Meeting details from the Feb. 13 board of trustees agenda.
An election will be held in Rural Subdivision No. 3 on February 26, 2018. Two candidates have let their names stand for election; Rhonda Peters and Betty Juryowski. Profiles for each candidate can be viewed on the Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools website at www.wrps.ab.ca. The voting station will be at the Falun Seniors Center (Falun Hall) 272019 Highway 13. Voting will take place between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
An elector is eligible to vote at a voting station in the voting subdivision in which the electors’ place of residence is located on Election Day. All voters must reside within Rural Electoral Subdivision 3 boundaries.
CB McMurdo Center
The crawl space located under the south wing of CB McMurdo School has been identified as containing hazardous materials. Ensuring the crawl space is brought to an acceptable standard is a key priority for the school division. At the present time, there is no danger to staff or student health and it is safe to continue with normal program operations. When reviewing the current mechanical systems it was discovered that the crawl space (built in the 1950’s) contains asbestos material and mold. Professional consultants analyzed the situation and provided Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools with four remediation plans. At the present time, all access to the crawl space has been restricted. Professional consultants and the government have been engaged to determine the best course of action. In addition, a thorough investigation has been conducted including a hazardous abatement assessment, a structural engineering review, and air quality testing. An abatement plan has been established and a contractor engaged.
Air quality testing has been conducted throughout the entire building and will continue to be done on a regular basis. The area in question will be remediated at a time when it is least disruptive to normal program operations, probably over the 2018 summer break.
School Year Calendar
The calendar consultation is complete and administration developed draft calendars based on feedback from stakeholders. The board reviewed the calendars and requested further information on professional development costs, and what the 2018-2019 allocation model for professional development will look like. The board also requested more information on how they can assure that time used for collaboration will have a direct impact for students. The requested information will be presented to the board on at the March 13, 2018, Regular meeting where the board will make a final decision on the 2018-2019 calendars.
Education Services Agreement
Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools received a letter dated November 20, 2017, from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) notifying the division that effective September 1, 2018, the Maskwacis Education School Commission (MESC) would be administering any tuition agreement. The present tuition agreement between AANDC and Wetaskiwin Regional School Division was signed on May 19, 2014, and will terminate upon renegotiation of a new agreement between the Division and MESC.
Leaders of Tomorrow Nominations
The Leaders of Tomorrow Awards youth volunteer recognition program encourages nominees to continue their involvement in volunteerism and leadership activities. It also acknowledges that all voluntary contributions are valuable to a community. Nominations for the 2018 Leaders of Tomorrow Awards must be received by Tuesday, February 20th, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. Nomination forms are available on our website. https://www.wrps.ab.ca/parents/leaders-of-tomorrow. Nominate a deserving youth today.