The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
FLIN FLON SCHOOL DIVISION Condensed Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees held January 27, 2004 in the Board Room of the Division Office, 9 Terrace Avenue, Flin Flon, Manitoba. Term Contracts - The Chair of the Board and Secretary-Treasurer signed Form 2A term contracts with Isabel Kennedy and Elaine Angelski, both half-time at Many Faces Education Centre, effective February 2nd, 2004 to April 19th, 2004. Leave Request - As per Article 8:01 of the Educational Assistants' Collective Bargaining Agreement, Employee No. 2023 was granted an unpaid leave of absence effective February 2nd, 2004 to June 30th, 2004. PRESENTATIONS - Nil BUSINESS ARISING Policy Amendment - Notice of motion was given on January 13, 2004 for amendment of Policies 3:2 - General Regulations Re: Meetings; policy circulated - no feedback received. Amended Policy 3:2 was approved. Northern Resolution Re: Ward System - Circulated and reviewed. Chair Wilson reported that he received a call from CBC Radio and was interviewed earlier today, January 27, 2004. The interview is scheduled to air on January 28th or 29th. ACTION CORRESPONDENCE The following correspondence was received as information: Brandon School Division - January 13, 2004 - Re: Nomination of Jim Murray for MAST Vice-President. MAST Northern Director - January 21, 2004 - Re: Northern Regional Meeting - March 18, 2004. Raising Student Achievement Through Arts Education Workshop - March 15, 2004 - Winnipeg. Nutrition Forum - February 27, 2004 - Winnipeg. Support - 2004 Resolutions - Correspondence dated January 14, 2004 from Linda Buchanan, Director - Region 4, requesting support for northern resolutions. Feedback required by January 28th. The Board of Trustees agreed to support the northern resolutions re: Grade 3 Assessment; Public Data Network-Wireless System; Manitoba Textbook Bureau; and Reserves. Secretary-Treasurer will notify Linda Buchanan, Director-Region 4, of the Board's support for the four proposed resolutions. Storage Shed Request - Correspondence dated January 15, 2004 from Flin Flon Kiddie Korner Day Care Inc. requesting permission to place a storage shed on the premises. Permission was granted to place a storage shed on Division property conditional upon successful negotiations with the Division's Maintenance Supervisor re: size and placement of the shed. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORTS The Superintendent and Secretary-Treasurer reported to the Board on the following divisional matters: Lion's Club Speak Off - Congratulations to Brittany Brown for winning the Lion's Club Speak Off competition. Brittany received $100.00 and will represent our area in Portage La Prairie this spring. Youth Mentor Update - The Youth Mentor Program continues to be very successful. A copy of comments from a school administrator and mentor questionnaire were circulated your information. Professional Development - All schools closed on January 30th for a Division wide professional development day. Staff worked on the Division Vision Statement and a variety of school based programs. Staff members have also been involved in training on the new Grade 5-8 Health Curriculum, incorporating Aboriginal Perspectives in the curricula, and early years numeracy programs. Division Website - The first phase of the update to the Division Website has been completed and plans for the second phase are underway. Plans include increasing the accessibility and functionality of the site for staff and parents. Interested people may view the site at www.ffsd.mb.ca School News - The Parkdale School Homework Club continues to be a great success with regular attendance each week. The Chess Club has over 20 students attending every Thursday at noon. The program has been great fun for the students and staff. The Junior high Leadership Groups are also doing well. The school is also planning 'I Love To Read Month' (February) activities, including celebrity readers, and stop everything and read. McIsaac School Ecole McIsaac's "Silver Collection" money from the Christmas concert was donated to the Novosel family, who lost their home and all their belongings in a fire in December. A total of $850 was raised, as well as many donations of clothing and toys. The community's overwhelming generosity is very much appreciated. The annual Hapnot Collegiate Dinner Theatre is scheduled for February 20th & 21st. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's 'Rolling X' Program visited the school on January 23rd. The intent of the program is to highlight schools from across Canada and celebrate education in our country. Student interviews and filming of school activities will be aired on CBC at a later date. Policy Referral - The following policies were referred to the Policy Review/Resolutions Committee for review: Policy 9:9 - Crisis Management Plan and Policy 12:15 - Anaphylaxis / Life Threatening Allergies. Funding - Dust Collection System - Public Schools Finance Board (PSFB) have approved replacement of the dust collection system at McIsaac School Ecole McIsaac. During a visit to the school this summer it was pointed out that the system was inadequate for its current use. Representatives from PSFB agreed and the Division subsequently wrote a letter to PSFB for a replacement. The project has been approved and will proceed to the design stages in the very new future. Pay Accounts - The Division accounts as at January 16, 2004 in the amount of $469,059.94 will be paid. REPORTS French Language Advisory Committee - November 4, 2003 - Trustee Wilson. Division Technology Committee - December 1, 2003 - Trustee Skeavington. CHAIR'S REPORT 2004/2005 Funding - The Minister of Education, Citizenship and Youth has announced the a 2% increase in the 2004/2005 funding for schools in Manitoba. The Minister claims that this amount is slightly above the rate of inflation. The funding for the Flin Flon School Division is running at 1.3% and will create financial problems for the Division. School Start Date - The Minister of Education has released the start date for schools for the next 5 years, continuing the process put in place by the NDP Government, indicating their 5 year commitment to starting after Labour Day. Students will not return prior to September 7th for the 2004/2005 school year. The school year will run thru to June 30th. Tournaments - The Senior Zones Basketball Tournament will be held in Flin Flon on March 5th & 6th with games taking place at both Hapnot and McIsaac gymnasiums. Hapnot Collegiate will be hosting the Provincial Basketball Playoffs on March 18th, 19th & 20th. Game action will take place at Hapnot, McIsaac and Creighton Schools. Inservices - A "Year At A Glance" (YAG) inservice, entitled Grade 5 to 8 Physical Education/Health Education: Orientation To: A Foundation For Implementation, was held in Cranberry Portage on January 14th & 15th. The same inservice will be held for Senior 1 to Senior 2 on February 11th & 12th. NEW BUSINESS Approval of Trustee Requests - As Per Policy 2:6 - Trustees Davis, McKee, Mitchell, Simpson, and Wilson were authorized to attend the MAST Convention on March 18-20, 2004 in Winnipeg; and Trustees McKee and Skeavington were authorized to attend the 9th National Congress On Rural Education on March 28-30, 2004 in Saskatoon. Information correspondence was made available for review. The meeting adjourned to Committee of the Whole, reconvened and adjourned at 8:38 p.m. School Board meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the Division Office Board Room located at 9 Terrace Avenue. The next regular meeting will be held Tuesday, February 24, 2004. Board of Trustees: Jim Wilson-Chair; Colleen McKee-Vice-Chair; Trustees: Tim Davis, Donna Ferguson, Gordon Mitchell, Angela Simpson, Murray Skeavington
