Barrhead Composite High School –

Following a break due to COVID-19 restrictions, the board resumed the practice of holding meetings in community schools. The first school-based meeting of the 2021-2022 school year was held at Barrhead Composite High School (BCHS). School staff presented the board with some school history and shared the school’s successes, challenges and celebrations. 

Trustees were taken on a full tour of the school, including stops at the:

• Student Services area
• renovated Foods Studies room
• Automotives shop
• Communications and Technology lab

Teacher Bruce Tyrell and two senior high students presented information about the photography program and showcased a portfolio of grad photos. BCHS was the very first school in the province to offer in-house photos for their graduating students, taken by their peers. 

Trustee Membership on Boards and Committees

From time to time, the board receives requests from other organizations to sit on their boards and committees. At its November 24, 2021 meeting, the Pembina Hills board considered requests for our trustees to apply for membership to serve on the Alberta School Employees’ Benefit Plan (ASEBP) board, as well as on the Tamarack Health Advisory Council. The board approved Trustee Victoria Kane to apply to sit on the ASEBP board, and Trustee Maureen Schnirer to apply to sit on the Tamarack Health Advisory Council.

Approval of Audited Financial Statements

All publicly-funded organizations in Alberta are required to publish annual financial statements which are audited by a professional accountant. The board approved the financial statements for Pembina Hills School Division and Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADLC) for the year ended August 31, 2021 and received a report from the division’s auditor.
Pembina Hills ended the fiscal year in a strong financial position, and with a surplus from operations of $2.75 million.

2020-2021 was the final year of operations for ADLC. Once the wind-up process is completed, the residual assets will transfer to Pembina Hills, however Pembina Hills’ operating grant will be reduced by the same amount.

The annual financial statements for Pembina Hills and ADLC will be posted at https://www.pembinahills.ca/our-division/assurance-reporting/

Approval of Annual Education Results Report

School divisions are required to publish reports on an annual basis to report on performance measures, including surveys, and achievement results.

The results discussed in the 2020-2021 report include an assessment of the many ways that the pandemic affected our schools and students, including the impacts on student learning and the successes that the division experienced. While COVID-19 undoubtedly had a negative impact on learning for some students as a result of shifts to and from at-home learning, positive impacts were also noted in building stronger relationships and learning new ways to communicate with parents and students.

The Annual Education Results Report is available at https://www.pembinahills.ca/our-division/assurance-reporting/

Check out the board meeting agenda and minutes for more information.

The next school board meeting is at Pembina Hills Regional Office on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 starting at 9:00 a.m.