Amabel-Sauble CS/Hepworth Central PS ARC Orientation Meeting

November 26, 2012 Hepworth Central Public School

AGENDA ITEM ACTION ACTION AGENT

1.Welcome and Approval of Agenda

S. Chun called the meeting to order and introduced Cliff Bilyea, facilitator for the Sauble Hepworth ARC Meetings. C. Bilyea made opening remarks and outlined the norms and protocols for the meeting. The following was added to the agenda: Childcare at ARC Meetings.

2. Approval of the Minutes of November 12, 2012

Moved by K. Klages: That the minutes of the meeting of November 12, 2012 be approved. Carried. The approved minutes will be posted to the website.

. post to website

3. Business Arising from the Minutes of November 12, 2012

A. Gibb reviewed the report containing responses to the questions raised at the meeting of November 12, 2012. The report will be posted to the website. For Question 4, there are two considerations: a) the school operates above the Ministry benchmark and b) above the average elementary school. This is due to daycare hours and community use on weekends. The Town of South Bruce Peninsula contributed $19,534 in 2011 and for the year 2012, total contributions to October 31, 2012 were $20,511.

. post report to website

4. Ministry of Education Memo B1 2010 and Board Procedure AP2360-D

Members were advised that “B” Memorandum received from the Ministry provide direction for school boards. A. Gibb reviewed Ministry B1 2010 with the members. The Ministry encourages schools to be utilized beyond the school day and that partnerships should be sought for public space. The MOE Guidelines accompanying the memo will be posted to the website. The Ministry has advised that any partners must pay their share of the operating costs and capital replacements. The Board’s Administrative Procedure on Facility Partnerships, developed from the Ministry guidelines, states that eligible facility partners must be on a cost-recovery basis. There were no guidelines in this regard prior to 2010.

. post Guidelines, memorandum and procedure

5. Presentations with Prior Notice

Sharen Skelly S. Skelly spoke to her past history with Amabel-Sauble CS, the planning for the new

AMABEL-SAUBLE/HEPWORTH CENTRAL ARC COMMITTEE MINUTES

ARC Membership:

Katherine Arnold Amabel-Sauble CS School Community Council Co-Chair Cliff Bilyea Facilitator Jen Cowan Amabel-Sauble CS School Community Representative Cynthia Koehler-Logan Amabel-Sauble CS School Community Representative Vicki Mason Amabel-Sauble CS Staff Representative Janice Jackson Amabel-Sauble Representative for Municipal Council Sunny Chun Hepworth Central PS School Community Council Chair Melanie Cole Hepworth Central PS Home and School Representative David Graham Hepworth Central PS Parents for French Representative Kathy Howell Hepworth Central PS Staff Representative Karen Klages Hepworth Central PS Representative for Municipal Council Terry Bell Bluewater District School Board Trustee (Observer) Brenda Booth Superintendent of Business (Resource) Lori Wilder Superintendent of Education (Resource) Kay Fawcett Principal, Amabel-Sauble CS (Resource) Burke Mason Principal, Hepworth CS (Resource) Ginnie Smith Executive Assistant (Recorder) Participants: John Bryant Director of Education, BWDSB Al Gibb Manager, Plant Services Administration, BWDSB

school and her capital donation towards construction. Presentation requested to attach to the minutes as Appendix A. Not yet received. Sarah MacLeod S. MacLeod provided a power point presentation sharing the value of the school to the students and the financial sharing costs between the Board, the Town of South Bruce Peninsula and the Daycare. She encouraged the municipality to provide their fair share of the costs related to their space allocation and to work with the Board to keep the school open. Presentation attached to the minutes as Appendix B. The questions raised as to cost-sharing will be answered under Business Arising for the meeting on December 10, 2012. Luc Zandvliet L. Zandvliet provided a power point presentation requesting clarification on several issues and seeking options from the ARC Committee for Amabel-Sauble School in order to make informed decisions. The questions raised will be added as Business Arising for the meeting on December 10, 2012. Presentation attached to the minutes as Appendix C. Karen Gventer K. Gventer spoke to living as a resident in the Hepworth community and the advantage of the French Immersion program at Hepworth Central Public School. Her daughter also spoke to the benefits of the FI program. Andrew White A. White provided a power point presentation on the value of the Amabel-Sauble CS to the students, focusing on the amount of time available for students’ daily physical activities. Presentation attached to the minutes as Appendix D. Sauble Lions Club The presentation was deferred to the meeting on December 10, 2012.

. add to Dec. 10 agenda

6. Review of Valuation Framework

L. Wilder addressed the ARC Committee members regarding the Valuation Framework. The ARC Committee will be using the framework to form the basis of its final report to the Board of Trustees. The Framework includes: Value to Student; Board; Community; Local Economy. All value statements must be addressed in the final report.

7. ARC Discussion re Summary of the Value of the School to the Students, Community, Board and Local Economy

The co-chairs led the discussion on the Valuation Framework. The question was asked as to whether the daycare could confirm that they are willing to contribute their fair share of operating costs. Daycare responded that they are working towards this. The question was asked that if both the Town of SB Peninsula and day care contributed their share, would the Board keep Amabel-Sauble open. The Board responded that that question could not be answered until the accommodation review is complete. K. Arnold reported that it is the job of the ARC Committee to see the review process to completion, prepare the final report to trustees including a recommendation and viable solutions. K. Arnold asked the committee to review the Valuation Framework for any changes. This will be the framework the committee will work with towards the final report The ARC Committee requested financial information on the state of repair for Amabel-Sauble CS. There were no suggested changes to the Valuation Framework. The committee requested, and the two councillors from the Town of South Bruce Peninsula agreed, to take the information on cost sharing of operations to the council meeting on December 4, 2012. The framework document will be posted to the website.

. post Valuation Framework to website . response required

8. Questions and Answers

C. Bilyea advised that this session is to ask questions on issues that the community wants addressed. Q – Regarding Memo B1 2010 - is there a process for the school board to request additional funds for the lease agreement? A – This will be an item for negotiation when the agreements are reviewed. Q – I understand there can be extensions granted under certain circumstances? If we take information to council on December 4th, will the board grant an extension? A – There is a process in place. The ARC can request an extension and there has been some discussion on requesting an extension in the new year. Q – What is the breakdown of excess space between elementary and secondary at Peninsula Shores DS? A – A breakdown of available spaces will be provided. Q – I would assume that if the design was for elementary and secondary, that the definition between students would be maintained? A – Would have to get that information Q - Can I get an energy audit for both Sauble and Hepworth for the next meeting? A – The ARC will request that for December 10 Q – Regarding the mandate of the ARC – to what extent will the information from the community be used and how is the community involved in the decision making process? A – The committee will be using the valuation framework and all of the information presented is part of that process. The ARC committee will bring back their draft recommendations to the meeting on January 21, 2013 and the community will have an opportunity to the recommendations before they go to the Board. Q – I am asking for the minutes for the planning of Amabel-Sauble school and how the school came to fruition. I was told to make this request to the ARC committee as I don’t want to pay for the information under a Freedom of Information request. A - I appreciate your frustration. As a committee, the information we request must help us in finding a solution. The construction of the school was in the past and we must move forward. Q - You are saying you don’t want the information? A - We could find that information. Q – We seem to be reducing students to dollars and cents. This has nothing to do with them. The process is the result of inadequate, poor planning on the part of the board and throughout the entire board. There is a real credibility gap between what is needed and what the board is providing. If you are unable to think outside the box and keep both schools open, consider tendering your resignation so people that can provide the education for the community can step forward. A – No response requested. Q – I would appreciate the consideration of child care for the next meeting. A – We will look into that. Q – What were the recommendations for Amabel-Sauble from the last review? A – The recommendations are listed on page 8 of the report. Q - Ultimately this is the decision of the trustees. Why are they all not here tonight? A – The following trustees are in attendance: Kevin Larson, Dan Wong, Jan Johnstone and Terry Bell. Q - For Value to Community, I want an honest response. If the audience has been involved as daycare, parent, teacher, student, grandparent, etc. give a show of hands. Under Value to Economy – people are not getting the picture of what day care is. I would like to send an invitation to the ARC Committee to arrive 15 minutes early on December 10th to see the day care and its importance to the community. A - A request will be made to the Board to have childcare open for children that evening. Q - How many were involved in daycare and before and after when it existed in Hepworth prior to it moving to Sauble? How many could not continue that because it involved driving to Sauble and was not in Hepworth? If you put that in your questions, it was a very convenient location in Hepworth and people in this community used it, I don’t understand why a day care can’t be in Hepworth as well. Q - A child’s time is much more beneficial when not sitting on a bus for long travel times. A – No response requested. The Question and Answer session ended. The public will be advised as to the availability of child care for the December 10th meeting. C Bilyea thanked all for attending the meeting and advised that responses to the questions will be answered for the next meeting.

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10. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m. Handouts: 1. Agenda 2. We Want Your Input 3. Student Accommodation Reports

Appendix A - Placeholder for S. Skelly Presentation

Appendix B Sarah MacLeod Presentation

Appendix C Luc Zandvliet Presentation

Appendix D Speaking Notes from Karen Gventer: I understand that the recommendation has been to keep Hepworth School open, but the school is still under review, so here I am. I have two children at Hepworth School. We moved to Hepworth about 8 years ago. We had planned on moving back to Owen Sound a few years later, before our daughter, Sabrina, was in grade 1. We thought it was funny because we moved across the street from a school, and figured we'd have to take Sabrina in to Owen Sound for French Immersion in kindergarten. Then we found out there was French Immersion at Hepworth School. Here we are, 8 years later, still living in Hepworth, shopping at the stores and gas station, using the public library, and joining in other community activities. I know other parents have moved to Hepworth specifically because there is a school here. If French Immersion had not been offered at Hepworth school, we would have been motivated to follow our original plan and move back into Owen Sound. I would not want my young kids on a bus for 1/2 an hour to one hour each way, and I'm sure that other parents who are less committed to the French Immersion program would send their children to a closer school, even though they would be in an English program, if Hepworth School was not here, offering French Immersion. (Karen’s daughter then spoke and stated that she enjoys the opportunities to study the forest behind the school with her class, and would not have that opportunity if she went to Owen Sound for French Immersion.) Thank you for the opportunity to present tonight.

Appendix E Andrew White Presentation