Our mission states that we support and inspire each student to experience joy and fulfillment in realizing their potential as a knowledgeable, confident, and contributing citizen in the global community. We, as a board, have to mirror that mission in ourselves. This last month has been testament to that. Following are some of the events and opportunities the board took part in, in an effort to gain knowledge and contribute locally, provincially, nationally and yes, in some cases even globally.
October 17: Chair Ruth attended the Board Chairs Workshop in Richmond. The main subjects discussed were the Funding Model Review, the Framework For Enhanced Student Learning, funding and services available from BCSTA to aid boards, youth mental & physical health and climate change. Guest speakers included Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth who is British Columbia’s Representative for Children and Youth and Jan Enns, Communications Consultant. Presentations can be found on the HUB. That evening, Trustee Amaral attended the Town of Gibsons Development Permit Public Hearing.
October 18: Chair Ruth participated in the Joint Liaison Meeting with Secretary Treasurer Weswick and Superintendent Bocking in Richmond. More discussions on the Funding Model Review and the Framework to Enhance Student Learning were held in addition to Strategic Planning. Each table was assigned specific districts, to enhance learning via table-talk discussions.
October 21: Trustees Leech and Ruth met with Superintendent Bocking to discuss current district matters in their bi-weekly Chair/Vice-Chair/Superintendent session.
October 21: Trustee Ruth attended Elphinstone Secondary PAC …and we all got out there and voted!
October 22: Full-day of committee meetings, including Operations Committee, Committee of the Whole and Education Committee.
October 24/25: Trustee Ruth went to a two-day Professional Learning Committee Meeting. This BCSTA group has representatives from each branch through-out the province working together to conceive, formulate and actualize trustee Pro-D for the betterment of student achievement. This particular meeting was putting the final touches on Academy coming up at month-end and setting in motion AGM in April.
October 25/26: Trustee Hampvent represented SD46 at the quarterly BCSTA Provincial Council Meeting in Vancouver. She will be making a presentation further in the Reports section of the agenda.
October 28: Trustee Amaral sat at the Indigenous Education Advisory Circle. Discussions around UNDRIP, furthering Truth & Reconciliation as well as SD46 Strategic Plan. Further discussion on language being updated to ‘land and waters’ from ‘territory’ and ‘indigenous’ from ‘aboriginal’.
November 4: Trustee Haines attended Madeira Park Elementary PAC. The PAC is helping support the staff for their Christmas play/performance on December 18th. They will be doing the Nutcracker.
November 5: Trustee Haines sat on the Ferry Advisory Council. Agenda items included improvements to Langdale and Horseshoe Bay terminals, composting and green initiatives on board the ferry as well as medical assured boarding. Chair Ruth and Vice-Chair Leech met with senior staff to discuss Agenda Setting. A new system has been set up for trustees to see their items being brought forward as well as how they are being dealt with according to the Communications Plan. Trustee Hampvent attended the DPAC meeting held at Chatelech Secondary School.
November 6: Chair Ruth and Vice-Chair Leech met with SCRD Chair Pratt and Vice-Chair Siegers to discuss mutual matters and interests, such as bus transit for students, playing fields, water conservation practices as well as waste management and recycling initiatives. We hope to maintain this type of dialog with our fellow elected officials as we move forward.
November 7: Remembrance Day Ceremony was held at the Pender Harbour Legion with Pender Harbour Secondary and Madeira Park Elementary in attendance. Trustee Haines stated that this year they combined the ceremonies into one in an effort to make it easier on the volunteers. Trustee Girard attended Cedar Grove Elementary PAC.
November 8: Remembrance Day Ceremonies were held throughout the district (noting that PHSS and MPES’s were held the day before) and Trustees Leech, Ruth and Girard were in attendance at (one of) their liaison schools. Trustee Amaral attended the BCPSEA Representative Council Meeting in Vancouver.
November 11: Trustee Amaral represented SD46 at the Sechelt Remembrance Day Ceremonies; Trustee Leech, Roberts Creek; Trustee Ruth, Gibsons and Trustee Haines represented at Madeira Park.
Much of the month was spend on building relationships, finding common values and working together. Being contributing citizens.
This month also marks a year-in from the 2018 election. Thank you to my fellow trustees, senior staff and everyone in this amazing school district for a wonderful year! It has indeed been a year of joy and fulfillment for me!