THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT 68

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

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

BOARD ROOM

395 Wakesiah Avenue

Nanaimo, BC V9R 3K6

Trustees

• C. McKay, Chair
• J. Stanley, Vice-Chair
• T. Brzovic
• S. Higginson
• G. Keller
• B. Robinson
• E. Wilkinson

Absent

• L.M. Barron
• C. O'Neill

Staff

• S. Saywell, Superintendent/CEO
• M. Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer
• T. Davie, Deputy Superintendent
• D. Burgos, Ex. Dir. of Communications
• K. Matthews, Manager Admin. Services

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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 6:03 pm.

2.

TRANSFER OF ITEMS TO OPEN MEETING AGENDA

There were none.

3.

ADDITIONS

There were no additions. 

4.

DELETIONS

There were no deletions. 

5.

CHANGE IN ORDER

There was no change in order. 

6.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

• R21/09/29-01

  That the Agenda be approved.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

7.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

• R21/09/29-02
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Wilkinson

  That the minutes from the Regular Board meeting held on June 23, 2021 and the Special Board meeting held on September 1, 2021, be adopted.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

8.

SECTION 72(3) REPORT

8.1

Section 72(3) Report 

• R21/09/29-03
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Robinson
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Keller

  That the Section 72(3) Report from the Closed Board meeting on June 23, 2021 and September 1, 2021 be received.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

9.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS

Education Committee Meeting: October 6 

Business Committee Meeting: October 13

Board of Education Meeting: October 27

Statutory Holiday: October 11 (Thanksgiving)

Non-Instructional Days: October 22 & 25

Chair McKay announced the resignation of Trustee Lisa Marie Barron, effective September 27, 2021. Lisa Marie Barron was the successful candidate for the position of MP, in her riding, during the recent Federal Election. 

10.

PRESENTATIONS

There were none.

11.

NEW BUSINESS

11.1

Secretary-Treasurer Mark Walsh and KPMG

Re: Audited Financial Statements 

L. Lee from KPMG, District Auditors, discussed the District's audited financial statements.

• R21/09/29-04
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Stanley
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Wilkinson

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) receive and approve the 2020-2021 Audited Financial Statements.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

12.

CORRESPONDENCE

12.1

Ombudsperson, Jay Chalke

Re: Quarterly Reports: April 1 - June 30, 2021

• R21/09/29-05
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Higginson
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Stanley

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) refer the correspondence from the Ombudsperson to be received and filed. 

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

12.2

Honourable Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care

Re: Childcare BC New Spaces Fund

• R21/09/29-06
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Robinson
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Stanley

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) refer the correspondence from the Hon. K. Chen to be received and filed. 

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

12.3

J. Swanson; M Webster; C. Hurd; A. Magill; Cedar Community Secondary School PAC; M.K. Cross; NDTA

Re: Board Correspondence

• R21/09/29-07
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Robinson
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Higginson

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) refer the above correspondence to the Board Chair for response. 

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

12.4

H. Kwaksistala

Re: Proof the Vaccine is not Working

• R21/09/29-08
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Robinson
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Stanley

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) refer the correspondence from H. Kwaksistala be received and filed. 

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

12.5

B. Churcher

Re: Notice of Liability 

• R21/09/29-09
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Stanley
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Wilkinson

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) refer the correspondence from B. Churcher to the Board Chair for response. 

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

13.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

13.1

Business Committee

13.1.1

Exempt Compensation

• R21/09/29-10
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Robinson

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) receive the Executive Compensation Report as information and direct the Board Chair to sign an Attestation letter (attached as Appendix C) acknowledging compensation paid to executive staff during the 2020/2021 fiscal year.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

13.1.2

Classroom Resources

• R21/09/29-11
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) allocate $2,000 to each elementary school for classroom resources and that any of these funds unspent as at June 30, 2022 be restricted and returned to the school for future resource allocations.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

13.1.3

Minor Capital

• R21/09/29-12
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Wilkinson

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith), in accordance with provisions under section 142(4) of the School Act, approve the proposed Minor Capital plan for 2022/2023, as provided, to be submitted to the Ministry of Education.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
• R21/09/29-13
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Stanley

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) write a letter to the Minister of Education requesting support for the replacement of NDSS and support for appropriate seismic, environmental, ventilation and condition upgrades, including potential replacement for Ladysmith Intermediate School.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

13.2

Education Committee

• R21/09/29-14
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Brzovic
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Robinson

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) approve the Policy Committee Work Plan, as amended to include Child Care Policy, for 2021-22 as attached.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

14.

SENIOR STAFF REPORTS

14.1

Secretary-Treasurer Mark Walsh

Re: 2020/2021 Surplus

Secretary-Treasurer Mark Walsh presented staff recommendations for the 2020-2021 Surplus.

• R21/09/29-
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Keller
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Stanley

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) approve the recommendations contained in the attached Action Sheet to allocate the unrestricted surplus to support the Board’s goals.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

14.2

Secretary-Treasurer Mark Walsh

Re: South Wellington Public Consultation Report

Trustees Stanley and Keller declared a conflict of interest and did not participate in the discussion or vote. Secretary-Treasurer Mark Walsh outlined the consultation process required by the School Act with respect to entering into a long-term Lease of the former South Wellington Elementary school. 

• R21/09/29-16
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Higginson
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Brzovic

  That the Board of Education of School District No. 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) apply to the Minister of Education for Ministerial Approval, pursuant to Section 5 of the Disposal of Land or Improvements Order, for a long-term lease of the former South Wellington Elementary School to the Regional District of Nanaimo.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

15.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

There was none. 

16.

FOR INFORMATION

16.1

Board Motions Report

The Board Motions Report was received as information. 

16.2

Trustee Committee Reports

Trustee Committee Reports were received as information.

16.3

Vandalism Report

The Vandalism Report was received as information. 

17.

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.

 

18.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 7:11 pm.

• R21/09/29-
  IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Robinson
  IT WAS SECONDED BY Trustee Higginson

  That the meeting be adjourned.

  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY