Highlights from the August 28, 2018 Board Meeting

Presentation: Caelyn Basaraba, Minister's Youth Council

The Board welcomed 2017-18 Hilltop graduate Caelyn Basaraba to the meeting for a special presentation on her experience as a youth advisor and NGPS ambassador on Alberta Education's Minister's Youth Council. Caelyn was one of only 32 students chosen from across the province for this prestigious opportunity, sharing that her year on the council taught her much about collaboration, community stewardship. government and global citizenship. As a student advisor, Caelyn met periodically with the Minister and Council to review curriculum, share her perspective on the learning needs of rural students and to provide the Minister with feedback on important educational issues.

Board Meetings Start Time

In the Spring of 2017. the Board of Trustees passed Board Motion 3572-17 setting Board meetings to evenings. beginning at 5 pm, to encourage public attendance and interest in governance. Prior to this. regular Board meetings were held on a similar monthly schedule beginning at 10 am. Onoway Trustee Sarah Healy made a motion to return the Board meeting schedule to daytime hours. Following discussion of the pros and cons of day meetings versus evening meetings, Trustees voted in favour of continuing to hold Board meetings in the evenings. Meetings will begin at 5 pm providing opportunity for members of the working public to attend as well as to accommodate trustees who work full-time.

Hillside Jr/Sr High School International Field Trip Exchange

The Board approved in principle Hillside Jr/Sr High School's Grade 12 Field Trip Exchange to Finland this coming October. Under the program, four students and three staff will travel to Finland for an international cultural and educational exchange. In April 2019, NGPS will host exchange students from our partner school in Finland.

Joint Use Agreements

To date, NGPS has a current and contemporary Joint Use Agreement with the Town of Whitecourt. Discussions have begun with the towns of Valleyview and Fox Creek and the County of Lac Ste. Anne to discuss shared use of facilities. With the change in the Municipal Government Act compelling closer working relationships between school jurisdictions and Municipalities over the next three year period the Board expects these agreements to extend beyond facilities use into joint planning for reserve lands and shared services like snow removal and grass cutting. 

Dual Credit/Summer Programming

Dual Credit and Summer Boot Camp programming continues to grow. to engage students and to support student success. Given the positive reviews. division consultants will continue for another year albeit at a reduced time allotment to align with budget restraints. The need to continue to develop third party funding sources for these programs will continue to be addressed by NGPS consultants, David Quick and Debbie Vance.

Hour-Zero School Emergency Program

Hour-Zero is a national school emergency program that addresses all components of emergency preparedness for K-12 schools. This comprehensive emergency program will be implemented throughout Northern Gateway Public School Division through the 2018-19 school year beginning with Orientation for Principals and key Central Services staff this Fall.

Next Meeting

The next Board Meeting will take place on September 18. 2018 commencing at 5:00 p.m. at the Division Office in Whitecourt. Members of the public are welcome to attend. For more information. please call 780-778-2800 or 1-800-262-8674.