A Superintendent of Education with the Avon Maitland District School Board says last week's announcement from the government regarding getting back to the basics of education won't mean any significant changes for the Avon Maitland Board.
Paul Langis says for the most part, the Avon Maitland Board is in step with what Bill 98 is asking for.
“We're well positioned with this announcement around Bill 98 that the government announced last week. Our focus has been on equitable outcomes for all students, especially in areas of literacy and numeracy previous to this announcement. So Avon Maitland is well positioned for this announcement," Langis said.
Under Bill 98, each board is expected to post a Student Achievement Plan that lays out how the board intends to work on the education priorities laid out by the government.
Boards are also being asked to post the percentage of students meeting the standards in the province's standardized tests, administered by the Education Quality and Accountability Office, graduation rates and credit accumulation, the percentage of students participating in job skills programs and absence, suspension and expulsion rates. The Ministry has also mandated the agenda for three of the seven Professional Development days in the school year.
“As a small school board who prides itself on our relationships with our students and their families we've always been pretty clear about sharing information on areas of focus. We will look forward to more information coming from the government," added Langis
He adds, they hope they will also see more funding to support better outcomes for their most vulnerable students. But he says as far as things like P-D days and students results, they've always been well-positions to share that with their families.
