School board gets clean audit report, but how’s the air?
The only questions asked during Tuesday evening’s Eastern Townships School Board (ETSB) meeting were by Appalachian Teachers’ Association President Megan Seline, inquiring about ventilation in schools.
The board replied that natural ventilation is available in most classrooms, and the ETSB is working closely with schools and other boards to see what types of options are on the market to acquire and have available on a case-by-case basis.
The board also pointed out that it is planning a major overhaul of the ventilation systems in all ETSB schools and centres within the next four to five years, which will include improved heating and cooling systems.
Seline pushed for details about the directives regarding the natural ventilation of buildings.
According to the board, protocols were sent out to all schools. Opening a window in a classroom 20 centimetres for three minutes is sufficient to change the air in the room, the board explained, and that exercise can be repeated throughout the day as many times as possible.
When asked if the education ministry provided extra funds to the ETSB to help with buying portable units, the board replied that the budget allotted was mainly to address issues with a building’s mechanical ventilation system, but the board would be using some of the funds to acquire any equipment needed.
In September the provincial government made $20 million available to address ventilation issues in schools. Just over $100,000 was provided to the ETSB.
Seline’s concerns about ventilation were echoed by recent news reports from several media outlets about informal air testing done in 25 Montreal schools, organized by a group called COVID-STOP. According to the results, 75 per cent of the classrooms recorded CO2 levels above acceptable norms.
Tuesday evening was the ETSB’S first meeting under a new mandate. They started off with a clean audit report and no reserves.
During a special meeting earlier in the month, the board held internal elections for the position of vicechairperson as well as the chairs of the various committees. Parent Commissioner Daniel Zigby was elected vice-chair.
The following committee heads:
Richard Gagnon- Chair of Governance and Ethics Committee
Joy Humenuik- Chair of the Audit Committee
Mary-ellen Kirby - Chair of Educational Services Committee
Claire Beaubien- Chair of the Human Resources Committee
Gary Holliday- Chair Transportation Committee
Marc Mercure- Chair of the Communications Advisory Committee
As for the upcoming school elections, originally suspended and then rescheduled for Dec. 19 and 20, the ETSB is not affected.
In an interview last week chairman Michael Murray explained that the government decree regarding elections said that only boards with seats contested by more than one candidate were obligated to hold elections.
In the case of the ETSB, by the end of the nomination process all of the seats were acclaimed with the exception of the Magog ward where commissioner are the advisory of the the the
Dan Brodie did not run for re-election, but no other candidate presented. The ETSB will therefore conform to the Education Act and up to 40 days after the close of nominations, declare a new election for the Magog ward only. That will mean opening a new nomination period some time in December and proceeding with an election by Jan. 10 if more than one candidate runs for the seat.
According to Murray, going forward with the elections to begin with made a mockery of anything to do with real local representation. “They’re just going ahead, making it as easy as possible to subsequently claim there was no point,” Murray said, adding that anything that goes wrong will be blamed on the process. “If I were to design an election wanting to discourage participation, it would have many of these characteristics,” the chairman commented.
While the ETSB need not worry, a number of other English boards will have to hold elections this coming Dec.19 and 20. During Tuesday’s meeting, Murray pointed out that not only did the government decree the resumption of school board elections when the daily number of COVID-19 cases is higher than when they were postponed, election day falls within the special confinement period laid out in Legault’s moral contract leading up to authorized holiday gatherings.
Reporting on the Quebec English School Boards Association meeting, Murray said the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is not faring well.
The board was placed under trusteeship in November 2019.
Murray, referring to media reports and discussions within the QESBA suggested former Liberal MP Marlene Jennings, appointed by the government to oversee the EMSB, spent the two sixmonth mandates of her trusteeship reorganizing the board as a Bill 40 service centre. Murray said there was a devolution of power and decisionmaking to schools, reducing the council of commissioners to a support role.
Jennings completed her role as trustee and went on to be elected president of the Quebec Community Groups Network.
Upon Jennings’ departure, the government installed a monitor at the EMSB. While supposedly there to act strictly as an observer, Murray said tension led to the resignation of two upper-level administrators at the EMSB.
In other board news, plans are going well for the construction of a new school for Drummondville Elementary. A call for tenders came back with a plan and costs around $17 million. The board is awaiting approval from the government before moving forward. The board hopes to have the new school completed and open by January 2022.
During their individual reports, Director General Michel Soucy and Chairman Murray both addressed the toll COVID-19 has taken on the community. Soucy made a point of thanking workers in the health sector. He also recognized the enormous effort made by students and staff at the ETSB to take health recommendations seriously.
“We are strong enough to through this together,” Soucy said.
Murray pointed out that the mental health of students and personnel is at risk, and said it is more important now than ever to remain vigilant, referring to growing Covid fatigue. “It is worth the effort. It is for now, it’s not forever,” Murray said.
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