01-16-2018 GPPSD Board Highlights

Grande Prairie Public School District

January 16, 2018

BOARD HIGHLIGHTS Central Office, 10127 120 Avenue, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 8H8

The Grande Prairie Public School District is a learning community in which every student succeeds BOARD OF TRUSTEES BOARD CHAIR John Lehners BOARD VICE-CHAIR Joan Nellis TRUSTEES Andre Ouellette Lesley Craig Lynn Driedger Paulette Kurylo Rob Martin SUPERINTENDENT Alexander McDonald ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT, SECRETARY-TREASURER Norm Guindon ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES Nick Radujko ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF PROGRAMS & PLANNING James Robinson ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, STUDENT SERVICES Christina Farquharson

REGULAR

BOARD MEETING

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018 06:00 P.M., CENTRAL OFFICE FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS: February 13, 2018 February 27, 2018 March 13, 2018 March 27, 2018 April 17, 2018 May 8, 2018 May 22, 2018 June 12, 2018

On January 10, 2018, the Board of Trustees was pleased to host representatives of the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce

where the Chamber recognized twenty years of membership by GPPSD in the organization.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

3 Year Education Plan and Annual Education Results Report meeting with Alberta Education Cathy Rasmussen, our district’s Alberta Education liaison, met with the District’s educational leadership team on December 13th, 2017 to review the District’s 3 Year Education Plan and the Annual Education Results Report. Conversation focused on the strategies schools are using for continuous improvement. Discussion focused on the priorities identified in individual school plans and in the District’s 3 Year Plan. Mrs. Rasmussen specifically acknowledge GPPSD achievement improvement in Math over the past few years and appreciated the work done in our schools in that area.

Thought Exchange (formerly ThoughtStream) kickoff Superintendent McDonald provided Trustees an update on the status of the District’s broad stakeholder engagement opportunity planned for this winter.

Trustees were provided a recap of prior engagement

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work with our staff, students, parents through the use of the web-based ThoughtStream program in past years.

We value stakeholder engagement and a new round of web-based engagement is set to begin later this winter. A district team has been set up to plan timelines and processes and they met on January 15, 2018.

The process will be completed by mid-March and the information collected is expected to inform the budget development process.

Appeals process review Superintendent McDonald reviewed Board Policy 12: Appeals Regarding Student Matters, with Trustees and discussed how appeals to the Board are conducted.

Relevant sections of the School Act were reviewed to support Trustee learning in this area and discussion occurred regarding potential changes to the process for future consideration.

Grande Prairie Composite High School project update Superintendent McDonald provided an update on the work being undertaken for the high school project.

The design of the school and potential ideas for the redevelopment of the existing site are occurring

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simultaneously. The Board’s GPCHS Redevelopment Committee will be meeting soon to gather more information. A consultant with prior experience in this area has been engaged to assist District staff in this work. As the design of the school progresses, plans are being made for an evening meeting for staff, parents, and community members. It is expected this meeting will occur towards the end of February.

Leadership Standard Project update Superintendent McDonald provided an update on our work with the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge School Division and Foothills School Division to prepare a second grant proposal to support our continued work on implementation of the new standards for teachers and leaders in Grande Prairie Public.

January 16, 2018

International field trip request The Academy to Boston, MA.

NEWS & EVENTS

Superintendent McDonald provided an overview of the planned trip by the grades 8-10 student-athletes from the Academy Hockey Program to Boston in May 2018. Tours to 4 Division One NCAA College campuses are built into this opportunity. The Board approved the Academy trip to Boston subject to continued compliance with all Board policies.

JANUARY 22-30 Diploma exams Family Literacy Day 27

CULTURE AND ENGAGEMENT

Chamber of Commerce 20 year anniversary visit The Board of Trustees was pleased to host representatives of the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce where the Chamber recognized twenty years of membership by GPPSD in the organization.

BUSINESS SERVICES

2017-2018 Budget 1st quarter review

Provincial Accountability Pillar Online Reporting Initiative (APORI) and Our School surveys

Wade Webb, Director of Finance, provided an update on behalf of Norm Guindon, Associate Superintendent of Business Services/Secretary-Treasurer, of the Financial Operations in the first quarter. Mr. Webb explained to Trustees details around some of the funding timelines used

by Alberta Education and made connections to the impact of operations on the District.

FEBRUARY Full day off for students as it is 2 a Professional Learning Day for staff Valentine’s Day 14 National Flag of Canada Day 15 Family Day 19 Pink Shirt Day 28 MARCH Full day off for students as it is 2 a Professional Learning Day for staff Full day off for students as it is 8-9 Teacher’s Convention Late Entry French Immersion 13 registration and information National Pi day 14 Day off for students and staff as it 23 is a day off in lieu of PTI’s First day for English language 27 kindergarten registration including the Montessori preschool/ kindergarten programming First day for French Immersion 28 preschool/kindergarten registration Good Friday 30 APRIL Easter break 1-8 First day back from Easter break 9 Full day off for students as it is 20 a Professional Learning Day for staff MAY 13 18 21

Mother’s Day Full day off for students as it is a Professional Learning Day for staff Victoria day

JUNE Full day off for students as it is 1 a Professional Learning Day for staff Father’s Day 17 National Indigenous Peoples Day 21 Last day for students 28 29 Last day for staff

The APORI survey and the Our School survey will be distributed to stakeholders beginning later in January.

They are to be completed by March 30th. Superintendent McDonald shared with Trustees the importance of this survey to inform the development of our priorities and to drive school and district planning.

JULY 1 Canada Day AUGUST Heritage Day 6

District communications report Superintendent McDonald presented a report on District Communications to the Board. This provided an update on the work being undertaken through traditional media and social media to inform our community on events and happenings in the District. Communication and engagement with the community is an important priority for the District and the report highlighted the work being done in this area.

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CONTACT INFORMATION MOHAMMAD HAIDAR Communications & Design Specialist 780-532-4491 Ext. 1013 mohammad.haidar@gppsd.ba.ca

www.gppsd.ab.ca

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