March 20-28

School Council Chair followed up on concerns re: irregularities with RPPS Council finances and consulted with other Council members, RPPS Principal, and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB)

March 27

Monthly RPPS Council meeting: Treasurer's report was key item. Treasurer failed to attend. School Council passes a motion to have school council books audited

March 28

Council Executive instructed the bank to freeze transactions in School Council bank account

March 28- April 5

Council Chair and OCDSB discussions with Director of Bettye Hyde Cooperative Nursery School and Registrar re: possible bridge of funding to ensure Bettye Hyde operations could continue

March 29

Council Chair decision after consultation to : 1) request an Audit of School Council finances from OSDCB; and 2) file police report to initiate police investigation

March 30

Council Executive implements new financial measures including new bank account - requiring two signatures on all debit transactions

April 5

Bettye Hyde Cooperative Nursery School Board sends letter to parents of Homework Club indicating approx $35,000 owed and that payment by School Council needed by April 20 or after school care would end on May 4

RPPS Council Executive holds emergency meeting. OCDSB Superintendent Susan MacDonald attended and indicated the OCDSB would consider a proposal for a loan. Motion passed to declare position of Treasurer vacant

April 10

Message to RPPS parents from School Council Executive to all parents advising of problem. Updates posted on www.rppsparents.ca

Monthly RPPS Council Meeting with special focus: financial situation. Statement from Council Executive, information exchange and discussion – proposed development of options with a special full council meeting proposed for April 17th to look at payment to Bettye Hyde/BHCNS within time frame set out by Bettye Hyde Board. Thinking at that time was that Council could take out a loan and pay it back over a period over 5-7 years

April 11-16

RPPS Council Executive undertook further detailed investigations to: 1) determine and tabulate detailed accounting debts and liabilities; and 2) understand legislation, regulations, guidelines, policies and procedures pertaining to School Councils, from OCDSB and other School Boards and the Province (Ministry of Education). What was found was that School Councils: 1) are not a corporate or legal entity and therefore may be prohibited from borrowing money or taking out a loan; 2) do not have legal status to bring legal action to recoup losses; 3) are likely prohibited from using funds raised for school programs to pay off debts or monies that have been misappropriated.

It was also clear that the School Board owns all School Council assets and presumably, therefore, all liabilities of Council. Also determined that liability insurance does not cover debts incurred by fraud if account not held under School or OCDSB

April 14

Individual members of RPPS Council Executive decide to retain independent and separate legal counsel (not as Council Executive as Council is not an entity). Action prompted by allegations of personal liability and conflict of interest

April 15

RPPS Council Executive sent letter to OCDSB (Superintendent Susan MacDonald ) requesting Board to assume full responsibility for debts owing to third parties and a meeting to discuss

April 16

OCDSB Officials indicated that a decision on requests would require discussion at the Board of Trustees at Trustee meeting on April 24

Council Executive representatives met with Board of Directors of BHCNS to provide an update and request they consider extending their April 20th deadline by one week to allow for Trustee decision; BHCNS agreed

RPPS Council Executive extended invitation to Homework Club Parents to a meeting for update on request to OCSDB and meeting with BHCNS Board to request extension of their deadline; meeting held New Edinburgh Field House

Council Executive decided to postpone April 17 Special School Council meeting due to insufficient information – update posted on website

April 24

School Board Trustees pass a motion at an in-camera meeting directing Board staff to negotiate an agreement with School Council

April 25

Some members of RPPS Council Executive met with members of OCDSB staff. Objective was to mitigate risk of litigation by third party creditors. The result was mutual agreement to enter into cost-shared solution. There was a request by OCDSB to clarify relationship between Book Fair and Council. This tentative agreement was subject to confidentiality agreement while details were worked out and Council indicated that a cheque for $19,000 from Book Fair funds would be put into School account

May 2

OCDSB met with Bettye Hyde Board members and Director

May 4

Agreement reached; communicated to all parents via letter and website

May 8

Monthly RPPS Council Meeting