Rachel Chortos

The Audit Committee convened for a regular meeting, which included a session in closed session followed by a return to the regular session. Key business discussed was the External Audit. The Independent Auditor's Report, covering the audit at a glance, status, accounting practices, findings, internal control matters, and financial differences, was presented. The committee recommended the approval of the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended August 31, 2025, to the Board of Trustees for the St. Clair Catholic District School Board. Motions to receive reports regarding 2025-26 Elementary Class Size Compliance and 2024-25 Secondary Class Size Compliance were postponed to a future meeting date of February 4, 2026.

The meeting commenced with the adoption of the agenda and the minutes from the previous session. A key presentation covered the CICE Program at Lambton College, detailing application processes, student support structure, individualized curriculum, and preparation for employment. Another significant discussion involved the draft School Year Calendar for the upcoming period, which requires submission to the Ministry by March 1, 2026. Association reports included an update on a book launch by Community Living Chatham-Kent and a Career Fair hosted by Community Living Wallaceburg. Information items addressed Mental Health and Wellbeing Updates, noting the completion of trauma-informed training and ongoing Dialectical Behaviour Therapy training, alongside updates on Special Education Staffing, including new hires for the ABA team and planned expansion of the Collaborative Support Team.

The meeting included a review of WSIB reportable incidents for November, focusing on the completion of required forms like WSIB Form 7, 6, and 8. There was extensive discussion regarding employee accident/incident reports from November, particularly concerning multiple incidents involving the same student, and the procedures for student removal, staff support, and schedule adjustments. The committee also reviewed incident trend reports for 2025-2026, noting that reported numbers might be an underrepresentation of actual occurrences. A proposal was supported to have staff share current intervention strategies. Follow-up discussions addressed the definition of "no injury" in summary totals, the differentiation between aggression and workplace violence in reporting, and an update on the SAM accessibility concern. New business included the launch of the Slip, Trips & Falls Winter Safely Campaign and a detailed debate regarding the safety implications of magnetic child safety locks on classroom doors concerning fire code compliance and emergency egress.

This document serves as a progress report for the Math Achievement Action Plan (MAAP) of the St. Clair Catholic District School Board, currently in its third year. The report highlights improved student achievement in math priority schools, with a focus on board-selected priority actions and school-level implementation. Key areas addressed include consistent curriculum implementation, development of mathematical content knowledge, assessment-informed interventions, use of digital tools, analysis of disproportionality indices, and strategies for students with special education needs. Additional actions involve math school visits, resource creation, professional learning communities, and support for new teachers, all aimed at fostering enhanced student mathematical outcomes.

The meeting commenced with the confirmation of the agenda and the declaration of conflicts of interest. Key procedural matters included the election of John Van Heck as Chair and the appointment of Linda Ward as Secretary for Private Meetings. The committee received the 2025-26 Audit Committee Membership report for information, noting the need to seek a new external member effective June 1, 2026. The Regular and Closed Session Agenda Items for 2025-26 were approved without noted changes. The meeting proceeded into a Closed Session and subsequently returned to Regular Session, where the 2024-25 Annual Audit Committee Report was reviewed and approved for forwarding to the Board of Trustees and the Ministry of Education. Future meeting dates were also established.