MPPs are on a constituency week October 10 to 13 and will return to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on October 16, 2017.
2018-19 Education Funding Engagement Guide / Grants for Student Needs (GSN) Consultation
On October 10, the Ministry of Education released its 2018-19 Education Funding Engagement Guide. This year’s Guide focuses on:
- Learning Opportunities Grant (LOG)
- Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline (PARG)/Community Planning and Partnerships Guideline (CPPG)
- Early Years Capital
- Indigenous Education
- Accountability Measures and Technical Updates (New Teacher Induction Program, Board Leads, EPOs, Efficiencies and Reinvestments)
As always, OPSBA will be preparing a response by consulting with trustees at upcoming regional meetings, as well as input from senior staff, the Policy Development Work Team, Indigenous Trustees Council and funding-related advocacy letters from member boards. OPSBA`s Director of Finance will be surveying Senior Business Officials within our member boards for their input as well. A brief of our submission will be brought to the December 1-2 OPSBA Board of Directors meeting.
Local Government Week 2017
Local Government Week takes place next week – October 15 to 21. OPSBA has updated its resources for trustees to use in their meetings with Grade 5 Social Studies and Grade 10 Civics students. All trustees are encouraged to follow their board protocols in contacting local principals to arrange these classroom visits, which are designed to raise civic awareness and promote the role of trustees among Ontario students.
Final OPSBA resources, which can be adapted locally, were distributed to all members.
Governance-related issues – Sector Engagement Discussion Guide
On September 19, 2017, the Discussion Guide was shared with all trustees.
The areas of discussion include:
- Integrity Commissioner and Code of Conduct
- Trustee Honoraria
- Electronic Participation in Board and Committee meetings
- Student Trustee terms of office and election process
- Broadening the Director of Education qualification
Revised – PPM 138 Daily Physical Activity (DPA) in Elementary Schools, Grades 1-8
The Ministry of Education has revised PPM 138 to allow more flexibility in delivering DPA throughout the instructional day. The main change is removing the requirement of 20 minutes of continuous activity and allowing for smaller allocations of activity throughout the day. This was discussed last year by the Healthy School Working Table (OPSBA is a member) where there was support to allow local classroom flexibility with a recommendation to encourage more student involvement in activity choices.
October 5 Memo from ADM Bruce Rodrigues
Safe Drinking Water – Ontario Regulation 243/07 (Schools, Private Schools and Child Care Centres)
Letters have been sent to both Chairs and Directors of Education with information regarding the recent amendments made by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change to Ontario Regulation 243/07 (Schools, Private Schools and Child Care Centres) for lead sampling, corrective action and flushing requirements. A fact sheet was also created for parents.
October 2 Ministry Memo re Safe Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Centres
October 2 Ministry Letter to Chairs re Notification Process for Water Sampling Results
FactSheet for Parents re Safe Drinking Water inChild Care Centres and Schools
