Full details on presentations, reports, and discussions can be found in the agenda or reviewed in the recorded broadcast.
December 12, 2025 (Brockville, ON) - Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.
Director Presents 2024-25 Annual Report
Director of Education Ron Ferguson presented his 2024-25 Annual Report to the Board of Trustees during the December 10 board meeting.
This report, submitted annually to the Ministry of Education, outlines our strategic plans the 2024-2025 school year and the progress that was made toward our goals. In each section we highlight the success of our students and staff, using their stories to validate and personify the progression of our district’s goals.
Specific areas of focus are:
Reading, Writing and Math: The UCDSB’s student achievement goal is for 90 per cent of students to read, write and perform math at grade level. Ferguson presented the most recent EQAO results, indicating that the UCDSB is the only board in the province to go up in all categories two years in a row. He contributed it to the work of our dedicated teachers and those supporting them.
He also highlighted various initiatives aimed at fostering a love of reading, including the investment of $1.5 million in the spring to expand classroom libraries and school book collections; and the increased investment in UFLI resources, an evidence-based structured literacy tool that’s being used in Kindergarten to Grade 3 classrooms.
Graduation Rate and Student Success: The UCDSB has the goal of attaining and maintaining a 90 per cent graduation rate. Ferguson reported that based on internal data, the UCDSB has surpassed this goal, seeing graduation rates increase for the fourth consecutive year.
He emphasized the modernization efforts at the TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education, the Student Success Team (SST) Lift initiative that’s offering students an alternative program format that supports their individual needs at their home school, and the continued success and popularity of the board’s Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs.
Student Culture: Enhancing student mental and physical health and sense of belonging, to further student success is another priority area for the UCDSB. Ferguson reported that the All-In Sports initiative continues to enhance quality health and physical education, and access to sporting programs for all students, with the goal to increase student participation in sports and activities. Ferguson also explained that the 2024-25 school year investment of $500,000 to bolster music education across the district is giving more students access to quality programs and enriched musical experiences.
The full report can be viewed here through an interactive flipbook.
Math Action Plan Endorsed by Trustees
Shelley Riddell, UCDSB Executive Superintendent and Amanda Nieman, Principal of Teaching and Learning presented to the board of trustees an update on EQAO and the Math Achievement Action Plan for 2025-26.
Nieman began the presentation by reporting that recently released EQAO scores show that for the second year in a row, the UCDSB has seen an increase in EQAO scores in reading, writing and math across all grades. Although increases were seen, Nieman highlighted that Math needs to continue to be an area of focus.
The Math Achievement Action Plan was presented in response to the Ministry of Education’s request that all system math teams submit an “endorsement” from their respective Board of Trustees.
Nieman described various aspects of the plan, including a robust professional learning plan for staff, new math fluency resources, EQAO practice opportunities in all schools, the expansion of the board-wide EQAO game show and additional math challenges to further engage classes, and specific tools focused on students in Grades 7-9.
Trustees passed a motion endorsing the UCDSB Math Action Achievement Plan as presented. The plan will now be submitted to the Ministry of Education.