March 2021

March 2021 Message from the Chair Parents: As we close out Black History month, I want to acknowledge some of the work that has been done to move us to a more equitable future.   Students have learned about Black history through class material, art and literature.   As an example of art, an anti-racist mosaic mural was completed at L’Ecole BIlingue and is featured in our banner image above.  With the guidance and support of a school parent, all students created their own personal tile based on and inspired by anti-racism activities.  The tiles were then used to create the larger image. PACs are actively discussing racism and anti-racism at their meetings.  PACs are discussing their colonial namesakes, and a school renaming pilot project has begun. Governments at all levels are being called upon to collect race-based data to improve outcomes.  Vancouver DPAC has submitted a resolution to the BCCPAC AGM that calls for advocacy at the provincial level to ensure the collection of race-based data in the education system.  Education is a powerful tool in the fight for equity.  We acknowledge the work that has been done while recognizing there is further to go. In upcoming work, the VSB will be working on their budget and strategic plan in April.  Until then, enjoy a restful spring break close to home. Be kind, be calm, be safe. Gord Lau, 2020/21 DPAC Chair Upcoming DPAC Events Thursday,  March 11, 7pm - DPAC Executive Meeting Wednesday,  March 17, 7-9pm - Vancouver Plan Workshop for VSB parents The City of Vancouver would like to invite VSB parents to an online workshop as part of the current city-wide planning process to develop a strategic, long-term vision for Vancouver. They are in Phase 2 of the process, to Envision the Future and Develop Strategic Directions, and need your input in refining the Provisional Goals and initial ideas on how to advance them as part of the plan.  The workshop will include a presentation followed by group breakout discussions.  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. DPAC Committees Childcare 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 The committee just did a lot of work going through the VSB LRFP and will be creating a detailed Seismic Toolkit. Interested parents please contact DPAC chair at chair@vancouverdpac.org. School Restart 2021/22 We are getting more information from the VSB about providing feedback for school restart (particularly the secondary model).  Interested parents please contact DPAC chair at chair@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. March is: National Francophonie Month; Youth Science Festival Month Tuesday, March 2, 7pm – VSB Committee of the Whole Meeting (Delegations, Stakeholder and public input on priorities, budget survey results) Wednesday, March 3, 5pm – VSB Policy & Governance Committee Meeting Wednesday, March 3 – World Wildlife Day Monday, March 8, 7pm – VSB Committee of the Whole Meeting (Delegations and public input on SLO) Monday, March 8 –  International Women's Day, #ChooseToChallenge Wednesday, March 10, 5pm – VSB Facilities Planning Committee Meeting Wednesday, March 10 – Deadline for Science Fair Registration Thursday, March 11, 7pm – DPAC Executive Meeting Friday, March 12 – Ministry of Education Funding Announcement Monday, March 15 – Friday, March 26 – Spring Break/School Not in Session (no school) Wednesday, March 17 – DPAC presents Vancouver Plan Workshop for VSB parents Saturday, March 20 – Equinox, First Day of Spring Sunday, March 21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Thursday, March 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade Monday, March 29, 7pm – VSB Special Board Meeting (Meeting to present status quo budget 2021-2022 draft) Useful Information & Resources Check out our resource page for presentation slide decks. Teens win at debate tournaments held by Harvard and Stanford DPAC wants to congratulate a pair of Vancouver teenagers -- Mia Liu (Grade 9 from Lord Byng Secondary School) and Sarah Lin (Grade 10 from Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School) -- who took home the top prizes in the novice division in each the 35th Annual Stanford Invitational Forensics Tournament and the 47th Annual Harvard National Forensics Tournament, two of the world's biggest debate tournaments. Read more. Spring Break UBC's Geering Up’s Online Spring Break Camps are five-day programs all about STEM (science, technology, engineering, math). Each session features hands-on activities led by passionate undergraduate students and are available for students currently in Grades 2 to 12 (for the 2020/21 school year). This year, two camp weeks are on offer, and bursaries are available. Camps are two-hours long a day and run for five days.   Elevate Ultimate is an award-winning company in Ultimate Frisbee programs for kids aged 6 – 19. Their (fee based) programming includes disc golf and ultimate. Spring break registration is open now.   Arts Umbrella classes for Spring Break are filling up fast, but there are some still available including an online and in person spaces. Bursaries and scholarships are available.   Exceleration Triathlon Multisport is offering programs for ages 4 to 19, as well as adults, and teach a variety of fundamental sport and movement skills that provide a basis for lifelong participation in sport. Practices allow the whole family to participate. Fee-based spring break camps are available for a fee for kids from grades K-7, and follows the Return to Play protocols. Opportunities for Teens EDU Beyond is a non-profit online tutoring initiative working to minimize educational disparity for K-12 students who may have limited access to paid tutors. Listen to this interview with founder, Alec Shi on CBC, sign up for tutoring, or if you are in grade 10 and above and have the skills, sign up to be a volunteer tutor.   March 10 is the closing day to register for Vancouver's Regional Science Fair, which is going digital this year. All projects must have approval from a student's science teacher, and the tools required to create your project are available online.   Ethọ́s Lab connects youth directly to a community that supports personal growth and development through an online collaborative platform (Athlanthọ́s) and through a physical space that supports culture- and stem-focused exploration. Currently, beta participants are able to sign up for free.   JABC TechWorks presents TechWorks 2.0 Virtual, on March 2 at either 9:30am or 1:30pm (1.25 hr) to expose youth to career opportunities that exist in B.C.'s tech sector. They are offering four sessions exploring a scope of technology-related career opportunities open to the next generation. Find dates and registration details here Diverse Learners Thursday, March 4, 6PM – Partners for Inclusive Education (PIE) is hosting an evening talk about Dyslexia for When reading isn't as easy as ABC, in which David Gordon Elementary Parent Kathryn Self Ransdell will share her story and learnings about dyslexia, ADHD and her own work to become an Orton-Gillingham tutor. (poster) March 8-12 – Bright and Quirky Child Summit 2021: Tame the Overwhelm is a free 5 day summit that brings together 28 psychologists and teachers to explore ways to find the right help for gifted kids with ADHD, autism, learning differences like dyslexia, anxiety and/or depression. Sign up here. Tuesday March 9, 11AM – Supporting Transition to Life After High School As you think about the next steps of life after high school, Inclusion BC invites you to join a panel of skilled advocates to explore the different role and advocacy supports available to youth and their families during this significant life after high school transition.. Tutoring Opportunities 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. Mental Health – Growing Resilience An online survey has been launched by researchers at BC Children's Hospital, UBC, and SFU, and is seeking to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the mental health of children, youth, adults and parents.   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. Interesting - Group in Chilliwack pairing seniors and teens to keep loneliness and social isolation at bay Youth Mental Health 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.   TrevorSpace is an affirming international community for LGBTQ young people ages 13-24.  Free mental health program for teens - YMCA Adult Mental Health Help For the Hard Times FamilySmart workshops are facilitated by the parents with lived experience for families and caregivers whose child or youth has been a patient in a psychiatric unit. Workshops are hosted online and include a one-on-one video conference or phone call with a Facilitator and are free of charge.   Tools for Well-Being in Times Change is a free webinar being held on Friday, March 5th, at 12 noon, hosted by Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre of BC for people ages 16 and up to learn simple, practical mindfulness-based tools to support self-care and resilience.  Active Transportation Parents, Please Have Your Kids walk to School from Treehugger, an article that encourages parents to encourage their kids to walk to and from school to counter the loss of exercise kids would usually get in non-pandemic times.   Last month the BC Government launched a new program to help students get moving. The Active School Travel Pilot Program supports goals set out in the Province’s CleanBC plan, as well as "Move. Commute. Connect.", BC’s strategy for cleaner, more active transportation. VSB's Sir William Van Horne Elementary was selected as one of 11 pilot schools. Expand your Indigenous Understanding 15 Beautiful Indigenous Comic Books And Video Games For Kids (CBC)   The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is hosting an online virtual gatherings in early March: The Virtual Symposium on First Nations Education: Reclaiming and Reimagining First Nations Education is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous parents and caregivers. Register here. On Being Anti-Racist They're not too young to talk about race -- a single page exploration of early childhood development with further resource links from the Childrens Community School out of Philadelphia Reading materials Challenging Racist BC: 150 Years and Counting is a new open-access, multi-media resource that documents how this recent cycle of anti-racist activism is part of a broader history of Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities challenging white supremacy. It is co-authored by activists & scholars from diverse communities to serve as a resource to assist anti-racist educators, teachers, scholars, and policymakers in changing our systems and moving to equity.   The Canadian Museum for Human Rights presents The Story of Slavery: It Happened Here Too. From the site: "When Canadians talk about slavery, we often point with pride to the role our country played in the mid‐1800s as a safe haven for Americans escaping captivity via the Underground Railroad. This, however, is only half the story. Like the United States, this land has its own history of slavery – and it is a history we should never forget." Podcast The Sum of Us Examines the Hidden Cost of Racism -- For Everyone, an interview on NPR's Fresh Air with author, Heather McGhee -- an exploration from the United States that quantifies the effects of racist policies on not only the targets, but on the larger communities as well. Multimedia How 3 Canadians are fighting anti-Black racism in education: From CBC, since the Black Lives Matter demonstrations last year and amid the ongoing pandemic, some parents and educators have a renewed fervour in working to combat anti-Black racism in the Canadian education system. Advocacy Initiatives British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA) has penned a letter to Minister Whiteside to seek support as Boards look to address anti-Black racism in schools: “Boards across our province are actively doing important work in these areas, and we call on you for additional support in dealing with addressing systemic racism in B.C.’s public education system" Read more The SLO Program Violence against Indigenous Youth by Vancouver Police in Vancouver (CTV News) Police officers violently removed Indigenous Youth from inside a downtown office building. The youth were peacefully demonstrating against the expansion of the Trans-Mountain pipeline on unceded territories at the offices of insurers AIG. In the video one police officer appears to push a person holding a drum out the door. Another officer outside can be seen grabbing that person by their pony-tail from behind, brutally pulling them away by their hair. Shortly after, an officer can be seen forcefully shoving a protester to the pavement. That person appears to be holding an object made from woven cedar. The use of force appears extremely excessive, considering the youth were unarmed and peaceful while they occupied the office lobby.   Yellowhead Institute article, Carceral Redlining: White Supremacy is a Weapon of Mass Incarceration for Indigenous and Black Peoples in Canada explores our prison system. This set of data visualizations animates data from the Yellowhead brief by Rai Reece which makes the argument for carceral redlining: the practice of identifying and targeting racialized communities for criminalization in order to maintain a white (settler) state.  Sustainability Vancouver City Hall is creating events to open the planning process of a future Vancouver in a collaborative way. The next in the series, Reimagining a Green and Connected City Between the Buildings: Our Streets, Places & Spaces, is on March 4 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Register            COVID-19: School Option 4 families have diverse reasons for choosing not to return to school at this time, and a variety of experiences with how learning at home is working.  Families choosing this option from across the district are connecting to share resources and stories, and for mutual support.  To find out more, please reach out to parent Kyenta Martins at kyenta.martins@gmail.com, or follow Option 4 Families of Vancouver SD#39 (Facebook) COVID-19 and Masks With new variants on the upswing, here's some up-to-date information on masks: How do you face COVID-19? By upping your mask game (CBC) Why you might want to start wearing better masks -- even outdoors (CBC) For your reference, Children and Masks by the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19: Resources 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  Participate in a BC Children’s Hospital study of the impact of COVID-19 on youth mental health. Students who are 10 to 17 years old, and parents of children and youth aged from 6 to 17 years old are invited.  Get support for your child or youth through Kelty Mental Health Resource Center, based at BC Children's Hospital. Kelty helps families across the province navigate the mental health system, gain peer support, and connect to resources and tools.   Further Resources during COVID-19 BCCPAC's COVID Resource page Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings BC's Back to School Plan (website) Information for School Districts & Independent Schools (website) WorkSafeBC: Education (K-12): Protocols for returning to operation (website) BCCPAC Updates Enhanced Health & Safety Measures: On February 4 changes were made to health and safety guidelines for K-12 including mask use.  Important Dates & Deadlines April 8, 7PM – Community Gaming Grants has revised and updated the DPAC/PAC Guidelines for the 2021-22 school year (to be released on April 1). BCCPAC has partnered with Gaming branch staff to host a live 90 minute session to share the information (some good revisions have been made) and answer any and all Gaming funds related questions by PACS and DPACs. The session will cover a program overview, revisions to the DPAC/PAC Guidelines and the Capital Project grant, advice and examples of eligible uses of PAC funding, commonly asked questions, and will include a Q&A period. Register  May 1 – BCCPAC AGM - save the date May 28/29 – Parent Education Conference - save the date VSB  News Students mark Black History Month with art, literature and reflection Outdoor Spaces for education at schools  FuturePLAY lab used as a space for collaboration City of Vancouver and Vancouver School Board to enter into 99-year lease for Olympic Village site Students across districts gather virtually to listen, discuss, and raise Black voices 2021-22 Kindergarten Registration Update Vancouver School District extends Learn From Home Transition Option Board Meetings February Feb 2, 2021 Video; Agenda Feb 22, 2021 Video; Agenda Highlights: Board meeting of February 22, 2021 Updates from February Committee Meetings Finance Committee Highlights: February 17, 2021 Student Learning and Well-Being Committee Highlights: February 10, 2021 Committee meeting highlights: Policy & Governance and Personnel - February 3, 2021 Upcoming Committee Meetings (see all) Tuesday, Mar 2, 7PM – Committee of the Whole (budget) Wednesday, Mar 3, 5PM – Policy & Governance Committee Monday, Mar 8, 6PM – Committee of the Whole (SLO program) Wednesday, Mar 10, 5PM – Facilities Committee Monday, Mar 29, 7PM – Special Board meeting VSB Budget 2021/22 timeline Tuesday, Mar 2 – VSB Committee of the Whole Meeting (Delegations, stakeholders & public input on priorities; budget survey results) Friday, Mar 12 – Ministry of Education Funding Announcement Monday, Mar 29 – Special Board Public Meeting - present status Quo Budget 2021-2022 draft Tuesday, Apr 6 – VSB Committee of the Whole Meeting (Delegations, stakeholders & public input on draft budget) Thursday, Apr 15 – VSB Committee of the Whole Meeting (Delegations, stakeholders & public input on draft budget) Wednesday, Apr 21 – Finance Committee Meeting Monday, Apr 26 – Board Meeting - 3 readings and adoption of Budget 2021-22 The budget email address (budget2021-2022@vsb.bc.ca) is now active for accepting written submissions regarding budget priorities for development of the 2021-2022 operating budget.   Those who wish to participate in the on-line Committee of the Whole Board meetings, presenting on budget priorities or regarding the draft status quo budget, must register by sending an email to budget2021-2022@vsb.bc.ca. Your email must be received by 4:30 pm on the Wednesday before the Committee of the Whole Board meeting date. VSB Facilities Planning The VSB website has been updated. There is now a tab called "Educational and Facilities Planning" under "Our District" with sections on: Long Range Facilities Plan Current LRFP Archived LRFP Enrolment Forecasting Student Accommodation Planning and Facilities Space Use Management Local Planning Studies Preferred School Size Working Group Elementary School Attendance Area Boundaries Review School Field Closures School Closures Capital Planning Seismic Mitigation Program School Expansion Program Current Capital Projects Completed Capital Projects VSB Partnerships Public Engagement Open Data The "Building for Modern Learning" 2 part consultation also has a spot on the website under "Board of Education" and includes a link to the consultant's report. Ministry of Education Updates Joint statement on Pink Shirt Day Enhanced safety measures for K-12 schools New program to help students get moving Provincial Child Care Council welcomes new members Upcoming Announcements Capital Plan response letters are normally issued to Districts in March. From the Capital Plan Instructions: Once the assessment of capital plan submissions from all school districts has been completed by the Ministry, and the provincial Budget has been formally announced by the Province, the Ministry will notify each school district with a written response regarding its board’s Five-Year Capital Plan submission [made the previous June 30th]. The Capital Plan Response Letter will identify the specific capital projects from the Minor Capital Programs and Major Capital Programs that are being supported for capital funding under the Ministry’s Capital Plan. The letter will also advise the school district of the next steps for each of the supported projects, which may include: Proceed to acquiring a site: Proceed to developing a Concept Plan for a SMP [Seismic Mitigation Program] project; EXP [School Expansion] project; or REP [School Replacement] project Proceed to the design, tender and construction for a SEP [School Enhancement] project or CNCP [Carbon Neutral Capital Program] project Proceed to the purchase and installation of playground equipment for a PEP [Playground Equipment Program] project Ministry of Education Funding Announcement is expected Friday, March 12. This will allow districts to create their preliminary budgets for 2021/22. This year the funding announcement is before BC Budget 2021 is announced which is atypical. Photo: Mosaic of anti-racist tiles made by children at L'Ecole Bilingue (info and more pictures)

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