During the Sept. 23 meeting of the South East Cornerstone Public School Division's (SECPSD) board members, the trustees accepted a report on academic achievement and other outcomes.
The Tell Them From Me school survey involved 53 per cent of the students between the elementary and secondary levels. The students were surveyed in areas such as school environments, academics, math and school completion, which aligned with the division's priorities of mathematics and graduation rates.
The results indicated similarities between SECPSD students and other young scholars across Canada at both secondary and elementary levels.
At both levels students showed they have a positive sense of belonging, have friends at school they can trust and feel safe while attending school.
In the academic areas, students indicated that they complete homework assignments with positive attitudes and in a timely manner and they are interested and motivated in the process and continue to keep focused on learning.
At the secondary levels, the students' average reported mark was 80 per cent in mathematics when compared with the Canadian norm of 77 per cent. At least 74 per cent of the S.E. Cornerstone students have a high likelihood of high school completion, when compared with the Canadian average of 71 per cent.
Cornerstone will now use these survey results for their continued strategic planning as well as a school-based approach to address some of the 21 indicators of school and class effectiveness.
Each school has been provided with data specific to their own facility and its environment and will use the data for planning and implementation at the school level.
The trustees also received a report on mathematics skill measurements at Gordon F. Kells School in Moosomin and the implementation of a mathematics initiative there.
A special request for a student transfer from one school to another outside of the family's school attendance area was refused, based on established criteria that it would serve the best interest of the educational needs of the child. The student will continue to attend the school she is currently enrolled in.
The board also approved the local collective bargaining agreement between them and the South East Cornerstone Teachers' Association for the period of Aug. 1, 2013 to July 15, 2015.
The quarterly financial report was also submitted and reviewed by the trustees who approved a motion of acceptance following an explanation of items that were slightly over budget on the revenue side. It was noted that the tax reconciliation amortization expenses and payable expenses would be incurred up to the finalization of the audited year-end statement.
The budgeted revenue for the 2012-13 school year, now totals just over $105 million with 43 per cent of those funds coming from property taxation, which is now carried out by the provincial government and 49 per cent coming from provincial grants.
