AGENDA

THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES, PROGRAM AND RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Wednesday, April 4, 2007
7:00 p.m.        

1.         Memorials and Prayers. 

2.         Roll Call and Apologies. 

3.         Approval of the Agenda. 

N.B.    Staff would be pleased to walk the Trustees through any report on this agenda at the direction of the Chair.

4.                  Declarations of Interest.

5.         Approval and Signing of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held March 7, 2007 for PUBLIC SESSION.  p.1-p.10      

6.         Presentations: 

7.         Delegations: 

8.         Trustee Matters:       

9.         Unfinished Business: 

10.       Matters referred/deferred to this Committee by the Board and other Committees:      

a)         Report regarding Changes to Student Trustee Policy.  (Referred to the Committee by the Board at its meeting held March 28, 2007).   p.11-p.32    

1.                  That the student trustee leadership scholarship be rescinded.

2.                  That policy T. 02, Student Trustee, be rescinded.

3.                  That a new policy T. 02, Student Trustee, be approved as follows:

                        Policy:

In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, the Toronto Catholic District School Board will establish and maintain a Student Trustee position(s) on its Board of Trustees. 

The Toronto Catholic District School Board recognizes the benefits accrued when students have an opportunity to share and represent the perspectives and insights of their various school communities. To assist the Student Trustee in garnering these perspectives and insights, the Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team (CSLIT) is established. Each Secondary School shall have a representative. 

Regulations 

1.         The Toronto Catholic District School Board shall establish one student trustee position to represent the interests of students in the last two years of the intermediate division and in the senior division of the board. 

2.          The term of a student trustee runs from  August1^st of the year of election through July 31^st of the following year. Following election process, the Student Trustee(s) Elect will be entitled to attend Board and Committee meetings in May, June and July along with the Student Trustee Incumbent(s) in order to familiarize themselves with the duties of the Office of Student trustee and the issues which are before the Board and which are of concern to and have impact on the student population of the Board.  

3.          Each secondary school will be entitled to put forward one candidate for election for the position of Student Trustee.  

4.          Each candidate for the position of Student Trustee shall meet the following qualification criteria:  

• The student trustee must be a Roman Catholic student enrolled at a Toronto Catholic District School Board secondary school, and during his or her term of office must be a full-time student in the senior division by the commencement of their term;

• must receive the written approval of his or her school principal to stand for election and present a letter of reference from either one of his or her teachers or guidance counsellors;

• must be maintaining a grade average of 70% or better at the time he or she becomes a candidate for the position and must maintain a 70% average throughout his or her term of office; and

• must meet the eligibility requirements within the Education Act related to Catholic District School Board Trustees, excluding those related to age and residence.

5.         The Superintendent of Education, Curriculum and Accountability Department or designate, shall establish procedures to assist the student trustee in fulfilling his/her roles and responsibilities.

6.      A student trustee shall be entitled to reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses as if they were members of the  board. 

7.       A student trustee shall be paid an honorarium of    $2,500 per term which shall be prorated if the trustee   holds office for less than a full term. 

8.     A student trustee has the same status as a board member with respect to access to board resources and opportunities for training. 

9.         The successful candidate elected/appointed to the position of Student Trustee will have the following rights/responsibilities:  

                        Rights:

• to receive public session materials for all Board and Standing Committee meetings; attend and participate  in all public session meetings of the Board and Standing Committees;

• to receive private session materials for all Board and Standing Committee meetings  and to attend and participate in private session meeting except where such materials and meetings involve the disclosure of intimate, personal or financial information in respect of a member of the board or committee, an employee or prospective employee of the board or a pupil or his or her parent or guardian;

• A student trustee is entitled to require that a matter before the board or one of its committees on which the student trustee sits be put to a recorded vote, and in that case there shall be,

(a) a recorded non-binding vote that includes the student trustee’s vote; and

(b) a recorded binding vote that does not include the student trustee’s vote.

• A student trustee is not entitled to move a motion, but is entitled to suggest a motion on any matter at a meeting of the board or of one of its committees on which the student trustee sits, and if no member of the board or committee, as the case may be, moves the suggested motion, the record shall show the suggested motion.

Responsibilities:

• to promote a voice for students in the last two years of the intermediate division and those in the senior division on the TCDSB;

• to inform the student body at large through liaison with and seeking advice from TCDSB Student Councils, and with the Toronto inter-board council of the Ontario Catholic Student Council Federation (OCSCF);

• attend public and permitted private session meetings of the Board and its Standing committees;

• demonstrate confidentiality and discretion where required and act in accordance with the Board’s Policies, By-laws, and Rules-of-Order; and

• uphold and promote the Board’s Mission and Vision in performance of his/her duties.

• The student trustee, once sworn in by the Board, the student trustee shall be the Chair of the Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team. The CSLIT will hold at least one meeting per month.

• The Student Trustee will report regularly to the Board of Trustees and to the CSLIT on their respective activities. At the end of his/her term, the student trustee will provide a report re: issues of concern to students.

• The student trustee will participate in Catholic student leadership development activities associated with the fulfillment of the roles and responsibilities of the student trustee including the organization of the “Voices That Challenge” student trustee conference.

• The student trustee will participate in Catholic student leadership development activities associated with the fulfillment of the roles and responsibilities of the student trustee.

• The student trustee will hold membership in the English Catholic Board Council of the Ontario Student Trustees' Association.

10.  Process for election of Student Trustee. 

(a)   The student trustee will be elected by representatives of   each secondary school at a Catholic Student  Leadership Impact Team meeting no later than April  30^th in each school year. For the election to be valid, there must be at least 17 secondary schools present at the meeting where the student trustee is elected. Each  secondary school is entitled to nominate one representative to run for the position of student  trustee. Each secondary school is allowed to have one vote in the election of student trustee but must be represented at the election meeting. 

(b)   Notice seeking the nomination of one candidate for the position of student trustee from each TCDSB Catholic secondary school is sent to each school principal and Student Councils for posting and communication to students in March of each school year.  

(c)    Each Secondary School, via the Principal and Student Council, is requested to appoint either the President of the Student Council or his/her designate to sit on a Student Trustee Selection Committee for the purpose of reviewing applications for the position of Student Trustee and nominating a candidate for the position.

(d)    Applications will first be received and pre-screened by staff assigned by the Office the Director of Education to ensure each applicant its eligible under the requirements of the Board Policy, Education Act and  Regulations.  

(e)        An all-candidates/election meeting will be held in April of each school year at which time a presentation will be made by the nominees and a vote by the school representatives will be conducted under the supervision and guidance of staff.  

(f)    Where a vacancy occurs, the CSLIT will recommend to the Board, a student for the balance of the student trustee's term. 

           11.       The TCDSB Student Trustee shall be required to wear a   uniform which is representative of all TCDSB schools, when  in attendance at Board or Board Committee meetings, when representing the Board at either internal or external board-related business meetings, or when meeting with other students in the Board in the capacity of student trustee. When representing the School Board, the Student Trustee should be expected to wear suitable attire which is appropriate to the   occasion: e.g. school uniform, Student Trustee uniform or business casual.

                       The Student Trustee uniform shall consist of: 

• Grey or black school uniform type pants of the student's choice, or optionally the local school kilt for female student trustee;

• A pullover for use in cooler conditions, or a short-sleeve golf-style shirt for warmer conditions, designed to encompass one or both of the Board approved logo's in either the circular or horizontal design as shown below:

• variety of vests, pullovers and shirts are available for this purpose which include the Board logo for use by the Student Trustee

• The pullover may be worn with a white shirt or blouse of the student's choice;

• Appropriate dress shoes of the student’s choice.

 The Board shall provide annually for a budget from the Trustee Services budget for the purchase of Student Trustee uniform items for use and retention by the student trustee during his/her term of office.
 

b)         Report regarding Proposed Transportation Budget Cuts (Referred to the Committee by the Board at its meeting held March 28, 2007).   p.33-p.43 

                        Receive. 

c)          Report regarding Safe Departure and Drop Off Practices (Referred to the Committee by the Board at its meeting held March 28, 2007).   p.44-p.75 

                        Receive.    

d)         Report regarding Capital Funding Update: 1) Enrolment Pressures Grant 2) Stranded Capital Debt 3) Primary Class Size.   (Referred to the Committee by the Board at its meeting held March 28, 2007).  p.76-p.85 

                        Receive. 

11.       Reports of Officials and Special Committees Requiring ACTION by the Board. 

12.       Reports of Officials and Special Committees for INFORMATION of the Board. 

13.       Approval of Matters for which no trustee has requested debate. 

14.       Communications: 

15.       Inquiries and Miscellaneous: 

N.B.    Private Inquiries must only be related to matters as outlined in the reference to legislation on the inside cover of the Private Agenda. 

16.              Update of Pending List: 

17.              RESOLVE INTO PRIVATE SESSION.