July 27, 2016 - Chignecto-Central Regional School Board

Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Recommendation for Review
July 27, 2016
Dr. Thomas McCulloch Junior High School
Pictou Academy
Pictou Elementary
Recommendation for Review
A) Background
The Chignecto-Central Regional School Board (CCRSB) is comprised of 17 board members and 2,700 staff, all
striving to provide excellent educational opportunities for nearly 20,000 students in grades Primary to 12,
including international students.
The Chignecto-Central Regional School Board is required of the Education Act to prepare and provide
information publically regarding the school board and the schools within its jurisdiction. One significant manner
in which this occurs is through the provision of a Long Range Outlook (LRO). A LRO in its preparation and
format must follow a provincial guideline as stated in the Nova Scotia Education and Early Childhood
Development (NSEECD) School Review Policy issued in 2014.
As stated in Appendix A of the provincial review policy:
“A long range outlook is intended to cover a ten-year period and provide a broad picture of the school board,
including basic information about the board such as its structure, demography, and geography, as well as
information about its strategic goals, policies, and programming decisions which may influence how education
is delivered in its jurisdiction. The Outlook will also provide an overview of all schools within the jurisdiction of
the school board, outlining their relationship to each other (i.e. feeder systems) and providing basic information
about each school.”
CCRSB enrolment in 2005 was 24,223 students and has declined to 20,009 as of September 2015, representing
a change of -17.4%. It is projected to further decline 3.2% to 19,362 students in 2025.
The declining enrolment has resulted in a substantially lower utilization of building space in many schools since
they were originally constructed. The LRO provides the total capacity, or number of students, that each school
can accommodate and the present utilization based on the current enrolment.
Utilization (%)
Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Celtic Family - School Utilization Rate (%)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
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As indicated within the LRO, the school board is comprised of 69 schools with a total size of 3,480,531 square
feet. Five schools are privately owned, commonly known as “P3” and comprise a total of 239,380 square feet
which are leased to the province.
B) Rationale for Review
P3 Leases
In December 2015 the NSEECD informed provincial school boards that the current P3 leases are approaching
their expiry date. In advance of end of a P3 lease NSEECD must indicate to the owners whether a school would
be needed in the future. Subsequently school boards were asked what they believe is the future need of their
leased schools. The province recognized there could be situations with some schools where more study is
needed.
The CCRSB Superintendent has indicated to the province that Pictou Elementary School is a P3 facility that
determination of its future need as a school would require future study. This was based on information from the
LRO. The NSEECD in June 2016 requested that the CCRSB complete the study no later than April 30, 2017.
The CCRSB believes a study is best served through the NSEECD School Review Policy. This provides direction
on the process to use for an individual school that may be no longer needed, in essence closed as a school.
The School Review Policy includes within Direction A, “A review should include all schools that could be
impacted by the outcome of a review or could expand the range of options for consideration.”
Long Range Outlook
The 2016 Long Range Outlook for Pictou Elementary School begins on Page 158. Data from that shows:
Pictou Elementary School
Configuration
Primary to Grade 5
Capacity
325 students
Enrolment 2015
177 students
Utilization:
54%
Enrolment Decline Past 10 years
38.9%
Feeder System
Pictou Academy
(9-12)
Dr. Thomas McCulloch
(6-8)
Pictou Elementary
(P-5)
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Catchment Area Map
Information for the LRO also shows:
Dr. Thomas A McCulloch Junior High School
Configuration
Grade 6 -8
Capacity
377 students
Enrolment 2015
104 students
Utilization:
29%
Enrolment Decline Past 10 years
28.2%
Catchment Area Map
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Pictou Academy
Configuration
Grade 9 - 12
Capacity
378 Students
Enrolment 2015
128
Utilization:
34%
Enrolment Decline Past 10 years
30.4%
Catchment Area Map
Northumberland Regional High
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Configuration
Grade 9 - 12
Capacity
1479 Students
Enrolment 2015
842
Utilization:
57%
Enrolment Decline Past 10 years
25.9%
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Catchment Area Map
Grade Configurations
The CCRSB is working toward system optimization with educational services. This includes grade configuration
and class size. The CCRSB acknowledges the benefits of a provincial move towards the following grade
configurations and recommends these configurations where possible:
Elementary School: Primary to Grade Five - (P-5)
Middle School: Grade Six to Grade Eight - (6-8)
High School: Grade Nine to Grade Twelve - (9-12)
Due to geography and proximity of schools, this could also incorporate the following combinations of the
recommended configurations:
Primary to Grade Eight - (P-8)
Grade Six to Twelve - (6-12)
Primary to Grade Twelve - (P-12)
Initiating Factors to Consider:
1. The Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has notified the CCRSB of
an impending P3 lease expiration for Pictou Elementary school and the contractual requirement of NSEECD
to inform the building owner of any future need of the school by June 30, 2017.
2. The NSEECD has asked the CCRSB to inform the province on what the school board sees as the future
need of the school by April 30, 2017.
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3. To meet that requirement the CCRSB will need to complete a study using the provincial School Review
Policy for a group of schools including the need of Pictou Elementary.
4. The group of schools to be considered for review should be, though not limited to, a feeder group of schools
including Pictou Elementary, Dr. Thomas McCulloch Junior High and Pictou Academy.
5. A school which would be included in the review, though not considered for closure, is Northumberland
Regional High School.
6. An objective reinforced by the new school review policy is a reorganization involving a group of schools that
could enhance/optimize program and learning opportunities for students.
7. The need for a school review could be identified where a reorganization involving a group of schools could
optimize the use of school facilities within a school family and/or across the board.
8. There is a significant amount of excess capacity and under-utilization of schools within school families and
the school board.
9. To make effective and efficient use of available resources across the school board.
10. The operation of under-utilized schools is not consistent with an objective of optimizing the use of
educational and operating resources.
11. The school board is projected to continue experiencing declining enrolment in the next 10 years.
C) CCRSB Prospective Options
A. Grades 9-12 students would be consolidated with Northumberland Regional High School and the Pictou
Academy building would be returned to the Town of Pictou.
B. Primary to Grade 5 students are accommodated at Pictou Academy and Dr. Thomas McCulloch Jr. High
sites in a P-8 campus configuration. Grades 9–12 would be consolidated with Northumberland Regional
High School. Pictou Elementary School would return to the private owner.
C. Grades 9–12 would be consolidated with Northumberland Regional High School. Grades 6-8 would be
accommodated at the Pictou Elementary School site, which would require the physical addition to the
building of technical education spaces. Pictou Academy and Dr. Thomas McCulloch Jr. sites would be
returned to the Town of Pictou.
Note: The School Options Committee will have the opportunity to generate additional options
through their work.
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D) Recommendation
That the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board conduct a school review of Pictou Elementary School, Dr.
Thomas McCulloch Junior High School and Pictou Academy, along with Northumberland Regional High School
as a potential receiving school, according to the process outlined in the Nova Scotia Education and Early
Childhood Development School Review Policy.
E) Review Policy Directives
SCHOOL REVIEW POLICY- Directives
Directive A: A school review may be considered when a long-range outlook has been completed by a school
board, as required by the Education Act and outlined in Appendix A: Preparing a Long-Range Outlook. A school
board’s decision to review a group of schools or an individual school is informed by, and a school review is
conducted in the context of, the information contained in the Outlook. Circumstances identified in the Outlook
that may lead to a school review include
A school or group of schools is unable to, or projected to be unable to, provide a suitable and equitable range
of learning opportunities for students, due to declining enrolment;
 reorganization involving a school or group of schools could enhance program and learning
opportunities for students;
 reorganization involving a school or group of schools could optimize use of school facilities across the
school board;
 a school’s combination of teaching or learning spaces is not suitable to provide programs/is not
accessible/does not serve the community, and retrofitting and/or enlarging the facility may be cost
prohibitive;
 one or more of the schools in a group is experiencing higher building maintenance expenses than
average for the school board and/or is in need of major capital improvements; and,
 safety and/or environmental concerns are associated with the building.
Directive B: To initiate a school review, school board staff will present a report called a Recommendation to
Review to the governing school board identifying a group of schools for review. A review should include all
schools that could be impacted by the outcome of a review or could expand the range of options for
consideration. Under exceptional circumstances it may be appropriate to conduct a review of an individual
school. A Recommendation to Review does not have to coincide with a particular calendar date.
A Recommendation to Review will include
 the rationale for the review, referencing information provided in the Outlook plus any other relevant
information (where other information is included, sources must be cited as applicable);
 a proposed timeline for the review (in accordance with the timelines provided in this Policy); and
 the draft Terms of Reference for the School Options Committee (SOC) that will conduct the proposed
review (the Terms of Reference define and guide the work of the SOC and must be prepared according
to the template provided in Appendix D).
The Recommendation to Review may also include one or more review scenarios that meet the review objectives
outlined in the Terms of Reference.
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Directive C: The governing school board will approve the initiation of a school review through a vote at a public
meeting and will authorize the establishment of a School Options Committee (SOC) to conduct the review.
Directive D: The School Options Committee (SOC) will comprise voting and non-voting members, as outlined
below. Appointments to the SOC will be for the duration of the review. The school board superintendent is
responsible for forming the School Options Committee.
SOC Membership
School Advisory Council
(SAC) Representatives
Voting
Community/Business
Representatives
School Board Staff
Non-Voting
Other Members
Two members of the School Advisory Council (SAC) from
each school identified as part of the review:
 Chair of the SAC (or designate); and
 One parent representative
SAC representatives cannot be employees of the school
board.
Up to two community/business representatives from the
region in which the schools under review are located.
Individuals may apply to be members of the SOC or may be
asked to act as such by the school board superintendent.
The final decision on a candidate’s membership rests with
the superintendent.
Representatives must not be elected officials, parents of
impacted students, or employees of the school board.
Central school board staff (facilities, programs, etc.) as
determined by the school board superintendent.
The superintendent may also request representatives from
the following groups to join the SOC:
 The principal (or designate) from each school identified
as part of the review;
 Planning staff from those municipalities in which the
schools under review are located; and
 Representatives of other directly impacted groups in
the school region, as determined by the
superintendent.
Directive E: A facilitator will be appointed by the superintendent from a roster maintained by the Department.
The role of the facilitator is to guide and support the School Options Committee in fulfilling its mandate.
The role of the facilitator is distinct from the role of the chair. He or she has no decision-making capacity but will
assist the members of the committee to effectively communicate, collaborate and, where possible, achieve
consensus. The facilitator will assist the chair in ensuring that meeting agendas are followed and that members
are engaged and on-task.
The facilitator will also:
 facilitate public meetings;
 act as liaison between the SOC and the school board (information requests will be directed through
the facilitator); and,
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
assist the chair in presenting the Report and Recommendation to the governing school board.
The facilitator will not be responsible for:
 decision-making (ex-officio);
 information preparation and collection (outside the context of meetings); or
 logistics (organization of meetings, etc.).
The appointment and role of the facilitator will be in accordance with the guidelines established by the
Department.
Directive F: The School Options Committee will be provided with finalized Terms of Reference at or prior to its
first meeting. The Terms of Reference will provide the SOC with the mandate, review objectives and reference
criteria for the review as determined by the school board.
An SOC mandate will generally include


conducting a review, with public consultation, of a particular school or group of schools as requested
by a school board, according to the objectives and within the parameters provided by the board; and
submitting a Report and Recommendation to the school board which will inform the board’s final
decision.
Review objectives must be clearly stated and will be specific to the school review at hand.
Reference criteria are existing policies, positions, or factors that the SOC needs to be aware of in the
development of review scenarios. For example, the school board may have specific policies, objectives, or goals
with respect to factors such as:






grade configurations,
class size and composition,
access to and equity of programming,
maximizing use of school facilities,
making best use of available resources (financial, labour and capital) across the board, or
limiting factors such as transportation time limits, geographically isolated schools.
Directive G: The school board staff will prepare and provide the School Options Committee with School
Information Profiles for each school identified as part of the review, according to the template provided by the
Minister in Appendix D (of the School Review Policy).
The purpose of the School Information Profiles is to assist the SOC’s work by providing the committee with a
snapshot of each school included in the review. The School Information Profile addresses the value of the
school to students, the board, and the community.
Directive H: A chair will be elected from among the voting members of the School Options Committee within
the first two working meetings of the SOC.
The school board will provide the individual elected as chair with information on his or her role, i.e. on standard
meeting procedure. Generally, the chair will be responsible for ensuring that the committee follows the meeting
agendas that the established norms are maintained, and that correct decision-making procedures are followed.
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Directive I: The School Options Committee will meet regularly (“working meetings”) to consider, create,
evaluate and refine solutions to the issues identified in the Recommendation to Review that meet the review
objectives and reference criteria detailed in the Terms of Reference.
Working meetings of the SOC are not public meetings. Non-members may attend meetings if they are invited
by the SOC. The SOC may, from time to time, invite individuals to the working meetings in order to assist the
committee in its work.
Minutes of key decisions and key actions will be taken by a member of the SOC at each meeting and approved
at subsequent SOC meetings. Minutes will be posted on the school board’s website as soon as they have been
approved, along with any presentation material provided to or by the SOC. The school board website will include
a dedicated web page for each ongoing review.
Directive J: The School Options Committee will hold at least three public meetings to present its work and
seek input and feedback about the review scenarios under consideration.
Public meetings must be well-publicized through a range of methods and preferably held at the schools under
review. All public meetings must be advertised at least two weeks prior to the meeting date.
The SOC must ensure that a wide range of school and community groups are invited to participate at public
meetings. These groups may include School Advisory Council members, parents, guardians, students, and staff
of the schools involved in the review, as well as the local communities and other interested parties.
Public meetings should begin with an explanation of the school review process, including the mandate of the
SOC, and a summary of the work conducted to date. The objectives and reference criteria of the review should
be outlined. Opportunities for members of the public to speak and, where possible, for dialogue with SOC
members must be provided. Public meetings will be facilitated by the facilitator appointed to support the SOC.
A summary of public contributions will be taken by a member of the SOC at each public meeting and approved
at subsequent SOC meetings. Summaries will be posted on the school board’s website as soon as they have
been approved, along with any presentation material provided to or by the SOC, in a dedicated section for each
ongoing review.
Directive K: The school board and the School Options Committee are to work together to ensure that all
information relevant to the review is made public by posting it in a prominent location on the school board’s
website and making it available in print upon request. Any technical language should be explained in plain
language.
Directive L: At the conclusion of its review, the School Options Committee will submit a Report and
Recommendation to the school board, through the superintendent, for consideration. The Report and
Recommendation will outline the work of the SOC, address each issue identified in the Recommendation to
Review, and make a recommendation consistent with the review objectives and reference criteria.
It is recommended that decisions of the SOC be determined by consensus. When a consensus cannot be
reached, a vote will determine the decision under consideration.
When a vote occurs, a majority will consist of 50 percent plus 1 of all the voting members present at the meeting
the day the vote is held. A quorum consists of 50 percent of the voting members of the SOC.
A reconsideration vote requires assent of the reconsidered decision by a 2/3 majority of all voting members.
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Once a vote has been taken it represents the decision of the SOC. The committee should establish group norms
at the beginning of the review process outlining expectations for individual committee members’ participation
on the SOC.
Directive M: If deemed necessary or requested by the governing school board, school board staff will submit
a Staff Technical Report providing additional technical details or pertinent comments related to the SOC’s
Report and Recommendation.
The Staff Technical Report will be presented at the same public school board meeting as the Report and
Recommendation.
Directive N: The governing school board is responsible for making a final decision with respect to the outcome
of a school review.
The final vote will take place at a public school board meeting. The motion considered must not be dependent
on other factors, i.e. a motion concerning school closure must be to close or keep a school open, not to close
or keep open a school in the event that other conditions are met. Subsequent motions may be made regarding
timelines and other factors.
Directive O: In the event that a school board votes to permanently close a public school, school board staff
will work with the principal of the school and the principal/s of the school/s that will receive the students of the
permanently closed school to establish a transition committee that will develop a plan for transition. The decision
to close a school and the transition plan must both be clearly communicated to the school community, to the
public, and to the Minister.
Directive P: The following timelines will apply:
i.
A Recommendation to Review can be made to the governing school board at any time.
ii.
If a review is approved, no more than 30 calendar days must elapse before the establishment of the School Options
Committee.
iii.
Upon its formation, the SOC has a minimum of 90 and a maximum of 150 calendar days to conduct the review,
including public consultation.
iv. No more than 60 calendar days will elapse between the submission of the Report and Recommendation to
the superintendent and the presentation of the Report and Recommendation at a public school board
meeting. [If a Staff Technical Report is being submitted it must be done during these same 60 days].
v.
Generally, no more than 30 calendar days must elapse between the presentation of the SOC’s Report and
Recommendation and the board’s final decision at a public school board meeting. In exceptional circumstances an
additional 30 days is permissible for the school board decision to be made.
vi. If the governing school board votes to permanently close a public school, the school must close within five school
years of the decision, beginning in September of the school year following the decision.
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Terms of Reference, School Options Committee (SOC)
School Options Committee (SOC)
Terms of Reference
August 26, 2016
Schools Under Review:
Dr. Thomas McCulloch Jr. High
Pictou Elementary School
Pictou Academy
Schools Included in the Review:
Northumberland Regional High School
Mandate



Conduct a review of the Pictou Academy Feeder System of Schools according to the Policy and
Procedures within the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development School
Review Policy.
Engage the public in the SOC work as required of the School Review Policy.
Provide a written report regarding various options considered with a final recommendation to the school
board.
Review Objectives







Through a reorganization of schools optimize the provision of educational services which could
enhance the learning opportunities for students.
To optimize the use of use of facilities within the Pictou Feeder System, including excess capacity
and utilization of facilities.
Effective and efficient use of school board resources.
Consider the school board provided options.
Provide any additional options, with status quo not an option
Consider the fiscal and staffing resource implications with all options.
All options must consistent with the NS School Review Policy and the Reference Criteria within this
SOC Terms of Reference.
Review Criteria
Grade Configuration
The Chignecto-Central Regional School Board recommends the following grade configurations:
Elementary:
Primary to Grade 5 (P-5)
Middle:
Grade 6 – Grade 8 (6–8)
High:
Grade 9 - Grade 12 (9-12)
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Combined:
Primary to Grade 8 (P-8)
Grade 6 to Grade 12 (6-12)
Primary to Grade 12 (P–12)
Any options developed by the SOC should contain these configurations.
Class Size and Composition
Classes for grades Primary to Two are capped at 20 students, with flexibility. Creating combined classes or
multi-age groupings are appropriate to meet this cap. Classes for grades Three to Six are capped at 25
students, with flexibility. Creating combined classes or multi-age groupings are appropriate to meet with cap.
Combined classes have multiple grade levels in one room. The cap for a combined class shall be the cap for
the lowest grade level. Class caps are applicable to both English and French Immersion classes.
Optimization of Educational Services
Recommendations on how the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board could move towards system
optimization have been presented to the joint committee of Education Services and Operations and are part of
the Committees continuing work. Recommendations on how to optimize the educational programming in
CCRSB are being based on international studies aimed at defining the factors leading to high- performing
educational systems.
In CCRSB, it is being recommended the system could be optimized by moving towards a critical mass of
students in each school, resulting in at least two teachers teaching the same grade level/subject area. This
could significantly enhance collaboration amongst teachers, leading to increasing effective teaching, ultimately
leading to gains in student achievement. An initial assessment recommended the following critical masses:
Elementary (Grades P-5) – At least two teachers teaching the same grade level.
Middle (Grades 6-8) – At least two teachers teaching the same grade level and subject area.
Senior (Grades 9-12) – Enough staff teaching a subject area to justify a subject-specific Department.
The critical mass of students needed to achieve the standards above would lead to increased program
opportunities for students. It would also increase the likelihood teachers are teaching in areas of expertise
related to their areas of qualifications. In addition, larger student populations increase the likelihood of increased
and varied social interactions, including a larger number of co-curricular activities to choose from.
Consistent grade configurations of schools is also identified as moving CCRSB towards an optimized
system. These should be:
Grade Primary to 5 schools
Grade 6 to 8 schools
Grade 9 to 12 schools
It is acknowledged there are occasions where configurations of P-12, P-8 and 7-12 are appropriate for reasons
due to proximity and geographical location of schools.
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Moving towards these three grade figurations would bring CCRSB further in line with what is happening in the
province of Nova Scotia, capitalizing on provincial alignment. It would also provide alignment in student
achievement data comparisons.
Access to an Equity of Programming
The CCRSB endeavours to make educational program services available to all students. Consideration for
students to transfer to other schools is according to CCRSB Student Transfer Policy #ES-G-03.
Options developed by SOC should not expand on current educational program services.
Optimization of School Facilities
The school board has developed options for the Pictou Feeder System which optimize the utilization of
existing school facilities. Additional options should demonstrate similar improvements to facility utilization.
Optimization of Available Use of Resources (Fiscal, Labour and Capital) across the CCRSB and for the
Department of Education
The school board has initiated the review of the Pictou Academy feeder system, including Pictou Elementary
School, to assist the board in determining the future need of the P3 facility and the province with the time lines
included in the P3 lease agreement for the elementary school.
The review is also initiated to optimize the use of school board resources including staffing, school operations
and capital repairs across the CCRSB.
Limiting Factors
Any options developed and recommendation provided must adhere to CCRSB Student Transportation Policy
#OS-T-01.
Membership
Membership of the Study Options Committee includes all schools under review and those included in the
reviews follow Directive D (above or within the School Review Policy). These would be:
A. Voting Members - School Advisory Council (SAC) Representatives
Dr. Thomas McCulloch Jr. High (TMJ)/Pictou Academy (PA)


Chair, School Advisory Council, or designate
One parent representative
Pictou Elementary School (PES):


Chair, School Advisory Council, or designate
One parent representative
Northumberland Regional High School
 Chair, School Advisory Council, or designate
 One parent representative
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School Advisory Council representatives cannot be employees of the school board
B. Voting Members – Community / Business Representatives
Two (2) community / business representatives from the region in which the schools under review are
located.
Individuals may apply to be members of the SOC or may be asked to act as such by the CCRSB
Superintendent such as through a public call for an expression of interest.
Representatives must not be elected officials, parents of impacted students or employees of school
boards.
C. Non-Voting Members – School Board Staff (as required)
 Director of Operations
 Director of Human Resources
 Director of Programs and Student Services
 System Development Supervisor
 Family of Schools Supervisor
 Recording Secretary (appointed by the superintendent)
D. Non-Voting Members – Other Members
Superintendent may request representatives from the following groups to join the SOC
The principal (or designate) from each school:



Dr. Thomas McCulloch Jr. High/Pictou Academy
Pictou Elementary
Northumberland Regional High School
Planning staff from the Town of Pictou and the Municipality of the County of Pictou.
As determined by the Superintendent, representatives of other directly impacted groups in the
schools’ region.
School Review Facilitator
As outlined in Directive E of the Provincial School Review Policy, a facilitator will be appointed by the
Superintendent from a roster maintained by the Department. The role of the facilitator is to guide and support
the School Options Committee in fulfilling its mandate.
The role of the facilitator is distinct from the role of the chair. He or she has no decision-making capacity but will
assist the members of the committee to effectively communicate, collaborate and, where possible, achieve
consensus. The facilitator will assist the chair in ensuring that meeting agendas are followed and that members
are engaged and on-task.
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The facilitator will also:
 facilitate public meetings;
 act as liaison between the SOC and the school board (information requests will be directed
 through the facilitator); and
 assist the chair in presenting the Report and Recommendation to the governing school board.
The facilitator will not be responsible for:
 decision-making (ex-officio);
 information preparation and collection (outside the context of meetings); or
 logistics (organization of meetings, etc.).
The appointment and role of the facilitator will be in accordance with the guidelines established by the
NSEECD.
Procedures
Election of a Chair for the SOC
Working meetings of the SOC shall be chaired by the Facilitator until the Chair is selected.
The Chair shall be elected from among the voting members of the SOC within the first two working meetings of
the SOC.
The school board will provide the individual elected as Chair with information on his or her role, i.e. on standard
meeting procedure. Generally, the Chair will be responsible for ensuring that the committee follows the meeting
agendas that the established norms are maintained, and that correct decision-making procedures are followed.
Decision Making
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
No business shall be conducted at any meeting of the SOC unless a quorum is present.
A quorum consists of 50 % of the voting members of the SOC.
It is recommended that decisions of the SOC be determined by consensus.
When consensus cannot be reached, a vote will determine the decision under consideration.
When a vote occurs, a majority will consist of 50% plus 1 of all voting members present at the
meeting the day the vote is held.
f. A reconsideration vote requires assent of the reconsidered decision by a 2/3 majority of all voting
members.
g. Once a vote has been taken, it represents the decision of the SOC.
In all other procedural matters provided for in these Terms of Reference, the rules and practices of Bourinot’s
Rules of Order shall govern as far as they are applicable, and as a secondary reference the provisions of
Procedures for Meetings and Organizations (Kerr and King) shall prevail.
The committee should establish group norms at the beginning of the review process outlining expectations for
individual, voting and non-voting committee members’ participation on the SOC.
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Working Meeting Agenda
Working meetings of the SOC are not public meetings. Non-members may attend meetings if they are invited
by the SOC. The SOC may, from time to time, invite individuals to the working meeting in order to assist the
committee with its work.
Minutes of key decisions and key actions will be taken by the Recording Secretary of the SOC at each meeting
and approved at subsequent SOC meetings. Minutes will be posted on the school board’s website as soon as
they have been approved, along with any presentation material provided to or by the SOC. The school board
website will include a dedicated web page for each ongoing review.
The agenda for the working meetings shall be as follows:










Call to Order
Record of Attendance
Additions to Agenda
Approval of Agenda
Adoption of Minutes
Business arising from Minutes
New Business
Reports, correspondence, communications;
Future meetings
Adjournment.
Public Meetings
The SOC will hold at least three public meetings to present its work and seek input and feedback about the
review scenarios under consideration.
Public meetings must:
 be well-publicized through a range of methods;
 preferably held at the schools under review; and
 advertised at least two weeks prior to the meeting date.
The SOC must ensure that a wide range of school and community groups are invited to participate at public
meetings. These groups may include:
 School Advisory Council members
 Parents/guardians;
 Students and staff of the schools involved in the review;
 Local communities; and
 Other interested parties.
Public meetings will be facilitated by the facilitator appointed to support the SOC. Public meetings should:
 begin with an explanation of the school review process, including the mandate of the SOC;
 summarize of the work completed to date;
 outline the objective and reference criteria of the review; and
 provide opportunities for members of the public to speak, and where possible, for dialogue with
SOC members.
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The agenda for each public meeting will be as follows:
 Call to Order
 Record of Attendance of SOC members
 Explanation of the school review process
 Mandate of the SOC
 Objectives and reference criteria
 Summary of work conducted to date
 Purpose of the meeting
 Public feedback
 Future meetings; and
 Adjournment
A summary of public contributions will be taken by a member of the SOC at each public meeting and approved
at subsequent SOC meetings. Summaries will be posted on the school board’s website as soon as they have
been approved, along with any presentation material provided to or by the SOC, in a dedicated section for the
ongoing review.
Requests for Information
All requests for information from the SOC shall be directed, in writing, through the School Review Facilitator.
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Schedule
SCHOOL REVIEW PROCESS
Initiated at any time
School board staff present a Recommendation to Review for a group of schools or a
single school to the school board, along with the Terms of Reference for a School
Options Committee (SOC).
July 27, 2016
School board accepts recommendation and initiates a review of a group of schools or
school.
Up to 30 days
SOC is formed, facilitator appointed, relevant documents provided (finalized Terms of
Reference and School Information Profiles).
August 26, 2017
SOC begins to meet regularly
Develop scenarios
90-150 days
Public Meeting 1: Present process
and objectives, receive feedback
Public Meeting 2: Present draft,
review scenarios, receive feedback
Evaluates scenarios
Public Meeting 3: Present preferred
review scenario, receive feedback
SOC’s Report and
Recommendation submitted
January 24, 2017
Up to 60 days
Staff Technical Report
(not mandatory)
School Board Public Meeting: Presentation of SOC’s Report and Recommendation and
the Staff Technical Report
March 22, 2017
30 days
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Board Decision
April 19, 2017
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Reference Documents
(Electronic links to web-sites are included.)
1.
Education Act of Nova Scotia
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiDoPPbgZTOAhV
OpIMKHUDtBlkQFgggMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnslegislature.ca%2Flegc%2Fstatutes%2Feducation.
pdf&usg=AFQjCNEeYI5LJYyyKSuPF1mhzWAABaPpEg
2.
Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, School Review Policy
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwj3sbbXgpTOAhV
F34MKHYnNDbMQFggdMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ednet.ns.ca%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%
2Fpubdocs-pdf%2Fschoolreviewpolicy.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGEdqTOuaeldWa-yec2V7kS4btrlA
3.
CCRSB 2016 Long Range Outlook:
http://www.ccrsb.ca/sites/default/files/Documents%20and%20Forms/Long%20Range%20Outlook%20J
une%202016.pdf
4.
Student Transportation (bussing) Policy #OS-T-01
http://www.ccrsb.ca/sites/default/files/OS-T-01%20Student%20Transportation.pdf
5.
Student Transfer ES-G-03
http://www.ccrsb.ca/
6.
Other CCRSB Policies and Procedures can be found through;
http://www.ccrsb.ca/policy-procedure-manual
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