Abbotsford Board Of Education Public Board Meeting
The meeting began with an acknowledgement of the traditional and unseated territory of the Samath First Nations and the Mas Masky First Nation. Congratulations were extended to Superintendent Nathan Ning for receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal. The agenda adoption was moved and seconded. Discussion occurred regarding the process for remote versus in-person meetings. The approval of minutes from the December 9th public board meeting and consent items, including school liaison lists and committee appointments, were addressed, with a specific inquiry raised regarding terminology used in an employee association report concerning decolonization, which the Chair deferred to a future meeting. The board then addressed the minutes of the Education Committee meeting held on December 2nd. Key discussion points included a report from the Director of Information Technology, Steve Stoby, detailing accomplishments for 2024-2025 aligned with the 'Engaging Opportunity' strategic pillar. This included the successful replacement plan for all staff devices over the summer of 2025, which optimized resources and improved equity of access, and significant progress in cybersecurity measures, such as utilizing AI for attack disruption, firewall hardening, and increasing multi-factor authentication adoption. The Director also highlighted challenges, including operating with a lean staff (13 FTE versus a full complement of 15 FTE), the increasing speed of cyber incidents, third-party security risks, and the need for continued focus on business continuity and disaster recovery planning. Future plans for 2025-2026 include a full review of all district technology. The meeting concluded with recognition of staff efforts in managing significant community flooding prior to Christmas.