Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools meeting highlights

by Lucie Roy

Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools held their meeting Feb. 23 with a number of items on the agenda.

Shared space

Legal School Trustee Cathy Proulx raised the topic of recent media coverage of the sharing of the Legal school facility with Sturgeon school Division. She wanted to reiterate to the Minister that the government interest in this matter must not be delayed.

A motion was made “that the Board of Trustees direct the Board chair to write the Minister of Education to request that the plans made by Alberta Education Capital Planning Department in December 2014 regarding the resourcing of possibilities to address the interest of Legal’s three school districts be expedited without further delay.”

There was an agreement by the government representative in December of 2014 to explore planning details for a three-board solution, comprising of Sturgeon School Division, Greater St Albert Catholic, and North Central School Board. Superintendent Keohane said as the spirit of the motion was expediting the matter, he would make it his top priority.

Recognition

Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools was commended on the Alberta Education Field Services report for both achievement and improvement results in Student Learning Opportunities with mention of a very high achievement in the Student of Learning Opportunities: Drop Out Rate of First Nations, Metis, Inuit Services (FNMI).

A report was presented and discussion arose on the Long Service Awards offered by the District, the current structure, costs associated with the awards and a summary and comparison with four other Catholic schools districts in the province. Awarded at five-year increments, the discussion was centered on the ring and watch and if substitutions could be made available.

Bussing

The Interim Transportation Overview has revealed that GPS and Zonar passes on the buses have added a level of security for families using the District transportation. The Zonar passes allow the parent to monitor that their child is on the bus, location they boarded the bus and where they were dropped off. One of the goals in consideration is the purchase of the Edulog Edutracter software that offers a Parent Bus App that allows real-time bus information to parents who have children using the District transportation services. This would be an added service in addition to the GPS and Zonar Z-Pass.

In light of a shortage of drivers, fuel costs and budget cuts to Transportation funding, Trustee Shaw suggested a study to use public transit for high school flex days, flex times.

A motion was made, “that the Board of Trustees direct Administration to explore the possibility of public transport for students in St Albert in cooperation with St Albert Public prior to spring 2015 Joint use mtg.”

Superintendent Keohane added this would have to be a Regional reality with other boards to make it viable for the extra buses to be brought in for the Special runs. It would require broad base participation before it is brought forward to the City.

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