School board meets in Rainy River

By Ken Johnston
Editor

The Rainy River District School Board met in Rainy River last Tuesday.
Topping their agenda was Recognition of Excellence for the Strengthening Familes for the Future Program hosted by local agencies such as Riverside Community Counselling, Ontario Early Years Centre, SAPT, NWHU, the school board, and the Canadian Mental Health Assoc.
Hal Wilhite of Riverside Community Counselling accepted the certificate of recognition and spoke highly of all the partners in the program.
He gave a brief outline of the program which took place last year and was held at Riverview Elementary School after hours. He said it is designed to enhance safe and respectful relationships between family members through learning how to spend time together having fun.
Several reports on the EQAO test results and class sizes were given at the meeting in Rainy River as well.
Linda Hill noted that while they have had small increases or decreases in numbers, they are more interested in a general trend with results over time. “Today’s results tell us that a large majority of students are mastering reading, writing and math skills.”
Over the past five years the number of grade 3 students who performed at or above the provincial standard increased from 53-67% in reading and 49-61% in writing. In math that has risen from 56-72%.
The board hopes to see continued improvement in writing and in helping boys at the primary and junior levels.
Hill also reported that the board has 92.75% of its Jr. kindergarten to gr. 3 classes meeting the provincial cap of 20 students per class and 100% not exceeding 23 per class.

Other Business
•Long time RRDSB trustee and chair Gord McBride will receive the Bernadine Yackman Memorial Award at the Ont. Pub. School Boards’ Assoc. Northern Regional Conference Oct. 19-21, 2007 in Sault Ste. Marie. It is awarded for for dedication, commitment and an outstanding contribution to education with special recognition for Northern Ontario service.
•The board approved awarding a tender to Wilson’s Business Solutions for Digital Photocopier services beginning Sept. 1/07 and running until Aug. 31/11.
•The board approved a one year renewal period of Aug. 1/07-July 31/08 on Art and Craft supplies with Supreme Learning, General Paper and Notebooks with Lowery’s Limited and General Office Supplies with Wilson’s Business Solutions.
•The board approved a one year photocopy paper and supplies tender with Wilson’s Business Solutions for Aug. 1/07 to July 31/08.
•The board granted authority to borrow up to a maximum indebtedness at any one time of $3 million to meet current operating costs for 2007/08 fiscal year pending the receipts of grants and/or funds from local revenue.
•The board approved the $297,725 additional budget expenditures as a result of the August Grant for Student Needs Enhancement.
•The board wrote off $2,633.96 of taxes for 2007 and prior.
•Student trustee for 2007/08 Meredith Ivall, from Atikokan High School, was sworn in.