By Walter Byj
March 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It didn’t take long for the Halton District School Board to decide how it was going to handle the proposed new curriculum on sex education. They unanimously approved the motion by trustee Gray (Halton Hills) that the board send correspondence to the ministry requesting both funding and appropriate training for elementary and secondary teachers in reference to the new Health and Physical Education curriculum.
The trustees acknowledged this could be a controversial bill and wanted assurance that the teachers in Halton have the resources and knowledge to teach the curriculum appropriately. Trustee Collard (Burlington) stressed that all teachers should be consistent in their training; this was echoed by the student trustee Sophie Schneider. There was no disapproval of the new curriculum by any of the trustees although they did acknowledge that it could be controversial. There are rumblings in the community – a lot of people are not comfortable with this change.
The board also approved the motion that the primary Core French program be extended with for September 2015 with a minimum of 12 new schools and no more than 15.
Although all trustees were impressed with the program to date, there was some question as to the continuation of the program to all schools in the board. Not so said trustee Harvey Hope (Oakville). This is not a pilot project, it is a go. This was reiterated by Associate Director of Education Miller. “Staff does not see this as a pilot program” he said. We are currently cautious only due to staffing issues.
If an additional 15 schools are added this year, more than half of the schools would have the program this September with all schools on board within two years. The board will be forwarded the list of new schools for their review by Friday of this week.
The board then faced the issue of filling two current vacancies. Superintendent of Education Yaw Obeng is leaving for a higher position in Burlington, Vermont while David Eaule, Director of Education, announced his retirement effective August of this year.
Although hiring committees will be formed for both positions, both trustee Danielli (Milton) and Collard (Burlington) wanted as many trustees as possible involved in the hiring of the new Director of Education. This is a very detailed and complicated procedure and any experience gained through this process would prove to be beneficial in future hiring’s. The initial step would be to hire a search firm and this should be done by April.
With the upcoming elections of two student trustees by April 30th of this year, the current student trustees, Schneider and Sahi, forwarded a motion that the voting procedure should change.
They didn’t want to see voting become a popularity contest. The board will work with the student trustees to draft a new procedure by the next meeting.
Beaudoin Public school is stuffed – no room left.
The Board is struggling with a situation where some schools are filled to capacity while others have room to spare. This is apparent at Charles R. Beaudoin public school; it is a triple track school – dual track English and French Immersion along with gifted self contained classes and is exceeding capacity.
Ryerson Public school has six empty classrooms
Ryerson has six classrooms available. Superintendent of Education Zonneveld proposed that self-contained gifted classes include grades 3 to 8 at Charles R. Beaudoin while Ryerson would include grades 1 to 2. The self-contained classes would continue to expand over the coming years to include grades one to four while Beaudoin would have classes from five to eight.
Trustees expressed concern about students having to transition schools after grades four. There are parents who will express that concern as well.
Beaudoin has had problems with the size of its student population for some time.
