Ministry Release

 

As a part of the government’s commitment to the Student Success Strategy, school boards will receive a one-time allocation to advance four priority areas to

a) enhance outdoor experiences for students;

b) support ‘hands on’ learning opportunities;

c) support secondary school boys literacy; and

d) address safety issues and environmental concerns in technological education programs and facilities.

Through these four targeted initiatives, this funding is intended to strengthen the delivery of student success programming in the short term and help every student succeed. This additional funding is designed to offset costs you may already be incurring, or will incur before March 31, 2009, and may be allocated among these four areas at your discretion.

The focus of these four initiatives is:

a)      To provide or enhance outdoor experiences for students K-Grade 12 at the local, regional or provincial level. Funding is available to support activities such as:

  • entrance fees or registration costs for outdoor experiences;

  • transportation to and supply teacher costs associated with outdoor experiences; and/or

  • equipment to enhance outdoor experiences such as science field kits, snowshoes, and geography materials.

b)      To increase student access to innovative, engaging program options to expand horizons, customize programs and support ‘hands-on’ learning. This could be used to meet current system-wide demand for a greater focus in science and technology/technological education, the arts, guidance, pathways/career supports and transitions programming for grades 4-8 such as:

  •   bringing programs to students or bringing students to programs;

  •   transportation costs to access a variety of opportunities;

  •   manipulatives directly related to ‘hands-on’ activities;

  •   software;

  •  bussing costs for elementary students to go to a secondary school to experience technological  education, arts or music programs;

  •  providing for guest speakers, artists and other experts visiting classrooms to provide experiences    for students; and/or

  • affiliation fees, in-school career presentations and registration fees for events.

c)      To align with the recent funding provided for elementary school library resources, funds may be used to purchase reading materials found to be appropriate and engaging for boys at the secondary level. In making purchases, consider the recommendations of the recently completed Boys' Literacy Teacher Inquiry Project including:

  •  non-fiction, including biographies, histories, science and other current topical issues (examples: personal relationships and social problems);

  •  non-traditional materials such as newspapers, magazines, manuals, digital texts, CD-ROMS;

  •  fiction engaging for boys: graphic novels and Manga books, science fiction, fantasy, action, adventure, mystery, series and sequels and books that reflect a boy's own life experiences, aspirations and self-image; and/or

  •  "edgy" content and humour.

d)      To address safety issues and environmental concerns in technological education programs and facilities. This could include expenditures related to:

  • the installation of emergency safety stops and machine guards, magnetic starters, lock out equipment and upgrades to shop ventilation, dust collectors and other dust and fume extraction equipment;

  • offset the costs of the annual inspection, certification and repair of lifting devices required by the Ministry of Labour (Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851) or other regularly scheduled maintenance required;

  • ensure the safe operation of equipment in technological education programs; and/or

  • purchase replacement and additional capital equipment for technological education programs if outstanding health & safety issues have already addressed.

 

Since this funding must be accounted for in the 2008-09 fiscal year, it must be expensed prior to fiscal year end (March 31, 2009) although these funds may be used to pre-pay costs in order to extend opportunities for students to the end of the school year.