UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

Budget highlights and other key items   

Full details on presentations, reports, and discussions can be found in the agenda or reviewed in the recorded broadcast. 

June 20, 2025 – Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.  

Trustees Pass Balanced Budget for 2025-26 School Year 

Chief Business Officer and Treasurer Jeremy Hobbs presented the draft 2025-26 budget to the Board of Trustees for deliberation and approval.  

Key investments include: $67.2 million in special education supports, an increase of 8.3 per cent over 2024-25; $71.9 million in capital projects, $3.6 million in Indigenous education supports, and an additional $1.4 million allocation to school budgets over 2024-25 to support staff replacement costs and school operations.  
 
Additionally, the $2.1 million Rural and Northern Education Allocation (RNEA) funding received as part of this budget will support digital learning, research, the All-In Sports program, and program enhancements to improve access, engagement, and outcomes for students in eligible rural and remote schools. 
 
For compliance purposes, the budget includes revenues of $470.4 million (a $23.4 million increase over 2024-25 compliance revenues), expenses of $470.0 million with a projected year-end surplus of $0.4 million. 

The balanced budget maintains all instructional services provided in 2024-25 and incorporates funding for new and ongoing priorities outlined in the 2025-26 Director’s Work Plan. 

Hobbs stated that this budget enables the UCDSB to maintain high-quality instruction for students, invest in facility improvements, and develop strategies to manage long-term financial risks. 

Trustees voted unanimously to approve the draft budget. It will now be sent to the Ministry of Education for final approval. 

Director’s Work Plan 2024-25 Final Report  

Director of Education Ron Ferguson presented the final update of the 2024-25 Director’s Work Plan (DWP) to the Board of Trustees. The DWP sets out five priority areas and specific goals that direct and define the efforts of senior staff to support the priorities identified by the Board of Trustees.  

Goals include:  

• Reading, Writing and Math: Ensure that students know how to read, write and perform math at grade level – all initiatives in this area have reached milestones. View the status of each initiative in the full presentation. 

• Student Culture: Enhance student mental and physical health, and sense of belonging – all initiatives in this area are either completed, have had milestones reached or are ongoing. View the status of each initiative in the full presentation. 

• Real-World Learning: Engage students, staff, and community partners in real-world learning and enhanced pathways – all initiatives in this area are either completed or are ongoing. View the status of each initiative in the full presentation. 

• Graduation Rate/Student Success: Improve student success to attain, and maintain, a 90% grad rate – all initiatives in this area are either completed, have reached milestones or ongoing. View the status of each initiative in the full presentation. 

• Staff Culture: Ensure that staff feel supported by the district in their work and have the resources they need to be successful. All initiatives in this area are either completed, are ongoing or have reached milestones. View the status of each initiative in the full presentation. 

For the 2025-26 school year, the DWP will continue to focus on the five key areas. Many priorities in each area will continue to be the same, with some additional priorities added, such as:  

• New funding to support the arts through investment in musical instruments and equipment; 

• Washroom pilot project to improve comfort, safety, and accessibility, including vape detectors and retrofits; 

• All-In Sports program; 

• Professional learning on Growing Success, Transferable Skills, AI, and Real-World Learning; 

• New planning resources for students and families to navigate high school pathways; and 

• Launch of an Attendance Support Program (ASP) for staff. 

The DWP outlines the actions associated with the priorities outlined in the 2025-29 Multi-Year Strategic Plan. Both plans will be added to the UCDSB website in the coming weeks. 

TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education Modernization Update 

Executive Superintendent Eric Hardie and Superintendent of Schools Lori Taylor provided trustees with an update on TR Leger’s ongoing modernization. 

Taylor explained that the shift to supporting students under 21 in their home schools with flexible, alternative programming and ministry supported tools has led to improved student success. This has resulted in a decrease in enrolment of students in this age category at TR Leger.  

However, adult enrolment is growing within TR Leger, with learners preferring flexible online learning options. Faster graduation is also being achieved through Prior Learning Assessment Recognition (PLAR) and tailored course options. 
 
With these trends in mind, for-credit in-person sites are being consolidated, which will result in a $220,000 savings.  

TR Leger will continue to offer not-for-credit adult programs such as ESL and Literacy & Basic Skills at 14 community sites. It is also expanding employment-linked learning through new initiatives like the custodial program and trades training at the Kemptville Campus. 

Next steps include continued modernization of programs, increased support for adult learners, and a review of continuing education offerings. 

Trustees Approve Cornwall Land Purchase for New High School 

Trustees have approved the purchase of three properties in Cornwall to support the construction of a new 1,400-student secondary school, which will consolidate and replace Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School (CCVS) and St. Lawrence Secondary School (SLSS). 

Two properties on Marleau Avenue will be funded through $11.9 million from the Ministry of Education.  

A third, smaller property on Nick Kaneb Drive will be purchased for $167,938 using proceeds from the sale of surplus school properties. Although no additional Ministry funding is required for this purchase, Ministry approval is still needed. A formal request to purchase the Nick Kaneb property has been submitted to the Ministry. 

Electronic Report Card Update 

Manager of Information Technology Services Jim Guerin brought an update to the board on the Parent Document Repository initiative, which in its first stage, is focused on electronic delivery of student report cards. 

As of the final reporting cycle of the 2024-25 school year, the electronic report card rollout has successfully met all goals and timelines outlined in the 2023-24 Director’s Work Plan. Over 44,000 report cards were distributed electronically through My Family Room this year, with an expected total of approximately 84,000 by year-end. 

Parent feedback indicates that digital access provides greater flexibility for reviewing and discussing report cards with their children. Guerin noted that continued success of the initiative will rely on clear communication, ongoing support, and consistent monitoring.