May 2023

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This newsletter is published on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
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Small child sitting in mobility device (wheel chair) at top of an obviously newly build concrete ramp. In background is grass, dirt, picnic bench, trees and residential apartment buildings. Child has brown hair in a big pony tail with some whisps in her face, pink cheeks, and she is gazing outward. She is wearing a grey jacket with a hoodie, jeans and high tops. Her chair is red, with a parent-single handle at back, and rainbow spokes in the big wheels. The ramp has black handrails, and protective fencing, and in the foreground is the handrail for stairs to the same exit point. The ramp switches back and has yellow lines painted on it. The day is sunny, with white clouds and blue skies. The usual DPAC banner has an orange badge with the adult and child reading a book situated inside the stylized outline of an apple and the words "Vancouver School District Parents Advisory Council 2022-2023 is written in a circle around the picture. Vancvouer DPAC Newsletter May 2023 is written on a white translucent banner that has been cut on one side to accommodate the child's image.

 May 2023
 

Message from the Chair

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

I imagine you are as relieved to be in cherry blossom season as we are. It has been a chilly spring so far, but warmer days are at last on the horizon.

We at DPAC have been actively working to represent parents and caregivers during the VSB budget process over the last month. We have worked hard to ask relevant questions and speak to the needs of Vancouver’s diverse student body. During the process, we spoke in favour of music and arts education, the need for transparency and true consultation during all aspects of VSB’s interactions with the community, the structure of the Budget survey circulated by VSB in February/March and our lack of confidence in the data derived from that survey, as well as the importance of increased funding from the Ministry and our wish to participate in the newly announced VSB Advocacy Committee. 

One of our focuses has, and always will be, inclusion. Two parents from our Inclusive Education Working Group presented on dyslexia, the right to read, and inclusive education priorities for the district at the April 24 Board Committee of the Whole Delegation meeting. It is imperative that our district recognizes that students with disabilities have a human right to an equitable education and there is a significant need to examine the district’s approach to inclusive education and strategically plan improvements.
 
Lastly, we want to take a moment to recognize the importance of an improvement at Renfrew Elementary. A ramp has been installed to allowed students ease of access to their school, regardless of their mobility. This month's newsletter banner is of that new ramp and a student who uses it. Look for before-and-after photos  in the news section below. Thank you to parents and staff who advocated strongly and worked collaboratively to see this ramp installed, and thank you also to Vancouver School Board for taking this important step to inclusion on behalf of all Renfrew Elementary families.

Best Regards,

Kyenta Martins
Acting Chair

Upcoming DPAC Meetings

DPAC Committees and Working Groups

  • If you are interested in doing specific work under the umbrella of DPAC, please consider joining these committees and working groups who meet regularly (or semi regularly) to shadow the work of the VSB and/or to advise DPAC as we advise VSB. We are open to suggestions as needs arise.
     
  • PACS - Please promote these committees and groups to your parents in your regular communications.
     
  • Any VSB Parent or Caregiver can volunteer, reach out today.
     
  • If you need assistance accessing the Student Family and Affordability Fund Support, please contact Karen Tsang

Important Dates


May is: Asian Heritage Month, Jewish Heritage Month and Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month

News and Information


Check out our resource page for presentation slide decks


In this Issue:


PAC News
Active Transportation
VSB/MECC Budget 
Inclusive Education
Increase Your Indigenous Understanding
Anti-Oppression
SARS2 COVID19 Awareness
 

News from:


BCCPAC
VSB
Ministry of Education 

Resources
Photo Credit
 

PAC News

  • Renfrew Elementary Gets an Accessibility Ramp
     
    • The community of Renfrew Elementary has seen an essential renovation completed and a ramp is now in use to allow all students, regardless of their mobility, to enjoy easier access to the school grounds. Below, top two photos: Renfrew student Avia Yip, who, with her family, can now wheel up the ramp to come and go from the accessible school entrance to the playground; an angle that captures the big picture. Second two photos: Before and After
Small child sitting in mobility device (wheel chair) at top of an obviously newly build concrete ramp. In background is grass, dirt, picnic bench, trees and residential apartment buildings. Child has brown hair in a big pony tail with some whisps in her face, pink cheeks, and she is gazing outward. She is wearing a grey jacket with a hoodie, jeans and high tops. Her chair is red, with a parent-single handle at back, and rainbow spokes in the big wheels. The ramp has black handrails, and protective fencing, and in the foreground is the handrail for stairs to the same exit point. The ramp switches back and has yellow lines painted on it. The day is sunny, with white clouds and blue skies. This photo is the same one as used in the banner at the top of this newsletter.photo of new concrete ramp with park and buildings and cars in the distance, and parking lot with yellow "do not park" lines in the foreground, and three stairs up beside the ramp. The sky is clear and blue with a few clouds and the park is also in background.before shot of place where ramp is to be placed. White corner of school building, 2 stories with windows on side and front, and chain link fence along grass and concrete retaining wall. There is a path up the side of the building and three stairs up from parking lot. Grass, trees, and the undercover area of the school are in background, parking lot in foreground.After shot of school parking lot with yellow lines to indicate "do not park here" in foreground, and three stairs to walk way along school building (white) and trees and grass in background. the new ramp entrance can be seen.
  This is a promotional graphic for a presentation. The text reads: Southlands IB World School presents Dr Deborah McNamara: Making Sense of Anxiety, and the Southlands badge is a picture of a tree and a stylized Indigenous drawing of a salmon in a circle. The logo described is red as is the text of the school The doctor's name is in black, but family name is in blue, and the main text is in black. There is a 3d image of a plastic heart (plastic, valentine style, not realistic) and a part picture of a stethoscope, the background is a shade of blue green.
  • As many as 20% of children and teens qualify for an anxiety disorder diagnosis. Anxiety can take many forms including obsessions, compulsions, phobias as well as other perplexing behaviours. It is important to understand an issue to address and treat it, and this talk offers a window to help make sense of how anxiety affects our kids. Tickets to attend this online presentation are $11.98, and can be purchased here.
     
  • The École Laura Secord Elementary PAC's Anti-Racism Committee was thrilled to collaborate with school staff to bring in Madelaine McCallum, an inspiring and talented Cree and Métis dancer, facilitator, and survivor. Madelaine came to the school on April 18 to share her wisdom with interactive workshops throughout the day for 500 students and teachers.
     
    • Feedback from the students and teachers was incredibly positive. Students learned about Métis culture and dance, and shared with their parents the moves they learned.
       
    • Recognizing the diversity of Indigenous cultures and traditions, the attempted erasure of their practices, and the persistent under-representation of Indigenous voices in the school setting, this kind of interactive, cross-curricular education was so exciting to see. Let's continue to advocate for budget and efforts to be put towards more of these kinds of opportunities.
       
    • Learn more about Madelaine McCallum by watching a 2-min trailer from her documentary Dancing Through, and this 15-min presentation from Raven Speak
       
  • Students and families of Ideal Mini were informed quite abruptly that their school would be moving into the larger Churchill Secondary building, without any details about when and how consultation would happen. WIth no clear plan or further details being provided, the community reached out to the VSB to try to ascertain more details and understand why and how this had been decided. The Ideal Mini negotiated with VSB to present at a Public Delegation meeting despite the move being an operational decision, and therefore not under the purview of the Trustees. Many people, including the son of a former Ideal Mini School teacher who taught in the program when it was housed at Byng, spoke against the move. You can watch their delegations, presented over Teams at a Public Delegation Board Meeting in April, starting at timecode 28:43.
    picture of three teens walking down the road, and car in background, as well as trees, grass and pavement. The furthest teen has red hair, a blue checkered vest, a white shirt, and red hair, and holds two fingers up in victory or peace sign. the child in the middle is not facing the camera, has brown hair with red highlights and a red beanie hat. They are wearing a brown jacket with lots of graphic buttons on it and a red backpack, and a white shirt. The teen in the foreground is earring dark glasses, has brown hair pulled back, and is smiling. They have braces and are carrying a sign which is not really visible in the picture to read it. They are wearing a beige sweater and a white shirt.Photo of kids and adults walking behind the skytrain exit on Cambie Street up sidewalk. One person is carrying a sign with hashtag #IdealLove in erd. The person in foreground has a mask on and is smiling.The background is a large street scape.
  • In addition to delegations to the board, students of Ideal Mini staged a walk out and a rally at the school board offices. While there have been 3 meetings with students and VSB staff or parents and VSB staff, there has been a decided lack of understanding of the impact this decision has on the students, staff, and Ideal community. DPAC supports decision making processes that are completed with communities over the complete elimination of care-based, student-centred practices in education.
Teens and others standing on train platform, waiting for train. Teen in foreground has white shirt and blue checked sweater vest, and person behind them is carrying a sign that reads: "Save our School" in rainbow colours. Many people fill the platform. Another sign is directly below second teen, and readable text says in red "If Ideal Mini" but teen is blocking rest. Middle teen is posing for camera, looking directly at it, with one hand holding sign, which is low to their body, and the other hand outstretched.

  • The PAC at Graham Bruce Elementary recently were a delegation at the VSB Public Delegations Board Meeting, and made a presentation about Enrolment Projections and Operating Capacity, and the community's concerns about Bruce Elementary remaining on a school closure list despite the growth of housing capacity and services in their neighbourhood. They further question the VSB's interpretation of data that suggests student enrolment is declining. You will find their delegation at timecode 22:15.
     
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Active Transportation

  • Bike To School Week Is Coming!
    • It’s that time of year again! Many schools are celebrating Bike To School Week or Walk and Wheel Week from May 29 to June 2.Whatever you call it, if you haven’t signed up already, there is still time to encourage your school Admin and PAC to join HUB’s Bike to School Week or organize your very own Walk and Wheel Event. Register your school here.

      The DPAC Exec has created the DPAC VSB Safe Routes Tracker. This is a tool to keep a record of “near misses” and “crashes” involving cars and vulnerable road users going to and from VSB schools. The purpose of this tool is to use the data to know where to focus advocacy efforts to reduce traffic and protect students and families as they travel to and from schools.To report a near miss or crash going to and from school, please email Michael Lang. All submissions to the Safe Routes Tracker will be anonymous and not contain names of individuals.
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VSB / MECC Budget

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Inclusive Education

  • Join DPAC on Thursday, May 18 at 7pm for a Special Presentation: Inclusive Education, Supporting Every Child's Right to Read with Alicia Smith, Executive Director of Dyslexia Canada. Alicia will lead a discussion about how moving to an evidence-based Structured Literacy approach to teaching can improve outcomes for all students. This approach was recommended by the Ontario Human Rights Commission and has been shown to be effective in helping students of all backgrounds develop strong literacy skills. Parallels will be explored between the education systems in Ontario and British Columbia, highlighting stories of progress in both provinces. By implementing evidence-based practices and providing teachers with the necessary tools, training, and support, all students can be assured the opportunity to develop the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. Join us as we delve into this critical issue and discuss how we can work together to create a more equitable education system for all.
     
  • Two parent members of DPAC's Inclusive Education Working Group were delegations at a recent Special Board / Committee of the Whole Budget (Delegation) meeting, asking that the board properly fund students who have specific learning requirements (including Dyslexia) in order to gain the essential skills required to succeed to the best of their abilities. Their two presentations start at timecodes 1:17:13 and 1:34:10.
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Increase Your Indigenous Understanding

  • Red Dress Day, also called the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2SLGBTQQIA+ —two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual plus)), is May 5 and was originally held on May 5, 2010.
     
  • The day came out of The REDress Project by Jaime Black, a Métis multidisciplinary artist based in Winnipeg. Red dresses act as a visual reminder of the more than 1,000 Indigenous woman, girls, and Two-Spirit people who are missing or who have been murdered, and those whose lives have been forever changed by such violence. 
     
  • Other ways to mark Red Dress Day:
     
    • Read or reread the 2019 National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG2S+) report, Reclaiming Power and Place, and it’s 231 Calls for Justice to raise your awareness, broaden your understanding, and learn how to take further action. 
       
    • Hang a red dress in your own window or yard, and talk to family, friends and neighbours about the symbolism and your solidarity with Indigenous families.
       
    • Post to raise awareness on your own social media platforms, including hashtags such as  #MMIWG2S, #RedDressDay, #WhyWeWearRed, #EndTheViolence, #NotForgotten and #NoMoreStolenSisters
       
    • Make a donation to a Indigenous organization works with Indigenous Women, girls and two-spirited people such as the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre or Pacific Association of First Nations Women (PAFNW).
       
    • Do practice awareness as this day can be triggering for those affected by MMWIG2S+ loss. The MMWIG2S+ support call line is 1-844-413-6649, it is free of charge and always open.  
       

Anti-Oppression

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SARS2 COVID19 Awareness

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BCCPAC


Events, Questionnaires and Deadlines

VSB 


News

Updates from February Committee & Board Meetings

Ministry of Education and Childcare (MECC)

News

News from other Ministries

Resources

  • Check out our PAC 101 presentation delivered to all PACs in October, and Treasury 101 presentation, which took place in November. Find our presentation decks for PAC 101 and Treasury 101 on our website.
     
  • Our Family Resources document for the various ways students and their families can find support during the years they are in schools. Topics include Indigenous Family Support and TRC information, antiracism materials, SOGI resources, further education (including college, university and scholarship links) info, youth mental health resources and community-supported free-of-charge tutoring services.
Masthead Photo credit: Kaori Lau, at Renfrew Elementary 
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