MAY 8, 2024 – Board Meeting Highlights

Board Meeting Highlights 

Summary of the Public Board Meeting, held May 8, 2024

Accessibility Plan Update
Accessibility Advisory Group launched a baseline survey and the Feedback Tool as mandated by the BC Accessibility Act. While the survey provided one-time data, the Feedback Tool remains an ongoing resource available on the district website. 

McCreary Report
The BC Adolescent Health Survey (BC AHS) is a province-wide survey administered to youth in Grades 7 to 12 every five years since 1992. The 2023 results are available online. 

Early Learning Update – Amy Dearden
The Early Learning Update highlighted efforts to support early childhood education and development across the birth to age eight continuum, reflecting a comprehensive approach to early childhood education, emphasizing collaboration, professional development, and community engagement.

Anti-racism Annual Review of Incidents
Cheryl Ruff, Equity and Anti-Racism Coordinator, focused on working with schools to promote awareness and create safe spaces, reinforcing goals from previous years and clarifying roles and responsibilities. Shannon Johnston, the District Principal of Indigenous Education, will continue this work starting in September.

Personal Devices – Updated School Codes of Conduct
All school codes of conduct will be revised to incorporate this new requirement by June 30, 2024.

Preventing Disruptive/Aggressive Behavior
The proposed legislation will help protect students and staff by giving the Province the authority to prohibit behaviours that impedes access to school grounds, disrupts school programs and activities, or causes concern for physical or mental safety of students and staff.

Field Trip Approvals
The Board approved two moderate-risk field trips: SEEC students will have the opportunity to visit the Hakai Institute and study at the world-class ecological research facilities on BC’s central coast. The GISS rowing team has qualified for the Canadian Secondary School Rowing Championships and will be traveling to St. Catharines, Ontario, at the end of May to compete.

Transportation & Registration Update
Transportation registration for the 2024/2025 school year is now open until May 31, 2024. Registrations received after May 31 will be accepted on a courtesy rider basis. There are two proposed changes to our transportation service for 2024/2025, the addition of Mount Erskin on Bus 6 and Bishops Walk on Bus 3.

Staffing and Enrolment
Lyall Ruehlen announced the appointment of Ben Desrosiers to the role of Vice Principal at the Saturna Ecological Education Centre (SEEC), effective August 1, 2024.

Graduation Fees
Parents of graduating students will receive an email communication stating that each graduate may claim five tickets to the graduation ceremony, and these tickets are not associated with the request for a monetary contribution to assist in covering the incidental costs of the ceremony and associated reception.

Financial Reports
The monthly operating expense report reveals that expenses are within 2% of the 2023-24 amended annual budget.

Requests to Serve
The Board approved three community requests to serve alcohol on school grounds in accordance with policy 3100: May Long Weekend Soccer Tournament; May 17-20, the Active/Passive Music Festival’s Rave the Roof on August 9; and the Todd Wolfe Memorial soccer tournament on August 24, 2024.

AP A1 Development of Administrative Practices
Newly published Administrative Practice AP A1 Developing Administrative Practices has been published to the District website.

Policy Committee Report

• The following policies were adopted: 1.40 Board Committees, 1.41 Board Liaison and Representation, 1.20 Board Authority, Role, and Responsibilities, 1.21 Role of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, 1.22 Trustee Remuneration, 2.30 Anti-racism, 2.70 Use of Board Property for Child Care.
• The following policies were repealed: 120 Board Committees, Policy and Procedure 105 Governance and Administration, 6550 Trustee Remuneration and Expenses, Policy and Procedure 220 Acceptable Use and Protection of Privacy, and Forms 220-1 and 220-2.
• Notice of Motion was presented for the following draft policies: 2.40 Addressing Concerns and Complaints, 2.60 Volunteers. These policies will be circulated for feedback and considered for adoption at the next Board meeting on June 12, 2024.

As the Board continues renovating its policy manual, it welcomes feedback on draft policies, which will be posted on the district Bylaws and Policies page.