November 2021

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November 2021 Message from the Chair Parents and Caregivers: Earlier this year, the VSB led the province in extending the mask mandate to K-3 children.  Vancouver DPAC provided their support by collaborating with other parent groups in the province to write in support of this measure, as well as other layers of protection.  The VSB decision was soon followed by a provincial mandate.   The parent voice matters. We are continuing to work with parent groups across the province as well as consciously making more room for the VSB PAC community to guide our advocacy.  Our recent general meeting was attended by over 30 PACs, where we jointly agreed to call upon on the VSB to use relevant and up to date data before making irreversible facilities decisions.   As the year continues, we will have presentations of interest for PACs but will also make opportunities for PACs to meet, discuss and help guide our work. Thanks, Gord Lau, 2021/22 DPAC Chair DPAC is for Parents & PACs throughout the School Year Parents and caregivers are invited to attend an information evening about the COVID19 Vaccines. We are booking experts to provide basic information about vaccines — what they are, how they work, concerns about them, why they are part of the strategy of getting through the current pandemic. There will be time for questions. Register for the November DPAC General Meeting   DPAC is continuing to share access to Zoom meetings with PACs. Please contact your schools DPAC liaison or DPAC secretary (secretary@vancouverDPAC.org) to book a meeting. Upcoming DPAC Events Please note, this month's DPAC Executive Meeting is moved to the third Thursday of the month, to account for Remembrance Day. November 4, 7pm – DPAC Special Meeting: Treasury 101 November 18, 7pm – November DPAC Executive Meeting November 25, 7pm – November DPAC General Meeting — Vaccine Information Night All meeting information (registration, agendas, minutes) on our meeting page. All parents of VSB students are welcome to attend DPAC meetings Subscribe to our meeting calendar Parent engagement There are continuing requests for feedback from the district and the province in this newsletter In "On Anti-Racism" section, provincial survey to shape anti-racism data collection policy (survey, closes Nov 30) In "BCCPAC" section, Ministry of Education survey regarding K-12 reporting changes (survey, closes Nov 5) DPAC Committees and Working Groups Childcare Committee The committee is focused on encouraging increased access and wider options for school-age care.  Interested parents please contact committee lead Alan at alan.patola.moosmann@vancouverdpac.org Facilities Planning Committee The committee works on Long Range Facilities Planning, Seismic Planning and will be shadowing the VSB Facilities Planning Committee providing feedback to the DPAC Executive. The DPAC Facilities Committee will meet on Monday, November 15th at 7pm.  Contact DPAC vice chair at vik.khanna@vancouverdpac.org. Anti-Racism Collective and Working Group The Anti-Racism Collective is a group of parents, caregivers and community members seeking to ensure that VSB antiracism efforts are successful. From within, a smaller working group is engaged in formal advocacy work to advise VSB in matters concerning racism, hate and harassment. The Collective works in support of this group. Interested people please contact Karen at karen.tsang@vancouverdpac.org Important Dates 2015 - 2024 -- The Decade for People of African Descent In December 2014, the UN General Assembly, in its Resolution 68/237, proclaimed the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). Under the theme "Recognition, Justice and Development”, the Decade provides an operational framework to encourage States to eradicate social injustices inherited from history and to fight against racism, prejudice and racial discrimination to which people of African descent are still subjected. November is: National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Adoption Awareness Month and Movember (Men's Health Awareness Month).   Monday, November 1 – Musqueam Day Wednesday, November 3, 5pm – VSB Student Learning and Wellbeing Committee Thursday, November 4, 7pm – DPAC Special Meeting: Treasury 101 Sunday, Nov 7 – 14 – National Pain Awareness Week Monday, November 8 - Indigenous Veterans Day Thursday, November 11 – Remembrance Day Monday, November 15 – 21 – Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week  Saturday, November 20 – 28 International Restorative Justice Week Monday, November 15 – International PEN Day of the Imprisoned Writer Wednesday, November 17, 5pm – VSB Finance Committee Wednesday, November 17, 6pm – VSB Facilties Planning Committee Thursday, November 18, 7pm – November DPAC Executive Meeting Friday, November 19 – World Day for Prevention of Abuse and Violence against Children Saturday, November 20  – Trans Day of Visibility Sunday, November 21 – 27 – National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW) Monday, November 22, 5pm – VSB Special Board/Committee of the Whole Meeting Thursday, November 25, 7pm – November DPAC General Meeting: COVID19 Vaccine Information Session Thursday, November 25 – International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women Friday, November 26 – Indigenous Focus Non-instructional Day (no school) Friday, November 26 – International Buy Nothing Day Monday, November 29, 7pm – VSB Board Meeting News and Information Check out our resource page for presentation slide decks PAC Led Motion Passes At the DPAC General meeting on October 28th, 33+ Vancouver PACs voted 94% in favour for this motion to hold off on irreversible facilities decisions that impact students until VSB plans are transparently updated with the latest data on where kids live now (Canada Census 2021) and where kids will live in the future (Vancouver Plan, Broadway Plan, Jericho Lands Policy Statement, etc.) Read the passed motion here. VSB Welcomes New Superintendent Vancouver DPAC is looking forward to meeting new Superintendent Helen McGregor, who will join VSB in January of 2022. Ms. McGregor has been a public educator for 28 years, including 11 years as a superintendent of education at the District School Board  of Niagara (DSBN). The VSB Education Plan The VSB is embarking upon a new 5-year strategic plan and has given this process the name, "Education Plan". The full education plan will cover goals, objectives, and operations, which together ensure alignment and integration of the plan. Parents and caregivers were broadly invited to participate in a survey, deemed "round one" of a series of opportunities for VSB to gather feedback. "Round two", according to VSB, will use focus groups setting some high level priorities and parents and caregivers that want to take part will be randomly selected to participate. It is important to note that PACs have a right to be included in the process, so if your PAC would like to be involved, send feedback gathered from your PAC, reflecting education priorities, to the VSB or to your DPAC liaison. Vancouver DPAC has been invited to participate in a "round two" focus group for the "Education Plan", offering our feedback this week, and we continue to anticipate participating in the full education plan as time goes on. As such, we have asked VSB about the future rounds of this process, and expect to see an alignment between the goals, objectives and operations. We hope that the VSB details out the “roadmap & logistics” items set for December, January, February and March along with how parents, caregivers and PACs will participate to arrive at the full 5 year education plan. Increase your Indigenous Understanding Musqueam Day — Monday, November 1st is an annual statutory holiday for Musqueam Nation, in recognition and celebration of the precedent-setting Guerin case and the landmark 1984 Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision that fundamentally changed Aboriginal law in Canada. Taken from the Musqueam Nation website: "In the Guerin case, the inherent right to Aboriginal title, first recognized in the Royal Proclamation of 1763, was established as a sui generis land right. This means that land title is a unique, inherent, collective right to the use of and jurisdiction over traditional territories that is a result of ancestral occupation and relationship with our lands. Therefore, the Crown has a fiduciary responsibility to act in the best interest of an Indian Band in relation to its Indian reserve lands." In the era of Truth and Reconciliation, it might be time to reconsider who has the right to police whom. If there were people on these lands before colonization, do they have the right to remove people from their territories if they are deemed by that nation to be there illegally? Last week, members of Wet’suwet’en including a chief, working as enforcement officers, removed the batteries from a company's heavy machinery on their lands. Whose lands are they? Read the story in The Tyee. COVID Update A grassroots group of physicians, nurses, health scientists, health policy specialists and community advocates have formed Protect Our Province (PoP), and are working to help people in BC stay safe by sharing accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic in the province,, and advocating for evidence-based policies, with a stated goal to end this pandemic. They are holding weekly live-streaming press conferences, which you can join live on their website. The next one will be held at noon on Wednesday, November 3rd. Diverse Learners BCEdAccess is a grassroots organization focused on ensuring that families of families of children and teens with disabilities and those with diverse abilities have the support they need for their kids who are in the education system. Their website features an exclusion tracker, which compiles much-needed data of when students are not served by the system, an advocacy primer and links to several reports. Links to outside sources include this inclusion handbook from Inclusion BC, written to help guide families through the process of advocacy. Recently the organization resisted as a registered charity, and is now able to provide tax receipts for financial support. Donate here.   The School-aged Children’s Speech Development Project, being carried out by UBC speech-language pathologist, Dr. Glenda Mason, is studying the way children from kindergarten to grade 6 say long words. Research sessions will be conducted online using Zoom and will take about 45 minutes. Each child will complete five speech activities with a research assistant while they look at pictures.The goal of this research is to help speech-language pathologists provide better assessments and therapy for children going forward. Ministry of Education Survey The BC Ministry of Education has developed a proposed draft of the K-12 Student Reporting Policy and are seeking feedback from parents, students and educators to gather perspectives on this proposed change. Please review the Draft K-12 Student Reporting Policy and provide your feedback by completing this survey, which closes November 5. Higher Education If your teen is interested in pursuing a college or university education, now is the time to register to attend open houses and info sessions taking place online and at campuses. Here are some local options:   The University of British Columbia offers several ways for teens and their families to familiarize themselves with programs and the campus, including tours, both virtual and in person, fairs, information sessions, student experience events and school visits. Individual departments also offer specific open house opportunities. UBC Engineering, for example, is holding an online open house on November 6, and an on-campus event on November 20th.    The University of Victoria offers several dates in November and January to prospective students to "Discover UVIC". They also offer parent nights, faculty open houses, faculty events, education fairs, and Registration 101 for interested students.   Up the hill (and downtown Vancouver and Surrey), Simon Fraser University is offering several webinars for those considering attending Simon Fraser University. A student experience page offers an overview of student life at SFU's three campuses. They also offer webinars including an online  "how to" All About Registration  on November 9, virtual campus tours, information about living in residence, assistance in better understanding fees, scholarships, and financial aid.   Some young students benefit from smaller campuses or are looking to learn a trade. Here are some more higher education opportunities to consider: Langara's admissions page offers comprehensive guidance. Their art department features an online introduction on November 2. Capilano College's Information Open House (November 20) Douglas College's online and in-person info sessions (multiple dates) Vancouver Community College's online information sessions (including trades) (starting in November) register for Kwantlen (KPU) Virtual Tours learn. about the programs at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)   We spoke with an higher education student advisor (not affiliated with above schools) and learned this: students as young as grade nine can benefit from attending if they, themselves, express interest colleges and universities have the duty to accommodate students with disabilities.  This UBC document explains academic accommodation. The advisor strongly suggested a student requiring accommodation inform student services of their situation and needs as early as possible, and gave three months in advance as best practice.   Students and parents can find a comprehensive overview of post-secondary education options in BC (programs, admission requirements, registration processes and dates, fees, financial assistance) at https://www.educationplannerbc.ca. Sustainability COP26 is happening now in Glasgow, Scotland. Check out the United Nations website for coverage. Pre-COP26 youth summit unveils its list of demands … — Vancouver EcoSocialists Environmental activists speak up ahead of COP26 - CTV News World’s chief scientists urge Cop26 attendees to step up low-carbon policies — The Guardian Q&A: How Gabon plans to lead the African negotiators at COP26 — Al Jazeera   Bioneers 2021 Conference — Between the Worlds will be held virtually online from November 11 — 13. According to the website, this conference and organization is led by Women and Indigenous Peoples to guide necessary change in times of climate crisis. Information on presenters can be found here.  On Anti-Racism According to the BC Government website, systemic racism exists everywhere, including in government policies and programs.The BC government is crowdsourcing better information to ensure equitable access to government services. Help shape B.C.’s anti-racism data legislation by participating in this survey. Last day to take part is November 30, 2021. Opportunities for Youth TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) is a global program with over 20 chapters worldwide that foster future generations of entrepreneurs through teaching high school students the rewards and challenges of entrepreneurship. The Academy guides students through mentoring to utilize skills and tools to build a business concept using customer feedback, iteration, and lightweight business models. Enrolment for Vancouver students in Grades 10 through 12 is now open in the local TYE chapter. The program takes place over 13 bi-weekly Zoom sessions in which participants learn from experienced entrepreneurs, and compete globally for a cash prize and awards for their entrepreneurial spirit and business idea at an event held in a different city each year. Students from Vancouver have won three such prizes in the past 10 years. The program is fully sponsored, with students paying a nominal (earlybird) $50 commitment fee. Hardship considerations are available. Governance The Government of British Columbia is currently drafting legislation to change its Freedom of Information Act, including curbing the ability to information with regards to the premier's communications and a hefty $25 fee proposed that some suggest is a red herring to keep citizens from looking at the minutia of the bill. This comes on the heels of a 60-person BC group who has filed 60 FOI requests about COVID exposure data in schools — one request per school district. Here is the government's PR communications on the bill, and here is a story about Murray Rankin, once a champion of the public's right to a free flow of information, now a government minister who appears to support a bill that some say is the opposite of what Rankin spent his career working toward. Here is what BC's Information and Privacy Commissioner has to say. BCCPAC Updates The Ministry of Education is proposing changes to how & when student progress is communicated to parents and caregivers. Complete a short anonymous survey on the proposed new K-12 Student Reporting Policy. Information collected will be used to draft the policy and and to assess its readiness for implementation. DPAC Leadership Summit is scheduled for November 19-20, 2021. It will be held virtually over Zoom. Review presentations from the 2020 Summit Important Dates & Deadlines Now - Dec 31 – Membership fees due in order to be a voting member. New for this year, PACs can use their Gaming funds to pay for their membership. Renew. VSB  News District distributes mental health toolkits to schools ​Priority kindergarten registration starting November 1 Celebrating the rich diversity of Islamic cultures, practices, and traditions Get outside, stay active, and make mental health a priority VDSC members attend annual leadership retreat World Mental Health Day: creating a toolbox of strategies Updates from October Committee & Board Meetings Highlights of VSB meeting of October 25, 2021 Highlights of Policy and Governance Committee meeting of October 13, 2021 Highlights of Personnel Committee meeting of October 13, 2021 Highlights of Facilities Planning Committee meeting of October 6, 2021 Upcoming Committee Meetings (see all) Ministry of Education News New guidelines support K-12 boards considering staff vaccine requirements Legislative changes to support First Nations jurisdiction over education Seamless Day Kindergarten pilot program expands Legislative changes to support First Nations jurisdiction over education News from other Ministries Improved system coming for children and youth with support needs (MCFD) More funding coming for children and youth with complex needs (MCFD) New child care legislation will build stronger B.C. for families (MCFD) Provincewide booster dose is next step in COVID-19 immunization plan (Health) Indoor mask mandate extended (Health) New rules protecting young workers in effect Oct. 15 (Labour) Free community counselling program helps spread hope, stop stigma (Mental Health & Addictions, Free of charge counselling and support to DTES residents) Resources Check out our resource page for presentation slide decks COVID-19 & Crowdsourced Information A grassroots group of physicians, nurses, health scientists, health policy specialists and community advocates have formed Protect Our Province (PoP), and are working to help people in BC stay safe by sharing accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic in the province,, and advocating for evidence-based policies, with a stated goal to end this pandemic. They are holding weekly press conferences every Wednesday afternoon.   Parents, caregivers and communities have been sending notifications into BC School COVID Tracker to collectively share information about school exposures. School exposure reports can be submitted by ccing or bccing bcschoolcovid@protonmail.com when notifying your child's school by email after receiving a positive test result. Currently it appears Coastal Health is not accurately reporting exposures in our schools, so this app may not reflect accurately exposures in Vancouver schools.   An app has been launched for families to easily know what schools in BC have experienced an exposure to COVID. Exposure Watch allows you to sign up for notifications according to the schools you select. Currently it appears Coastal Health is not accurately reporting exposures in our schools, so this app may not reflect accurately exposures in Vancouver schools. & Tests Based on Science: What is the best type of COVID-19 test to get? -- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine & Immunizations As of October 30, 2021, 3,940,563 people from British Columbia are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, having received both required doses. Read more. According to the Government of BC's website, the population of BC as of April of 2021 is 5,185,990 people. & Mental Health Kelty Mental Health together with FamilySmart parent peer support workers have created a new digital tool, Ask Kelty Mental Health, which offers answers to common questions families have about accessing mental health supports and services.  & Masks Kids and masks list by accredited academics Canadian manufacturers have created re-usable N-95 quality respirator masks with non-disposable filters. Here is one example available on order N95 masks are also being made in Canada by companies such as Vitacore, and offer a variety of styles and sizes including some for children For your reference, Children and Masks by the World Health Organization (WHO) & Culturally Specific Resouces First Nations Health Authority's Mental Health and Cultural Supports during COVID19 COVID19 resources for individuals and families, to aid in creating opportunities for constructive interactions with children during COVID19 times from the Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) Resources for supporting  & Further Resources BCCPAC's COVID Resource page Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings Information for School Districts & Independent Schools (last updated October 1, 2021) Truth and Reconciliation Resources For those who have been affected by the residential school systems and other acts of genocide, we have compiled the following resources: Indian Residential Schools Survivors Society, locally you can call 1-604-985-4464 or Toll Free, 1-800-721-0066   Lu'ma Medical Centre, run by Lu'ma Native Housing Society provides comprehensive physical and mental health care to Indigenous People in Vancouver   The KUU-US Crisis Line Society provides First Nations and Indigenous-specific support and can be reached toll-free 24/7 at 1-800-588-8717   The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line, 1-866-925-4419, is available to support former residential school children and their family members   Tsow-Tun-Le-Lum Society substance abuse and treatment centre's toll free number is 1-888-403-3123   Indigenous Peoples face unique forms of discrimination and are under-represented in human rights complaints. This 3-part series of videos by BC Human Rights Clinic explains the BC Human Rights Code with regards to employment, tenancy (housing) and access to services, explores examples of discrimination and offers information about what you can do if you or someone you care about experiences discrimination. First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) has suggested the following actions for PACs looking to be more inclusive and welcoming for Indigenous Families: Listen and learn   Join or form an anti-Racism committee at your school's PAC. Here is the Hastings Elementary anti-racism group   Seek to create space in your school community for a First Nations Parents Club   Invite parents and caregivers of Indigenous ancestry into your PAC, and be curious about the possibility that adjusting meeting practices in consultation with the FN Parents Club or Indigenous members of your PAC   Share authentic Indigenous Peoples' resources   Raise awareness about teaching materials created by Indigenous educators. These can be added to schools and school libraries, and read them for personal learning   Advocate, at the provincial level, for the adoption of a mandatory Indigenous Peoples history course or bundled curriculum for high school students from grades 10 to 12, as a requirement for graduation   Support the use of First People's content across the K-12 curriculum. Examples of PACs doing this include their funding speakers, workshops and performances to come into schools, by supporting field trips, and by supporting the cultivating of Indigenous medicine plant gardens guided by local knowledge keepers.   VSB has commenced its Indigenous Education Council (IEC). The first meeting was held in September. Our representative at these meetings is Leona Brown.   Continue to educate yourself and your children about Indigenous Peoples' histories and cultures, as well as the history of colonial interference   Read the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples   Read the many reports written over the years, now held by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Calls to action from the TRC: Numbers 5 through 12 are specific to education   Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Further Education Transcripts The Student Transcripts Service lets people view, order, and send transcripts and or graduation certificates online Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards Vancouver School Board's list of scholarships, bursaries and awards available to VSB students The Ultimate List of Scholarships for Women and Girls includes information about scholarships and other financial awards available to Canadian women and girls, and for Canadian universities BC provincial government information about training grants, scholarships and bursaries SOGI Everyone has a sexual orientation and gender identity. In recognition of this, DPAC has compiled this list of information and resources. Everyone is equally deserving of human rights Woke Read Alouds: It Feels Good to Be Yourself is a video made for kids and their parents and families by Woke Kindergarten. The video discusses at a level for young children the topic of gender identity and acceptance. Trans Care BC is an education team developing resources with community members, care teams, as well as health and human services to increase health literacy for clients and knowledge, competency, and cultural safety for care teams, to ensure gender-affirming care is practiced across British Columbia Support information for gender creative children and trans youth, and their parents and caregivers Learn More about Trans and Non-Binary Identities & Holistic Trans Body Poster Trans Rights are Human Rights -- BC Human Rights Commission Why Accepting your LGBTQ2I+ Child Matters, and How To Start -- Option B Org SOGI 123 in BC Education -- On sexual orientation and gender identity Youth Mental Health Experiencing racism, both systemic and random, is harmful to a person's health and wellness. An organization in the States has created a website containing resources specifically tailored to People of African Ancestry that has relevance to Canadians as well.   Jack.org offers mental health presentations for students in grades 9 to 12. The talks are delivered by trained and certified young people with lived experience and an understanding of the practice of maintaining mental wellness to their peers. Their Virtual Jack Talk is available online   Check out resources that focus on youth at TeenMentalHealth.org   Kids Help Phone is a 24/7 national service offering professional counselling, information, referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support for young people in English and French   Here to Help is an online guide to navigating mental health struggles and crises, as well as substance use information   Help for the Hard Times offers online workshops for families of kids and teens who have been a patient in a psychiatric unit   Free mental health program for teens - YMCA   Self-care workshops for youth are being offered online via the Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre of BC and can be booked through their website. They are fully booked for October and are taking bookings for November and December. Tutoring Edu Beyond offers free tutoring for K-12 students whose families don't have the resources, using student volunteers for subjects including science, social studies, English and French, and math. See above section for more information about EDU Beyond, and sign up here   Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland have a free Study Buddy weekly mentoring program for female identifying youth ages 7-17. Big Brothers of Vancouver also offer similar free-of-charge mentoring programs for male-identifying youth     Photo used with permission, from the twitter feed of @ChurchillSD39: "The mural is complete!  This is the view from the west, of the Seven Sisters!  We are so proud to be home to this magnificent mural by [Musqueam Artist] Deb Sparrow and part of her vision to #BlanketTheCity!" See the instagram account of Churchill Secondary for more photos.

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