OASPHE EXECUTIVE MEETING MINUTES

January 11TH, 2007

Attendance: Joanne Walsh, Deb Courville, Jennifer Johnson, Diahne Graham, Kathy Doherty-Masters, Sue McMahon, Tony Petitti,

Carolyn Temertzoglou, Ron Lopez, Derek Graham, Jennifer Cowie-Bonne, Nancy Schad, Kim Potter, Rich Ward, George Kourtis

Conference call participants: Deb Lawlor, Bob Thomas, Lara Paterson

Regrets: Nancy Popovich, Jen Powels

ITEM / DISCUSSION / ACTION
1. Review of Agenda and Time allocation / Call for new business items
2. Winter Conference Update / Registration:
  • Registration list currently shows 25 people registered.
  • The conference fee is based on double occupancy
Opening session:
  • Deb will present a blurb about Oasphe before the Keynote speaker and then introduce the keynote, Mark Jones.
Session planning to date:
  • Thursday session: DPA and social
  • Friday: all speakers are set but social agenda needs to be determined and timeframe for each session
  • Saturday: General Meeting
DPA session:
  • The first part will be a summary of all that is done for DPA to date plus new research with teachers and boards who have subscribed to Ophea’s service
  • The second part of the session: a brainstorming discussion around creative ways to sustain DPA e.g. access funding
  • The third part of the session: indicating Ophea’s on-going support and partnership with boards and Oasphe to sustain DPA- what does that look like on the part of Ophea to continue to support boards. Revisiting the vision and encouraging the continued advocacy of quality HPE programs. DPA has opened the door to needs for support for quality HPE programs.
  • The discussion could be similar to the round table sessions at the fall conference. Possible groupings might include: resources; sustaining commitment; accessing funding; community partnerships
  • The goal of the 2 hour session is to encourage participants to gather strategies for sustaining DPA, particularly in terms of accessing funds from a variety of sources so that DPA is not a one-year initiative. The goal is to support all boards in moving forward on DPA
General Meeting Agenda:
  • Share the Wealth
Update on Oasphe:
  • Who we are; advocacy positions on current issues and where decisions need to be made and timelines for those decisions.
  • Develop a statement related to fitness assessment
  • Should Oasphe develop a statement regarding healthy eating
  • DPA key messages
  • Ask new members what is on the for-front for them in terms of advocacy
To Do Responsibilities:
  • Items are still needed to stuff into participants bags.
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  • Please indicate who you will share accommodation with at the conference
  • Kim Potter will look into reduced rates for night skiing on Friday night
  • 3 places - at InterWest Village are also willing to accommodate a large group. This is not included in the conference package. Once the deadline has passed and e-mail will be sent to delegates letting them know that Friday evening is not included and the various options for the evening.
  • Deb Courville will share the direction of HDSB in terms of where DPA fits into a whole healthy schools model.
  • Tony Pettiti will share the direction that TCDSB is taking in terms of accessing funds to sustain DPA through their direction on Healthy Schools – key is how DPA can contribute to a safer, caring community.
  • Jennifer Cowie- Bonne and Deb Courville will collaborate to invite other delegates to share ideas from their boards as well as room needed at the resort.
  • Jennifer Johnston will share directions of TDSB
  • Mike Sheehan will be approached to present his successes in CDSBN
  • Deb, Nancy and Tony will discuss the focus of agenda and will publish the agenda
  • Please send anything you can from your board to include in the package to Deb Courville.
Jennifer Johnston will contact Ann Amburg to complete the pamphlet for Oasphe and have it ready for Feb 1. Tony Pettiti has also offered assistance from TCDSB
  • The conference committee will divide up the remaining responsibilities.

3. Curriculum Survey up-date and discussion / Elementary results:
229 completed the survey and 44 boards were represented.
The published report includes breakdown by several populations and includes the anecdotal comments
Secondary results:
Respondents included 177.
The French responses were minimal and incorporated into the report but not in the statistical analysis since they would not be valid
Curriculum Review- Opportunities and Routes for Input graphic organizer details the many opportunities for input from the various stakeholders. The input will occur during the first year.
The lead on the review will be hired in the spring of 2006 to begin in the fall of 2007 and must gather input from all stakeholders and then hire 15 educators to write during the following summer of 2008.
There are already too many health expectations so it might be a good idea to communicate with stakeholders beyond education to understand the issues of a weighty curriculum and find a balance in terms of requests to add to the curriculum.. In addition, offer them other avenues e.g healthy schools to get messages into schools.
Agency might also benefit from understanding that teachers focus on reporting on overall expectations rather than tackling each specific expectation with assessment and products. / For more information: see attached summary reports
The wealth of the report is that it supports the generally held point of view regarding the needed revisions. It supports Oasphe’s perspective and will inform the discussion with the Ministry during the review.
Next step is for Oasphe to share the messages gathered from the report via creating a draft for members. The report should also include informed research to support the survey results.
It would be helpful for sub-committees to note the type of research needed to support the review.
Ophea has offered support to find that research.
Joanne, Derek and George will work together to summarize the information for the secondary level.
Diahne, Richard and Ron will work together to summarize the information for the elementary level.
Deb and Nancy will create a template for committee members to follow
The full report cannot be released in order to protect the anonymity and privacy of boards.
4. Healthy Schools Initiative Discussion / Discussion: What is Oasphe’s perspective on this funding model. Does Oasphe want to brainstorm initiatives that boards, schools and students might do? Should there continue to be a focus on healthy eating and Physical Activity?
Can boards retain money allocated to schools for the board work if schools do not apply? / A letter from Oasphe needs to be sent to the ministry expressing the concern that representatives of HPE were not listed and sent the memorandum or information. Why were we bypassed in the communication and why were the suggestions presented ignored?
The initiative needs to be coordinated at the secondary level to provide a framework for schools to use the money on healthy eating and physical activity.
A second information piece will be posted on the website and sent to each member from the listserv board contact indicating that this money is earmarked for Healthy schools activities and needs to be directed along with a list of suggestions for how to spend the money.
Information to be included in memo form:
It has come to our attention that members may not be aware of this opportunity.
Process:
  1. Determine who has received the money on behalf of the board.
  2. Determine who will oversee the process in terms of submitting applications/forms
  3. Communicate to principals re: sending in applications to HPE, reviewing the documents on the website and completing the templates available on the website.
  4. Involve student representation from athletic/wellness council
  5. If possible consult or create a healthy school committee
Criteria/Suggestions:
  1. Focus on Physical Activity and Healthy Eating for the whole school
  2. Enhance current initiatives or begin a new initiative e.g. start/ build an intramural initiative;
Fitness equipment for the whole student body; convert a room to a fitness centre; used to meet expenses; motivational speakers/assemblies; changing vending machine content; directory of support for healthy schools; bring in Run for Life’s Kilometre club – runforlife.ca
5. Fitness Assessment key messages / We are still in draft format.
Joint Meeting at Oasphe/CAC felt there was a need to publish messages now.
2 to 3 key messages – some common and separation from elementary and secondary where necessary.
Common language terminology.
What is a fitness appraisal.
What is the purpose of it.
Safety and security.
No placement for evaluation
How are they used for assessment/coaching/ demonstrate improvement? / Next steps: the committee will meet again and focus the messages into clear statements to be brought back to the executive for vetting at the April 12 executive meeting
  1. Advocacy Statement Discussion
Heart and Stroke foundation and PA in High Schools
Healthy Eating / The Heart and Stroke foundation wants to take a leadership role to encourage physical activity in high schools.
They are interested in creating statements to present to candidates in the next election and create a platform that they would like all candidates to adopt in encouraging more physical activity in high school / Jennifer Cowie-Bonne directed them to look at Ophea advocacy statements, District of Niagara School Board work and the Oasphe website.
Ophea is beginning an initiative on Healthy Eating and has assembled a team. Oasphe and Ophea can work together to script key messages by way of Oasphe supporting the work of Ophea.
Updates:
Ophea
Financial statement
Spring Meeting
Brochure / Provincial Evaluation of DPA
The ministry is not planning an evaluation of the DPA model. Ophea is encouraging boards to conduct their own evaluations and
Ophea will be evaluating their services that have been offered to member boards
2 new resources in Feb: Take Action – Secondary Resource for substance use
Jigga Jump for kindergarten teachers
Tabled to the conference meeting
Joanne will send last year’s spring flyer to Diahne
Ann Amburg will be approached by Jennifer Johnston to finish it / Ophea is requesting that those evaluations be shared provincially since they are very necessary to move forward on sustaining DPA
Fair Play / There was insufficient time during this meeting to discuss this item from the agenda.