NORTH BATTLEFORD - Here is an update on Living Sky School Division’s latest School Board meeting held Wednesday afternoon over Microsoft Teams:
The Living Sky School Division has chosen its Chair and Vice-Chair for this term.
Ronna Pethick, trustee for Subdivision 4 Unity-Cut Knife-Hillsvale Colony area, is re-elected by the board as Chair for another term.
As well, the board has chosen Shaun Weber, one of the three trustees for North Battleford subdivision, as the new Vice-Chair. Both were elected by acclamation.
The appointments of Pethick and Weber were made at the board’s organizational meeting, just prior to their regular meeting Wednesday.
There were some items discussed at the regular meeting in connection to the COVID-19 pandemic. Director of education Brenda Vickers reported that the test kits for COVID-19 have arrived.
The kits, consisting of one box of 25 tests per individual, have been distributed for staff members who have not yet been confirmed as fully vaccinated.
There was also mention of the government of Saskatchewan’s plans to expand doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to children ages five to 11.
The province had announced they have ordered 112,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine specifically for children. Vickers reported to the board that once it comes to the division they will work with Public Health as they had done in the past.
There was also discussion of the division looking at taking on a COVID-19 co-ordinator.
The idea would relieve some pressure on some School Division administrators in dealing with the COVID-19 issues and cases within the division.
Vickers noted the division has seen “more cases this year in the first couple of months this year than through last year because of the changes in the public health order, and every school division is the same.” She said school systems are looking for a way to put someone on other than the existing staff, because “it’s just got to be an awful lot.”
At the board meeting on Nov. 24, Chief Financial Officer Lonny Darroch will be presenting his year end financial statements and annual report.
Darroch explained there will be a closed session at 2 p.m. where the board will meet as a committee of the whole to go over the draft audited financial statements with representatives from Holm Raiche Oberg and the Office of the Provincial Auditor at the meeting. The board will then meet in the public session at which time a motion will be presented to pass the draft audited statement.
