Division News Article

December 8, 2021 Board Meeting News

December 10th, 2021

The December 8th regular board meeting was held at Regional Office in Barrhead. 

Preliminary School Viability / Grade Reconfiguration Criteria Report

Board Policy 15 Grade Configuration and School Closure requires that the division annually apply a set of criteria to all of its schools to review whether or not they are viable. The criteria include a review of student enrolment, the physical condition of school buildings as well as considering whether any school puts an undue financial strain on the division. If any school exceeds one of the thresholds set out in the policy it doesn’t automatically mean that the school will be closed, but it will trigger the board to start discussing options around changing grade offerings, transferring students from one building to another, or temporarily closing a school or building.

Following a comparison of the 2021-2022 school year information against the criteria set out in the policy, none of our schools triggered any of the thresholds that would start a discussion around their viability. Therefore, no schools will be considered for closure or grade reconfiguration in 2022-2023.

School Year Calendar for 2022-2023

Each fall, Education Services creates a draft calendar for the next school year. To ensure that all schools meet the required hours of instruction per year, this calendar includes statutory holidays, professional development days, Christmas and spring breaks, teachers’ convention, and alternate operational days for schools with alternate calendars. The process involves consultation with principals who in turn receive feedback from their teachers and union representatives.

The board adopted the proposed 2022-2023 school year calendar. See details in this news story: 2022-2023 school year calendar approved

Approval in Principle – BCHS National Tour

Schools are required to follow Administrative Procedure 60-03 for guidance regarding Field Trips, Excursions, National and International Tours. While international tours have been suspended for the 2021-2022 school year, national tours are still permitted.

The Barrhead Composite High School photography class has requested approval in principle for a trip to Vancouver in May 2022. This trip is directly linked to classroom activities, and students who attend will complete two credits.

The board approved this trip in principle, however the final decision as to whether the trip will proceed will be dependent upon conditions and travel restrictions closer to the date. 

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

You can also view a recording of the December 8th meeting here.

The next school board meeting is at Pembina Hills Regional Office on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 starting at 9:00 a.m.