April 2025 Newsletter

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April 2024 DPAC Newsletter

DPAC NEWS

Message from the Chair


Dear Parents and Caregivers,


Returning from school after the Spring Break brings a focus on the final 3 months of the school year. The warmer weather opens up opportunities for outside learning activities, biking/rolling to school, and lingering at pick up or drop off to talk to other parents and enjoy the sunshine.


At DPAC, spring brings preparations to represent our district at the provincial BCCPAC conference and AGM. The BCCPAC Parent Conference is a one day event that provides speakers on building your PAC, advocacy, autism, protecting against youth sexual exploitation, an Indigenous speaker, updates from the Ministry of Education and Childcare (MECC), and an address from the Honourable Rachna Singh, Minister of MECC. The Annual General Meeting on May 4 & 5, following the conference, is an opportunity for the provincial public education community to elect new officers and bring resolutions that will guide the direction of the BCCPAC voice. It is democracy in action.


Last year was my first opportunity to attend the BCCPAC conference and AGM. I attended because I felt it was part of my role as executive to represent our district. However, I found I really appreciated the opportunity to learn about other districts – their challenges, their interests, and their perspective.


BCCPAC is our voice of parents and public education students in BC. Like all volunteer organizations, they are only able to act for us if we continue to engage and provide feedback. Regardless of whether your school is a member of BCCPAC or not, you have opportunities to have your voice represented by BCCPAC through your engagement with Vancouver DPAC. Resolutions for the upcoming AGM will be published on the BCCPAC website prior to the event. We will be reaching out to PACs in April for their feedback to guide our voice at the event.


As well, we will act as proxy for any member PACs who are not able to attend the AGM. If your school is a BCCPAC member (see here for BCCPAC members), we will be reaching out to you in the next few weeks to ask if you would like us to vote on your behalf, and what your school’s position is on the resolutions being voted on. Please fill out the proxy forms to enable us to vote or speak on behalf of your PAC.


As always, thank you for all you do to represent your community.


Kyenta Martins

Vancouver DPAC Chair 2023/2024

Calling All Parents & Caregivers of Students with Disabilities:

Your Stories are Important

  • The Inclusive Education Working Group has created a survey to collect stories from across the district about the experiences of students with disabilities. From the survey:


  • ”As the Vancouver School Board (VSB) develops its budget for next year, we are preparing a submission and presentation to convey to staff and trustees how learners with disabilities are underresourced. We have collected numerical data from the district and the Ministry of Education and Child Care showing that the VSB is underspending on students with disabilities. We would like to support this data with stories from parents about how their children are experiencing accessibility in district schools this year.”

    DPAC Parent Feedback on Conditions for Learners with Disabilities

Take Survey

Upcoming DPAC Events:

  • Tues, Apr 9, 7:30pm (Inclusive Education Working Group) — Email for link

  • Thurs, Apr 11, 2024, 7pm — DPAC Executive Meeting (register)

  • Thurs, Apr 25, 2024, 7pm — DPAC General Meeting
    DPAC presents Active Transportation and Safe Routes (register)


Please let us know if your PAC is hosting an event that will be open to the greater community and we will publicize in this monthly newsletter.


Active DPAC Working Groups

Important Dates


April is: Sikh Heritage Month, Dalit History Month, and Earth Month


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, the United Nations General Assembly 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.

Useful Information and News


From DPAC

April General: Active Transportation and Safe Routes

  • Please join Vancouver DPAC on Zoom for a discussion about Active Transportation and Safe Routes to VSB schools at the April General Meeting, on April 25 at 7pm.

  • This presentation will be a one-stop-shop introduction exploring resources available to VSB families to improve Active Transportation and Safe Routes to schools featuring an introduction to the School Active Travel Program and other City Resources by Jagoda Rozbicka and Vancouver City Hall planning staff. And to help families get ready for spring and Bike to School Week, VSB parent and new DPAC ATSR Working Group Coordinator, Lucy Maloney, will walk and bike us through the ABC’s of Safe Routes to School Advocacy. All parents and caregivers of students who attend VSB Schools are welcome to attend this online event, which follows a short formal general meeting. Register here.


Joint Vancouver DPAC / BCCLA Know Your Rights Campaign

  • This month, Vancouver DPAC, together with BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), is launching a Know Your Rights Campaign to ensure secondary students are aware of their rights when interacting with police. Vancouver DPAC executives continue to take the position that we collectively understand that the School Liaison Officer (SLO) program does not create safety for students. The BCCLA will be launching their Police In Schools pocketbook alongside of the cards.

Vancouver DPAC, logo in orange, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Encounters with police can be stressful and intimidating. Vancouver DPAC and the BCCLA believe that ensuring students are aware of their rights will help them be safe and secure citizens, and have provided this information to assist students during interactions with police. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association logo with peace crane

  • DPAC worked with parents and caregivers, community groups, teachers associations and others to have the SLO program canceled by elected officials, however, it was understood that this was a political decision that would be “reimagined” and relaunched by VSB and Vancouver Police, regardless of community input. The Know Your Rights cards are a response to that decision, and the intention of DPAC is for this information to foster discussions within PACs, school communities and between youth and their parents and caregivers about interactions with police, and how students can keep themselves safe should they have an unwanted encounter. These cards will be distributed to students in VSB secondary students.


  • Vancouver DPAC will be in conversation with interested people about workshops to act as companion pieces to the cards and resources. Interested PACs and parents can contact karen.tsang@vancouverdpac.org.


Family Affordability Fund

  • The BC Government has announced the continuation of the Family Affordability Fund. Further information about the purpose of these monies can be found on the Ministry website, and PACs and families can check with their principal for students who may benefit from the fund.


From Working Groups


Meet Lucy Maloney, Active Transportation / Safe Routes’ (ATSR’s) new Coordiinator:

  • I've just recently taken on the role of Active Transport/Safe Routes working group lead. I'm very passionate about helping more of our kids to travel safely to and from school using active transport.


  • It is so important for our kids to have the opportunity to safely walk and cycle to and from their neighbourhood school. It is essential for their physical and mental health, and active travel delivers our kids to school ready to learn. Studies show that older children who are able to navigate independently around their neighbourhoods are happier and develop better risk evaluation and management skills earlier than children who don't have that freedom. It's also great for parents - when we know that our kids can get themselves safely to and from school it frees us up to get to work or attend to other responsibilities.


  • Safe routes to school give more families the choice to leave the car at home for the school commute, reducing traffic congestion, noise, danger and exhaust emissions around schools. It also helps us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Encouraging active transport is not about shaming anyone for needing to use a car, it's about giving people choices about how they travel by making it safe to walk, ride or roll to school. It also makes our city and our schools more equitable - a large proportion of Vancouverites are too young or too old to drive, are disabled in a way that stops them from driving or are unable to afford to buy and run a car.


  • You can see that so many of our public policy goals for the society we want to create are furthered by creating safe routes for active transport. Working to create safe routes to school also compliments the work done by other DPAC working groups like Facilities, who do such great work making sure that local schools stay open so families and children live close enough to walk or cycle to school.


  • If you're worried about traffic danger around your kids' schools or are interested in pushing for better traffic calming infrastructure or bike lanes, you can find us on the DPAC Slack channel. I'm looking forward to working with you! Please email for an invite.


  • If you would like to join this working group to contribute or for support, please contact us at saferoutestracker@vancouverdpac.org.


Health and Safety

  • In March, Health and Safety published a Measles Fact Sheet to inform school communities about the rise of outbreaks globally, and across Canada. This bulletin is packed with facts and important-to-know information including how to recognize a measles infection, facts about measles and how to protect yourself, your family, and school communities from outbreaks. Vancouver DPAC is grateful for the efforts of a few parents in this work of keeping up-to-date with the latest information available as the spread of diseases and health concerns continue to be an issue in schools.


  • If you would like to join this working group to contribute or for support, please contact us at hswg@vancouverdpac.org.


Inclusive Education

Facilities Planning

  • Queen Elizabeth Annex was closed in June 2023. In December 2023, Mr. Justice Gomery sided with the VSB against the Queen Elizabeth Annex (QEA) Parents’ Society. He acknowledged the VSB’s incomplete information disclosure to the parents and caregivers, but stated the trustees’ discretionary decision couldn't be overturned. The QEA Society is now appealing this decision in the Court of Appeal for British Columbia. Please see here for an update and how this decision affects the whole District (and chip in if you can!):
    Fundraiser by Queen Elizabeth Annex (QEA) Parents Society : Save Vancouver Public Schools (gofundme.com)


  • If you would like to join this working group to contribute or for support, please contact us at facilitieswg@vancouverdpac.org.

BCCPAC

Important Dates


Upcoming Events