GYPSD news
Dec. 6 meeting
Trustees accepted the Audited Financial Statements for the year ending August 31, 2017, with a significantly lower than projected deficit budget from $1,793,110 to only $463,636. Board Chair Rosadiuk thanked the financial services team for their hard work and efforts in managing the prior year’s finances for the division.
As part of the planning process for the first year of a new board, trustees will visit each school in the jurisdiction over the next few months to receive a tour of the facility and a presentation from school administration. Trustees will visit Grande Cache, Hinton, and Jasper schools in April, and schools in Edson, Fulham and in the east end of the division during May. The board also approved a change of location to Jasper for the Public Board meeting on April 18, 2018, to align with the school presentations in that community.
A non-monetary amendment to the Superintendent of Schools’s contract for the current year was approved. The board also approved Superintendent Lewis’s attendance at an international education conference in Hawaii from January 3-7, 2018. The conference’s agenda aligns with divisional priorities as well as the superintendent’s professional growth plan.
The board reviewed last year’s school councils’ annual reports which provide an overview of each school council’s activities and events. Trustees encourage the formation and growth of school councils in all GYPSD schools as well as provide annual funding for each council’s membership to the Alberta School Councils’ Association.
Learning Services presented highlights from the first Indigenous Administrator’s Camp which was held on October 25-27, 2017, at the Palisades Stewardship Education Centre in Jasper National Park. The theme of the camp was Kiskeyihtainowin’ which translates as `the act of knowing’. The camp was held in partnership with Parks Canada, the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium, the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s `Walking Together Team’, Rupertsland Métis Association, and Grande Yellowhead. Two local Elders and a Knowledge Keeper joined participants over the three days to assist in deepening knowledge about Indigenous cultures and experiences.
• A detailed overview of the current inclusive learning supports and resources available across the division was given to the board by Karen Shipka, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services. By providing inclusive environments, Grande Yellowhead allows for students to explore, respond critically, and take risks in achieving their learning outcomes in successfully achieving one year’s growth, every school year.