Newsletter: March 2024
Hello!
I hope this message finds you well and you are enjoying March Break. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some consultation opportunities, some information on the upcoming budget, and meetings for the Board of Trustees in March and April:
It is budget season again for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. The budget for the upcoming fiscal year must be approved by the Board before the end of June 2024.
In February, staff brought forward the first step of the budget process for discussion, the academic staffing report and addendum which represents over 60% of the total operating budget. The plan includes school-based and centrally assigned positions. The staffing timelines are established in collective agreements and are based on timelines necessary to plan timetables and assign teachers for the upcoming school year.
The total proposed budget for academic staffing is $621 million which provides for 5,025.66 full-time equivalent (FTE) teacher positions. We expect the academic staffing plan to come back to the board of Trustees in March for approval.
For more information on the budget process, you can check out my update here. Want to have your say about the academic staffing plan or any part of the budget? Check out the Engage OCDSB page here or contact me here.
The Board of Trustees approved the advocacy briefs on Capital Funding, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Protecting Schools from Cyberthreats, Replacement Worker Costs, Special Education, and Transportation. These advocacy briefs outline the issues faced by the District, funding gaps that currently exist and recommendations to address the issues. These briefs will be available on the District’s website and are expected to be shared widely in the community.
If you are looking for upcoming engagement opportunities in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, staff have launched a new engagement platform: https://engage.ocdsb.ca/ to solicit feedback and hear from you!
Want to hear what was discussed at previous board meetings? Make sure to check out the updates on my website for my personal summary of the meetings. You can also view any of the previous Committee of the Whole and Board Meetings on the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board YouTube channel here.
Want to know how I voted during board and committee meetings? Make sure to check out my voting record.
Make sure to check out the Board Calendar to see the meetings for Trustees in February. Please note, the meetings are subject to change:
Tuesday, March 19: Committee of the Whole, Budget
Thursday, March 21: Indigenous Education Council
Monday, March 25: Alternative Schools Advisory Committee
Monday, March 25: Arts Advisory Committee
Tuesday, March 26: Board Meeting
Thursday, March 28: Advisory Committee on Equity
Tuesday, April 2: Committee of the Whole
Wednesday, April 3: Special Education Advisory Committee
Thursday, April 4: Ad Hoc Policy Review Committee
Thursday, April 11: Advocacy Strategy Committee
Monday, April 15: Alternative Schools Advisory Committee
Tuesday, April 16: Committee of the Whole
Wednesday, April 17: Parent Involvement Committee
Thursday, April 18: Indigenous Education Council
Thursday, April 25: Board Meeting
If you have any additional information you would like me to share in my newsletter, let me know via email or contact form.
Cathryne Milburn
Trustee for Zone 12 (Orléans West-Innes and Beacon-Hill Cyrville)
Vice Chair for the Board of Trustees
Please note that this is not an official newsletter of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. This is a newsletter by Cathryne Milburn and opinions expressed here are entirely her own. They do not reflect an official position of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board or the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board of Trustees.
