Committee of the Whole: May 7, 2024
The Committee of the Whole meeting for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board took place on May 7, 2024, with me as chair. Staff brought forward four reports with two recommendations.
I voted in favour of the recommendations in Report 24-067 on the School Naming-New Stittsville High School. The naming of the new secondary school is connected to the Strategic Plan in the area of learning, the new secondary school will assist in improved program accessibility for students who reside in the school’s catchment area. The name recommended in the report is Maplewood Secondary School. This represents the flora and fauna of the local area and is a connection to the changing nature and natural beauty of Canada’s landscapes. The recommendations were carried.
I voted in favour of the recommendations in Report 24-060 on the Naming of the New Elementary School in Findlay Creek. The naming of the new secondary school is connected to the Strategic Plan in the area of learning, the new secondary school will assist in improved program accessibility for students who reside in the school’s catchment area. The name recommended in the report is Mino Miikan Elementary School. Mino Miikan translates to "the good path" in the Algonquin language. The committee saw it as a representation of a positive beginning for students, opening many doors for students, a journey towards learning, growth, and community contribution. The recommendations were carried.
Staff brought forward Report 24-059 on Student Learning Update for Student Engagement and Well-Being for discussion. This report provides the third update on student learning, focused on attendance, suspensions, and perceptual data, as aligned with the direction provided by the Ministry of Education to monitor student engagement and well-being. This report focuses on three main metrics about student engagement and well-being, student attendance, suspension, and an awareness of mental health supports. Looking at the suspension data, 41% of students in kindergarten to grade 8 were absent for 10% or more of instructional days. and 49% of students in grades 9 to 12 were absent for 10% or more of instructional days. In the disaggregation of data, it was revealed disproportionalities in attendance, suspensions, and perceptual data for students who identify as transgender, non-binary, gender-diverse, and Indigenous students. These trends continue year-over-year. During the discussion, I asked the following questions (timestamp ##:##:##):
Question: If this report comes back next year, I am having a hard time evaluating why we may see returning groups because these next steps are not quantified. For example, under Mental Health and Well-Being, implementing the grade 7 and 8 Mental Health Curriculum, when are we planning on implementing this? The second example I want to use is “coaching and training staff on trauma-informed practices,” how many staff are we expecting to train and what are the outcomes that we are expecting to see.
Answer: The Grade 7 to 8 Mental Health Curriculum was implemented this year. We were fortunate that we were able to reach all Grade 7 and Grade 8 teachers. For the trauma-informed training, we have provided this training during Professional Development Days.
Embedded in the question, what is the difference between an initiative that happens regularly and actions that build capacity over time? How do we identify those over time? For example, the Rainbow Youth Forum, we have this event every year, but does it make a difference? The event has grown to be a student-led event which makes a real difference.
Comments: Building on the example staff provided, if we were to take the Rainbow Youth Forum away for whatever reason, we would see an increase in absences for the groups these events serve. What I am looking for in the next steps, is a tieback to these implementation days. When we implemented these initiatives, did we see an increase in positive attendance through these groups?
Staff brought forward Report 24-066 on the Employee Wellness Strategy for discussion. This report is aligned with the District’s commitment to employee well-being and ensures that our employees remain safe and well while working in our schools and offices. The wellness of employees can have a direct impact on student well-being and achievement within the District. This plan is the foundation for Employee Wellness, and the primary focus of the District for the next few years will be to assess, evaluate, and continuously improve our current core functions of occupational health, safety, and disability management.
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 on May 7, 2024
Agenda for the Committee of the Whole on May 7, 2024
Report 24-067, School Naming-New Stittsville High School
Report 24-060, School Naming-New Findlay Creek School
Report 24-059, Student Learning Update: Student Engagement and Well-Being
Report 24-066, Employee Wellness Strategy
