Annual Education Results Report

Superintendent of Schools (Acting) Dr. Jeff Thompson provided the Board of Trustees with an update on the 2023-2024 Peace River School Division’s Annual Education Results Report. During the presentation, Dr. Thompson touched on the Division’s three education goals: that all students are literate, all students are numerate and all students are successful through inclusionary practices. Dr. Thompson also reported that in a number of areas, the Division is making excellent progress in their efforts to eliminate the achievement gap between Indigenous students and non-Indigenous students.

The Annual Education Results Report is now available on the homepage of the PRSD website, or by clicking HERE.

Audited Financial Statements

The Board of Trustees welcomed two representatives from MNP LLP to present the annual audited financial statements, which were then approved by the Board through a unanimous motion. The 2023-2024 Audited Financial Statements are now available for public viewing on the PRSD website, or by clicking HERE.

Following the presentation from the auditors, Secretary-Treasurer Rhonda Freeman provided the Board with some additional information. Freeman highlighted the increase in the instructional budget for both certificated and non-certificated staff stating that in the previous school year, our budgeting process allowed the PRSD to put a lot of different high-quality professionals in schools and in front of students. Freeman also highlighted the Division’s Operations and Maintenance (O&M) budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, explaining that this department is already as streamlined as it can be with a staff of five tradespeople to maintain 15 school buildings. Finally, Freeman spoke about the Division’s diminished reserve accounts, highlighting a need for the Division to think differently when it comes time to develop and approve the 2025-2026 school year budget. 

“We can’t operate the same way we operated when we had $15M in reserves. We have to change the way we are doing business and these are the kinds of discussions we will need to have during our upcoming budget conversations,” Freeman said. 

Celebrating Student Achievement

The Board of Trustees had the honour of celebrating former E.E. Oliver Elementary School student Tejas Singh for achieving a perfect score on the Grade 6 Science Provincial Achievement Test (PAT) in the 2023-2024 school year. 

“We are unbelievably proud of Tejas and his accomplishments during the last school year. A perfect score on a Provincial Achievement Test is not an easily achieved feat and we are honoured to have been able to welcome Tejas to the board room in November and congratulate him in person,” said Board Chair Crystal Owens.

Tejas said he has aspirations of becoming either a doctor or a lawyer, but currently enjoys playing basketball and volleyball. Tejas attended the board meeting with his mother, Manjit Kaur.

Teacherages

The Board of Trustees heard from Freeman regarding the various teacherages owned by the Division. These buildings are in some of the Division’s more remote communities and their purpose is to provide affordable housing to teachers in these communities. Freeman spoke specifically about a teacherage in Dixonville, which has been rented to the public for many years as it has not been needed by Dixonville School staff. After hearing about the Division’s need for an additional teacherage in Red Earth Creek, and the demand on the Operations and Maintenance department to upkeep the existing teacherages, the board approved a motion directing administration to begin the process required to sell the existing teacherage in Dixonville.

Parking in Manning

The Board approved a motion requesting that Administration write a letter to the Town of Manning Council to formally request the use of a portion of the Manning Sports Centre Arena’s parking lot for both bus parking and overflow parking for the new Manning Aurora Composite School.

Board Advocacy: Education Funding

During board discussions, it was stated that the Minister of Education has indicated he will be assessing the current funding formulas for education in Alberta. In response, the PRSD Board of Trustees requested that a letter be drafted for board signature offering feedback and suggestions to the Minister of Education regarding the current funding formulas. This letter will be sent to the Minister of Education with a copy sent to the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) and all other school boards in Alberta.

Board Policy 7: Board Operations

The Board provided second and third reading to Board Policy 07: Board Operations. This policy was updated following the Board's regular schedule of reviewing their existing policies. Many of the changes made to the updated policy were a matter of housekeeping or wording, with the exception of changes made to section 11: Audio/Video Recording Devices. The Board agreed to remove the requirement that anyone wanting to use recording devices at a public board meeting would obtain prior approval from the Board Chair, adding instead that the Board may record public meetings and make those recordings available to the public. The Board will then keep those recordings for one year from the end of the fiscal year, unless otherwise specified.

The Board also approved a new appendix to Policy 7 titled "Trustee Remuneration and Expenses." This transparent document details how Trustees are compensated for their time and provides guidelines for conference attendance and Trustee development. 

Celebrating Student Achievement

The Board of Trustees had the honour of celebrating former E.E. Oliver Elementary School student Tejas Singh for achieving a perfect score on the Grade 6 Science Provincial Achievement Test (PAT) in the 2023-2024 school year during their regularly scheduled board meeting on November 21.