Board of Education Meeting Recap
August 27, 2024
We Are Ready to Welcome Students!
Mr. Pat Breen provided the board with an update on the summer move and final preparations for the start of school, and our new restructured school buildings. This was a whole-district effort and everyone, from our teachers to our custodians, went above and beyond to ensure a smooth transition. The summer was filled with moving and unpacking and we are happy to say that buildings are clean and ready to welcome our students next week.
To put it in perspective, Mr. Breen shared that this change resulted in:
33 Classrooms moved from Viola to new buildings
48 Additional Classrooms in the four other buildings were moved to new buildings
10 classrooms were moved within the same building
And even though school is about to begin, the transition teams and administrators are continuing to work on our new elementary model. Bus routes have been completed and routes are published on the portal, and were mailed home Tuesday. PTA's are working with principals to host welcome events and back to school nights are on the calendar.
This entire effort was grounded in doing what was best for students and Breen gave credit to our teachers for their commitment to ensuring classrooms and buildings are ready for September 4.
A New Procedure for Damaged District-Issued Devices
Over the past two years, our technology department has completed close to 4000 repairs on District-issued devices, some created by accidents, others by misuse and mistreatment. To provide a level of accountability, Chief Technology Officer, Paul Zeller, spoke to the Board last night about a new program that aims to help curb mistreatment and teach students the importance of taking care of district-issued devices.
Beginning this school year, all student devices will be monitored when damage occurs. We understand that sometimes accidents happen, and for determined damage from accidents, students will first receive a warning letter. Second and third accident offenses will result in a $50 fine, more than 3 accidents will be met with a $150 fine. For loss, carelessness or intentional damage, the fine is $150.
It is our goal that all students have access to technology to help them succeed in the classroom, while minimizing costs associated with repairs and ensuring our tech department to best assist students and teachers. At the end of the week, a letter will go home to families outlining this process, which will begin September 4.
This year marks the third year of our successful Mountie Minds Advisory Council and we are again seeking volunteers to serve in the group. Mountie Minds meets four times a year, and this year, we'll be exploring topics that include: bilingual education, K-12 school counseling curriculum, the Portrait of a Graduate initiative, and possible facilities upgrades with a bond referendum.
The past two years of meetings have provided the District valuable insight from its members and helped guide many of the programs and initiatives we have put in place to date. This year, we are seeking new members to represent our community and give voice to the needs of families, students and residents of our District. If you are interested in joining the Mountie Minds, please fill out the application here.
Meetings will be held in the evening, from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm, in our District offices in Hillburn, and as of now, the tentative dates for the meetings are as follows:
Tuesday, October 15
Wednesday, January 8
Wednesday, March 19
Wednesday, May 14
Applications will be accepted through September 13, 2024, and all who apply will be notified by the end of September. If you've been on Mountie Minds before, please indicate that below. We look forward to another collaborative and informative year with our Mountie Minds.
