Meetings
Committee of the Whole Board Meeting
Monday, March 7, 2022 – Meeting Agenda Package
Special Public Board Meeting
Monday, March 21, 2022 — Meeting Agenda Package
Public Board Meeting
Monday, March 28, 2022 — Meeting Agenda Package
Highlights
St. Louis Adult Learning Update
St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education Centres continues to embody the Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s (WCDSB) vision as ‘Heart of the Community’ by continuing to be a welcoming place of hope for a large and widely diverse range of children, youth and adult learners, as they strive to achieve their goals.
Highlights of 2020-21 – presented to the Bord of Trustees on March 7, 2022 — demonstrate the 20/21 school year was a time of continued growth and focus for St. Louis. This growth is evidenced by success in several key areas of the WCDSB’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan, specifically:
- Nurturing our Catholic Community: Promote a culture of belonging and respect, that supports success for all.
- Student Engagement, Achievement & Innovation: Nurture a culture of Innovation; Foster maximum opportunity for success for all
- Building Capacity to Lead, Learn & Live Authentically: Investment in global competency development and leading technology; Nurture the well-being of all students and staff
Intentional, focused efforts were keenly directed to professional development, partnership activities and facility upgrades.
As St. Louis ‘gathered to become’ in ways hard to have imagined just a year earlier, St. Louis is poised to build a better future for its students.
The report is available beginning on page 7 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package
Assessment & Evaluation Practices at the WCDSB
Assessment and evaluation in the context of the ongoing pandemic and varying learning scenarios continues to be a topic of importance for educators, students, and families alike.
There continues to be concern regarding potential learning loss. Educators are using rich and authentic tasks, respecting the uniqueness and diversity of the individual student, to re-engage students in deeper learning, while also supporting students in meeting learning expectations through a variety of appropriately challenging assessment opportunities.
Additionally, this year has also brought a greater focus on differentiated assessment in de-streamed Grade 9 Math classes. This emphasis on differentiation will be expanded in the coming school year, as all Grade 9 courses will be de-streamed.
All assessment and evaluation should lead to hope, as educators encourage a growth mindset in all students. The report presented to the Board of Trustees on March 7, 2022, captures some of the most significant developments related to assessment and evaluation, responsive strategies implemented to support educators and students, and next steps to be taken during the remainder of the school year and into 2022-23.
Key sections of the report focus on the following:
- Literacy Highlights Related to Assessment and Evaluation
- Ongoing Observations to Support Early Literacy Instruction
- Reading Assessments in The Virtual Classroom
- Mathematics: Elementary Highlights Related to Assessment and Evaluation
- Mathematics Secondary Highlights Related to Assessment and Evaluation
- Hybrid Secondary and Fully Remote (St. Isidore)
- Evaluation and Reporting
The report is available beginning on page 7 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package
Update on Health & Safety Measures in Schools
On Wednesday March 9, 2022 the Ministry of Education provided all school boards with an update on the lifting of health and safety measures in schools. We continue to receive direction through the Ministry of Education, as well as our local Public Health department. We are continuing meetings with Region of Waterloo Public Health and the Waterloo Region District School Board to attain a measure of understanding and alignment regarding the most prudent courses of action.
On Wednesday March 16, 2022, Waterloo Region Council – supported by a recommendation from Public Health, followed the province in revoking the mask mandate in Waterloo Region.
The WCDSB consulted with Public Health proactively and had an indication that they would support the provincial direction.
All staff and students who wish to wear masks still have that option available to them. In the Director’s letter to parents and the system, this was highly encouraged…as was tolerance for those who may have differing views or practices in relation to masking.
Legal counsel was also sought, and the Board was provided with an opinion that articulated that “boards are not empowered to prescribe public health and safety policies, such as imposing a masking or vaccine disclosure requirement in response to a pandemic.” Further it articulated that in the opinion of legal counsel – “boards of trustees do not have authority to impose restrictions that the Ministry has directed must be revoked. Further, any previous resolutions relating to the imposition of local measures which were contingent on but exceeded the Ministry’s minimum standards must be reconsidered and revoked.”
The report is available beginning on page 3 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package
Student Success Update/Plan
While the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced challenges to overall student success, achievement, and wellbeing, it has also presented opportunities for renewal and reengagement in our schools.
The pandemic has stimulated innovative and creative ways of teaching and learning. We have been able to adapt, pivot and continue to move our student success and experiential learning initiatives forward despite the following challenges:
- Reduced overall co-op placements due to pandemic protocols
- Significant program modifications or cancellations due to COVID constraints
- Technology supply/support issues
- Online fatigue
- Ongoing challenges as we adapt to a new student information system (SIS) that has on occasion temporarily reduced our ability to retrieve data, therefore inhibiting responsive, evidence-based decision making
- Temporary reassignment of student success consultants, teachers and officers due to teacher shortage
On March 28, 2022, the Board of Trustees received a comprehensive staff report detailing activities, successes and challenges in the following key areas:
- Student Success Consultants – Grades 7 to 12
- Program & Pathways
- Graduation Rates
- Student Reengagement Strategy
The Program & Pathways section provides a large amount of information regarding the following programs:
- Specialist High Skills Major Program (SHSM)
- School College Work Initiative (SCWI) and Dual Credits
- Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)
- Co-operative Education
- Active Living and Community Living Co-operative Education
The report is available beginning on page 19 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package
2022 Catholic Trustee Determination and Distribution
By March 31, 2022, school boards are required to complete a Trustee Determination and Distribution Report. This report will be used by local municipalities to fulfil their administrative duties as relates to the 2022 municipal elections. The report also provides information to candidates who are interested in running for the position of school board trustee on the number of positions to be elected in their area.
On March 28, 2022, the Board of Trustees approved a staff recommendation to maintain the number of Trustees at nine, distributed as follows:
Kitchener / Wilmot – 4 Trustees
Cambridge / North Dumfries – 3 Trustees
Waterloo / Woolwich / Wellesley – 2 Trustees
The next Ontario municipal and school board elections are October 24, 2022. If you are a resident, owner or tenant of property in Ontario, a Canadian citizen and 18 years of age or older election day, you can vote.
We all play a role in ensuring a fair electoral system, and it is the responsibility of every elector to make sure their information is up-to-date and accurately reflected for electoral purposes. By logging into voterlookup.ca, eligible electors can:
- confirm or update their electoral information;
- add an elector name to an address; and,
- change school support for the purpose of voting in a school board election.
When you designate yourself as an English Separate school supporter, you help promote a strong political voice through your elected representative (Trustee) in ensuring your rights to a Catholic education for your children. In Municipal School Board elections, only Roman Catholic school supporters may vote for Catholic School Trustees.
Additionally, By October 1, 2022, the Board is required to appoint members to its Election Expense Audit Committee for the next 4-year term. The Committee only sits if there is a challenge to a future Trustee’s election campaign expenses.
The Municipal Elections Act requires that members cannot be:
- An employee of the Board
- A Trustee of the Board
- A candidate in the upcoming election
An Election Expense Audit Committee can be shared between municipalities and or school boards. The WCDSB currently shares a committee with the Waterloo Region District School Board. Membership consists of four community members who currently sit on each board’s Audit Committee. This arrangement will continue.
The report is available beginning on page 50 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package
Student Trustees Update
Student Trustees Sarah Simoes and Sarah Wilson presented their monthly update – covering activities in WCDSB’s secondary schools. It is available beginning on page 56 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package
Board Chair’s Update
Each month, the Chair of the Board reports on the activities of the Board of Trustees. Chair Jeanne Gravelle’s report for March 2022 is available on page 59 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package
Upcoming Board Meetings
Committee of the Whole Board Meeting
Monday, April 4, 2022
Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre
Regular Public Board Meeting
Monday, April 25, 2022
Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre
The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and four adult education facilities, serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary, and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 186-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.
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