Circle of Care: Students
- 2023-24 Student Trustee: We are thrilled to welcome Cael Read to the Board of Education as the student trustee for the 2023-24 school year. Cael is the 11th student trustee in the district’s history and is a member of the District Student Leadership Team. Cael attends Elphinstone Secondary in his grade 12 year. (1a)
- September Start-Up: Students and staff were welcomed back with great joy!! This month, schools and PACs have organized inclusive gatherings aimed at nurturing a feeling of inclusion and building connections within the school community. (1b)
- Child Care Update: SD46 is now operating more ‘Seamless Day’ and ‘Just B4’ preschool child care spaces than any other district in the province. (1b)
- StrongStart, SPARK! and Child Development Classes kick off again this fall! We are looking forward to connecting with families in our community through these core programs. (1b)
- Community Connections: The next two weeks will see 10 community organizations visit Chatelech and Elphinstone Secondary Schools! Each day during lunch, we will have different groups in the foyers at CSS (Sept. 11-15) and ESS (Sept. 18-22) to connect with students and raise awareness about services, supports, and activities for youth. The two schools will host representatives from the following participating organizations: Foundry, shíshálh Nation, Sunshine Coast Community Services, Child and Youth Mental Heath, the Recreation Centres, SOGI, and from Vancouver Coastal Health: Mental Health and Substance Use, Public Health (Youth Clinics), Nutrition, and Tobacco Reduction. We’re excited about starting off the year celebrating our supportive community and raising levels of awareness for our youth. (1f)
- SD46 Adds Climate Action Kits to STEM Resources: This spring SD46 intermediate educators in partnership with our neighbouring school districts had the opportunity to participate in a workshop that integrated STEM technology and climate change action projects. This new program challenges students to design an automatic bee counter, hydroponic system, and tree seeder using sensors, motors, and basic microbit coding skills. Each project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Following the teacher training, our own Careers Coordinator, Cathy Gordon, was able to arrange the donation of nine additional kits – which means we now have a complete class set available for loan from our district ADST resources. (1i)
- The Pro Cook Train in Trades class is up and running at Elphinstone Secondary School. Chef Ken Hookham from Vancouver Community College is leading the way for our level one course, and we are lucky to have the talented chef Krissy Seymour from Cougar Cafe for course support. (1l)
- Last year BC expanded early childhood educational dual credit courses for high school students. There has been an increasing need for early childhood educators, so this is a welcomed initiative and opportunity for our students. This year we have two students enrolled in the dual credit program and getting a head start on their post-secondary studies. (1l)
- A full circle success story from SD46 work experience student to teacher! A previous work experience student was inspired by their school placement, which led to her educational journey. Lauryn is now starting her first year at Madeira Park Elementary School teaching grade three. (1l)
Circle of Care: Staff
- Human Resources Updates: Some of the work that is being done to help support staff for this upcoming school year includes (2a):
- HR Review and creation of Director of Human Resources position.
- Human Resources reviewing and realigning roles and responsibilities within the Department
- Continuation and expansion of District TTOC positions from 2 to 4 positions.
- Staff housing and child care spaces continue to be a challenge for recruitment.
- Increased support to the site-based wellness committees and LifeWorks, one of our main healthcare partners.
- Exploration of options to alleviate fail-to-fills.
- With the resumption of internal postings in late August, we are now in the midst of filling vacancies that resulted from staff departures over the summer and adjustments related to any changes in enrolment.
- Ensouling our Schools Year Three: As we journey forward together into year three of ‘Ensouling our Schools’, we are pleased to be adding new members to the Working Group and continuing this transformative and meaningful work with all staff, students, families and our community. (2a-e)
- Literacy and Numeracy Professional Development: We aim to be a vibrant professional culture focused on improving literacy and numeracy results, data and joy! Through a structure of district committees and school teams, we are offering professional development series this year including (2b):
- Literacy Lunch & Learns
- Matt Glover in-person!
- As well as a new staff literacy and numeracy resource website.
- Ed Leadership Team Summer Session: This yearly occasion united the district’s leadership to outline the province’s direction and our district’s focus for the upcoming school year, and seamlessly integrated this knowledge into their respective schools and teams. We were also honored to have Caroline Picard continue her valuable contributions in Compassionate Systems Leadership at the event. (2a, 2b, 2d)
- School Operations Workshop: In late August, the Educational Leadership Team, School Board Office staff, admin assistants, and clerical staff gathered once again at Chatelech Secondary for the annual School Operations Workshop. This event marked the start of the new school year with an opportunity to reconnect, offering valuable training in communications, updates from the ministry and district, and equipping attendees with the most current information and tools to enhance their support for our learning community. (2a, 2b, 2d)
- SPACES In-Service: Over 70 educators from across the district attended our summer Spaces in-service. The session provided an introduction to Spaces, a focus on Core Competencies, and a look at some exciting new features. This year, district will be using a number of strategies to ensure we are aligned with the new reporting policy. All schools will have ‘Communicating Student Learning (‘CSL’) Teacher Leaders, who will be able to answer questions and provide support to teachers in their schools. New Core Competency posters for primary, intermediate, and secondary have been created in consultation with teachers and will be delivered to all classroom teachers this month, along with Core Competency magnets. The new CSL staff website will provide easy access to all of the current resources that were designed to support teachers in navigating the new Reporting Policy. All educational staff will spend the day together on the September 25th Professional Development Day in order to collaborate and deepen our learning about reporting and assessment. (2b, 2d)
- Accessibility Committee Update: In accordance with the Accessible BC Regulation, SD46 has established a District Accessibility Committee. This committee is actively developing an accessibility plan and a feedback tool to gather input on accessibility issues. We have already distributed a survey to our community through our community engagement platform to identify specific barriers faced by individuals with disabilities in SD46, as well as to highlight the district’s successful accessibility features. Our next steps involve a comprehensive review of the survey results during the October Committee Meeting, followed by the continued refinement of SD46’s accessibility plan. (2c)
- Strategic Planning Process Launch! This school year we will be connecting with our learning community and partners in the development of the Board of Education’s new strategic plan. We are excited to embark on this journey to develop a strategic plan that focuses on student learning and embraces stewardship for the future of all students.
Circle of Care: Community
- Truth and Reconciliation Week: Reconciliation starts with education. Teachers have been encouraged to register their class for a 5-day series of National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation programming for Truth and Reconciliation Week – September 25 – 29. (3c)
- The Maintenance and Facilities Department has dedicated their entire summer to improving facilities, undertaking various projects, and ensuring that our schools and departments start with welcoming, pristine, secure, and well-organized spaces! (3e)