Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Does committee agree?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Finally, the report card part of PowerSchool is being implemented at the same time that teachers are working on report cards. This is not an ideal situation. ECE is not communicating with parents, and school districts are left taking the initiative to inform and work with parents during a very stressful transition into this new system.

Could the Minister commit to immediately work with his department to initiate a proper communication announcement and inform parents more about PowerSchool and what to expect with this new system?

The training for educators did occur according to the required access to the different levels of the system, while a reasonable amount of support was provided from ECE but it happened too late in the school year, thus not allowing users the time to learn and prepare for the report card turnaround. Many teachers were found holding the bag and scrambling to use the system while trying to maintain their teaching agenda.

Could the Minister explain why this system training did not occur at the beginning of the school year and why it occurred only seven to 10 days out before report cards?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure and honour to introduce to the House the newest and hardest working person to join me in the office of Range Lake, the lovely Ms. Norma Giovanetto.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wish to take just a minute here to clarify in general comments, as indicated in both opening addresses and the one we did from committee, regarding the amendment of the bill which allowed the Minister to consult with the Supreme Court before setting fees or court fees. That reference is to, later on as we’ll note in detail, Section 24 of the act and number 2.

What we see within that amendment is a compromise to the true intention of what many in committee were striving to achieve. This concept was fair and reasonable court fees. Now, the department was adamant that...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thanks to the Minister for walking us through I think what we’ve already heard a number of times already. It was good to get that on the record. A good debate yields good dialogue, and hopefully today we can actually then do some wise decision-making from what we’ve heard here today.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wish to present a motion to the committee.

I move that subclause 6(1) of Bill 5 be deleted and the following substituted under the term “Appointment.”

6.

(1)

The Commissioner, on the joint recommendation of the Minister and the Commission, shall appoint an Executive Director, who must be either

(a) a lawyer; or

(b) a person with significant management

and financial experience.

Agreed. We will commence just after a short break. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Menicoche.

Having support during such a changeover requires the ability to have the proper access for help. Allegedly, schools were supposed to have a school support person assigned at each school, and ECE did promise to make sure teachers had access to what is referred to as PowerSource. It was a technical Internet website where teachers could get such help or support. However, many teachers were unaware of such access and were somewhat upset that they could have definitely used such a service.

Could the Minister explain why this PowerSource support offering was not better communicated with all educators...