13, 2013 Board Meeting, it is recommended that the location for the May 22, 2013 Regular Board Meeting be changed from Barrhead Composite High School to Vista Virtual, Barrhead location. Barrhead Composite High School will be re-scheduled as a Board Meeting location in the 2013-2014 school year.

5942/02/13 Moved by Trustee Webster that the Board approve the change in location for the May 22, 2013 Regular Board Meeting to Vista Virtual School, Barrhead location. Carried

INFORMATION ITEMS

The following were presented as information items: - Letter from Jacquie Hansen, President of the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) to the Hon. Jeff Johnson, Minister of Education regarding potential cutting of funding to the Alberta Initiative for Student Improvement (AISI) in the upcoming budget - ASBA Labour Relations Bulleting entitled ‘Alberta School Boards Student, Teacher, Staff Counts as of September 30, 2012’ - February 15, 2013 issue of the PSBAA Advocate - Thank you card from PSBAA to Pembina Hills for providing a presentation on ADLC at the February, 2013 PSBC meeting, highlighting opportunities for Alberta’s children

JARVIE SCHOOL REPORT, SCHOOL COUNCIL

Jarvie School Superintendent, C. Symyrozum-Watt introduced Principal Martin Cairns. Report

Principal Martin Cairns reported on the following: - Schedule – all core classes are in the morning – approximately 54 minutes each. Afternoon classes are option blocks and differ from day to day - Attempt to align alternate days with School - Afternoon programs include reading block for 15 minutes after the lunch hour; band class includes all students at the school for 30 minutes four (4) days per week; Career & Technology Studies (CTS); physical education - Valued use of resources through Yellowhead Regional Library - The school band holds four (4) concerts per year - Students work on a multitude of CTS projects throughout the year. Currently the boys are working on CO2 cars and the girls are working on silk-screening t-shirts. In addition, students, in groups of 5, rotate through cooking class. Students have started making wishing wells as a fund-raiser for the three (3) year trip - Practices for the sports teams are done as part of the physical education class rather than after-school - Activity based outdoor education program - Art program is taught by Mrs. Medcke on Friday mornings - Started curling - have invited the grade 5/6 students from Dapp School to participate as well - Community ties – upgraded library (public/school library); a guitar instructor comes to the school regularly to provide private instruction to students; community coaches; Heroes program (Character Education) sponsored by the community; Elks have donated funds to the school and have purchased a score clock for the gymnasium - Community services – students painted the ball diamonds as their community service project

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- School improvement – AISI is important for Jarvie School – Pembina Hills has done an exceptional job with the AISI cycles - Technology – working on a system where students can access their learning anytime, anywhere. Goal is to have all student material on-line. The school’s website is used as a portal. The school has run a laptop pilot for students. In addition the school has purchased a class set of Ipads. - Volunteers at Jarvie School are crucial. - Staff makes the school what it is – they are amazing – they create the great environment

School Council Dapp-Jarvie Chair, Valerie Montgomery, provided the School Council Report, Report including the following: - Majority of time taken up with North - Have invited student reps from Students’ Union to participate in School Council meetings - Appreciation for Principal Cairns for involving the School Council in decisions at the school, such as students bringing their own technology devices into the school.

Presentation Trustee Allen presented Dapp-Jarvie Chair, Valerie Montgomery, with a gift in recognition of her contribution to Pembina Hills’ communities and schools.

School Tour Trustees visited the classrooms at Jarvie School.

Student Learning The Board viewed the following during the student learning showcase: Showcase - A Jarvie School student presented her 4-H public speech on cyber-bullying - A slide presentation was given highlighting the various student activities at Jarvie School.

Recess Moved by Trustee Bokenfohr that the meeting recess until 1:00 p.m. 5943/02/13 Carried

Chair Volorney called the meeting back to order at 1:00 p.m. in the presence of approximately 50 members of the public, Dapp School Principal Pat von Loewenstein, Jarvie School Principal, Martin Cairns, W.R. Frose School Principal, Darcie Eamor, Assistant Superintendent, Wendy Scinski, and Director of Facilities and Transportation, Tracy Tyreman.

BUSINESS ARISING

Westlock North Chair Volorney outlined the process that will be following by the Board as they Task Force discuss the Westlock North Task Force Report and Recommendation. Report and Recommendation Chair Volorney reminded the public that this is not a school closure meeting – the Board has a recommendation before them on a long range plan for educating students served in the Dapp-Jarvie and W.R. Frose attendance areas.

Save Westlock Rick Medcke, on behalf of the Save the Westlock North Committee, presented the North Committee Committee’s request to reject or delay the Westlock North Task Force recommendation and the rationale for their request.

Mr. Medcke presented a petition that was circulated amongst the Westlock North communities with the following requests: - Request that Pembina Hills School Board find an alternative solution to the declining enrollment in the Westlock North Schools - Non-support for shutting Fawcett and Jarvie schools and amalgamating into Dapp School - Non-support for spending tax dollars to fund portables for Dapp School to accommodate the three north schools combining when Jarvie and Fawcett schools are available

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Westlock North Chair Volorney and Vice Chair Webster reviewed the responses to questions #52 - Consultation – #78. Questions & Responses

Dapp/Jarvie Dapp/Jarvie School Council Chair Valerie Montgomery provided an overview of School Council the unsolicited feedback she has received regarding the Westlock Task Force and its recommendation and report.

W.R. Frose W.R. Frose School Council Chair Cristy Paly provided final thoughts, on behalf of School Council the parents of Fawcett and Flatbush on the future educational opportunities for the students in Westlock North.

Westlock North Chair Volorney noted that there was no new information in the petition presented Task Force the Board by Mr. Medcke. Therefore, it was recommended that the board consider the petition brought forward at the meeting, and in dealing with the recommendation of the Task Force, the Board will be dealing with the petition.

Petition Moved by Trustee Watson that, pursuant to #9.2.6 of Guiding Principle GP-G, the 5944/02/13 Board agrees to consider the petition brought forward at the February 27, 2013 Regular Board Meeting. Carried

Timeline and Vice Chair Webster provided the timeline and background information relative to Background the Westlock North consultation process. Information The following motion was passed at the February 10, 2010 Regular Board Meeting: Moved by Trustee Kingma that the Board authorize conducting a public consultation beginning before the end of May 2010, involving the communities of Dapp, Jarvie, and Fawcett in order to discuss implications of further projected enrollment declines

Over the past three (3) years, since this initial motion was carried, school councils, parents, municipalities, community members and the Board have had numerous discussions on the one thing that continues to plague Pembina Hills – declining enrollment.

Declining student enrollment is a huge challenge, not unique to Pembina Hills. Many hours amongst many individuals have been spent brainstorming, researching, discussing, and communicating the enrollment decline issue of Westlock North. Many ideas have been generated and explored.

Following the April 18, 2012 public consultation for Westlock North, the Board established a Task Force to consider the input given as they developed alternatives for the future, keeping in mind the decision making filters of: o Will it maximize educational opportunities for our children? o Will it be sustainable? o Does it utilize our limited resources in the best possible way for our children? o Is it realistic?

The Task Force subsequently provided a recommendation to the Board on January 23, 2013. The Board thanked the Task Force for the extensive work they put into considering this challenging issue.

Since January 23, 2013 the Board has: – received 30 letters/e-mails from individuals, groups, and organizations regarding this issue (25 public and 5 not consented for release)  14 of these letters/e-mails have been in support of the Task Force recommendation and 16 have not supported and/or requested the Board to take additional time prior to making a decision. - responded to 78 questions that have come from nine (9) organizations and individuals. - For the time period January 28 – February 10, 2013 Pembina Hills had 39

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unique visitors to our Westlock North consultation web-site (a unique visitor means that even if you have visited multiple times you are only counted once within a specific time period). For the time period February 10 – February 24 we had 67 unique visitors.

The letters and questions appear to be centered around six (6) main themes: 1. Timing for a decision – the Board has heard a spectrum of thoughts. It is important to consider that deciding to take steps forward does not mean that the path cannot be altered at any point along the way. In 2001, GROWTH Alberta was formed for the purpose of promoting regional growth.

2. The number of schools that should be in the Westlock North area and/or the location of these schools - The Task Force has recommended one (1) school within the next three (3) years. Some have suggested two (2) schools. The two (2) schools primarily suggested have been either Dapp and Jarvie or Dapp and W.R. Frose.

3. Impact on transportation – The transportation department has offered a sound option, based on a one (1) school model. The transportation design changes with a two (2) school model.

4. Concern on cost of modular classrooms - Modular classrooms are provided by Alberta Education. The costs of connecting the modular classrooms to the existing schools are funded through a grant from Alberta Education. If modular classrooms are approved by the Province, Pembina Hills’ operating budget would not be impacted.

If the Board acts on the recommendation of the Task Force they will make application to Alberta Education. This application will include a cost-benefit analysis which will take into consideration existing costs that would not be incurred by taxpayers with a one-school model.

5. Regional School property and construction - Public response has included questions regarding the proposed amalgamated school site (e.g. will there be enough land, will there be enough room for playground, library, and gymnasium). If the Board acts on the recommendation of the Task Force the issues identified will be addressed.

6. Perceived loss of community with possible school closures - It does not take a school building to keep a community alive. If communities pull together, communities will survive. We have examples in our own backyard – Flatbush, Linaria, Pickardville, and Hazel Bluff to name a few.

The Board reviewed the following sections of the Westlock North Task Force Report: 7. Task Force Recommendation 8. Rationale Supporting the Recommendation 9. Consideration of “Necessary Conditions” 10. Conclusion & Next Steps

5945/02/13 Moved by Trustee Bokenfohr that Dapp School be designated as an elementary and junior high school effective September 1, 2014, subject to adequate learning spaces to accommodate the students from Westlock North. Carried

5946/02/13 Moved by Trustee Schaffrick that the Board direct Administration to apply to the Province for two (2) modular classrooms for Dapp School. Carried

5947/02/13 Moved by Trustee Allen that a Westlock North Transition Team be formed for the purpose of providing advice to the Board regarding educational services for the Westlock North School. Carried

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5948/02/13 Moved by Trustee Allen that the Board direct Administration to draft Terms of Reference for the Westlock North Transition Team for the board’s consideration at the March 20, 2013 Regular Board Meeting. Carried

In Camera Moved by Trustee Truckey that the meeting convene as an In Camera session to Session discuss the following: 5949/02/13 - ASBA Board Chair meeting 4:25 p.m. - Land, Legal, Labour Carried

5950/02/13 Moved by Trustee Schaffrick that the meeting reconvene as a Regular Meeting. 4:32 p.m. Carried

Adjournment Moved by Trustee Volorney that the meeting adjourn. 5951/02/13 Carried 4:33 p.m.

Chair Secretary Treasurer

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