School Business Support BranchSchool Business Support BranchUpdateUpdate

SBSB Update

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Operational Review Refresh:Nearly half of all school boards have had a change in Senior Business Official (SBO) and Director of Education since their board’s Operational Review The Ministry is conducting an Operational Review Refresh initiative to support continuous learning, leveraging of best practices and lessons learned to support school boards’ future planningWave I boards nearly completeWave 2 will be announced soon in an SB Memo

Student Transportation Independent Review: Stakeholder consultations are currently underway The report from the Expert Panel is expected in spring 2015

SBSB Update

Internal Audit:Regional Internal Audit Coordinator position created:

Objective to develop governance and other strategies to strengthen the regional internal audit function

Dan Duszczyszyn was the successful candidate – he coordinates and oversees the Regional Internal Audit Teams in an advisory capacity

Two-year contract reporting to CODE, funded by the MinistryRefresher training on internal audit & audit committees currently underway; over half the sessions have been delivered Reminder: Audit committee annual reports were due January 15th – please submit outstanding reports

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SBSB Update

Energy Management:In 2015, the Utility Consumption Database (UCD) will add the following new forms of energy:

Alternative Utilities• Heating Fuel (Types 1, 2, 4, 6)• Propane• Wood• District Heat/Cool

Water• Metered municipal water • Metered wells/aquifers• Trucked-in water

•The Green Energy Act’s Annual Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report is due on July 1st

100% of consumption data will now be automatically populated via the UCD, significantly reducing the administrative burden on boards to comply with the legislation

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SBSB Update

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COSBO E&E Projects: Since 2006, the Ministry has provided COSBO with funding for E&E projects. Three new projects approved in 2014-15:

1. Professional guidance to help audit committees determine the subject matter that can be discussed in camera and that which should be discussed as part of the public session Guidance is expected to be available by the end of the fiscal year

2. A comprehensive GST/HST procedure manual (discussed at this workshop) is available on the SBSB website at: https://sbsb.edu.gov.on.ca/VDIR1/COSBO/EEProjects.aspx?Link=COSBO

3. Shared Services IT Project, in partnership with the Educational Computing Network of Ontario (ECNO), to streamline the delivery of software or imaging to computers and staff and student-owned devices This central cloud-based approach may save time and resources and could

serve as a model for future shared services across the province

Funds are available for additional projects

SBSB Update

Shared Services:There is interest in shared services and leadership in the sector with the ECNO project Builds upon the earlier Shared Services Feasibility Study of 11 Eastern Ontario School Boards The Ministry is beginning to review shared services examples in education and other sectors

For More Information, Contact: Cheri Hayward at 416-327-7503 or Cheri.Hayward@ontario.ca

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