Full details on presentations, reports and discussions can be found in the agenda or reviewed in the recorded broadcast.
October 28, 2021 (Brockville, ON) – Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, for a regularly scheduled board meeting.
Level 1 Commercial Vehicle and Heavy Equipment Apprenticeship Program Update
Staff provided an update on the recently launched Level 1 Commercial Vehicle and Heavy Equipment Apprenticeship Program. Taking place at the Kemptville Campus for 12 weeks, the program has welcomed 20 students from across the UCDSB and its three co-terminus school boards. Overall, the program has received more than $315,000 of in-kind donations including tools and equipment provided by industry partners, and has had a tremendous launch.
Future plans for the program, run through TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education, include an intention to offer tuition-based Level 2 and Level 3 regular apprenticeship programs in Agricultural Equipment Technician and Heavy-Duty Equipment Technician. As well, the UCDSB is currently at the initial stages of drafting a funding proposal that would see the TR Leger Kemptville Campus facility fully developed as an Apprenticeship Centre. This centre would support students preparing for apprenticeship, those taking formal apprenticeship training, and offer ongoing retraining and up-skilling for local members of the Commercial Vehicle industry. Lastly, the school plans to integrate more Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) and micro-credential programming into its roster.
UCDSB Mental Health & Wellness Plan Focused on Continued Student Supports
The UCDSB continues to focus on the mental health and wellness of students and staff, specifically as they continue to navigate through the pandemic. Staff presented the UCDSB Mental Health & Wellness Plan, which focuses on embedding mental health and wellness into curriculum and instruction, providing classrooms with accessible, easy-to-implement, every day mental health activities, providing professional learning for educators to support student mental health and wellness, as well as connecting students, families, and staff to reliable resources and available supports.
The UCDSB wants to demonstrate that mental health and well-being isn't a topic addressed once or twice a year. Instead, it's a daily focus and effort to continue the dialogue and showcase support to our students and staff on an ongoing basis. Schools are currently participating in the Little Things…Big Differences social media challenge where they highlight the mental health initiatives and supports occurring within their schools.
UCDSB Responds to Increased Special Education Needs
The UCDSB has seen a notable increase in the number of students with special education needs. As a result of the review process, the school board has added an additional 31 educational assistants to support schools and as well as increased the number of special education teachers in schools.
As well, teachers have been provided with a digital assessment toolkit to get a baseline for their students' learning and to assist in identifying strategies and interventions to support ongoing learning with relevant resources.
Staff Present Financial Forecast
UCDSB trustees were presented with the first formal financial forecast for the 2021-22 school year. The forecast comes after staff reviewed the budget initially approved by the Trustees in June 2021, as well as integrated actual enrollment numbers and any additional expenditures – specifically those tied to the pandemic.
Staff outlined that while uncertainties around the pandemic have largely stabilized, some uncertainty – both positive and negative – remains between now and the end of the fiscal year that may impact final financial results for 2021-22. Staff anticipate a $0.7 million in-year surplus, which is an increase from the original $0.4 million surplus projected in the original budget. This increase comes primarily due to increased enrolment. The projected surplus would increase the Board's Accumulated Surplus from $14.5 million to $15.2 million by the end of the year.
However, these figures are subject to change, based on the actual 2020-21 financial statements, as well as further financial forecasts throughout 2021-22. Staff will present the next formal financial forecast in January.
For media inquiries, please contact:
April Scott-Clarke
Manager of Communications
Upper Canada District School Board
[email protected]