Boardroom Briefs is intended to provide highlights of presentations, reports and decisions made at the regular meeting of the Limestone District School Board of Trustees. The following are highlights of the August 19, 2026 Regular Board Meeting. Agendas and meeting recording can be found on the website under Board Meetings.
Regular Board Meeting - August 19, 2026
Land Acknowledgement
All meetings begin with a Land Acknowledgement: "The Limestone District School Board is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek and Haudenosaunee. We acknowledge their enduring presence on this land, as well as the presence of Métis, Inuit, and other First Nations from across Turtle Island. We honour their cultures and celebrate their commitment to this land."
Reports from the Officers
Chair's Report
Chair McGregor stated: “As summer break comes to an end, we look ahead with excitement and optimism to a new school year across the Limestone District School Board.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend a warm welcome back to students and families as they prepare for the first day of school on Wednesday, September 2, as well as to staff across the system. A new school year brings fresh energy, new opportunities for learning and growth, and a chance to strengthen the connections that make our schools vibrant places to learn and work.
We are grateful for the dedication and preparation that have taken place throughout the summer to ensure schools are ready to welcome students. From classroom setup and facility improvements to planning and professional learning, many people have worked behind the scenes to support a strong start to the year.
As Trustees, we look forward to seeing Limestone schools come alive once again with learning, discovery, and achievement. We are proud of the educators, support staff, administrators, and all LDSB employees who create inclusive, caring, and engaging environments where every student can thrive.
As we begin the 2026-2027 school year, we remain committed to supporting student success and well-being and look forward to celebrating the accomplishments, milestones, and memorable moments that the year will bring.
Thank you. That concludes my report.”
CEO/CEDO/Director's Report
Director Burra stated: “Good evening Trustees and members of the public joining us for this meeting. I am pleased to provide you with my update tonight as we prepare for the start of the 2026-2027 school year in two weeks when students return to Limestone schools on Wednesday, September 2.
I hope everyone found themselves with some holiday time this summer to enjoy time with family and friends. In reflecting on this summer, it is important for everyone to have the opportunity to recharge and reflect on the important work we do collaboratively to support children and youth in the Limestone community.
With the summer season, schools were not running as they do for the other ten months of the year. However, there was lots of activity for students this July and August. Similar to last summer, over 250 students participated in Summer Literacy/Numeracy camps, and over 900 secondary students participated in summer session earning credits. In addition, almost 640 students participated in outdoor education programming offered at some schools, at Gould Lake, and/or on outdoor education trips. Trustees will receive a report in the fall providing more details regarding the range of summer programs that occurred in July and August. In addition, a considerable amount of facilities work occurs in schools during the summer and Manager Fowler will provide a summary of this work in September.
We are greatly looking forward to welcoming back staff and well over 20,000 students as the school year starts. While over 99% of students will be in face-to-face classrooms, Limestone continues to offer a virtual option for some students. Regardless of the format of learning, Limestone will continue to do its best to meet students where they are and support improved student achievement and well-being. Mental health and well-being are essential conditions for achievement and learning for all students.
Schools will be reopening next week with many staff getting ready for the new school year and we look forward to Limestone schools welcoming students back on Wednesday, September 2. As a reminder, we are starting the school year with a P.A. day on Tuesday, September 1.
With almost all labour agreements expiring on August 31, labour negotiations at the provincial level have started over the past few months and will be continuing into the weeks and months ahead. Like similar labour years in the past, we can anticipate some potential volatility in the public education sector, but hopefully minimal impact on students and families. We will have to be adaptable and plan for a range of potential contingencies.
We all know that extracurriculars like sports and clubs, full arts programming, and field trips are of tremendous value to students. As Trustees know, all of these student activities are made possible by the generous time provided by staff and some community members. I think I speak for everyone in expressing our gratitude to the staff and community members that provide these valuable experiences and services to Limestone students.
This evening there are some routine, cyclical reports coming to Trustees, as well as primarily housekeeping adjustments to Board policies required by recent legislation and regulations.
As Trustees know, considerable work occurs by central departments: facilities, finance, human resources, and ITS during the summer months to ensure schools are ready for the school year. I would like to acknowledge staff in all of those departments for the important work they do throughout the year, but also during the summer months.
Finally, I should also note that Limestone hosted its 13th successful Summer Institute earlier today with over 100 LDSB educators attending to learn from each other and continue to hone their craft. A wide range of learning topics were available to support educator learning K to 12. We are very pleased to be able to provide this valuable learning opportunity to staff. This is just one example of learning that Limestone educators have been participating in this summer. As we all know, learning is a journey, not a destination, and we must always model learning to support the system, and do the best we can to serve every student, in every classroom, in every school.
Thank you, Chair McGregor, that completes my report for this evening.”
Reports
OPBSA Report
Trustee McGregor reported that she was elected Eastern Regional Vice-Chair, while Shannon Binder was elected Eastern Regional Chair. Trustee McGregor noted that she expects to have additional information to share at the next Board Meeting following the Board of Directors meeting being held in Toronto on August 20, 2026.
Student Trustees Report
None at this time.
Reports for Action
Short-Term Borrowing Resolution
Acting Superintendent Richard presented the report recommending the approval of a short-term borrowing resolution for the 2026-2027 school year to support the board’s cash flow requirements. He explained that, in accordance with the Education Act, the Treasurer is required to provide the board’s financial institution with a copy of the resolution authorizing any such borrowing.
Acting Superintendent Richard advised that the board continues to operate within the province’s cash management framework, which is designed to support effective financial planning and liquidity management. He noted that the board is required to arrange short-term bridge financing during the construction of major capital projects, capital additions/retrofits and School Condition Improvement projects. He reviewed the report with Trustees.
Chair McGregor called upon Trustees for comments or questions.
MOTION MOVED by Trustee Ruttan and seconded by Trustee Lloyd that the Board authorize the signing officers of the board to enter into agreements with the Royal Bank of Canada for the following:
1. The borrowing of funds to meet operating requirements to a maximum of $20 million for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Carried.
Honoraria for Board Members
Acting Superintendent Richard presented the report regarding Trustee honoraria and explained that, in accordance with Board policy and the applicable Ontario regulation, Trustee remuneration is calculated using four components: a base amount, an enrolment amount, an attendance amount, and a distance amount. He noted that the calculation also includes additional honoraria for the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair in recognition of their added responsibilities.
Acting Superintendent Richard advised that the base amount has remained unchanged for many years and is currently set at $5,900 per Trustee. He noted that the Vice-Chair and Chair receive additional amounts of $2,500 and $5,000, respectively. In addition, both positions receive a supplementary enrolment-based amount calculated using the board’s average daily enrolment.
He explained that the enrolment component of the honorarium is determined using a provincially prescribed formula based on 1.75 times the board’s average daily enrolment, with the resulting amount allocated among Trustees. The attendance component is also established by regulation and is based on an assumed average of two Board Meetings per month over a twelve-month period, resulting in an annual attendance amount of $1,200 per trustee.
With respect to the distance component, Acting Superintendent Richard advised that boards must encompass a minimum geographic area of 9,000 square kilometres to qualify. As the Limestone District School Board covers an area of just under 7,200 square kilometres, the Board does not meet the threshold and is therefore not eligible for a distance amount.
Acting Superintendent Richard reviewed the current honoraria and the calculations set out in the report. He noted that the annual honorarium for a Trustee was calculated at approximately $11,094, while the Vice-Chair and Chair honoraria were calculated at approximately $14,100 and $17,121, respectively.
Referring Trustees to the appendix, Acting Superintendent Richard highlighted the detailed breakdown of each component used in the calculation, including the base, attendance, and enrolment amounts. He further noted that the calculation includes an Indigenous Education allocation provided directly through the provincial grants framework. He explained that this amount is determined by the Ministry and allocated across the board’s Trustee complement in accordance with the prescribed methodology.
Acting Superintendent Richard concluded by noting that the calculations supported the recommendation outlined in the report:
MOTION MOVED by Trustee Lloyd and seconded by Trustee Hutcheon that the Board approve the following honoraria policy to be effective for the new term of Trustees on November 15, 2026:
Trustee Honoraria Policy (Board Operations)
The honoraria for members of the Board will be set in accordance with the Education Act, Ontario Regulation 357/06 and Ministry funding provisions and shall be as follows:
- a base amount of $5,900 per Trustee plus 100% of the C.P.I. adjustments as permitted by Regulation;
- 100% of the annual enrolment permitted by Regulation;
- an attendance amount of $50 limit per meeting permitted by Regulation, set at $1,200 per Trustee; and
- an additional base amount of $5,000 for the Chair and $2,500 for the Vice-Chair of the Board
The motion was carried.
Policy Updates
CEO/CEDO/Director Burra presented proposed policy amendments required to align Board policies with recent legislative and regulatory changes arising from Bill 101. He noted that the majority of the revisions are housekeeping in nature and include updates to titles and terminology, amendments to Trustee expense provisions to reflect legislative requirements, revisions related to the Parent Involvement Committee, and changes reflecting the Minister's authority regarding the naming and renaming of schools.
CEO/CEDO/Director Burra advised Trustees of minor drafting errors in Policies 4 and 5 where references to the Chief Education Officer should instead read Chief Executive Officer. He indicated that these corrections would be made prior to approval. He also outlined the legislative changes establishing the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Education Officer and advised that, as he currently holds the qualifications for both positions, he would assume both responsibilities, consistent with the approach being taken by many school boards across the province.
CEO/CEDO/Director Burra highlighted that Policies 3 and 20 contain amendments related to the qualifications and responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Education Officer and may require further review by the current or future Board or Education, Policy, and Operations Committee Meeting. As a result, he was not recommending approval of those policies at this time. He advised that the current approach does not require changes to staffing or employment arrangements and provides flexibility for future organizational decisions. In closing, CEO/CEDO/Director Burra recommended approval of the housekeeping amendments and noted that Policies 3 and 20 would return for further consideration following additional review. The recommended motion was put forward:
MOTION MOVED by Trustee Godkin and seconded by Trustee Hutcheon that Trustees receive this report for information and approve the housekeeping edits as captured in the appendices for the following polices: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, and 24. As noted, Policies 3 and 20 will be further discussed at an Education, Policy, and Operations Committee Meeting for potential approval. Carried.
Reports for Information
Interim Financial Report for Quarter 3
Manager Carson presented the Interim Financial Report on Operating Expenditures for the period ending May 31, 2026 (Quarter 3). She noted that a similar Quarter 2 report had been presented to the Board on May 20, 2026. Referring Trustees to Appendix 1, she reported that total operating expenditures as of May 31, 2026 were $241.4 million, representing 76% of the board’s $316.9 million operating budget. She noted that this expenditure rate is consistent with the same reporting period in the previous fiscal year, when 76% of the operating budget had also been expended.
Manager Carson reviewed the major variances within the Instruction category. She reported that Educational Assistant (EA) expenditures had decreased due to lower spending on short-term EA support. In contrast, textbook and supply expenditures had increased, primarily as a result of a $350,000 investment in cyber monitoring, which was funded through surplus reserves. She also noted an increase in staff development costs related to the timing of training activities, with more training sessions completed in Quarter 3 of the current school year compared to the same period in the previous year. Expenditures for continuing education were also higher, largely due to the timing of program delivery, including the Personal Support Worker program.
In the Administration and Governance category, Manager Carson advised that expenditures had increased as a result of additional costs associated with the SDS-Cayenta modernization project. She explained that SDS-Cayenta is the board’s integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, supporting financial reporting, payroll, and human resources functions.
Manager Carson reported that expenditures in the Transportation and Pupil Accommodation categories remained consistent with Quarter 3 results from the 2024-2025 fiscal year. She further noted that spending within the Other category had increased due to a reduction in the budget associated with temporary EAs seconded under Jordan’s Principle.
Manager Carson concluded by advising that the report was provided for information purposes and indicated that staff would be pleased to respond to any questions from Trustees.
Chair McGregor thanked Manager Carson and called upon Trustees for comments or questions.
Business Arising
Delegation from the June 16, 2026 Board Meeting: Funding Increase for Supports
Chair McGregor referred Trustees to the letter in the agenda package that was sent to a Marlene Feenstra who gave the delegation that took place at the June 18, 2025, Board Meeting. Chair McGregor called upon Trustees for further discussion. There was none.
Notice of Motion
Notice of Motion by Student Trustee Katz and endorsed by Trustee Lloyd: “Given that Limestone DSB is committed to providing safe, inclusive, and equitable learning environments for all students; and that peer sexual harassment and sexual violence remain serious concerns in Ontario schools and in society at large; and that consent education, healthy relationships, and gender-based violence prevention are part of the Ontario Physical and Health Education (PHE) Curriculum and critical components of student safety and well-being; and that Consent Awareness Week, a national initiative led by Possibility Seeds and High School Too, is observed annually during the third week of September to advance consent education and support survivors; I move that Limestone DSB formally recognize the third week of September as Consent Awareness Week and the Board encourage schools to engage in age-appropriate programming, dialogue, and education based on the Ontario PHE curriculum during Consent Awareness Week to promote a culture of consent and to help prevent gender-based violence.”
Student Trustee Katz provided notice of motion, endorsed by Trustee Lloyd, recommending that the Limestone District School Board formally recognize the third week of September as Consent Awareness Week and encourage schools to engage in age-appropriate programming, dialogue, and education based on the Ontario Health and Physical Education curriculum. In speaking to the motion, Student Trustee Katz noted that the proposal was developed in collaboration with fellow Student Trustees and received unanimous support from the Inter-School Council. He emphasized the importance of consent education in promoting student safety and well-being, increasing awareness and understanding of consent, supporting survivors, and helping to prevent gender-based violence, while aligning with the Ontario curriculum and the Board’s commitment to safe, inclusive, and equitable learning environments. This motion will be discussed at the next Board Meeting September 16, 2026.
Chair McGregor called upon Trustee MacLeod-Kane to read her notice of motion to be discussed at a future meeting:
“That the rules that outline the Role of the Board Chair, the Trustee Code of Conduct, and the Role of the Trustee that have not been mandated by the Province, be reviewed, in the spirit of democracy and freedom of speech of elected officials, in order to revise these documents in a manner that would allow Trustees to speak more freely on issues of concern to constituents and challenge majority decisions made by the Board of Trustees if they believe it is warranted, without reprimand by the Board, recognizing that the electorate should be the ultimate arbiter of a Trustee’s conduct.”
Adjournment
MOTION MOVED BY: Trustee Hutcheon and seconded by Trustee Godkin that the meeting adjourn. Carried.
The Meeting Adjourned at 6:40 p.m.