McNally: If used by all school districts, openStudent would cost 1/7th of the $100 million over 12 years that is projected for Aspen / MyEducaton BC.Saanich has had investment interest from outside BC so openStudent may be viable again. Ferris: Know nothing about either. MyEducation BC is a fact of life.
Month: May 2014
McNally: That the Board encourage the Ministry of Education to support openStudent and to abandon their commitment to MyEducation BC/Aspen. / Defeated. For: Alpha, Loring-Kuhanga, McNally, Nohr Against: Ferris, Horsman, Leonard, Orcherton Absent: McEvoy Rationale: [Excerpts from Rob Wipond’s May 2014 report Dangerous Linkages in Focus magazine:, with comments on data gathering by the Province from Saanich IT Director, Saanich School Distict 63 Superintendent, Christopher Parsons, post-doc at U of T Citizen Lab, BC Civil Liberties Director Micheal Vonn, and others]
Block quote Saanich has received investment interest from school districts outside BC, so openStudent may be resuscitated; however, most school districts have now buckled to the government’s imposing deadline and signed on to MyEducation BC, and Saanich may have to as well. But the mysteries surrounding the government’s plans for student information are causing worry.
I was unable to attend this meeting. Minutes will be approved at the next Ed Policy meeting, but meanwhile draft minutes will be attached to the next Board meeting agenda. Rob Wipond in Focus magazine asks some interesting questions about MyEducation BC. Article also here on Wipond’s blog: Dangerous Linkages My motions to ask the […]
Following the budget vote is a vote on the official Budget Bylaw so the budget can be sent to the Ministry of Education. I voted against all three Bylaw readings in one meeting, which needs unanimous agreement, so the final vote went to an email “poll vote”. I voted no in that final vote. I do not agree with closing a school this year, or with the cuts required since 2001 (which included closing many other schools). The cuts are direct results of underfunding and offloading of costs to School Districts by the Province.
McNally: That all personnel accounted for (in addition to the proposed reduction in clerical support and reduction in Learning Mentor FTE) under “Learning Initiatives” be reassigned to appropriate positions in SD61, and the department “Learning Initiatives” be closed. / Defeated. Rationale: According to the information trustees were given at orientation (the Department’s budget for 2011-12) this department’s budget is, or was pre-Learning Mentors cuts, approximately $1,088,181. There is no need for an in-house professional development consultancy.
