Unfortunately, it is with much regret that Vancouver DPAC must cancel its presentation of "Saving Mother" which had been scheduled to be presented this Thursday, February 9, 2017. We apologize for any inconvenience. -NW
Learn about skills that lead to a successful and balanced academic life in post-secondary school. Renee McCallum and Poh Tan, experts from Simon Fraser University, will present tips to help you transition successfully to post-secondary studies. You will take away tips that lead to a successful and balanced academic life; Renee and Poh will speak about learning strategies, time management, reading and writing.
FAQs
Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?
Everyone is welcome to our talk. High school and elementary students, parents, and educators are all welcome.
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
Parking is available in our inner courtyard staff parking lot accessed from 49th Avenue. There is also street parking available.
The 49th Avenue bus stops in front of our school.
What can I bring into the event?
Admission is by donation at the door.
For more information please email: Lynn Leong at lleong@uniserve.com
DPAC thoughts about BC Hydro proposal regarding underground substations.
Read More"Vancouver parents should be informed that if they have a concern about the FSA, or wish to prohibit their child from participating, they should contact their principal or vice-principal in writing."
Read MoreThe VSB is proposing a change of dates for winter break 2017, revised from the current schedule to Dec 25, 2016 – Jan 5, 2017, to better align with other neighbouring school districts. While this won't be finalized until the next board meeting on January 23, 2017, it is reasonable to assume that it will be approved.
If parents are making plans or reservations at this point for next winter, I urge all to postpone (if possible) making irrevocable arrangements until after the decision.
-NW
This evening a fellow parent sent me pictures of some troubling graffiti at one of our secondary schools. The two defacements, the first one demeaning women (starting with the unfortunate phrase "Grab her by..."), and second one displaying hatred for trans or other gender expressions, were appalling to view. The simple explanation, that of some person or persons simply seeking attention, may be superficially true. But the symbolism, that of intolerance, meanness, and division at one of our local Vancouver schools, cannot be ignored.
As Vancouver parents, we must denounce this regressive view. As citizens, we must stand strong for equality of all people, and must combat the negativity too often expressed by those afraid. And as humans, we must strive to treat each other with compassion and dignity.
-NW
Winter break is soon upon us -- just two more school days. I know that many students are looking forward to some time off, perhaps even getting a little more sleep! We at DPAC would like to wish all parents and students a joyous two weeks off from school.
Be safe. See everyone in 2017!
-NW
The Vancouver DPAC, after input from local PACs and some work by the DPAC executives last weekend, has created draft strategic goals for the 2016/17 school year. We welcome feedback, either from the PACs through the still open survey sent to PAC chairs, via email from parents to vicechair@vancouverdpac.org, or please come to our next DPAC meeting next Thursday evening (Dec 8) at 7pm.
-NW
DRAFT
DPAC is pleased to announce that we have a new resources page for PACs, currently containing the presentation materials from our last city-wide event on October 13, 2016. The three topics are:
We look forward to posting more as the year unfolds!
-NW
On Saturday, November 26, 2016, the DPAC executive spent the afternoon discussing possible strategic goals for the 2016/17 school year. It was the first event that I, Nathan, coordinated in my new role as acting chair, and I thank all of my colleagues for their hard work, honesty, and tremendous commitment to education. We have made a good start on our strategic goals, and I look forward to further discussion at our next DPAC meeting on December 8, 2016, at 7pm.
As part of our preparation, we sent a survey to all Vancouver PACs last week for their input. I thank all of those who responded, and to those who have not yet done so, we still welcome and cherish input and feedback. If any PAC did not receive an email invitation to the survey, please contact me directly at vicechair@vancouverdpac.org.
Finally, I welcome the opportunity to address any PAC in the city on the topic of your choice.
Nathan Wilkes, acting chair
DPAC Chair Morgane Oger submitted her leave of absence notice to us a few days ago. Here's her letter to you, the parents.
Dear Vancouver parents,
I am writing you today to share with you that I will be taking a leave of absence from the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Counci executiv (DPAC) effective Tuesday 15 November in order to seek public office in the 2017 provincial election.
I am taking this leave because I am now the only candidate for nomination by the BC NDP to run as the candidate for Vancouver - False Creek in the upcoming 2017 provincial election. Nathan Wilkes, the DPAC vice-chair and now acting chair, will fulfill my duties during by absence as DPAC chair.
The DPAC constitution requires that any member of our executive who is nominated as a candidate for public office must take a leave of absence until the election and must resign if elected. I feel that this is the appropriate time to step aside.
I will be continuing my work advocating for sustained excellence in public education and will remain active in DPAC as an engaged parent. If elected, I look forward to working with parents, labour, and elected officials to ensure our children receive the best education possible and that the province adequately fund the operating and capital costs of education in an effective and equitable learning environment.
I had previously notified the elected trustees, and my DPAC colleagues about this eventuality in order to assure a smooth transition and DPAC is in good hands as I withdraw. The official trustee was notified a few days ago. I have pledged to remain at the disposal of the DPAC executive at their discretion and advise them as needed. I look forward to seeing DPAC continue to lead in advocating for the appropriate funding for the equitable delivery of education to the 50,000 students enrolled in Vancouver Schools.
As the only legally mandated and elected voice representing parents in Vancouver after the recent appointment of the Official Trustee, DPAC has an especially important role to play this year in order to ensure that Vancouver’s children get the education we rely on Government to provide for them, both as taxpayers who fund education and as parents whose children consume it. The Vancouver Board of Education is required to consult with DPAC. When I was nominated to the DPAC executive in 2014 by False Creek Elementary, this executive was paralyzed due to a deep crisis within the team. After two rounds of mediation failed the chair resigned, publishing deeply-damaging public accusations that took more than a year of sustained effort to finally put to rest as baseless.
Today this executive is functional, effective, and credible. Our reputation as speaking for parents with fact-based arguments is formidable and we have accomplished important things together with parents and public education advocacy groups throughout BC. We have held city-wide parent training events, all-candidate meetings, spoken for parents on all VSB committees, and testified to the BC Government about public education funding.
It has been a privilege to be able to work with everyone I have had the chance to meet and I am very proud of the work of our executive during my time at DPAC. In spite of the deeply stressful situation involving the school closures, the process brought parents and stakeholders together and we made ourselves heard. Elected decision makers listened to us and acted appropriately.
Working together, we successfully halted unfair cuts and damaging school closures affecting over 3,000 children.
We advocated for the need to preserve and support the Aboriginal Focus School when it faced possible closure. We assisted a number of PACs deal with internal issues. We helped lay the groundwork for equal protection of all kids in BC schools. We protected vulnerable students in a number of schools. We successfully advocated for the saving of key programs. We organized parents and helped dozens learn effective public-policy advocacy and organizing. We trained a cohort of PAC leaders.
We don't yet have the level of funding we seek for our children’s education, but Vancouver parents are well positioned to help make that come to bear.
In closing, please do not hesitate to bring up issues to your DPAC representative or to the DPAC acting chair. DPAC is here to support, serve, and advocate FOR parents. You are never alone.
Wishing you the very best,
Morgane Oger
Chair, Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council
Find m: http://morganeoger.ca | http://fb.me/morgane.oger.bc | http://twitter.com/rohemoog | morgane@morganeoger.ca
Our member at large, Dr. Farah Shroff shares the parents' and DPACs' perspective on the recent release of the forensic audit of the VSB. Click here to hear what she had to say!
October 18th 2016,
DPAC Statement regarding the dismissal of the Vancouver School Board:
Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) is the voice for the parents and guardians of children in the Vancouver School District.
DPAC is very disappointed by the dismissal of the Vancouver Board of Education. We have lost our democratically elected representation as citizens and residents of Vancouver. While we recognize there were problems plaguing the VSB, we believe that parents, students and the community at large are best served by locally elected trustees.
Our primary focus as parents remains the education our children receive, despite the tumultuous times and difficult road ahead for the VSB. At this time we are experiencing the harsh realities of the deep cuts that last spring’s budget brought about along with further potential cuts to next year’s program. It is a deep shame, in a province of plenty, that many of our students are going without programs and services that they so desperately need. We continue to advocate for fully funded, robust public education for all children and youth. We also want to see safety as a very high priority, so seismic upgrading is one of our highest priorities.
We hope to meet with the new administrator at our upcoming DPAC meeting.
The dismissal of the trustees has brought to the fore the urgent need for the completion and public release, to the greatest possible extent, of the WorkSafe BC report. It has also raised the need for more actions regarding the issues of increased seismic and operational funding, both garnered and supported,.
As parents we are concerned about teachers’ ability to deliver quality educational services to our children in such an uncertain climate. These concerns are particularly true for parents whose children are attending schools which have not yet undergone seismic mitigation or where necessary programs have been cut.
DPAC remains a non-partisan body in this discourse, but we urge parents to write to their MLAs, to Minister Bernier, and to Premier Clark to express their concerns about the erosion of our democracy, to demand safe schools and stable, predictable, and sufficient funding for school boards, and, most importantly, to stop using our children as political tools.
Media contact:
Communications Coordinator
communications.dpac@gmail.com
As the new school year it brings new course loads, new friends and new DPAC Executives. It is our pleasure to introduce you to this years Executives.
Come and meet us on the second or fourth Thursday of the month at our DPAC Executive Meeting!
The District Parent Advisory Council of the Vancouver Board of Education (DPAC) is the elected representative of parents at the Vancouver Board of Education.
DPAC supports democratic governance of the school system and we reiterate our earlier call to all stakeholders for sufficient funding to ensure sustainable high-quality public education in a safe environment.
DPAC welcomes the forensic audits of VBE ordered by the BC Minister of Education if the audits will be used to finally put to rest accusations about priorities at VSB and about its governance.
DPAC looks forward to keeping all stakeholders accountable for all conclusions that come from the audit and we look to the auditors to ensure that their task remains free of political interference.
DPAC will continue to keep all stakeholders and vendors accountable for the quality of provided services in order to assure that the best possible education is delivered to our 49,000 children enrolled in Vancouver schools.
Vancouver DPAC
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Press Contact:
Morgane Oger, Chair of DPAC 2016/2017 school year
chair@vancouverdpac.org
Twitter: @rohemoog
1-800-825-2405
Please click here to view our full statement.
Each school Principal is being asked to bring a group of three parents to one of the evening sessions on May 16th or 17th so that they can learn more about the new BC curriculum as a team. Unfortunately, because all of our schools will be attending over two nights, we don't have the space for more than 3 parents to attend from each school, but the idea is also that this same presentation will be used at parent meetings at each school for those parents who were not able to attend the district-sponsored evening.
Please click here for a PDF of the event poster or see below:
It's no surprise or shock that it has been intense in the education sector with all the budget conversation taking place.
We, at DPAC, have prepared a statement for the parents on the stand we take when it comes to the matter of public education.
Please click here for the full statement.
