Category: Chair’s Update

Being able to welcome students back into our learning community as schedule may seem like a given; however, thinking back only one year we were still deeply impacted by COVID-19. The return to school was delayed by one week and functional closures were looming. Uncertainty was a constant in our planning. I am pleased that we had a calm and peaceful winter break and we have returned to a place where breaks welcome periods of rest and are predictable for our students, staff and community.

In the last year we have seen a transformation in how we understand our affirmation and Truth and Reconciliation. All of our District staff have participated in learning and many staff have led and participated in actions that exemplify Truth and Reconciliation in education in the past year.

A mission statement is a statement about our purpose, it explains why we exist. This is a perfect theme for us to reflect on as the new board sits down for their first regular meeting together. Why are we here and what are we doing?

This is the last report of our term. What a wonderful theme to end with: Vision. Our vision is “We are a community engaged in lifelong learning and educational excellence.” A vision statement is intended to anchor our desired future state and create purpose in our daily work. It describes what is in front of us; however, this time when we focus on our theme of Vision I can’t help but looking at what is behind us.

Welcome back! We are happy to begin a new school year and open our doors to our students and their families in ways we have not been able to do in years. Beginnings are full of anticipation and excitement.

When I joined the District Student Leadership Team last year, I didn’t really know what I was applying for. All that I really knew was that it was an amazing opportunity, and that I would figure everything else out pretty quickly during the meetings. I’m currently weeks from finishing my second and final year on the team, and I feel as though I am only finally discovering its true purpose.

Celebrate! In June we focus on our value of celebration and this year is particularly special because it is a return to in person celebrations after two years of recognizing our special days and milestones virtually or in other ways. This is especially important for our students graduating, for our staff retiring and for our learners transitioning to high school because these celebrations will look as imagined!

What makes an exceptional trustee? Do I have what it takes? I find that I ask myself this question each time I attend a board meeting, committee meeting, engage with community or represent the board to other levels of government. It is also a question I ask more frequently as this term comes to an end and the question of running to be elected to the Board of Education for another term is being asked.

May is the month we embrace our values of respect and responsibility. These, like our other values, are evident at every school on the coast. These values were also present at the recent British Columbia School Trustees Association’s (BCSTA) annual general meeting. The event entitled From Grief to Medicine was an honouring of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action in a very real and palpable way.

April brings our focus to our District’s value of innovation. Innovation is a new idea, a way of doing something, or a new tool to help us do our work. Innovation often feels scary at the beginning, especially when our innovation feels foreign or daring.