April 2022

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April 2022 Message from the Chair Parents and Caregivers: Welcome back!  I hope that spring break was a restful time for your families.  I'd like to highlight some of the work DPAC will be doing in the coming months. Our school communities have an important part to play in addressing the climate emergency.  Sustainability and active transportation will be themes in our upcoming general meetings (Apr 28th and May 26th).  Click here to register for Advocating for Climate-Sensitive Education on Apr 28th Is your PAC interested in having a choral music extracurricular activity at your school?  DPAC is evaluating interest in a centrally coordinated choral music extracurricular (info here) and we need a minimum number of committed PACs to move forward.  Contact chair@vancouverdpac.org if your PAC is interested or has questions Connecting PAC communities.  PAC concerns drive our advocacy.  We will finalize dates for a PAC summit to be held in May, hopefully in-person.  (We are looking forward to seeing faces again in a safe manner!)  In the meantime and the in between time, here are some online options to connect with other Vancouver PAC execs: email If you are an executive on your school's PAC and you want to connect, email secretary@vancouverdpac.org for an invite to the PAC2PAC Slack group and visit Vancouver PAC Connection Facebook group and request to join. DPAC's work needs parent volunteers.  A number of our executive are stepping down at the end of this year.  I encourage volunteers to come forward to help us participate, educate and advocate.  If you have questions, please contact chair@vancouverdpac.org Gord Lau (劉敬宏) 2021/22 DPAC Chair DPAC is here for Parents & PACs throughout the School Year DPAC is continuing to share access to Zoom meetings with PACs. Please contact your schools DPAC liaison or DPAC Secretary to book a meeting. Upcoming DPAC Events Monday April 4th, 11th and 25th, 7pm – DPAC COVID Discussion Meetings Thursday, April 7th, 7pm – April DPAC Executive Meeting Thursday, April 21, 7 pm — Vancouver DPAC presents City Hall and the Vancouver Plan, Phase 4 Thursday, April 28, 7 pm — April General DPAC Meeting — Advocating for Climate-Sensitive Education Subscribe to our meeting calendar DPAC Committees and Working Groups PACS - we encourage you to promote these committees and groups to your parents in your regular communications. Music Working Group This working group has been struck to focus on ensuring music is a part of every student's school experience. Interested parents please contact working group lead, Robert Ford at Robert@quokkasystems.com 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 shadows the VSB Facilities Planning Committee, providing feedback to the DPAC Executive. The DPAC Facilities Committee will meet on Monday, April 11th at 7pm. On the agenda will be: School Closure Process & Consultation (QEA)  Selling School Lands (Fleming)  Ongoing issues with VSB Long Range Facilities Planning Committee open to all VSB Parents; For more information and to join, contact DPAC vice chair at vik.khanna@vancouverdpac.org Anti-Racism Collective and Working Group Vancouver DPAC has created and is holding space for Black (of African Descent) and Indigenous Parents to gather and discuss issues pertinent to them that happen within the context of Vancouver Public Schools (VSB). Meetings are scheduled for every first Thursday of the month from 5:30 pm until 7 pm. Parents of Indigenous and African Descent can contact biwg@vancouverdpac.org to find out more.    DPAC hosts a Slack Group for all who are interested in furthering the work of anti-racism and anti-oppression. Please contact Karen at karen.tsang@vancouverdpac.org for an invite to the group. We especially invite people from equity-seeking groups (parents and caregivers of refugees and immigrants, students with disabilities, children in the foster system, kids with neurodiversity and those with disabilities, and all who identify on the LGBTQ2S+) to ensure that parents and caregivers (and community members) can connect with others with similar experiences. Food Framework Working Group Vancouver DPAC has a seat on the VSB Food Framework Ad-hoc Committee which will create a VSB framework including school food programs, food growing, food education. We are looking for parents interested in providing a broader perspective to inform our feedback to that committee.  Contact our rep on that committee, Celena Benndorf - email: celenabe1@gmail.com Important Dates 2015 - 2024 -- International International 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. April is: Sikh Heritage Month and Dalit Heritage Month, as well as World Autism Month, and Earth Month Saturday, April 2 to May 1 (approx) — Ramadan (Islam) Monday, April 4, 7pm — VSB Special Board Meeting: Status Quo Budget 2022-23 Presentation, Agenda Monday, April 4, 7pm to 8:30pm — DPAC COVID Discussion Tuesday, April 5 – Ching Ming/Qing Ming (Sweeping the Grave Festival) (Chinese Buddhism)  Wednesday, April 6, 5pm – VSB Personnel Committee Meeting, Agenda Wednesday, April 6, 6:30pm – VSB Policy & Governance Committee Meeting (CANCELLED) Thursday, April 7, 7pm – April DPAC Executive Meeting April 8 to April 14 – National Wildlife Week April 13 to April 15 – Songkran (Thai New Year) Tuesday, April 12, 5pm – VSB Committee of the Whole, Budget (Sign up to speak) April 15 to 23 — Passover (Jewish) Friday, April 15 to Monday, April 18 — Easter (Christian) (No School on Friday/Monday) Tuesday, April 19, 5pm – VSB Committee of the Whole (Sign up to speak) Wednesday, April 20, 5pm – VSB Finance Committee Meeting Thursday, April 21, 7pm — Vancouver DPAC presents City Hall and the Vancouver Plan, Phase 4 Friday, April 22 — Earth Day Sunday, April 24 – World Meningitis Day April 24 to 30 — National Volunteer Week Monday, April 25 – VSB District Wide Pro-D Day (No School) Monday, April 25, 7pm – VSB Board Meeting (Question Period Form — live link during meeting) Thursday, April 28, 7pm – April General DPAC Meeting — Advocating for Climate-Sensitive Education  News and Information Check out our resource page for presentation slide decks COVID and the Human Rights of Vulnerable Students The Office of the BC Human Rights Commissioner sent a letter to the Public Health Office and the Government of BC, with regards to the end of the Mask Mandate, and vulnerable populations, including at-risk students, who are being forced to either compromise their health and safety for their education, or their education for their health and safety The government responded that they have especially focused their attention on vulnerable populations, however these populations have been clear that they are not experiencing this claim. Safe Schools Coalition, for example, is calling ofr the mask mandate to be put back into place at schools Several human rights complaints have, or are in the process of being filed with the Human Rights Commission at this time. Watch the video that this office put out to ensure BC Citizens understand our human rights, especially at times of crisis Increase Your Indigenous Understanding As language revitalization projects are underway in Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-waututh, we should expect and insist that our systems keep pace, or at least demonstrate willingness to adjust with the regrowth. This Squamish family is trying to register their child's name, Alíla7, which means "wild raspberry". The name employs the character "7", in use since the 1960s, and central and unique to the Squamish language and could easily be implemented by using the numerical character on a keyboard. Offering local language classes through the schools would go a distance in normalizing their existence and removing the fear Canadians have in creating room for these languages to exist within our systems.   Delegates from Indigenous Nations across these lands visited the Vatican, took meetings with the Pope of the Catholic Church, and had opportunity to visit articles that belong to their and other nations, some marked as gift and others without an acknowledgement of how they came to be in the possession of the Catholic Church. Read Brandi Morin's (Cree) stories, including one of people who traveled to Rome to do this work, and follow her, and two other Indigenous journalists covering this story on twitter for more — @Songstress28, @TanyaTalaga, and @WillowFiddler Provincial Funding Shortfalls Funding insufficient to save BC’s ‘deteriorating’ schools, province warned repeatedly — FOI appeal garners un-redacted papers about public education and provincial underfunding by online news source, Fraser Valley Current. VSB Budget 2022-2023 As the VSB presents another Status Quo Budget for the 2022/23 school year, parents, caregivers and community are welcome to step up and voice their budgetary concerns at the April Committee of the Whole (Budget) on April 12th. If you wish to present regarding budget priorities or the status quo budget, please email budget2022-2023@vsb.bc.ca to reserve space. Your email must be received by 4:30pm on the Wednesday prior to the meeting. There will be another opportunity to speak at the May Committee of the Whole meeting   Watch the February 2022 presentation of the Budget at the DPAC February General, with Secretary Treasurer David Green   Past information sessions: March 2022 Committee of the Whole Budget Delegations February 2022 Finance Committee Meeting highlights February 2022 Finance Committee Meeting Agenda January 2022 Finance Committee Meeting Agenda November 2021 Finance Committee Meeting Agenda  Happening in Schools April is Sikh Heritage Month, and at Henderson Elementary School, thanks to teacher Ms. Sandhu, students are learning about it through a visual display COVID Update Dr. William P. Bahnfleth, chair of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force will discuss how engineering controls can make schools in British Columbia safer from the airborne transmission of COVID. Sign up to attend this Zoom webinar which will occur at noon on April 12, 2022   Although No Longer Required, Vancouver Secondary Students Will Be Wearing Masks After Spring Break — The Griffins' Nest   International review says B.C. was 'reluctant' to follow evidence of COVID-19's airborne transmission — CTV News   Trustee Jennifer Reddy requests a "full report" from school medical officer on "efficacy of continued mask use" —  Georgia Straight   Vancouver Family Physician and Protect Our Province BC's, Dr. Brenda Hardie, and Safe Schools Coalition's Burnaby teacher Jennifer Heighton and VSB parent Kyenta Martins joined a Monday Night Covid Conversation and discussed the Omicron variants, and layers of protection including masks, vaccinations and cleaning the air in schools. Watch the video, or view the notes from the presentation, with links   Should your kid still wear a mask at school? — Today's Parent Magazine   The Mask Nerd is an aerosol scientist who has tested masks extensively and presents his findings on Youtube   Cleaner air is being provided to students and staff across the world to lessen the spread of COVID19 in schools. In these cash-strapped school times, insufficient air-cleaning systems in place are augmented with simple DIY boxes created using duct tape, Merv13 filters and a box fan. Currently in Vancouver, these boxes are being used in doctors practices, offices and homes when someone is infected and others are still hoping to avoid transmission. To date, VSB schools have not allowed these boxes to be put into place, despite mounting evidence of their effectiveness   From the 3M corporate site: 3M scientists: This Corsi-Rosenthal box movement is legit "The movement has stretched across the globe and is gaining traction with public health officials in the US. The California Department of Public Health recently listed the Corsi-Rosenthal box on their webpage about COVID-19 and Improving Indoor Air Quality in Schools. Co-collaborators on the box, Jim Rosenthal, and Dr. Richard Corsi, encourage all to participate and to put their own artistic spin on the design."   Finally, here is a poster about safety in schools from OzSage out of Australia for us all to consider:   City Planning Events and Consultations The City of Vancouver is undertaking a Traffic Calming Update in Strathcona. The goal of the update is to engage the community to help us understand neighbourhood traffic issues and implement changes to address them. It focuses on local residential streets in Strathcona Urban planners at the City would like to invite school communities of the Strathcona region to participate in this process to better understand issues with vehicle speeds and volumes on local residential streets in the neighbourhood. While most of the direct-contact engagement has been completed, a survey remains open until April 4, 2022. Please consider adding your voice   Vancouver City Hall is back at DPAC this month on Thursday, April 21st at 7 pm for Phase 4 of their Vancouver Plan Process, following the release of the work they did exploring policy and land use. Read about this phase, and its focus on three Big Ideas and related areas of change In early April the draft plan will be released, and planners are looking to follow-up with DPAC after last year's discussions, to share an overview of the draft land use plan and associated policies and to get feedback from community members. Sign up to attend, and expect an agenda for the evening to arrive in your inbox prior to the event Sustainability The 2022 30-Day Walking Curriculum Challenge starts Earth Day, April 22. So far, SFU reports that (at time of press) 154 Teachers have signed the pledge. This event page has more details Funding Sources — Gaming Grant Application Process Opens PACs and DPACs are reminded to apply online for Gaming Grants immediately for funds in Fall 2022. NEW this year - Schools with <100 students will be provided a base rate of $2,000.You must apply between April 1st and June 30th, 2022, to receive your funding. Read the digital handbook Mental Health Supports Mental Health Workshops by Family Smart: A Conversation for Families About Kids' Digital Wellbeing and Mental Health, Online, April 4th at 6:30pm to 8pm, April 12th at 5pm to 6:30pm, April 20th at 12pm to 1:30pm, or April 28th at 5pm to 6:30pm. Free of charge. Find a list of resources about youth mental health on the Family Smart website Family Smart offers parent-peer support and youth peer support Antiracism in Education Black in the Prairies Teacher's Guide Now Available — CBC   Uplift Asian is a new series of programs hosted by Vancouver Public Library to celebrate Asian cultures and perspectives, and push back against discrimination in our communities. Discover authors and artists, and hear discussions with Asian thinkers. This month, catch Unearthing the Past: Japanese Canadian Artists on the Legacy of Internment on April 26th at 12 noon. Check the Uplift Asian Page regularly as they add more events throughout the month. Series runs until May 2022   The Othering & Belonging Institute at Berkley University in California offers The Structural Racism Remedies Repository, a guide based upon a study of policy-based recommendations for addressing structural and systemic racism or advancing racial equity drawn from a vast array of published material. While it is a US-focused project, many of our systems were built on the same premises, which means the information will have some relevance to Canada as well   The Black and Indigenous Working Group at DPAC is currently looking for more people of African and Indigenous Descent to join in the discussions. Meetings are every first Thursday in the month at 5:30 pm. Contact biwg@vancouverdpac.org to learn more   Are you an immigrant family to Vancouver? Vancouver DPAC is seeking immigrant parents and caregivers to meet at DPAC to discuss what is working and what isn't in schools for immigrant students. Please express interest to karen.tsang@vancouverdpac.org   BCCPAC Upcoming Events: April 29th — Parent Education Conference (in person, Richmond, BC) — Making Connections, Moving Forward. The deadline for registration is April 14, 2022 April 30th to May 1st — BCCPAC AGM (in person, Richmond, BC), Agenda VSB  News Teaching students to celebrate who they are: District staff attend virtual keynote Take care over Spring Break: New mental health diversity series District launches breakfast pilot program with Fresh Plate International Women’s Day: Inspiring women at Van Tech Black History Month: Projects, highlights and professional development Updates from December Committee & Board Meetings Highlights: Facilities Planning Committee of March 9, 2022 Highlights: Budget Development Committee-of-the-Whole Highlights: Student Learning and Well-Being Committee Highlights: Board meeting of February 28, 2022 Upcoming Committee Meetings (see all) Ministry of Education News More funding will improve ventilation, upgrade schools for students New grad requirement ensures students expand their knowledge about Indigenous perspectives, histories, cultures Families will save more on child care through Budget 2022 News from other Ministries Awards honour British Columbians standing against hatred Budget 2022 provides new funding to address homelessness in BC Hundreds of new affordable homes on the way for Vancouver Province commits funding for Legal Aid BC Grants boost community services for children and youth with support needs Minister’s statement on representative for children and youth’s report Families will save more on child care through Budget 2022 Ministers’ statement on World Water Day Resources Check out our resource page for presentation slide decks COVID-19 & What Experts are Saying A grassroots group of physicians, nurses, health scientists, health policy specialists, engineers 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 scientifically-sound, evidence-based policies, with a stated goal to end this pandemic. They hold regular press conferences on Youtube.  & 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. Find other PPE makers through The Canadian Association of Medical Mask Manufacturers (CAMMM) B.C. launches first accredited PPE testing lab in Western Canada 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 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   BC Scholarships and Education Planner BC also have listings including BC Excellence Scholarships Pathway to Teacher Education Scholarships Beedie Luminaries Scholarships BC School Trustees Association Scholarships   Students and their families can also find scholarship and bursary information through counsellors at their school.   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.  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 LGBTQ2s+ 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 taken in Pacific Spirit Park, Musqueam Territory by karen

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