September 1, 2018
Lisa Reinhardt, Manager
Corporate Secretariat and Trustee Services
Dear Lisa,
The Board of
Trustees and the Senior Team have worked collaboratively with our community to
renew our Strategic Plan. As a leadership team, we have aligned the Director’s
Annual Plan and Board Improvement Plan to meet the priorities and goals
outlined by trustees. Additionally, we have successfully put into routine
practice the Minister’s Directions. In short, our leadership team is poised to
align our efforts and work, to collaborate with precision and diligence to
ensure positive outcomes are met for students, families and staff.
As the Manager
of Corporate Secretariat and Trustee Services, you support trustees to enact
their governance and oversight roles as outlined in the Education Act. You
oversee the Board’s Corporate Secretariat as designate for the secretary of the
Board, who is responsible for oversight of the Board’s official meeting records
and all other responsibilities as outlined in the Education Act. Further, you
provide trustee training and enable decision making to flow through the various
committee structures.
To enhance our
alignment of purpose, I am asking that you work on the following specific
priorities during the 2018-2019 school year that complement your role as
Manager of Corporate Secretariat and Trustee Services.
- Lead the
creation of a department plan that is aligned to the Director’s Annual Plan and
include all elements of a logic model inclusive of data and evidence.
- Lead the
development of a trustee orientation series and ongoing professional
development for the new Board of Trustees. This should include equity training,
human rights training, budget process, good governance, school site tours and
an orientation to places of worship throughout York Region. You will need to
work with trustees to assess learning needs and collaborate with various
members of the senior team including, but not limited to, the Human Rights
Commissioner, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications and Senior Manager,
Legal, Legislative and Administrative Services.
- Develop and
implement professional learning for senior team related to the roles and
responsibilities of trustees.
- Develop and
implement a communication guide for trustees and senior staff that includes
sample scenarios. The guide should cite the Education Act
and the Good Governance Guide. It should be designed to support
trustees to uphold their governance role with confidence and clarity.
- Develop a
department graphic organizer that includes titles, roles and responsibilities
to provide clarity of decision making within Corporate Secretariat and Trustee
Services.
- Collaborate
with the Associate Directors in the development of the Community Board
Interaction Management Tool (RESOLVE) to ensure alignment to the Supporting
Community Concerns policy and procedure.
- Develop a plan
for reviewing Board Governance and decision making structures. The plan should
include soliciting trustee and staff input and guidance related to how best to
solicit strengths and needs of our current methods to share information with
trustees and support effective decision making.
- Collaborate
with the Senior Manager, Corporate Communications and Chief Financial Officer
to develop a Trustee Portal that enables them to access electronic current and
historic agendas and minutes.
- Collaborate
with the Chief Financial Officer to provide trustees with technology that
enables them to fulfill their role.
- Embed evidence
gathering and monitoring in all elements of your practice.
I ask you to
consider the above priorities and develop an implementation plan that includes
timelines, outcomes and performance indicators. In our meetings, I will ask
that you provide updates to progress as appropriate.
Thank you for
your leadership Lisa and I look forward to working alongside you in the
2018-2019 academic school year.
Sincerely,
Louise Sirisko
Director of Education
York Region District School Board