SSES Joint School Council Presentation November 6, 2019
Welcome and introductions Welcome remarks by Dr. Lisa Walsh, Director of Education • Introduction of Board of Trustees • Colleen Schenk, Chair: North Huron, Morris Turnberry and Howick • Robert Hunking, Vice-Chair: Central East Huron • Laura Bisutti: Stratford • Colin Carmichael: Northwest Huron • Lynette Geddes: St. Marys, Perth South and West Perth • Herb Klassen: Stratford • Julie Moore: Perth East • Nancy Rothwell: North Perth • Al Sygrove: Southwest Huron • Introduction of AMDSB senior team • Superintendents Jane Morris, Jodie Baker, Kim Black and Cheri Carter • Principals Emma Watts and Kevin Mills • | 2
Why are we here? ● To provide an update to the Stratford and area community regarding the current school year and plans for public education for students in Grade 7- 12 in the future ● To provide information regarding our preferred Options for the two campuses (SC and SN) ● To launch community and student consultations ● To review next steps in this process | 3
An update on this transition year | 4
What’s different as a result of the larger student body at SSES this year? ● Students are currently enrolled in 560 credits that they would not have been able to access at their previous schools ● We have 10 new courses being offered that were not viable at the previous schools ● All students can access 8 SHSM, which were previously offered at either school. | 5
A brief history Spring/Summer 2018 Ministry funding announced • Consulted with Principals and parent focus group • Announced 6 options for consideration • Built criteria, with students as the focus, that would be used for • decision making Fall 2018 Collected input using online platform ( thoughtexchange ) • Examined the 6 options against specific criteria • Planned for the Transition year together as SSES • | 6
The following criteria guides our thinking Creating positive, inclusive environments and maximizing outcomes that: ● Offer breadth of programming ● Foster a sense of belonging ● Meet the needs of all student profiles ● Support student safety ● Operational considerations: school and class organization, teaching assignments, timetables, collective agreements, transitions, busing, scheduling, boundaries for schools, and budget. | 7
A brief history (cont.) February 2019 Announced Option 7 • May 2019 Hosted Joint School Council meeting • Spring - Fall 2019 Continued conversations with local, provincial and Ministry • representatives to move the process forward October 2019 Board of trustees directed senior staff to draft a consultation plan to • move to a final decision on November 26th. | 8
Overview of Options A and B Option A ● Grades 7 and 8 from City of Stratford attend SC ● Grades 9-12 from Stratford and area attend SN Option B ● Grades 7 and 8 from City of Stratford AND grade 9 from Stratford and area attend SC ● Grades 10-12 from Stratford and area attend SN | 9
What is the role of the trustee? ● According to OPSBA, “a school board is responsible for governing the school system in the best interests of all students in its jurisdiction and on behalf of the communities it serves”. ● Further, under the Education Act, locally elected school boards are responsible for operating publicly funded schools within their jurisdiction. ● Legal accountability for board decisions applies to the board as a corporate entity rather than to individual trustees. In fact, the Act gives no individual authority to trustees. ● As members of the corporate board, trustees are legally accountable to the public for the collective decisions of the board and for the delivery and quality of educational services. | 10
Why are trustees making this decision? ● We have kept the Ministry staff and local gov’t representatives apprised all along the way during this process. ● We are not closing a school so have not engaged the Pupil Accommodation Review Guidelines. ● For operational reasons, programming for our students for the year ahead and subsequent staffing, we must put our structure in place. ● On October 8th, we asked senior staff to develop a consultation plan so we can consider all input before rendering a final decision at our November 26th Board meeting. ● The Director’s report (consultation plan) was received by the board on October 22nd and on that day, the board passed the motion to proceed. | 11
Additional considerations regarding space Factors impacting program offerings and the space requirements in schools: 1. Provincial decisions, including secondary class size and the projected e-learning delivery model 2. Actual enrolment numbers | 12
Student enrolment • When considering the two Options, a key consideration is the building space and whether the school buildings will accommodate students in the long-term. • We have updated our Long-Term Student Enrolment Projections, using our actual September 30, 2019 enrolment as a starting point. • The student enrolment for each Option is as follows: | 13
Space available Student spaces in this context is a measure of the classroom • space (does not include cafeterias, libraries, gymnasiums, school offices, staff space and space dedicated to other programs) Space measurement for Elementary and Secondary differs slightly • and are based on the Ministry of Education’s guideline The student spaces available under each Option for the two • buildings are as follows: | 14
Option A: 7&8 at SC and 9-12 at SN Advantages ● Breadth of programming available to all students (no boundaries required) ● Innovative programming for grade 7&8 students in dedicated specialty spaces ● Diverse secondary course offerings ● One transition for grade 8 students from rural feeder schools into grade 9 ● Simplified staffing with two teaching unions and staff dedicated to each site ● Dedicated staff supports based on division ● Age appropriate inclusion opportunities for students Disadvantages ● No opportunity for reach ahead credit delivery from Grade 8 into 9 except online ● Some renovations required at SN to accommodate continuation of programs such as dance studio, auditorium/music spaces, additional science labs, etc. | 15
Option A: Other considerations ● Some programs currently housed offsite could come into the SC first floor, through a dedicated entrance. Specifically we are considering moving the Adult Education and ESL classes from SN to SC, and other carefully considered alternative programming | 16
Option B: 7-9 at SC and 10-12 at SN Advantages • Breadth of programming available to MOST students • Innovative programming for grade 7-9 students with access to SOME dedicated specialty spaces • Reach ahead opportunities from Grade 8 • Age appropriate inclusion opportunities for students Disadvantages • Additional transition for grade 8 students from rural feeder schools, as they move into SC for Grade 9 then SN for Grade 10-12 • Challenges with reach ahead opportunities for Grade 9, and reach back for those in Grade 10 • Challenges with secondary programming, with extra-curriculars (access to Junior teams) which would likely incur busing costs • Staffing challenges with two teaching unions • Increased costs/run times as rural buses would have to come to SN and SC • Some renovations required at SN to accommodate all programming such as dance studio, auditorium/music spaces, additional science labs, etc. | 17
Option B: Other considerations In order to provide breadth of programming for the Grade 9s, • busing would likely be required as students would have to access SN for specialized programs such as technology courses. | 18
What’s possible with these options? | 19
I THINK. I learn. I QUESTION. I DESIGN. I CREATE. I STRUGGLE. I COLLABORATE. I TRY. I SOLVE. I INVENT. I REFLECT. I LEARN.
VISION What’s possible with these options? | 21
What is possible with these options? What’s possible with these options? | 22
What’s possible with these options? 23
Consultation process Staff Staff Advisory Committee, worked with researchers from Western to • provide feedback on the consultation questions Voluntary staff meetings earlier today and on November 8th • Online consultation survey sent to email (open from Nov 7-15) • Students Grade assemblies to review the Options on November 12 and 13 and • to launch online consultation survey (open from Nov 7-15) Graffiti wall in main hall (Nov 12-13) co-facilitated by SSES student • senators and students from Senior Social Science class, supported by SSES staff and a research team from Western Parents/community Form for questions available this evening • Online consultation survey (open from Nov 7-15) distributed through • communication (website, social media and School Messenger) School Council delegations hosted at Special Board meeting (Nov 19, • 630pm, SSES Gym) | 24
What’s next? Trustees will work with senior staff to review all of the • feedback (questions, online surveys, student input and delegations) Trustees will vote on the decision at the November 26th • Board meeting A decision will be announced through a press release • and School Messenger communication the next morning Announcements regarding transition planning will begin • in January 2020 | 25
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