Summer 2022→

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This newsletter is published on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
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Summer 2022

Message from the Chair

Dear parents and guardians:

This last year has again shown that schools are an important source of connection.  It has been wonderful this year to see schools restart old traditions and create new ones to support and celebrate our students and families. 

At the center of all of these activities -- from grad celebrations and fundraising, to mutual aid and advocacy -- are parents who have come forward and asked a simple question: "How can I help?"
 
Over my term as DPAC chair, I have seen again and again parents and PACs step forward to make a difference to the lives of our children.

I am humbled by all that have worked to make our schools a better place, and I am grateful to have had an opportunity to serve over the past years.  

I encourage all to continue working to build the world our children wish to see.

Best wishes for summer,
Gord Lau (劉敬宏)
2021/22 DPAC Chair

 

Upcoming DPAC Events

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 
Childcare Committee
  • The committee is focused on encouraging increased access and wider options for school-age care.  Interested parents please contact committee lead Alan Patola Moosmann
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. Read the year end report for facilities.
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 the Black and Indigenous Working Group to learn more. 
     
  • DPAC hosts a Slack Group for all who are interested in furthering the work of anti-racism and anti-oppression. Please contact Karen Tsang 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 and support as needed.
Food Framework Working Group
  • Vancouver DPAC has a seat on the VSB Food Framework Ad-hoc Committee which will advise the VSB on developing a vision for topics including school food programs, food growing and food education. We are looking for parents interested in providing a broader perspective to inform our feedback to that committee. Contact our rep on the committee, Celena Benndorf.

Important Dates


2015 - 2024 -- 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.

2022 - 2032 — International Decade of Indigenous Languages

In February 2022, proclaimed the period between 2022 and 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, to draw global attention on the critical situation of many Indigenous languages and to mobilize stakeholders and resources for their preservation, revitalization and promotion. September is Fetal Alcohol Awareness Month

News and Information

Expand your Indigenous Understanding

Anti-Oppression

  • The Vancouver School Board, together with Anti-Racism and Inclusion Consultant, Destine Lord and members of the school community workshopped an Education Plan Equity Statement recently, and the board adopted it at the final School Board Meeting of the year. The statement reads as follows:
     
  • The Vancouver School Board – a large, urban school district located on the unceded, traditional lands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations – respects and supports Indigenous ways of knowing and learning.
     
  • The VSB will create an equitable learning environment where every child can experience a deep sense of belonging and is free to pursue pathways of learning in ways that are authentic to themselves. The VSB will achieve this by:
    • having students see themselves and their communities in the curriculum and in the staff throughout the District;

    • prioritizing student needs by making informed decisions and engaging in open communication with rightsholders and stakeholders; and

    • actively fighting systems of oppression through relationship building, ongoing communication and transparency.
       
  • The VSB commitment to equity will be informed by humility and accountability.
     
  • DPAC was able to send people to the workshop to ensure this would be a useful statement to help best advocate for students. DPAC's delegation included several members of the Black and Indigenous Working Group.
     
  • Check out this crowdsourced tool The Micropedia of Microaggressions. Microaggressions, according to the Urban Dictionary, are "the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership." In the VSB spirit of "unlearning and learning", this tool is useful to ensure that we don't cause unintended harm.
     
  • Emancipation Day is an official annual commemoration formally acknowledged by the Canadian Government in 2021 remembering the long struggle against the enslavement of People of African Descent in Canada: While anti-slavery legislation was being enacted in the States as early as 1777, and the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, abolished slavery across the British Empire (with workarounds and exceptions), full emancipation was finally achieved in Canada at midnight on July 31, 1838. Read more about Emancipation Day on the BC Black History website.
     
  • The Province is seeking people to join an anti-racism committee, forming to assist in the work of dismantling systemic racism. People from diverse backgrounds with a passion to help build a better, more equitable province are encouraged to apply to be part of B.C.’s first anti-racism data committee.
     
    • Applications will be accepted until July 18, 2022, for as many as 11 positions, including a committee chair, that will have an initial term for as many as three years. Indigenous, Black and other racialized people are encouraged to apply. Committee members will help develop data standards, provide guidance about how data can be used safely, and identify government research priorities and will receive an honorarium and will be reimbursed for any travel expenses.
       
  • This is a call out to any Black or Indigenous family whose child or youth has or is experiencing any form of hate or harassment. The Black and Indigenous Working Group can be contacted directly if you want to talk about what has happened to culturally-aware peers. Email biwg@vancouverdpac.org to learn more or to find support.
     
  • 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.

School Food Systems

  • David Thompson Secondary's Schoolyard Farm annual fundraising dinner is happening from 4:30 to 7:30 pm, July 7th and, because it is being held outside, The program is run with help from Fresh Roots. it's COVID safe! DPAC BIWG member and school and food systems advocate, Leona Brown of the Gitxan Nation will be on hand to talk all things food systems. Other guests include chefs TJ Conwi and Order of Canada recipient, Chef Robert Clark, and special live musical guest, Sam Parton of the Be Good Tanyas.
     
  • At the final Board Meeting of the year, VSB has adopted a new Food Framework report that the public helped advise upon, including a DPAC member. It was produced by consulting company Urban Food Strategies. The framework is meant to guide the work VSB staff will undertake over the next 10 years.

News from PACs

  • John Henderson Elementary PAC held an end-of-the-year movie night for their school community. Reports back are that the weather was great, it was well attended, and fun was had by all!


     

DPAC Budget 2022/23

Future Olympic Village School Approved

Student Journalists in the News

Inclusive Education

  • In the 2022/2023 school year, DPAC is looking to set up a committee or working group consisting of parents and caregivers of students who need inclusion policies that work to ensure they receive a quality education suitable to their needs. Contact Karen Tsang to express your interest.

COVID

  • Concerns are still being voiced about the handling of COVID19 in BC. The Tyee's Andrew Nikiforuk looks at COVID by the numbers and the science and raises alarm about BC — and Canada's —ongoing struggles to respond to this health crisis.
     
  • Charlie Smith of The Georgia Straight offers this analysis of where BC is at with the oncoming COVID BA4 and BA5, which is on the rise across the planet. In his COVID-19 in B.C.: Forget about Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry and focus on the bystanders article, Smith lays out a path forward where mitigation of COVID in schools and elsewhere could be forced upon those with the power to do better.
     
  • At our recent AGM, DPAC took an informal survey of attendees about their experiences with COVID. We asked questions regarding students, households, and PAC meetings. This file holds the results of the survey. Please take a look.
     
  • The science is clear that COVID, and many communicable diseases, are airborne, which means these risk of contagion can be lessened and controlled through feats of engineering. Teachers, parents and students, and sometimes Admin, have been testing out different mitigation methods in classrooms including using CO2 monitors to measure the "freshness" of the air. Teachers have also found success in creating a positive culture within their classrooms around mask wearing that is community (caring for each other) based, and many students appear to be quite willing to participate when the culture is framed in a positive manner. 
     
  • In California, the Department of Public Health has put out clear guidelines for indoor activities including school, which include mechanisms to ensure the air is fresh and clean, masking with N95 or higher masks and more. DPAC calls on the BC CDC to be as clear and comprehensive for schools in BC. Here are the BC CDC's current recommendations to compare and contrast.
     
  • DPAC is currently considering how many zoom accounts we will need for next year, and are interested in hearing from PACs about what their plans for meetings might include next September. DPAC itself plans to continue to include Zoom as part of our tool to gather, and expect to be experimenting with hybrid meetings at the school board offices. Please contact Karen Tsang if you want to learn about Zoom meeting options we have been facilitating since the onset of COVID over two years ago.

On Monkey Pox, How to Spot An Infection

Poverty Reduction Strategies

  • If you are a lone-mothers/caregivers who have accessed disability or income assistance or has been impacted by the pandemic at work in any way, please consider participating in this anonymous survey. There is an option to enter your name to win one of twenty $50 cash prizes. The organizers currently have 56 respondents, and are aiming for 100 participants or more. The results will help the Single Mothers Alliance build new campaigns to end poverty for moms and kids in BC around income assistance and 'working poverty'.

Active Transportation

  • This month the cycling festival, Velopalooza is on! With outdoor events including a youth ride this week, weekly bike polo matches that all are welcome to try (mallets available on loan, and a biking mama with tips and tricks for taking your smallies out on their bikes, there's something COVID safe here for everyone!

Mental Health Supports

Music in Schools

  • The Music Committee has been working to put together after school choral programs with some support from DPAC. If you are interested in learning more about this program, please contact Robert Ford or soon you can check the DPAC website for an info page is currently under development.

Climate Justice

@lisa_iannattone

BCCPAC

Important Dates & Deadlines

VSB 

News

Updates from June Committee & Board Meetings

Ministry of Education

News

News from other Ministries

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

& Culturally Specific Resources

& Further Resources

Truth and Reconciliation Resources

First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) has suggested the following actions for PACs looking to be more inclusive and welcoming for Indigenous Families:

Further Education

Transcripts

Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards

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.

Youth Mental Health

Tutoring

 
Photo credit: Karen Tsang
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