THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT 68

MINUTES OF THE BUSINESS COMMITTEE MEETING

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

6:00 P.m. - 9:00 P.m.

ONLINE MICROSOFT TEAMS MEETING

Trustees

• L. Lee, Chair
• M. Robinson, Vice Chair
• T. Brzovic
• N. Bailey
• T. Harris
• G. Keller
• C. Morvay
• L. Pellegrin
• T. Rokeby
• R. Gray, Superintendent/CEO

Staff

• M. Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer
• K. Matthews, Manager Admin. Services
• G. Robinson, Ex. Dir. Communications

Representatives

• CUPE Representative: Jeff Virtanen
  DPAC Representative: Angie Haslam
  NDTA Representative: Joanna Cornthwaite

  NSAA Representative: Lisa Frey

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

The Chair will call the meeting to order. With great respect and humility, we acknowledge and honour the lands of the Snuneymuxw people. The Snuneymuxw people maintain their profound, unique and spiritual connection to the land through ageless traditions, teachings, stewardship and expressions of reciprocity.

The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:01 pm.

2.

ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA

There were no additions. 

3.

DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA

There were no deletions. 

4.

CHANGE IN ORDER

There was no change in order. 

5.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

• B24/12/11-01
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Morvay

  That the Agenda be approved.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

6.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

• B24/12/11-02
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Morvay
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Harris

  That the minutes of the Business Committee meeting held on November 13, 2024, be approved.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

7.

PRESENTATIONS

8.

SENIOR STAFF REPORTS

8.1

Mark Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer

Re: Internal Audit Report

Mark Walsh presented an Information Sheet that describes the results of the district’s internal audit function. The Information Sheet is attached to the Agenda.

8.2

Mark Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer

Re: Building Envelope 

Mark Walsh presented information on several building envelope related issues and informed the committee of past and current directions with respect to planning and repair.  An information sheet is attached to the agenda.  

8.3

Mark Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer

Re: SOFI Report

Mark Walsh presented the 2023/24 SOFI Report.  In accordance with the Financial Information Act (the “Act”), each school district is required to prepare a Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) for each fiscal year within six months of the end of the fiscal year.  An action sheet is attached to the Agenda.

• B24/12/11-03
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Lee

  The Business Committee recommends that the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) approve the School District Statement of Financial Information (SOFI Report), as presented, for the year ending June 30, 2024.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

8.4

Mark Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer

Re: Committee Structures

Mark Walsh presented a proposal to change the structure of the Board’s meeting structure.  An action sheet outlining the proposed temporary changes, rationale and the process to institute the changes is attached to the agenda.

• B24/12/11-04
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Bailey

  The Business Committee recommends that the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) approve the temporary suspension of the Business Committee and Education Committee to be replaced with a single once a month public Committee of the Whole entitled “Strategic Directions Committee” and a monthly Board working session entitled “Professional Learning Working Group” effective January 2025 and that the Board review the temporary structure in May 2025.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

8.5

Mark Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer

Re: Hammond Bay School - Multi-Purpose Space Facility Use Agreement

Mark Walsh presented a draft Facility Use Agreement with the City of Nanaimo for the use of the Hammond Bay School Multi-Purpose Space.  An action sheet, together with the agreement, is attached to the agenda. 

• B24/12/11-05
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Pellegrin
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Harris

  The Business Committee recommends that the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) approve the joint agreement with the City of Nanaimo to use the Multi-Purpose Space and washrooms at Hammond Bay Elementary on a non-exclusive basis for community purposes, and that the Secretary-Treasurer is authorized to execute the documents including such terms as the Secretary-Treasurer may consider advisable.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

8.6

Mark Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer

Re: Late French Immersion Program

Mark Walsh presented a recommendation to phase out the District's late-French Immersion program.  An action sheet is attached to the agenda.  

• B24/12/11-06
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Lee

  The Business Committee recommends that the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) approve the recommendation of staff to discontinue intake for Late-French Immersion in the District for grade 6 for the 2025-26 school year and that late French Immersion will be discontinued for the 2026-27 school year.

  OPPOSED: Trustee Brzovic, Harris, Morvay

  CARRIED

9.

CORRESPONDENCE REFERRED FROM THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING

There was none. 

10.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

There was no unfinished business.

11.

NEW BUSINESS

There was no new business. 

12.

FOR INFORMATION 

13.

QUESTION PERIOD

Question Period is intended to enable the public to obtain clarifying information regarding a current agenda item.

Individuals wishing to ask questions of the Board upon completion of Committee and Board sessions shall do so in writing on the form provided which includes their name, street address and email address.  The individual will be asked to verify his/her self and be afforded the opportunity to read out their own question.  Each individual shall be limited to one follow-up question upon receiving a response. Forms are available in the information rack near the entrance of the Board Room.

If the meeting is being held online, individuals wishing to ask questions of the Board shall type their question in the Q&A compose box on the right side of the screen and then select send. Your question will be read by the Board or Committee Chair.

Questions and responses will be included in the video of the meeting and the meeting minutes and will be part of the public record.

There were no questions. 

14.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 8:01 pm.

• B24/12/11-07
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Lee
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Harris

  That the meeting be adjourned.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY