Bill 2207 — An Act To Amend the Schools Act, 1997 (50th General Assembly, 2nd Session)
Bill 2207
Newfoundland and Labrador — Bills
Second
Session, 50th General Assembly
Charles III, 2022
BILL 7
AN ACT TO AMEND THE
SCHOOLS ACT, 1997
Received
and Read the First Time ................................................................
Second
Reading ............................................................................................
Committee .....................................................................................................
Third
Reading ...............................................................................................
Royal
Assent .................................................................................................
HONOURABLE JOHN
HAGGIE
Minister of
Education
Ordered to be printed by
the Honourable House of Assembly
EXPLANATORY NOTES
This Bill would
amend the Schools Act, 1997 to
provide that trustees of a
board shall be appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council;
replace references to
"director" with "superintendent" in relation to boards;
remove the requirement for a
board to appoint an associate director and assistant directors;
establish the Provincial
Advisory Council on Education;
expand the ability of a board
to admit to a school students enrolled in teacher training programs and other
education-related programs for the purposes related to those programs;
update the powers of a board to
require employees to undergo assessments by medical practitioners, registered psychologists
or other professionals approved by the board;
update and modernize language
to meet current practices;
replace references to
"Trial Division" with "Supreme Court"; and
incorporate gender-neutral
language.
A BILL
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SCHOOLS ACT, 1997
Analysis
S.2 Amdt.
Definitions
S.3 Amdt.
Right of access to education
S.5 Amdt.
Excused from attendance
S.7 Amdt.
Home instruction approval
S.9 Amdt.
Instruction in French
S.12 Amdt.
Student records
S.15 Amdt.
Compulsory enrolment
S.16 R&S
Attendance
S.17 Amdt.
Offence
S.18 Amdt.
Duty to report
S.19 Amdt.
Regular attendance
S.20 Amdt.
Parent rights & duties
S.21 Amdt.
Liability for damage
S.22 Amdt.
Appeal
S.25 Amdt.
School councils
S.29 Amdt.
Extended school year
S.32 Amdt.
Teaching days
S.33 Amdt.
Responsibilities of teachers
S.35.1 Amdt.
Refusal to admit
S.36 Amdt.
Suspension
S.37 Amdt.
Expulsion
S.41 R&S
Prohibition
S.46 Amdt.
Private school revocation
S.51 Amdt.
Schools in institutions
S.53 R&S
School boards
S.54 Rep.
District zones
Ss.58 to 59.1 Rep.
58. Vacancy
59. Replacement of
trustees
59.1 Dismissal of trustees
S.60 R&S
Board to adopt constitution
S.63 Amdt.
Meetings and business
S.65 Amdt.
Annual budget
S.67 Amdt.
Audit directed by minister
S.68 Amdt.
Conflict of interest
S.69 Amdt.
Disclosure
S.71 Amdt.
Application to Supreme Court
S.72 Amdt.
Conflict of interest remedy
S.75 Amdt.
Duties of boards
S.76 Amdt.
Powers of boards
S.79 R&S
Superintendent and senior management officials
S.80 R&S
Duties of superintendent
S.81 Amdt.
Suspension by superintendent
S.82 R&S
Medical certificate
S.92 Amdt.
Salaries & other compensation
S.93 Amdt.
Adjustments in salary
S.95 Amdt.
Composition of conseil scolaire
S.95.2 R&S
Vacancy
S.95.3 Added
Conseil scolaire to adopt constitution
S.97 Amdt.
Duties of conseil scolaire
S.101.1 and 101.2 Added
101.1 Salaries and other
compensation
conseil scolaire
101.2 Adjustments in salary
conseil scolaire
S.103 Amdt.
Conseil d'ecole non-voting members
S.110 Amdt.
Directors
S.110.1 Added
Duties of director
S.111 Amdt.
Sections not applicable
Part V.1 Added
PART
V.1
PROVINCIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON EDUCATION
116.1 Provincial advisory
council
S.118 Amdt.
Regulations
RSNL1990 cT-2 Amdt.
SNL2018 cT-4.01 Amdt.
CNLR 1134/96 Amdt.
NLR 74/15 Rep.
Transitional
Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and
House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows:
SNL1997 cS-12.2
as amended
(1) Paragraph 2(
a) of the Schools Act, 1997 is repealed and the following substituted:
(a) "assistant director" means an assistant director appointed by the conseil scolaire
under
section 110;
(2) Paragraph 2(a.1) of the Act is repealed.
(3) Paragraph 2(
b) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
(b) "board" means a school board constituted under
section 53 and shall, as
the context requires, mean the board having jurisdiction over a school or a
student attending a school in the district of that board;
(4) Section 2 of the Act is amended by adding
immediately after paragraph (
b) the following:
(b.1) "cohabiting partner" means a person
with whom a trustee is living in a conjugal relationship outside of marriage;
(5) Paragraph 2(
e) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
(e) "director" means a director appointed by the conseil scolaire under
section
110;
(6) Paragraph 2(
j) of the Act is amended by
deleting the reference " Medical Act "
and substituting the reference "Medical
Act, 2011 ".
(7) Subparagraph 2(l)(ii) of the Act is amended by
deleting the reference " Adoption of
Children Act " and substituting the reference " Adoption Act, 2013 ".
(8) Subparagraph 2(l)(iv) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
persons".
(9) Section 2 of the Act is amended by adding
immediately after paragraph (
n) the following:
(n.1) "provincial advisory council" means
the provincial advisory council on education established under
section 116.1;
(10) Section 2 of the Act is amended by adding
immediately after paragraph (
o) the following:
(o.1) "registered psychologist" means a registered
psychologist as defined in the Psychologists
Act, 2005 ;
(11) Section 2 of the Act is amended by adding
immediately after paragraph (
s) the following:
(s.1) "senior management official" means the
superintendent and an individual appointed by a board under subsection 79(2);
(s.2) "spouse" means
(
i) a person to whom a trustee is married, unless
the person and the trustee have made a separation agreement or their support
obligations and family property have been dealt with by a court order, and
(ii) a cohabiting partner;
(12) Section 2 of the Act is amended by adding
immediately after paragraph (
u) the following:
(u.1) "superintendent" means the
superintendent of schools appointed under subsection 79(1);
(13) Paragraph 2(
v) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
(v) "teacher" means a person who has a valid certificate or licence issued
under the Teacher Training Act and, notwithstanding paragraph
(g), includes emergency supply but does not include a director, an assistant
director or a senior management official; and
(14) Paragraph 2(
w) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
(w) "trustee" means a person who is
(
i) appointed to a board under
section 53,
(ii) elected or appointed to the conseil scolaire
under
section 95, or
(iii) appointed to the conseil scolaire under
section 96.
2. Subsection 3(3) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "he or she" and substituting the words "the
person".
3. Paragraph 5(
c) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "the director" wherever they appear and
substituting the words "the superintendent or the director".
4. Paragraph 7(
b) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "the director" and substituting the words
"the superintendent or the director".
Section 9 of the Act is amended by deleting the
words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
individuals".
6. Subsection 12(9) of the Act is amended by
(
a) deleting the words "he or she" and
substituting the words "the person"; and
(
b) deleting the words "his or her" and
substituting the words "the persons".
7. Subsection 15(2) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
(2) A parent of a student who moves within the
province or into the province shall present the student for enrolment in a
school within one week of the move.
Section 16 of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Attendance
16. A parent of a child shall ensure that the child attends
school unless the child is excused from attendance under this Act.
9. Subsection 17(1) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Offence
(1) A parent of a child who neglects or refuses to enrol the
child in school or does not make every reasonable effort to ensure that the
child attends school is guilty of an offence.
10. (1) Subsection 18(1) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
Duty to report
(1) A
person who has reason to believe that
(
a) a child who is
required to be enrolled under
section 15 is not enrolled; or
(
b) a child who is
receiving instruction under
section 6 is not receiving instruction in
accordance with this Act,
shall report that belief to the superintendent
or, in the case of a French first language school, to the director.
(2) Subsection 18(2) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" and substituting the words
"superintendent or the director".
11. (1) Subsection 19(1) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
Regular
attendance
(1) A teacher, a principal, the superintendent and the director
shall make every reasonable effort to secure the regular attendance of students
at school.
(2) Subsection 19(2) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" and substituting the words
"superintendent or, in the case of a French first language school, to the
director".
(3) Subsection 19(3) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(3) Where the
superintendent or the director receives a report under subsection (2) and is
satisfied that every reasonable effort has been made to have the student return
to regular attendance and these efforts have been unsuccessful, the
superintendent or the director shall refer that matter for investigation to the
nearest detachment of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary or of the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police.
12. (1) Subsection 20(2) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(2) A parent of a student attending school may
request that a teacher, the superintendent or, in the case of a French first
language school, the director consult with the parent with respect to the
student's education program and that teacher, the superintendent or the
director shall comply with that request unless the request is unreasonable in
terms of frequency or other circumstances.
(2) Subsection 20(3) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(3) A teacher, the superintendent or the director
may request that a parent of a student consult with the teacher, the
superintendent or the director with respect to that student's education program
and that parent shall comply with that request.
13. Subsection 21(1) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
student's".
14. Paragraph 22(1)(
a) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
principal's".
15. (1) Subsection 25(4) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
principals".
(2) Subsection 25(12) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "he or she" and substituting the words "the
member".
(3) Subsection 25(14) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(14) A principal shall report in writing to the
superintendent not later than October 15 of the school year if the principal is
unable to establish a school council, and the board, if satisfied that every
reasonable effort has been made to establish the school council, may exempt the
principal from the obligation to establish a school council or approve a school
council for that school year whose composition differs from that required under
subsection (2).
16. Subsection 29(1) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
ministers".
17. Paragraph 32(
a) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "him or her" and substituting the words "the
teacher".
18. Paragraph 33(
d) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
students".
19. Subsections 35.1(1) to (3) of the Act are
repealed and the following substituted:
Refusal to admit
35.1
(1) Where the superintendent or the director is of the opinion
that the presence of a student in a school is detrimental to the physical or
mental well-being of the students or staff, the superintendent or director may
refuse to admit the student to the school.
(2) Where the superintendent or the director
refuses to admit a student to a school under subsection (1), the superintendent
or director shall
(
a) notify the student
and the students parent, in writing, of the refusal and the circumstances
giving cause for the refusal;
(
b) notify the students
parent or, where the student is 19 years of age or older, the student, of the
right to appeal the refusal; and
(
c) direct the principal
of the school to provide alternate delivery of the educational program for the
student.
(3) The superintendent or
the director shall review a decision under subsection (1) at least every 15
days and determine whether the student should be re-admitted to the school.
20. (1) Subsection 36(6) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(6) Notwithstanding
subsection (5), the superintendent or the director may approve the extension of
a period of suspension if the principal can demonstrate that the presence of
the suspended student in the school threatens the safety of board or conseil
scolaire employees or students or frequently and seriously disrupts the
classroom or the school.
(2) Subsection 36(7) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(7) Where a period of
suspension is extended under subsection (6), before reinstating the student,
the superintendent or the director may require certification from a medical
practitioner or other professional person whom the superintendent or director
considers appropriate, that the student no longer threatens the safety of board
or conseil scolaire employees or students.
(3) Paragraph 36(8)(
c) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" and substituting the words
"superintendent or, in the case of a French first language school, to the
director".
(4) Subsection 36(9) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" and substituting the words
"superintendent or the director".
(5) Subsection 36(10) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" and substituting the words
"superintendent or the director".
21. (1) Subsection 37(1) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
Expulsion
(1) Where
a student is persistently disobedient or defiant or behaves in a manner that is
likely to injuriously affect the proper conduct of the school, the principal
shall
(
a) warn the student and
record the date of and reason for the warning;
(
b) notify the student's
parent, in writing, that the student has been warned;
(
c) send a copy of the
notice referred to in paragraph (
b) to the superintendent or, in the case of a
French first language school, the director; and
(
d) discuss with the
student's parent the circumstances giving cause for the warning.
(2) Subsection 37(2) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(2) Where, after a
reasonable period and consultation with appropriate employees of the board or
the conseil scolaire, it is determined that the student has not made a
satisfactory effort to reform, the principal shall report in writing to the
superintendent or the director and recommend to the superintendent or director
that the student be expelled.
(3) Subsection 37(3) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" wherever it appears and substituting the
words "superintendent or the director".
(4) Subsection 37(4) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" and substituting the words
"superintendent or the director".
(5) Subsection 37(5) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(5) A board or the
conseil scolaire may re-admit a student who has been expelled.
(6) Subsection 37(6) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" and substituting the words
"superintendent or the director".
Section 41 of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Prohibition
41. A
person shall not
(
a) disturb or interrupt
the proceedings of a school, a school council, a conseil d'ecole, a board, the
conseil scolaire or the provincial advisory council;
(
b) loiter or trespass in a school building
or on property owned or used by a board or the conseil scolaire; or
(
c) canvass, sell or
offer to sell goods, services or merchandise to a teacher or a student in a
school without the approval of the school council or the conseil d'ecole, and
if there is no school council or conseil d'ecole, of the board or the conseil
scolaire.
Section 46 of the Act is amended by deleting
the words "his or her".
24. Subsection 51(1) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "he or she" and substituting the words "the
minister".
Section 53 of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
School boards
(1) There
shall be a school board for each district.
(2) Each board is a
corporation.
(3) The
Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall appoint the number of trustees to a board
that the Lieutenant-Governor in Council considers appropriate.
(4) A trustee shall be
appointed for the term set by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council and is
eligible for reappointment.
(5) Where the term of a trustee appointed under
subsection (3) expires, the trustee continues to be a trustee until reappointed
or replaced.
(6) The Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall appoint,
from among the trustees appointed under subsection (3), a chairperson of the
board.
(7) A person shall not be appointed or serve as a
trustee where that person
(
a) is an employee of
the board; or
(
b) has a contract or
interest in a contract with or for the board.
(8) The chairperson, or in the chairperson's absence,
a chairperson elected for that meeting shall preside over meetings of the board
and of the executive committee and shall have the same right to vote as other
trustees.
(9) Where a vote is
tied, the question shall be considered as resolved in the negative.
Section 54 of the Act is repealed.
27. Sections 58 to 59.1 of the Act are repealed.
Section 60 of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Board to adopt
constitution
(1) The board first appointed for a school district shall
adopt, not later than 6 months after its appointment, a constitution regarding
its duties and responsibilities but the constitution and an amendment to the
constitution shall not come into force until approved by the minister.
(2) The constitution under subsection (1) shall
include provisions respecting
(
a) the date of the
annual meeting of the board;
(
b) the appointment or
selection of committees considered necessary to the proper functioning of the
board; and
(
c) duties of the
officers and committees of the board additional to those duties specified in
this Act.
(3) Unless otherwise
provided by the constitution of the board, a majority of the trustees of the
board constitutes a quorum.
29. Subsection 63(2) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
(2) A b oard shall hold meetings to transact the
business of the board not less than 4 times per year.
30. Subsection 65(4) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "him or her with".
31. (1) Subsection 67(1) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the word
"the".
(2) Subsection 67(3) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
trustee's".
32. (1) Subsection 68(3) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(3) For the purpose of subsection (1), a relative
of a trustee means
(
a) a parent, step-parent, spouse, sibling,
step-sibling, child, step-child, parent-in-law or sibling-in-law; or
(
b) a person not referred to in paragraph (
a) who
resides with the trustee.
(2) Subsection 68(4) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "the electors" and substituting the words
"other individuals".
(3) Subsection 68(6) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(6) For the purpose of
subsection (5), a relative of a trustee means, in addition to the persons
referred to in subsection (3), a grandchild of the trustee or the trustee's
spouse, a child of the trustee's sibling or step-sibling or a child of the
trustee's spouse's sibling.
33. (1) Subsection 69(1) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
Disclosure
(1) Where a trustee has a conflict of interest under
section
68, the trustee shall state that the trustee has that conflict of interest and
its nature at the beginning of discussion on the matter in which the conflict
of interest exists.
(2) Subsection 69(2) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(2) Where the trustee
who declares a conflict of interest under subsection (1) is the chairperson,
the trustee shall vacate the chair for the discussion of the matter in which
the conflict of interest exists.
(3) Subsections 69(3) and (4) of the Act are
amended by deleting the words "he or she" wherever they appear and
substituting the words "the trustee".
34. Subsection 71(1) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Application to
Supreme Court
(1) A person who resides in the district may, within 6 weeks of
learning that a trustee may have contravened
section 68, apply to a judge of
the Supreme Court to determine if the trustee has contravened
section 68.
35. (1) Subsection 72(1) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "Trial Division" and substituting the words
"Supreme Court".
(2) Paragraph 72(1)(
b) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
b) may, where the
contravention has resulted in financial gain to the trustee, require the
trustee to make restitution to the person suffering the loss or, where that person
is not readily ascertainable, to the board of which the trustee is a current or
former trustee.
(3) Subsection 72(2) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(2) Where a judge of the
Supreme Court determines that a trustee contravened
section 68, but was acting
in good faith, the judge shall not declare the office of the trustee vacant
under paragraph (1)(a).
36. (1) Paragraph 75(1)(
k) of the Act is repealed
and the following substituted:
(
k) arrange for the
bonding of persons employed by the board whose duties include the collecting,
receiving or depositing of money belonging to the board;
(2) Paragraph 75(1)(
m) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
m) ensure that the programs or courses of study
and the materials prescribed or approved by the minister are followed in the
schools under its control;
(3) Paragraph 75(1)(
t) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
t) where arrangements
are made by it for the transportation of students, ensure that
(
i) all vehicles engaged in carrying students to
and from school are in good mechanical condition and have adequate liability
insurance, and
(ii) an appropriate bus safety program is offered
to students who are transported by bus;
(4) Paragraph 75(1)(
v) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
v) admit to a school under its control, at all
reasonable times and subject to the terms of an agreement between it and the
university offering the program, a student enrolled in a teacher training program
for the purpose of observation and the practice of teaching;
(5) Paragraph 75(1)(
w) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
w) admit to a school
under its control, at all reasonable times and subject to the terms of an
agreement between it and a college or institute offering the program, a student
enrolled in an education-related training program approved by the minister for
the purpose of observation and activities associated with the student's program;
(6) Paragraph 75(1)(
z) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
z) immediately inform
the minister in writing of a vacancy in the position of a senior management
official.
37. (1) Paragraph 76(1)(
f) of the Act is repealed
and the following substituted:
(
f) by notice, in writing, require an employee to
undergo an examination or assessment the board considers necessary, as arranged
or approved by the board, and to submit a certificate acceptable to the board
signed by the medical practitioner, registered psychologist or other
professional approved by the board setting out the conclusions regarding the
examination or assessment;
(2) Paragraph 76(1)(
g) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
g) summarily dismiss an employee who within 14
days from the date of receiving a notice under paragraph (
f) has not made a
reasonable attempt to obtain the examination or assessment;
(3) Paragraph 76(1)(
h) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
h) where a certificate submitted to a board under
paragraph (
f) shows that an employees physical or mental health would be
injurious to an employee of the board or the students, direct the employee to
take sick leave or other earned leave or, where the employee has no sick leave
or other earned leave or the sick leave or other earned leave is exhausted,
require the employee to take unpaid leave;
(4) Paragraph 76(1)(
i) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(
i) suspend from work, with or without pay, an
employee who is charged with an offence that in the opinion of the board would
make that employee unsuitable to perform the employees duties;
Section 79 of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Superintendent
and senior management officials
(1) A
board shall, subject to the prior written approval of the minister, appoint a superintendent of schools.
(2) A board may, subject to the prior written
approval of the minister, appoint those other senior
management officials it considers necessary to carry out the duties and
responsibilities and exercise the powers of the board.
(3) The superintendent referenced in subsection
(1) shall be appointed for not more than 5 years, and may be reappointed
subject to a satisfactory performance evaluation by the board.
(4) A board may terminate the employment of a superintendent,
other than for cause, by giving the superintendent 3 months' written notice,
and the board shall report the dismissal in writing to the minister immediately
upon giving the notice.
(5) Notwithstanding that
a board may employ a superintendent under this section, a contract of
employment between a board and a superintendent shall not be entered into
without the prior written approval of that contract by the minister, and a
contract of employment entered into without that approval shall be void.
Section 80 of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Duties of
superintendent
(1) A
superintendent shall, under the direction of the board,
(
a) supervise and direct the staff employed by the
board;
(
b) administer,
supervise and evaluate all education programs and services for the operation of
schools in the district;
(
c) r ecruit and
recommend for appointment employees;
(
d) determine in
accordance with this Act the school that a student shall attend;
(
e) recommend the
promotion, transfer and termination of employment of employees of the board;
(
f) develop and
implement a program of supervision and in-service training for employees of the
board;
(
g) supervise all
schools, property, teachers, and other employees of the board and visit each
school as frequently as feasible and at least once in each school year;
(
h) determine the
programs for primary, elementary and secondary school grades and develop
policies for promoting students;
(
i) provide leadership
in evaluating and improving the education program in the district;
(
j) promote a safe and
caring learning environment for schools in the district;
(
k) advise the board on
planning for the extension, construction, renovation and repair of buildings;
(
l) assist the board in
preparing its annual budget;
(
m) facilitate
communication between the board and employees;
(
n) a ttend meetings and
institutes as required by the minister;
(
o) as required by the
minister, make annual reports to the board and to the department on the
education program in the board's district;
(
p) be, by virtue of the
superintendent's position, a non-voting member of all board committees and
attend all meetings of the board and the executive committee, except those
meetings or parts of meetings during which matters related directly to the
employment of the superintendent are to be discussed; and
(
q) perform other duties
required by the board and under this Act.
(2) Notwithstanding
paragraph (1)(g), the superintendent may designate a person to visit a school
on the superintendent's behalf.
40. (1) Subsection 81(1) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
Suspension by
superintendent
(1) Where a superintendent is of the opinion that the presence
of an employee is an immediate threat to the welfare of students or an employee
of the board, the superintendent may suspend that employee, with or without
pay, from the performance of the employee's duties.
(2) Subsection 81(2) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "director" and substituting the word
"superintendent".
(3) Subsection 81(3) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "or other person".
Section 82 of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Medical
certificate
(1) An
employee who has been dismissed under paragraph 76(1)(
g) shall not accept a
position with another board until a certificate of a medical practitioner, a registered
psychologist or other professional approved by the board as to the employees
physical or mental health, has been submitted to, and considered acceptable by
the board.
(2) An employee required to take leave under
paragraph 76(1)(
h) shall not return to work until the employee delivers to the
board a certificate acceptable to the board signed by the medical practitioner,
registered psychologist or other professional approved by the board stating
that the employee has recovered sufficiently to return to work.
42. (1) Subsection 92(1) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "a director, an associate director, an assistant
director" and substituting the words "a senior management official".
(2) Subsection 92(2) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "a director, an associate director, an assistant
director" and substituting the words "a senior management official".
(3) Subsection 92(3) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(3) A board shall not
make a payment to an employee as a result of the termination of employment or
the abolition of the employee's position except as approved by the minister.
(4) Subsection 92(4) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her".
43. (1) Subsection 93(1) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "a director, an associate director, an assistant
director" and substituting the words "a senior management official".
(2) Subsection 93(2) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
(2) Where an overpayment of salary or money was
made to a senior management official or a teacher employed in a school or a
board office, the minister, in consultation with the senior management official
or teacher, may reduce or withhold future payment of salary or money until the
amount overpaid is recovered.
44. (1) Subsection 95(1) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
Composition of
conseil scolaire
(1) The
conseil scolaire shall be elected at the time and in the manner directed by the
minister subject to the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, or at
the time the minister directs on the recommendation of the conseil
scolaire.
(2) Subsection 95(4) of the Act is repealed.
(3) Section 95 of the Act is amended by adding
immediately after subsection (5) the following:
(6) Where fewer trustees
are elected to the conseil scolaire than the number required by an order made
under subsection (3), the Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall appoint those
trustees necessary in order to satisfy the order.
(7) The trustees shall
elect from among their members a chairperson and other officers, and the
chairperson shall hold office until the next annual general meeting of the conseil
scolaire.
(8) The chairperson, or
in the chairperson's absence, the vice-chairperson or a chairperson elected for
that meeting shall preside over meetings of the conseil scolaire and of the
executive committee and shall have the same right to vote as other trustees.
(9) Where a vote is
tied, the question shall be considered as resolved in the negative.
Section 95.2 of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
Vacancy
95.2 Where
a vacancy of a trustee position exists or where a trustee no longer resides in
the zone for which the trustee was elected, or the trustee is absent from 3
consecutive meetings of the conseil scolaire without good reason the conseil
scolaire shall inform the minister who shall declare that position vacant.
46. The Act is amended by adding immediately after
section 95.2 the following:
Conseil scolaire
to adopt constitution
95.3
(1) The conseil
scolaire shall adopt a constitution regarding its duties and responsibilities
but the constitution and an amendment to the constitution shall not come into
force until approved by the minister.
(2) The constitution under subsection (1) shall
include provisions respecting
(
a) the appointment or
selection of a chairperson and other officers of the conseil scolaire;
(
b) the date of the
annual meeting of the conseil scolaire;
(
c) a description of the
zones established under
section 95.1;
(
d) the appointment or
selection of committees considered necessary to the proper functioning of the
conseil scolaire; and
(
e) duties of the
officers and committees of the conseil scolaire additional to those duties
specified in this Act.
(3) Unless otherwise provided by the constitution
of the conseil scolaire, a majority of the trustees of the conseil scolaire
constitutes a quorum.
47. (1) Subsection 97(1) of the Act is repealed and
the following substituted:
Duties of conseil
scolaire
(1) The conseil scolaire has, with respect to a French first
language school, the same duties as a board under
section 75 except for those
referred to in paragraphs 75(1)(k), (
v) and (z).
(2) Section 97 of the Act is amended by adding
immediately after subsection (2) the following:
(3) The conseil scolaire shall arrange for
the bonding of the assistant director of finance and business administration
and other persons employed by the conseil scolaire whose duties include
the collecting, receiving or depositing of money belonging to the conseil
scolaire.
(4) The conseil scolaire shall immediately
inform the minister in writing of a vacancy in the position of director or
assistant director.
48. The Act is amended by adding immediately after
section 101 the following:
Salaries and
other compensation conseil scolaire
101.1
(1) The
minister shall, from money voted for that purpose by the Legislature, arrange
for the payment of the salaries of a director, an assistant director and a
teacher employed in a French first language
school or a conseil scolaire office and all the salaries shall be paid
in accordance with scales approved by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council.
(2) The conseil scolaire shall not pay
remuneration to a director, an assistant director and a teacher in amounts
greater than those specified under subsection (1).
(3) The conseil scolaire shall not make a payment
to an employee as a result of the termination of employment or the abolition of
the employees position except as approved by the minister.
(4) A person whose employment has been terminated
or whose position has been abolished by the conseil scolaire shall not have the
right under an agreement, contract or by way of action to claim for a payment
as a result of the termination of employment that exceeds that approved by the
minister.
Adjustments in
salary conseil scolaire
101.2
(1) The
minister may make a payment to adjust the salary of a director, an assistant
director or a teacher employed in a French first language school or a conseil
scolaire office, or pay an instalment of money, where there was insufficient
payment of that salary or money.
(2) Where an overpayment of salary or money was made to a
director, an assistant director or a teacher employed in a French first
language school or a conseil scolaire office, the minister, in consultation
with the director, assistant director or teacher, may reduce or withhold future
payment of salary or money until the amount overpaid is recovered.
49. Subsection 103(1) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "his or her" and substituting the words "the
principal's".
50. Subsection 110(3) of the Act is amended by
deleting the words "him or her" and substituting the words "the
director or assistant director".
51. The Act is amended by adding immediately after
section 110 the following:
Duties of
director
110.1 The
director of the conseil scolaire has, with respect to a French first language
school, the same duties as a superintendent under subsection 80(1) and shall
promote cultural identity and French language in French first language schools.
52. (1) Subsection 111(3) of the Act is repealed
and the following substituted:
(3) Sections 52 to 55,
section 60, sections 75 to 77,
section 79,
section 80,
section 89, sections 91
to 93 and
section 120 do not apply to the conseil scolaire or a French first
language school.
(2) Subsection 111(4) of the Act is amended by
deleting the word "and" at the end of paragraph (b), adding a
semi-colon and the word "and" at the end of paragraph (
c) and adding
immediately after paragraph (
c) the following:
(
d) a superintendent
shall be considered to include a reference to the director of the conseil
scolaire
53. The Act is amended by adding immediately after
section 116 the following:
PART V.1
PROVINCIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON EDUCATION
Provincial
advisory council
116.1
(1) There
is established a provincial advisory council on education which shall advise
the minister on matters related to primary, elementary and secondary education,
including
(
a) those matters referred to the provincial
advisory council by the minister;
(
b) regional and local matters that affect
primary, elementary and secondary education; and
(
c) any other educational matters that the
provincial advisory council considers necessary to bring to the attention of
the minister.
(2) Members of the provincial advisory council shall
be appointed in accordance with the regulations.
(3) Members of the provincial advisory council
shall have those powers and perform those duties prescribed in the
regulations.
(4) Members of the provincial advisory council
shall serve without remuneration but may be reimbursed at a rate set in a
policy directive of the minister for travel and other expenses reasonably
incurred in connection with the work of the provincial advisory council.
(5) The minister may establish the terms of
reference for the provincial advisory council.
Section 118 of the Act is amended deleting the
word "and" at the end of paragraph (
g) and by adding immediately
after paragraph (
g) the following:
(g.1) respecting the appointment of members of the
provincial advisory council;
(g.2) prescribing the powers and duties of the
provincial advisory council; and
RSNL1990 cT-2
Amdt.
(1) Paragraph 2(
e) of the Teachers' Association Act is repealed.
(2) Paragraph 2(
f) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
(f) "school
board" means board and conseil scolaire as defined by the Schools
Act, 1997; and
(3) Paragraph 2(
g) of the Act is repealed and the
following substituted:
(g) "teachers" means persons engaged in a teaching capacity or other
professional capacity relating to education but does not include a director, an
assistant director or a senior management official as defined in the Schools
Act, 1997.
SNL2018 cT-4.01
Amdt.
56. Subparagraph 2(w)(ii) of the Teachers' Pensions Act, 2018 is repealed
and the following substituted:
(ii) a person who holds a
valid and subsisting certificate, grade or licence not lower than the emergency
supply licence issued under the Teacher Training Act and who
is a director, an assistant director or a senior management official as defined
in the Schools Act, 1997 ;
CNLR 1134/96
Amdt.
57. (1) Paragraph 2(1)(
i) of the Teacher Certification Regulations
published under the Teacher Training Act
is repealed and the following substituted:
(i) "director" means a director appointed under
section 110 of the Schools
Act, 1997;
(2) Paragraph 2(1)(
o) of the regulations is repealed and the following
substituted:
(o) "school year" has the meaning assigned to it by the Schools Act,
1997;
(3) Subsection 2(1) of the regulations is amended by deleting the period at
the end of paragraph (
p) and substituting a semi-colon and the word
"and", and by adding immediately after paragraph (
p) the following:
(q) "superintendent" means a
superintendent of schools appointed under
section 79 of the Schools Act, 1997 .
(4) Subsection 10(1) of the regulations is amended
by deleting the words "director of education" and substituting the
words "director or a superintendent".
(5) Section 11 of the regulations is amended by
deleting the words "director of education" wherever they appear and
substituting the words "director or a superintendent".
(6) Section 16 of the regulations is repealed and
the following substituted:
Interim
certificates
16. All
initial certificates awarded under these regulations shall be valid
(
a) for an initial
period of teaching of 2 school years; or
(
b) for a further period
of teaching, not to exceed 2 school years, as approved by the committee upon
the written request of the director or the superintendent, and
may after that period
be exchanged for a permanent certificate upon the recommendation of the
director, the superintendent or an authorized person representing an approved
educational institution in which the teacher is employed.
NLR 74/15 Rep.
58. The Composition
of School Boards Order, 2015 is repealed.
Transitional
(1) Trustees of a board or the conseil scolaire
holding office immediately before the coming into force of this Act shall
continue to be trustees of the board or conseil scolaire.
(2) A person who is the chairperson or vice-chairperson
of a board or the conseil scolaire immediately before the coming into force of
this Act shall continue to be the chairperson or vice-chairperson, as
applicable.
King's Printer