Circle Of Care: Students
- 2021/2022 Student Trustee: We are thrilled to welcome Matthew Douglas to the Board of Education as the student trustee for the 2021/2022 school year. Matthew is the 9th student trustee in the district’s history and is a member of the district student leadership team. He attends Chatelech Secondary in his grade 12 year. (1a)
- School Start Up and Updated Health and Safety Guidelines: Students and staff were welcomed back with great joy this week! The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health have supported the safe return to in-class learning with updated guidelines for the 2021-2022 school year. (1b)
- Transitions: Comprehensive transition plans for students who were enrolled in online learning began in the spring and have been taking place in the weeks before school opening. Our district inclusion team will be providing additional assistance to support students and staff transitioning back to school. (1b)
- StrongStart, SPARK! and Child Development Classes kick off again this fall! We are looking forward to re-connecting with families through these core programs in our community. (1b)
- The 2021/22 Mental Health in Schools grant funding, in the amount of $129,932.00, supports mental health and well-being. We will be making plans to apply these funds toward further developing trauma informed practice, mental health literacy, well-being, and socio-emotional learning. A document has been created to capture our initial Mental Health support plans in SD46. (1f)
- Trauma Informed: We will continue to deepen and broaden our understanding of socio-emotional well-being and mental health though a trauma informed lens. Monique Gray-Smith delivered an inspiring key note presentation to all administrative assistants and principals at the School Operations Workshop on August 27th (1f)
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day: SD46 will observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day on September 29th. During the week of September 27th, deeper learning and reflection activities will be occurring across the district. As per the August 3rdannouncement by the province and as per the updated School Calendar Regulation, on September 30th, schools will not be in session in honour of this day. (1h, 3c)
- Train in Trades: This year we are running three Train in Trades programs: Auto Service Technician = 13 students-partnered with Vancouver Community College (VCC); Cook = 13 students-partnered with Vancouver Community College (VCC); Carpentry = 18 students – partnered with Vancouver Island University (VIU); Electrical= 1 student – partnered with BCIT. Finally, we have handed out nine, $1000 Work in Trades Awards in the past two years to student apprentices. (1l)
Circle of Care: Staff
- Health and Safety plans have been updated for schools and principals are meeting with their Health and Safety committees to provide orientation for staff and students this week. (2a)
- HR Update: We have over 60 teachers on our Teacher Teaching on Call list for this school year. We have a variety of teachers new to the profession, and tenured teachers who’ve been able to make the move to the Sunshine Coast. We are very optimistic that this will help alleviate some of the concerns around providing release time and covering for teachers on leave. (2a)
- Inclusion Support Services: Inclusion support services teachers participated in two days of in-service training on September 1st and 2nd. Training sessions were focused on assessment and our new online referral program, Clevr. (2b)
- Ensouling Our Schools: As we start a new school year knowing each of us is coming with different lived experience, knowledge and understanding – as well as different sets of responsibility – the one thing that connects us all is our humanity. Partners, including Indigenous Advisory, SCTA, CUPE, Principals and Vice Principals, and District Leadership, are honoured to have worked with Kevin Lamoureux this spring/early summer – in preparation for a year or more of the entire district working with him, others, and each other concerning the elements of the book “Ensouling Our Schools”. (2c, 2d)
Circle of Care: Community
- The ‘Education During Covid-19’ page on the district website has been updated to help our families and community stay in the know. (3a)
- Framework for Enhancing Student Learning (FESL): SD46 was part of a pilot group last year to align our district’s Strategic Plan with The Ministry of Education’s new Framework for Enhancing Student learning expectations. We are proud to be sharing the results of this work this month with the Board, Ministry and our community. (3c)
- West Sechelt Elementary: A new addition to West Sechelt Elementary with space for 145 more students is open and ready to welcome students and children this September. Over 11.2 million has been invested for the addition. (3e)
- International Education: SD46 is welcoming 20 international students this year from Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Mexico, Chile, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, and Kenya. (3g)