Board Highlights

The EICS Board of Trustees would like to thank the school community of St, Mary's Catholic School, for hosting the April 20th, 2022 Board Meeting.

Special thanks to Principal Jim Salsbury, Assistant Principal Darby Murphy, and Administrative Assistants Margaret Michaelchuk and Paulina Halina, and to the entire staff for their hospitality and making our Trustees feel at home. Thank-you to St. Mary's students Jalyce and Hana for leading the land acknowledgement.

Trustees were able to tour St. Mary's and meet with staff and students. On behalf of the EICS Board of Trustees, thank-you to the entire St. Mary's community for making our Trustees feel welcome, and to allow them to be a part of the St. Mary's school community for the day.

Faith Formation

Religious Education Consultant Andrea Haston led the Board in Faith Formation. The Board participated in reviewing suggested Division Themes for the 2022-2023 school year. Trustees were also able to submit suggestions for next year's theme.

Technology Services

Director of Technology Services Eric Boudreau provided an update on the work Technology Services is doing to enhance cyber security for the Division.

As part of the annual budgeting process, the Board of Trustees approves the fee schedules

for the upcoming school year.

These board approved fees include:

Basic Instructional Fees (no longer permitted under Bill 1)

Non-funded Student Fees:

• International Student Fees
• Out-of-Province Student Fees
• Chesterton Academy Online Student Fees
• Adult Student Fees (Non-funded Students)

Student Transportation Fees and chargeback rates for EICS busses providing field trip services
School rental rates for community use of EICS facilities

Recommended Changes:

International Student Fees:

• The proposed fee is based on an average of the provincial average fees from $9,500 to $12,500.

Out-of-province Student Fees:

• The proposed fees are based on the per-student Base Instruction grant rate outlined in the 2022-2023 Funding Manual.

Chesterton Academy Online Student Fees:

• The proposed fee is based on the per-student Base Instruction grant rate as outlined in the 2022-2023 Funding Manual.

School Rental Fees:

• The proposed fees for school rentals include an increase approximately 4% over the 2021/2022 school year, which reflects Alberta’s consumer price index or inflation rate increase increased 5.5% over the last year with a projected growth of 4.4%. (reference: Alberta Government’s Budget 2022 Fiscal Plan).

Transportation Fees and Field Trip Charge Back Rates:

• Costs of providing transportation services have been increasing due to inflation and liability risks related to insurance claims in the industry. Bus insurance premiums increased from (26.9%) per bus. Fuel rates have steadily increased by approximately 25% in the first quarter of 2022 and the price of parts has also increased due to supply and demand pressures from supply chain backorders.
• The increased costs will be partly funded by the provincial funding increase of 4.6%. A marginal increase in transportation fees to students is recommended to offset any shortfall in provincial funding.
• Proposed changes to the fee structure by removing the school of choice fee for both eligible and ineligible riders. Students would still be able to attend a school of choice, but they would be charged the applicable eligible or ineligible fee.
• To ensure transportation costs are fully recovered and schools are not being over/under charged for field trip transportation costs, a new structure for field trip fees is being proposed.

Trustees Moved to approve the 2022/2023 Division Fee Schedule as recommended.

Policy 21 – School Fees and Charges states that schools shall not introduce new fees or increase existing fees by more than 5% per year without Board approval. The Board approves annual maximum amounts that schools can charge for fees. The schools, in consultation with parents, set fees for the upcoming school year within these board maximums. If schools set fees below the Board maximum but increase them by more than 5%, Board approval is still required.

Recommended Changes:

Division Fee Maximum Recommendations

$5 increase for Grade 9-12 Art/Stained Glass

$5 increase for Grade 9-12 Band

$15 increase for Grade 9-12 Cosmetology

$50 increase for Grade 5-8 Food Studies

$25 increase for Grade 9-12 Food Studies

$5 increase for Grade 9-12 Fashion Studies

$5 increase for Grade 9-12 Robotics

$1 increase for Grade 9-12 Locker Rental

$5 increase for Grade 9-12 Optional Workbooks

Add a $100 fee for Computer Science

Add a $120 per credit fee for Adult Education

After a motion to amend the Division Fee Maximum for Grade 5 - 8 Food Studies from a $50 increase to a $25 increase, and Grade 9-12 Food Studies from a $25 increase to a $10 increase was defeated, the Board moved to approve the 2022-2023 School Fee Schedule as recommended.

To view the approved fee schedules, please click the links below:

To allow the Board of Trustees to meet in all 4 communities this year, the Board moved to change the June Meeting to Fort Saskatchewan. The June 15, 2022 Board Meeting will now take place at St. John XXIII Catholic School in Fort Saskatchewan.

Information was shared with the Board in regards to:

1. Elk Island Junior High Athletics Association
2. Curriculum update
3. ASBA Edwin Parr Award - Outstanding First Year Teacher
4. Excellence in Catholic Education School Awards
5. Honoring Spirit Awards
6. School Assurance presentations
7. Support for Ukraine

The Board moved to publicly acknowledge and congratulate the Elk Island Catholic Schools’ ASBA Edwin Parr Award Nominees for having done an outstanding job in their first year of teaching at the May 26, 2022 Public Board Meeting.

The Board moved to publicly acknowledge and congratulate the Elk Island Catholic Schools’ CCSSA Excellence in Catholic Education Award nominees and award winner, and the EICS Excellence in Catholic Education Support staff nominees and award winner for their excellent work in facilitating the faith development of students at the May 26, 2022 Public Board Meeting.

The Board moved to direct the Board Chair of Elk Island Catholic Schools to write a letter on behalf of the Board to acknowledge and support the 2 EICS Division nominees for the ASBA Honouring Sprit: Indigenous Awards.

Information was shared with the Board in regards to:

1. Summary of 2022/23 Funding Profile
2. March Division Financial Report
3. March Governance Financial Report

Information was shared verbally about ACSTA

Information was shared about an upcoming coffee conversations, the ASBA SGM, and the agenda for the Zone 2/3 meeting on April 22, 2022

• Trustees continue to attend school council meetings in their communities.
• RE Congress in Anaheim (virtual), on March 17-19, 2022.
• Financial Literacy Session with MNP LLP on March 21, 2022
• Catholic Education Parent Advisory Committee (CEPAC) meeting with school council chairs on March 21, 2022
• Trustees attended the ACSTA Special General Meeting on March 31, 2022
• Invitation to attend a Fort Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Meeting with MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk on April 6, 2022, regarding the provincial budget.
• Board Professional Development Retreat April 4-5, 2022
  

• School Tours / Visits on April 22nd, 2022, and May 18th, 2022.
• 100th Annual Convention of the Edmonton Diocesan Council of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada, April 29th – May 1st, 2022 in Camrose.
• Invitation to attend School Assurance Presentations throughout April and May.
• SPICE / BLUEPRINTS Conference May 2022. • École Pere Kenneth Kearns School Modernization Re-Opening Ceremony – May 16, 2022
• Advocacy Meeting with Strathcona County Council – May 16, 2022.
• REAL Foundation Golf Tournament – May 25th, 2022, supporting Catholic Education in Elk Island Catholic Schools.
• GrACE Summit – May 30, 2022, celebrating Catholic Education Together.
• Meeting the Vegreville Town Council - TBD

On April 4th and 5th, 2022, Trustees gathered at St. Sophia's Catholic Parish for 2 days of professional development.

Time was spent immersed in faith, praying the rosary, touring St. Sophia's Church, reviewing religion resources and the pastoral guide. Trustees also spent some time in wellness, with an outdoor land acknowledgement, prayer walk, and activities to get to know each other better.

On April 7th, Board Chair Ted Paszek and Superintendent Paul Corrigan met Premier Jason Kenney and MLA Jackie Lovely at the site of the new high school in Camrose.

Board Chair: Ted Paszek - tedp@eics.ab.ca

Vice Chair: Le-Ann Ewaskiw - le-ann.ewaskiw@eics.ab.ca

Sherwood Park / Strathcona County:

Trustee Jean Boisvert - jeanb@eics.ab.ca

Trustee Dean Sarnecki - deans@eics.ab.ca

Fort Saskatchewan:

Trustee Al Stewart - al.stewart@eics.ab.ca

Camrose:

Trustee Shelley Charchun - shelley.charchun@eics.ab.ca

Vegreville:

Trustee Teresa Makowecki - teresa.makowecki@eics.ab.ca

Email: elkislandcatholic@eics.ab.ca
Website: www.eics.ab.ca
Phone: 780-467-8896
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EICS-Board-of-Trustees-101018508740065