TRUSTEE REPORT, OCDSB

BY LYNN GRAHAM, TRUSTEE, ZONE 9 (CAPITAL AND BRUYERE-STRATHCONA WARDS) OTTAWA-CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

3rd Annual School Councils' Conference

ongratulations to the many parents who organised this event. There were several workshops on school council operations and the special theme of the day was Safe Schools. The Minister of Education, Janet Ecker, delivered the opening address. There was no mention of new cuts to public education funding, although recent media reports suggest this might be the case. As it is, the OCDSB faces a 15% decline in revenues over five years. Further reductions would be totally unacceptable.

STANDARDISED TESTING

In Ontario, the Education, Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), an arms length government agency, is responsible for province-wide testing. In 1999, Grades 3 and 6 students were tested in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.

In Grade 3 Reading, 50% of OCDSB students who participated scored at or above the provincial standard. The corresponding figure for both Writing and Mathematics was 57%. These Reading and Writing scores exceeded the provincial average while Mathematics was three percentage points below the provincial average.

In Grade 6 Reading, 56% ofOCDSB students scored at or above the provincial standard. The corresponding figure for Writing was 56% and for Mathematics 51%. In all three subjects, OCDSB scores exceeded the provincial average.

At each school, teachers and parents have been given individual student results. It is expected school results will be made public in January 2000, when school profiles for each school in the board are made available. According to the province, the tests are being used to determine how well students are mastering new curriculum materials. Results should lead to school and board improvement plans. There are public concerns about the testing. Are the tests directly related to curriculum? Will the scores be used to compare schools with very different student populations and programs? Is the testing a good use of time and resources?

BOUNDARY/AREA REVIEW/ SCHOOL CLOSURE/STUDY

By December 21, Trustees are to decide on elementary school closures in Quadrant C, the area inside the Greenbelt north of the Queensway/Hwy. 17 and east of the Rideau River. Various options will be debated at a series of public meetings in December as the Quadrant C School Study Committee presents its response to the staff recommendationto close Carson Grove, Lamira Dow Billings, Le Phare and Overbrook schools. I will continue to advocate for a school utilization rate below 100%, in spite of the lack of movement on the part of the province with regard to this matter.

A board policy on the Decommissioning and Disposal of Surplus Board Property has been approved at Committee level and is now before the board. This policy and its accompanying procedure are public documents.

MUNICIPAL RESTRUCTURING

The OCDSB made a presentation to Mr. Shortliffe. In the brief, trustees did not recommend a specific governance model but pointed out that any changes in municipal boundaries could have serious ramifications for school board governance. If the new model does not include the rural townships of Goulbourn, Osgoode, Rideau and West Carleton, the definition of school board area of jurisdiction will have to change.

If new wards or boroughs are created, trustee electoral zones will have to be redefined. To achieve fairness in numbers of English publicelectors, trustee electoral zones should not have to mirror municipal jurisdictions. The brief requested decisions be made in a timely manner, in preparation for trustee elections in November 2000.

HOLIDAYS

Schools will close from Wednesday, December 22 until Tuesday, January 4, inclusive. Classes resume on Wednesday, January 5, 2000. I wish all residents of Old Ottawa South happiness in the holiday season and throughout the year 2000.

For information on the OCDSB, including subjects mentioned in this column, check our web site at www.ocdsb.edu.on.ca or call the automated information line at 596-8222 or Board Services at 596-8255. The EQAO web site is www.EQAO.com.

Contact me at any time.

Lynn Graham

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

133 Greenbank Road

Nepean, Ontario, K2H 6L3

Tel: 730-3366 Fax: 730-3589

E-mail: lynn_graham@ocdsb.edu.on.ca