Shannon Bayes

The board addressed several administrative and operational items, including multiple school-of-choice requests for students within and out of the division. Staffing matters were finalized, including the resignation of a teacher, the employment of new teaching staff, and the approval of maternity/parental leave. Financial approvals included the purchase of a new truck and a painting tender for a collegiate facility. Additionally, the board reviewed and discussed various draft policy updates regarding accessibility, service animals, student services, and staff-pupil interactions, while receiving reports on provincial school board association activities and the appointment of a new commissioner for teacher professional conduct.

The board meeting covered a wide range of administrative and operational items. These included the appointment of new teaching staff across various schools, approval of maternity and parental leave requests, and handling of leave without pay. Financial reports for several schools were received, and a resignation of the Transportation Supervisor was acknowledged. The board accepted an RFP for the JM Young Hygiene Room Project and appointed a Senior Election Official while approving the payment schedule for election officers for the upcoming trustee elections. Furthermore, discussions were held regarding colony school programming, the vision for a regional vocational high school, and progress updates on the Neepawa Middle School classroom addition.

The board addressed various personnel matters, including several new hiring appointments for teaching and educational assistant roles, along with approvals for maternity, parental, and unpaid leaves. The board also reviewed and approved revisions to policies regarding long service awards and staff recognition, as well as updated pay scales for non-teaching and maintenance staff. Financial reports for February were reviewed and approved. Additionally, the meeting included updates on the PD committee's plans, school construction progress, and information regarding MSBA communications. A request for a memorial bench was accepted, and future administrative updates such as the school calendar and school choice requests were finalized.

The board reviewed several superintendent and secretary-treasurer reports, including a maternity leave request and a staffing update. Discussions included the review of workplace safety and health legislation, the status of wards for election purposes, and progress on infrastructure projects such as the Neepawa Middle School classroom addition and the J.M. Young hygiene room project. The board performed a first reading of revised policies regarding long service awards and staff recognition. Additionally, they reviewed reports from the MSBA concerning workshops, conference financials, and safety funding, and analyzed data regarding school suspensions and recent property tax adjustments.

The committee reviewed safety checklists and inspection forms across various school division facilities, noting specific maintenance needs for the bus garage and fire extinguishers in the metal shop. The discussion included a review of recent student and staff accident incident reports, as well as the status of violent incident reports and the implementation of investigation and support procedures. Additionally, the committee established a policy to ensure visibility of outstanding safety items by maintaining them on checklists until resolved.