Superintendent’s Report to the Board | October 2024

This report highlights the past month’s updates and events, all grounded in our core values of learning, belonging, integrity, and equity.

Welcoming International Students and Excursions

Our first excursion was an exciting exploration of Vancouver Harbour, where international students were introduced to the city’s history, topography, and vibrant landscape. After walking from Denman Street to Canada Place, students engaged in a workshop with the Vancouver Port Authority, learning about the cultural, environmental, and economic significance of Vancouver Harbour.

Following a lunch break at Jack Poole Plaza, the group returned to Denman and Georgia Streets for a tandem bike riding lesson, before cruising the scenic seawall around Stanley Park.

The second excursion saw students exploring the coastal beauty of Gibsons, followed by a full-day adventure on Keats Island.

Student Strategic Plan Launch

The new Strategic Plan was introduced to the Grade 10 Leadership class at Chatelech Secondary with tremendous enthusiasm. Students shared a wealth of ideas on how to become champions of the plan and how they envision their learning evolving in the future. We are excited to see how these young leaders will share the vision with the broader student body!

Elementary Sports: Cross-Country Annual Series

The Elementary Sports Cross-Country Annual Series kicked off with the Cross-Country Fun Run at Cliff Gilker Park, followed by Cross-Country events at Davis Bay, Gibsons, and Kinnikinnick Elementary. A fantastic start to the season, showcasing our students’ enthusiasm and athleticism!

Early Dismissal Days

Informal learning updates and family conferences are taking place this week in both elementary and secondary schools. Early dismissal days have been aligned with the new reporting order, allowing for greater connection with families ahead of the formal reporting period. Across the district, schools will dismiss one hour earlier, providing teachers and families additional time for meaningful discussions.

September School Visits and 1701 Review

In September, we conducted visits to all schools in the district to gain insights on our students with the most complex learning needs and how we can better assist them in the classroom.

School-based teams exhibited great dedication and efficiency in their tasks throughout the busy month. From familiarizing themselves with new students to organizing caseloads, creating Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and providing support to both students and teachers, it was clear that a tremendous amount of effort and care went into the preparation and planning for the September 1701 deadline.

We are immensely grateful for the hard work and commitment demonstrated by all those involved in ensuring that our students receive the necessary support and resources they need to thrive in the classroom.

Accessibility Committee

The Accessibility Committee held its inaugural meeting of the school year on October 1st. The committee, comprised of passionate accessibility advocates, gathered to reflect on the progress made over the summer and identify priorities for the upcoming year.

In alignment with the provincial government’s mandate, the committee is dedicated to enhancing accessibility across the district. As part of this commitment, the committee will review the feedback survey available to our educational community on our website. This ongoing feedback mechanism allows us to better understand the needs and experiences of our students, staff, and families, ultimately guiding our efforts to create a more inclusive environment within our schools.

Careers Updates

Train in Trades Programs are off to a great start! The Pro Cook Program at Elphinstone Secondary, led by VCC Chef Instructor Ken Hookham, has just begun Module Two. This Friday, October 4th, students embarked on an interactive field trip to three local farms in Gibsons. Keep up the excellent work and delicious food!

The Automotive Service Technician (AST) program is thriving, with an eager group of students ready to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. Under the expert guidance of Red Seal AST instructor Brenda Masich and Chatelech teacher and VCC AST instructor Ryan Lee, these students are gaining valuable hands-on and theoretical experience in the automotive industry.

The 4th Annual Fire Academy promotion is underway, and we’ve already received a significant level of interest from high school students across the Coast. So far, 45 applications have been submitted, with 12 students accepted into the Spring Break program. A special thanks to Sechelt Fire Department’s Deputy Chief of Prevention, Steven Achterberg, for his leadership. The application deadline is November 1st, 2024.

Staff Appreciation Day

On Friday, October 4th, we celebrated our dedicated Sunshine Coast Schools staff! This celebration was particularly meaningful as October marks National Principals’ Month, October 2nd is International Custodian Day, and October 5th is World Teachers’ Day. A huge thank you to all staff for their continued commitment to our students and community.

Human Resources Update

The Human Resources Department has been actively hiring over the past 14 months to fill vacant positions and continue to add staff to the TTOC and on-call education assistant support staff lists. The objective has been to continue to reduce, or at least stop the increases annually in, fail-to-fills amongst teacher and education assistant positions in schools. These fail-to-fills impact on student learning and on the workload and morale of other staff in the school when staff are absent.

Ongoing initiatives from last year, as well as new strategies implemented for the 2024-25 school year, aim to address the continued challenges related to education assistant fail-to-fills.

Practical Leadership for Principals

We are excited to announce the launch of our Practical Leadership series, designed specifically for new and nearly new administrators, as well as those who are interested in exploring key leadership topics in greater depth.

This monthly series provides an opportunity to explore a variety of relevant topics, presented by experienced leaders from our district. Each session will offer practical, actionable insights to help administrators effectively navigate the responsibilities and challenges of school leadership.