Committee of the Whole: May 20, 2025
The Committee of the Whole Meeting for the Ottawa-Carleton District School took place on May 20, 2025, with me as chair. Staff brought forward 3 reports with 1 recommendation for discussion however, during a lengthy private session of the Board of Trustees, the two reports for discussion, Report 25-030 on Student Learning Update - Preparation of Students for Future Success and Report 25-031 on the Math Achievement Action Plan were deferred to a later meeting.
Staff brought forward Report 25-028 on Governance Modernization for action. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board currently operates under a complex and fragmented governance framework, including numerous overlapping bylaws, policies, standing rules, and committees. This report seeks the approval of the Board of Trustees to review our current governance practices and report back on suggested changes. Overall, this project aims to:
Develop a governance philosophy and set of guiding principles.
Modernize bylaws to improve clarity and effectiveness.
Update governance policies in line with current best practices.
Review and streamline committee structures to ensure relevance and value
Upgrade communication and tracking tools to support effective governance management.
During the discussion, the recommendation was moved, but there was a variety of questions and discussion on the report. As per our bylaws, at 10:30 pm the Chair shall interrupt any item under discussion to call a vote on whether to continue the meeting. The meeting will adjourn unless two-thirds of those Board members present for the vote cast a vote in favour of continuing the meeting. I voted against going past 10:30 pm, the vote passed. We expect the Report 25-028 on Governance Modernization to come back for discussion at a later date.
Please note, that the opinions expressed here are entirely my own and do not reflect an official position of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board or the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board of Trustees. Please note answers from staff are paraphrased, the recording can be found here if you would like to watch the entire meeting. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me using my contact form here.
Key links
Video for the Committee of the Whole Meeting on May 20, 2025
Agenda for the Committee of the Whole Meeting on May 20, 2025
Report 25-028, Governance Modernization
Appendix A, OCDSB Governance Modernization
Report 25-030, Student Learning Update - Preparation of Students for Future Success
Appendix A, Ministry of Education Student Achievement Plan
Appendix B, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Priority Learning Plan for 2024 to 2025
Appendix C, Preparation of Students for Future Success
Appendix D, Pathways-Focused & Experiential Learning Opportunities at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
Report 25-031, Math Achievement Action Plan
Appendix A, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, Math Achievement Action Plan for 2024 to 2025
Appendix B, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, Numeracy Assessment Tool and Mindset Results
