ETSB excited for the new school year
With the first day of school fast approaching, the Eastern Townships School Board Council of Commissioners got straight to business during the first meeting since breaking for the summer.
There were several positive comments from around the board table about how schools and centres are looking these days, following substantial renovation projects undertaken recently.
In new business, the board named two administrative appointments that were filled during the summer.
Sarah Macneil was appointed to the position of principal at Sutton Elementary School.
Jennifer Palik was named principal at Asbestos-danville-shipton Elementary School.
According to Interim Director General Michel Soucy, there is still one administrative vacancy to fill; that of vice principal of Sherbrooke Elementary.
The commissioners then chose the advisory committees on which they would like to sit, and then held elections to nominate chairs for each.
The ETSB advisory committees include Human Resources, Transportation, Communications, Educational Services, Audit, Governance and Ethics and Special Education.
The Special Education Advisory Committee was not part of the election process because its composition is exclusive to parents who have children with special needs enrolled in the ETSB and a cross section of support staff and professionals. SEAC’S link to the council is through parent commissioner Cindy Véronneau, who sits on the committee.
The first election was to select the members of the Transportation Advisory Committee. Of all the committees,
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the composition of Transportation has special legal requirements, with a maximum of two commissioners.
Parent commissioners Hélène Turgeon and Marc Mercure were elected.
Next, the commissioners elected chairs for the different committees.
Richard Gagnon was elected to chair Governance and Ethics.
Joy Humenuik was elected chair of Audit.
Mary Kirby will chair the Education Advisory Committee.
Dan Zigby was elected as chair for Communications.
Claire Beaubien was elected chair of Human Resources.
Hélène Turgeon will be chair of Transportation.
Next, the board nominated the members of the Appeals Committee. Not a standard advisory committee, Appeals meets only to deal with issues where the decision of an administrator has been called into question. An issue normally arrives at Appeals after the Student Ombudsman has intervened. The committee then meets to review the decision, and offer recommendations to the board.
Appeals will include three commissioners (Jonathan Murray, Gary Holliday and Gordon Barnett), as well as parent commissioner Marc Mercure.
Following the election process, the board passed resolutions to change signing officers to reflect new administrative appointments. A number of renovations were also tabled, including roof repairs at St. Francis and Waterloo Elementary, as well as one other major project-the long-awaited new school in Drummondville. The budget for the new project will be just over $13 million.
According to board chairman Mike Murray, QESBA held several meetings through the summer and is bracing for legislation expected in the next two months regarding education reform and abolishing elected school commissioners.
The overall vibe among the board members was one of excitement for the coming school year. They welcomed returning staff and students, and thanked personnel for creating a welcoming learning environment in schools and centres.