The Board gave three readings and approval to its 2022/23 Capital Plan Bylaw at its regular meeting on Tuesday at the District Education Support Centre (DESC).
The bylaw, which sets out which projects from the SD83 capital plan will be supported by the Ministry for the upcoming year, includes one major new project, which is a replacement of the Pleasant Valley Secondary School gym. However, funding is not yet known as the Ministry has informed the district that follow up meeting will be scheduled by the regional director or planning officer regarding next steps.
“The project has been supported,” explained Secretary Treasurer Dale Culler. “However, at this point there is no confirmed dollar amount. We are working through the process with the Ministry.” He noted that once the scope of the project is determined to the Ministry’s satisfaction the final details will be communicated to the Board.
Under the minor capital projects SD83 has received approval for $1,750,000 to proceed to design, tender and construction of HVAC (heating/ventilation/air conditioning) system for Parkview Elementary School. The district also received approval for one new 76-passenger school bus for $159,252.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
The Board gave third and final reading to a procedural bylaw amendment to add the topic of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as a standing item to the Board’s monthly agenda. Trustee Marianne VanBuskirk, who suggested the change, thanked fellow trustees and district staff for helping her bring the change to fruition.
Superintendent’s Report
With Superintendent Donna Kriger attending the meeting virtually, Assistant Superintendent Ryan Brennan read her prepared report to the Board.
It began with the Career Education Society has been working with WorkBC the past couple of years to provide webinars across the province entitled, “Career Exploration Conversations” for parents and guardians to support youth. SD83 District Principal Reid Findlay, who is also the Regional CES Director for the South Interior, worked with Adams Lake Indian Band representative, Diane Anthony to share highlights regarding some of the webinars on “Career Exploration Conversations” for parents and students. Findlay provided each family with a physical copy of BC’s Career Guide for Indigenous People and provided some live demonstrations of the online tools available to families, as well as options such as dual credit (where students earn both college and high school credits). Currently nine of SD83’s 36 students taking part in the Industry Training Authority (ITA) Youth Train in Trades program are Indigenous. At that meeting he also highlighted the myBlueprint pilot project under way at Sullivan where Indigenous students are able to see the impact of course selections and drops and how they impact post-secondary opportunities.
Donation to Jackson
In her report Kriger thanked the Grindrod Garlic Festival and Enderby and District Financial Valley First who have granted Jackson a total of $500 to help reduce costs of healthy lunches for students. Currently about 150 students access the healthy and locally sourced food at the Jackson cafeteria daily. The funds will be used to help make the cost of lunches to only a toonie to help make the healthy lunches even more accessible to all students.
Congratulations
Kriger congratulated SD83 graduated student Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, who recently won two prestigious international pianist competitions, one in South Carolina and one in Barcelona. She added that SD83 has some extremely proud parents as Jaeden is the son of SD83 teachers, David and Patricia Izik-Dzurko.
Kriger also congratulated Salmon Arm Secondary student Mikayla Wilkinson, who has been accepted as one of 10 participants in the Summer 2022 Girls on Ice Canada Expedition in August. Girls* on Ice Canada offers tuition-free, science-immersion summer wilderness expeditions offered in partnership with Inspiring Girls Expeditions (IGE) and The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC). The program interweaves science, art and adventure to inspire leadership, curiosity and confidence in the next generation of leaders!
Professional Development
Kriger reported to the Board that District Leaders (Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Directors, and District Principals) have been working to develop an Professional Development Continuum that will map out professional learning over the next four years. She noted this is important work that connects with the District Strategic Plan. “It will ensure that we are investing in professional growth, consistency of practice, and investing in best practice to support student learning. The continuum will establish a community of learners and a community of practice to ensure that students are achieving at their highest potential.”
Kriger added that, through a lens of equity, diversity, inclusion, and indigenization, the continuum will focus on areas such as:
- Understanding Curriculum
- Best practices in Instruction
- Best practices in Assessment
- Response to Intervention (how we support struggling students)
Upcoming Events:
Kriger also reported on some upcoming events, including the historic hiring of a Director of Instruction for Indigenous Education. “This will be progress towards the fulfilment of the TRC’s Calls to Action.” Kriger noted the individual will lead a strategy for the implementation of First People’s Principles of Learning, Indigenization of Curriculum, preparing the district for the new grad requirement of a four credit course to obtain a graduation diploma, integration of Indigenous culture, knowledge, history, and language revitalization. This person will also ensure SD83 has culturally supportive environment to improve student sense of belonging.
On April 22 schools across the district will be celebrating Earth Day and promoting being good stewards of our planet, said Kriger. She noted that students at nine schools will be taking part in tree and shrub planting projects which is being supported by the B.C. Small Wetlands Association (which obtained funding from Natural Resource Canada’s Two Billion Trees by 2030 Project), Pleasant Valley Wetlands Heritage Park, and Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, the Rail Trail Stewardship partners (Splatsin Band, North Okanagan Regional District, Columbia Shuswap Regional District), and SD83.
Also coming up is a Student Leadership Summit on April 26 at the DESC. All of our schools that have Grade 8 students are attending. This project is supported by the Board of Education.
On April 28, SD83 will be recognizing the National Day of Mourning. Kriger reported that as per Board motion, flags will be lowered on the 28th to commemorate those who have died, as well as those who are injured or stricken by illness, on the job.
Another sign of things getting back to “normal” the very popular SD83 District Cross Country Meet will take place at Little Mountain Park on May 3. Elementary and middle students from across the district typically take part in this run, which is organized by Elementary Principals and Vice-Principals. They anticipate having hundreds of students taking part and parents are encouraged to come cheer for the runners!
Also taking place again, from mid May to June, is the District Public Speaking Competition. This event is for students in Grades 5-7 and is happening at both the school and zone level. The organizer is Falkland Principal Shelly Cull.
Kindergarten Orientation sessions are currently being organized for June. District Principal Jen Findlay is leading this work and SD83 is looking forward to welcoming new students to the district. “As we know, Kindergarten is a place where your child will learn and grow, where you can expect a stimulating learning environment, active, experiential learning and appreciation for diversity. The Kindergarten program advocates development of the whole child, social emotionally, physically, and intellectually. I know we have a tremendous group of kindergarten teachers looking forward to welcoming our new students to their classroom.”
“We are also looking forward to celebrating high school graduations,” noted Kriger. “We are looking forward to celebrating this important event in person this year.” She added secondary schools are well into organizing their plans for the day!
Kriger concluded her presentation with a big “Thank you” to our school communities who have graciously worked with SD83 through the ups and downs of COVID. “I want to extend my appreciation to all parents and staff who have supported students through the hills and valleys of the pandemic,” she wrote.
Physical Literacy Pilot Project
A lack of physical activity in children is leading to physical and mental wellbeing issues, SD83 Healthy Schools Co-ordinator and Physical Literacy mentor Laura Paiement told the Board on Tuesday.
“Many of our kids aren’t physically literate. They are not wanting to move their bodies.” She said this is contributing to increased behaviours, increased stress and students getting injured more often.
Teaching youth how to be physically competent and confident, and giving them the knowledge to value physical activity so increasing motivation is something that needs to be worked on in schools just like math literacy and language arts literacy, she commented. “Having those physical activity skills leads them to be more physically healthy, mentally healthy and in the zone for learning.”
She noted the comprehensive school health framework guides her work in the school district. “We need all parts of this framework to be addressed to have healthy learners.”
She said SD83 is currently piloting a School Physical Activity and Physical Literacy. Three SD83 employees and physical literacy mentors – Tricia Martin, Andi King, and Paiement – have been working with six teachers in 13 elementary schools, supporting teachers in developing their competence and confidence in helping students improve their physical literacy skills and increase their daily physical activity. These physical literacy mentors have been assisting teachers in helping their students improve their physical literacy skills not only in the gym, but also in the hallways (indoor movement paths), outside (outdoor movement paths and on the playground), and in the classroom.
This pilot project is completely funded by the Ministry of Health.
The project goals are to increase the number of minutes during the school day where the school incorporates physical activity and to support teachers in increasing their:
- level of confidence and competence when delivering the physical and health education curriculum,
- knowledge of physical activity as a mechanism to support student mental well being,
- knowledge of physical activity as a mechanism to support their own mental and physical well-being (secondary objective), and
- knowledge on Indigenous perspectives of health and wellness to support Indigenous students in a culturally safe way.
Paiement also discussed the Adapted PE Wheelchair Unit which is held at eight schools each year. “This is by far the most rewarding thing I’ve done. It teaches students another way of moving and it also starts conversations about what it is like to have a disability and what we all can do to make things more inclusive.”
Paiement also thanked community partners who play a valuable role. For example she noted Salmon Arm Tennis Club helped 200 students go through a tennis program, Play Shuswap has done a lot of initiatives with the school district, and Shuswap Rotary has incredibly donated over $60,000 to the “Brain Bike” project.
View Power Point Presentation Here
Grad trip to Edmonton
Eagle River Secondary graduates will be taking part in a grad trip to Edmonton and Banff from June 3 to June 7. At the Board meeting, trustees gave approval to the field trip, which will include a trip to West Edmonton Mall’s Water Park and Galaxyland, exploring Banff, and more! Fourteen students and four supervisors will be taking part. In his presentation ERS Principal Mark Marino commented that originally grad sponsor Curtis Bellows was planning on taking the students to Whistler, as they have in the recent past. However, after doing some number crunching, found prices had increased significantly. He said Bellows then compared what they could do at a similar price point at Edmonton and Banff and asked the students for input. The students were definitely in favour of moving the trip to Alberta. Marino also noted that in checking in with the students he found that a number have never travelled out of the province. He added that the trip is a school activity and will follow school rules. “COVID has significantly impacted the students’ mental health and wellness and we hope this trip will be the lasting positive memory for the grads of their high school years.”
Trustees, in giving their approval, thanked organizers for all their work saying it is a trip that graduates will hopefully fondly remember for a long time!
Auditor Appointed
The Board approved the appointment of KPMG as the audit firm for the 2021-22 fiscal year. This is a one year extension of the original contract with KPMG, explained Culler. He noted the extension will provide some consistency in a year where there has been significant turnover in the district’s financial team.
Education Directions
Committee Chair VanBuskirk reported that Education Directions met on April 6. The committee discussed the myBlueprint pilot project which is a way to assist Indigenous students in determining a career path, the new Ministry graduation requirement which comes in to effect for the 2023-24 school year, and about the Knowledge Keeper in residence program. She added District Principal Jen Findlay told the committee that the Ministry of Education has now become the Ministry of Education and Child Care, she also discussed the Seamless Day pilot at Silver Creek saying it had got the go ahead for another school year, and a new early childhood education program, Just B4, designed to support children the year before they enter kindergarten.
Finance & Facilities/Audit Committee
Committee Chair Trustee Amanda Krebs reported the committee met last week and went through the operating fund revenue and expenditures. She noted, as expected, substitute costs and utility costs are high. She also noted that districts have received their estimated provincial operating grants. “Unfortunately there was no change to the base per student allocation amount.”
Policy Committee
Committee Chair Trustee Tennile Lachmuth reported the policy committee did not have a recent meeting but has brought forward two policies for friendly amendment, with a slight change to the wording. After discussion, the Board gave approval to a wording change in Policy 132 Roles and Responsibilities of Individual Trustees. Under the information which helps clarify the responsibilities of a trustee, one point was to “publicly uphold” the implementation of any Board resolution after it is passed by the Board. This was changed to “respect and abide” by the implementation of any Board resolution after it is passed by the Board. The Board also gave approval to a wording change in Policy 133 The Trustee Code of Conduct, similar to the change made in Policy 132. The wording was changed from once the board has voted, trustees are bound by the majority decision and will publicly uphold the Board’s decisions to once the Board has voted, trustees are bound by the majority decision and will respect and abide by the Board’s decisions. Trustee Marty Gibbons asked that his vote to oppose the change be noted in the record. He felt the policies were too vague to support.
Committee of the Whole
Chair Krebs noted there will be a committee of the whole meeting discussing the budget on May 24 at 4 p.m.
B.C. School Trustees’ Association Update
Lachmuth reported the B.C. School Trustees’ Association meeting is being held this weekend and several local trustees are attending in person.
Transportation Committee
Trustee Quentin Bruns reported the Transportation Committee met to discuss the M.V. Beattie to Grindrod elementary bus route that was put in to ease population pressure at M.V. Beattie. “We had given warning that the bus route would be halted. However, population pressures being what they are in that area, we can’t do that. The bus routes will stay the same for the time being.” He also reported a van, which was provided as a result of a joint meeting with First Nations bands on fulfilling SD83’s obligation under the BC Tripartite Education Agreement (BCTEA) agreement, was approved for use for extra curricular for April and May.
First Nations Education Council (FNEC) Update
VanBuskirk started her report saying the Board had a lovely evening on April 5 with the Adams Lake Band Chief and Council. “It was a really sincere, honest time where we could listen.” She thanked those who attended and said the Board looks forward to meeting with other Bands as well. “Thank you to Trustee Gibbons for putting this out there and getting it arranged.”
She added the FNEC meeting was on April 13 and was chaired by Darrell Jones, Education Co-ordinator for Splatsin Band. She said topics under discussion included staffing updates, school enrolment updates, the Knowledge Keepers program, Summer Literacy Program, and the Indigenous Middle Years Conference which is coming up on May 5.
Trustee Reports
VanBuskirk updated the Board on information from the Salmon Arm Active Transportation Task Force, which she is the Board’s representative on. She said one of her efforts on the committee is to talk about active transportation (people powered) safe walking and biking routes to schools. To participate, please visit: www.connectsalmonarm.ca. The survey deadline is April 25, 2022.
Gibbons reported that he attended the recent District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) meeting. “It was great to hear some of their concerns.” He noted one in particular which should be looked into is a bussing option for rural French Immersion students. He also commented with a grin that the most fun he has had as a trustee was being a part of the Sorrento Breakfast Club where he helped serve breakfast to the students. “It was great being there with the kids in the the morning” He thanked the dedicated parents who show up on their own time every day to run this important service for kids.
Upcoming Dates
Thurs. April 28 – National Day of Mourning
Mon. May 2 – Non-instructional Day (school-based)
Tues. May 10 – Public Budget Consultation Meeting at 4 p.m.
Tues. May 17 – SD83 Board of Education meeting at 6 p.m.
Mon. May 23 – Victoria Day (stat holiday)
Mon. May 24 – Committee of the Whole Meeting at 4 p.m.