December 2018 Newsletter

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Message from Vancouver DPAC Chair

  • Thank you to those who attended our sessions in November on ADHD and the redesigned curriculum.  As with our earlier sessions, levels of engagement at both events were high and feedback on the information presented was positive.  Our next general meeting is on January 24th on cannabis and we are hosting a session on Anxiety in Children & Youth on January 31st.  All parents and guardians of children in the Vancouver school district are welcome to attend any of our meetings.

    Allison Tredwell (Edith Cavell) was ratified as a member of our executive at our meeting on November 1st, but we are still seeking to increase our capacity.  In particular we are seeking a Treasurer.  The Treasurer role goes beyond just keeping books as all DPAC officers spend a lot of time interfacing with PAC execs and the VSB, and the Treasurer would also be our representative on the VSB Finance and Legal and Audit committees.  Please contact chair@vancouverdpac.org if you are interested in serving in this position or in any other capacity on our executive.

    Our last executive meeting of this calendar year will be on December 13th.  Interest was expressed at our last general meeting for DPAC to consider striking committees on out of school care and seismic planning.  Please attend and volunteer if you are interested in contributing to either of these.

    Finally, we are seeking specific feedback from PACs to inform discussions with the VSB on two points.  The first is regarding consultations.  While we have already heard a lot about consultations that have gone wrong, we are also interested in hearing about ones that have gone well and why they have gone well.  Please contact chair@vancouverdpac.org to provide input.  Second, we are looking for feedback on the VSB's administrative procedure governing PACs (Administrative Procedure 110 which replaced ABA-R-1). It's only 2-3 pages and comments and suggestions can be sent to vicechair@vancouverdpac.org.
    -Shaun Kalley, 2018/19 DPAC Chair

Upcoming DPAC Events

  • Thursday, Dec 13, 7-9pm – DPAC Executive Meeting Rm 120, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Thursday, Jan 10, 7-9pm – DPAC Executive Meeting Rm 120, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Thursday, Jan 24, 7-9pm – DPAC General Meeting: Cannabis Legalization & Schools Rm 180, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Thursday, Jan 31, 7-9pm – DPAC hosting 2nd presentation of VCH Child and Youth Mental Health Service's workshop - Anxiety in Children and Youth. Rm 180, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway. 
    In response to multiple requests by parents unable to attend the session put on as part of the Child and Youth Well-Being Workshops, VCH has agreed to put on a second session.  

  • NOTE: DPAC meetings are open to all parents and guardians of children in VSB schools. Voting is limited to DPAC executives at executive meetings and PAC reps at general meetings, but all attendees may otherwise participate in the meetings.

Upcoming PAC Events that the wider community is invited to join

  • Education and the Brain Speakers Series by Laura Secord Elementary School & Quebec Exchange Fundraising Group. Second talk Tuesday Dec 4 6:30-7:30pm – Bilingualism and Brain Health in Children presented by Dr. Rachel Weber, PhD. Doors open at 6:00, talk will begin at 6:30. This talk is geared to parents, young people and teachers who are interested in learning how education changes the brain. It will provide information regarding how bilingualism affects cognitive function. Vancouver Technical Secondary's auditorium (2600 E. Broadway) Tickets $10.

  • Maple Grove School's "Exceptional Group" runs Tuesdays 6-7:30pm from Jan 15-Feb 19. This 6-part weekly group for adults supporting neurodiverse learners. Free parent-led conversation, advocacy, resources sharing, relationship building, and more. RSVP: Inclusionandadvocacy@gmail.com for more information (poster attached).

Important Dates

  • Tuesday, Dec 4 5:30pm – ADHD Information Night at South Vancouver Neighbourhood House (6470 Victoria Drive) (see flyer attached). For further inquiries please call 604 267-3973

  • Wednesday, Dec 5 4pm – Policy and Governance Standing Committee (previously Committee I)  Rm 180, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Wednesday, Dec 5 5:30pm – Student Learning and Well-being Standing Committee (previously Committee III) Rm 180, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Tuesday, Dec 11 6-8pm – FamilySmart® monthly parent group in December is a free dinner and resource sharing event. This is an opportunity for parents to share with each other the resources they have researched and accessed in the community while supporting their children with mental health or substance use issues (see flyer attached). To reserve a spot and get details on how to participate, parents can email jared.hazzard@familysmart.ca. 

  • Wednesday, Dec 12 6:30pm – SACY Adult Toolkit. Increase your health literacy around youth development and substances (“weed," alcohol or others.) Gain facts, bust myths, and get comfortable having conversations with youth at this friendly, non-judgmental evening for adults. Sir Charles Tupper Secondary. Limited seating! Please register at: www.sacy.eventbrite.com

  • Thursday, Dec 13 7pm – DPAC Executive Meeting  Rm 120, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Monday, Dec 17 7pm – VSB Board Meeting. Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Saturday, Dec 22-Sunday, Jan 6 – Winter Break, no school

Looking ahead

  • Thursday, Jan 10 7pm - DPAC Executive Meeting  Rm 120, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Thursday, Jan 10 6pm - Depression in Children and Youth. Part of the free Child and Youth Well-being Workshops that VCH Child and Youth Mental Health Services in collaboration with the VSB are co-presenting this school year. Open this PDF, then click on the register link to enrol. (Note, if you tried registering in November but it was full, more seats have been added)

  • Thursday, Jan 24 7pm - DPAC General Meeting: Cannabis Legalization & Schools Rm 180, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway

  • Thursday, Jan 31 7pm - Anxiety in Children and Youth. Rm 180, Vancouver Education Centre 1580 W. Broadway. 

Useful Information & Resources

  • Check out our resource page for presentation slide decks including last month's Redesigned Curriculum presentation.

Diverse Learners

  • Rolling with ADHD – Practical Strategies for Parenting ADHD – free learning series from BC Children's Hospital.

  • Tuesday, Dec 4 5:30pm – ADHD Information Night at South VancouverNeighbourhood House (6470 Victoria Drive) (see flyer attached). For further inquiries please call 604 267-3973

  • Maple Grove School's "Exceptional Group" runs Tuesdays 6-7:30pm from Jan 15-Feb 19. This is a free 6-part weekly group for adults supporting neurodiverse learners. RSVP: Inclusionandadvocacy@gmail.com for more information (poster attached).

Equity

  • First Call's 2018 BC Child Poverty Report Card - one in five (172,550) BC children are poor. Learn more about who and why as well as First Call's recommendations. 

Expand/Embrace Your Indigenous Knowledges

  • Ottawa to hand over child welfare services to Indigenous governments (CBC article) 

  • Listen to SEMA'TSE Jordan's new podcast series which tackles the topic of how the legacy of residential schools affects youth today from the perspective of an Indigenous youth in care.

  • Teaching Math Through Cedar Weaving (CBC article)

  • UBC Faculty of Education nurtures cultural identity of Indigenous students seeking to become teachers (Georgia Straight article)

  • Vancouver Park Board announces first artist in Indigenous cultural residency (Vancouver Courier article)

  • Elementary school students use virtual reality to learn about Indigenous culture (CBC article)

Expectation of Respect & Safety

  • erase (expect respect & a safe education) – updated government website about building safe and caring school communities. This includes empowering students, parents, educators and the community partners who support them to get help with challenges, report concerns to schools, and learn about complex issues facing students.

  • Peer Conflict, Mean Behaviour and Bullying. What’s the difference? - VSB brochure

  • Student Threat-Risk Assessment - VSB protocol

Mental Health / Substance Issues

  • Tuesday, Dec 11 6-8pm – FamilySmart® monthly parent group in December is a free dinner and resource sharing event. This is an opportunity for parents to share with each other the resources they have researched and accessed in the community while supporting their children with mental health or substance use issues (see flyer attached). To reserve a spot and get details on how to participate, parents can email jared.hazzard@familysmart.ca. 

  • Wednesday, Dec 12 6:30pm – SACY Adult Toolkit. Increase your health literacy around youth development and substances (“weed," alcohol or others.) Gain facts, bust myths, and get comfortable having conversations with youth at this friendly, non-judgmental evening for adults. Sir Charles Tupper Secondary. Limited seating! Please register at: www.sacy.eventbrite.com

  • Kelty's Recommended Resources: Anxiety (for parents/caregivers)

VSB 

November Board Meetings

  • On Monday, Nov 5 the trustees were sworn in at their Inaugural Meeting. Janet Fraser was elected chair and Allan Wong was elected vice-chair (VSB article).

  • On Monday, Nov 26: (view recording)

    • Trustee Jennifer Reddy was sworn in as she was unable to attend on Nov 5.

    • The Board finalized the trustee appointments to the standing and administrative committees plus with other organizations (page 117-120 of the agenda).

    • The Board passed the following urgent motion:
      That the Board request the chairperson reaches out to Minister Fleming acknowledging the potential long term savings of the replacement option for Cavell Elementary school, if advanced; and furthermore, that the Board request the Minister to review the expansion option proposed in the Capital Plan.

    • Staff also included written responses to questions asked in the Edith Cavell Seismic Delegation at the Facilities Planning Standing meeting on Nov 14

      • Question 1: What is the rationale for the upgrade project versus a full replacement school?
        The seismic upgrade project was the lowest cost option. Being efficient with capital funding allows the Ministry and District to achieve the goal of creating safe seats for all students as soon as possible.

      • Question 2: If the capital expansion project were to be approved, could it be completed in the same timeline as the seismic upgrade project?
        The District’s approval of funding from the Ministry for this project states that if there is a change to the scope, schedule or budget, the District will need to seek additional approval from the Treasury Board. This would not likely allow the project to be completed in the same timeline. Any expansion request would have to be evaluated against all expansion priorities in the province; there is a risk it may not be approved.

      • Question 3: Can the deferred maintenance needs, within the existing school, be addressed if the seismic upgrade project (as approved in September) remains unchanged?
        Areas affected by the Seismic upgrade work will have the deferred maintenance work completed simultaneously. The areas will be determined once the consultants have completed the engineering design.
        Through the Annual Facilities Grant funding, the following deferred maintenance work will be completed within the similar period as the seismic upgrade work:

        • Replacement of deteriorated plumbing lines

        • Upgrade of lighting to energy efficient LED’s

        • Replacement of heating plant

    • Janet Fraser gave a Notice of Motion
      That the Board commits to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action for K-12 public education, and that staff provide the Board with a report of initiatives currently being implemented to support reconciliation, as well as those planned for the future. This will be discussed at a standing committee before coming back to the board to be voted on.

Input & Other Opportunities

  • The Vancouver Park Board is working with the Vancouver School Board to develop a Track & Field Strategy - a plan for the future of track and field sports and facilities in Vancouver. Vancouver track facilities need upgrading to improve the experience for users, including competitive and casual users of all ages and abilities. We're in Phase 2 of consultation, and want to understand your priorities for track and field facilities, and your thoughts on strategies to support more participation in track and field activities. This survey will take about 5 minutes to complete. Click here to start (If you are unable to click the link, please copy and paste the full URL below into your browser: https://www.talkvancouver.com/c/al/5x1HH10B0Kt6gu5lIBrCIL/6YzX04wNLZ9EvS5873qNrk)

  • Are you looking for a rewarding career in the field of education? Consider becoming an education assistant & help create inclusive learning experiences. For more info visit http://ow.ly/E0Ol30mO6G0 & attend VSB's FREE info session on Dec 6 at 7pm at VSB's Education Centre.

News

  • Jamieson (VSB article) and Kingsford Smith school communities moved back into their seismically safe schools in November. (Seismic program update: Fleming, Nelson, and Tennyson are under construction. Bayview, Begbie, Cavell, David Lloyd George, Hamber, Maple Grove, and Wolfe are proceeding to construction. (More information on the seismic mitigation program here.))

  • The Vancouver School District with the City of Vancouver today announce in collaboration with BroadbandTV (BBTV) the launch of FuturePLAY - a sustainable and scalable educational program aimed at fostering digital and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Design, and Mathematics) literacy in grades four to seven students.Launch of an educational program aimed at fostering digital literacy (VSB article; Vancouver Courier article)

BCCPAC

Updates

Ministry of Education / Government of BC

News Releases

  • Take advantage of education savings opportunities designed to save money Almost 80% of job openings in B.C. over the next decade will require some form of post-secondary education. Receive $1,200 toward a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for children between six and nine years old.

  • The Select Standing Committee for Finance and Government Services released their Report on the Budget 2019 Consultation. It contains the following recommendations for K-12 Education in the 2019 Budget:

    • Capital Funding

      • 61. Increase capital funding to school districts to build new schools, maintain and upgrade existing facilities, conduct seismic upgrades, and add classroom space and playgrounds.

    • Indigenous Students

      • 62. Provide funding to develop and implement programs to support Indigenous students that target and address the unique needs of Indigenous learners based on best practice from school districts with good completion rates.

      • 63. Implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action 63.2 by providing the necessary funding to educate teachers on how to integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms.

    • Operational Funding and Funding Formula

      • 64. Provide sustainable, predictable funding based on a child-centered model that allows school districts to cover the costs of delivering education.

      • 65. Fund compensation increases for exempt staff, principals and vice-principals, and provide flexibility at the local level for principals and vice-principals to take on teaching roles, particularly in rural and remote areas facing challenges with recruitment and retention.

      • 66. Fund the provision of an age-appropriate sexual health curriculum for all grades that includes matters of consent and online safety, with the assistance of qualified sexual health educators.

      • 67. Encourage partnerships with, and provide stable, long-term funding to, independent organizations that provide supportive, community-based programming for children and youth, such as the Boys and Girls Club, Roots of Empathy, Right to Play’s Aboriginal Youth Program, the BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program, and FIRST Robotics; and support alternative curricular programs, such as Take a Hike. 

    • Recruitment and Retention

      • 68. Offer incentives, such as forgivable student loans or supplemental housing compensation, to assist in the recruitment and retention of teachers in rural and remote areas, particularly specialized teachers.

    • Students with Special Needs

      • 69. Increase funding for students with special needs, including funding for early identification, the provision of appropriate support programs, and the training and recruitment of specialized teachers.

      • 70. Establish clear standards and fully fund appropriate supports for students with special needs in the public and independent school systems.

Input Request

Upcoming

  • K-12 Public Education Funding Model is currently being reviewedwith a report to be released before the end of the year. This will determine how BC's Education Budget is dispersed to districts starting 2019/20. It may also have a large impact on contract negotiations which will be underway soon as contracts with BCTF, CUPE, and other unions involved in BC public education expire in June. (Globe and Mail article; Global News article)