Dear families:
The start of school is always an exciting time for children and their families.
Although we start this year with some uncertainty, I am confident that we will all do our part to ensure that our school communities are safe.
Parents and Caregivers:
This school year has been one to remember. We can be proud of the adaptability and resilience we've shown during a changing pandemic to support our students and our schools.
Parents and Caregivers:
As we begin National Indigenous History Month, I ask you to please read our comments below (in "Expand your Indigenous Understanding") on the unmarked burial sites found by the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation.
Read MoreHello VSB PACs, parents and caregivers,
As this school year nears its end, DPAC thought we'd send a bigger-than-usual missive to PACs, and include families and others who are on our newsletter distribution list, to let you know of our upcoming events and meetings, to tell you about things in which we're involved at the VSB that might interest you, and to provide you with a few other schools/PAC-related updates.
Parents:
I hope your spring break was restful. With the return to school, we are looking to provide feedback to the VSB on a number of topics.
Read MoreParents: As we close out Black History month, I want to acknowledge some of the work that has been done to move us to a more equitable future.
Read MoreFebruary 2021
Parents,
A few words on the work that DPAC has been doing:
Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) - This VSB planning document has been the focus of the DPAC for a number of years, including hours of time this year with a dedicated committee that guided our feedback to the board (thank you to our volunteers!) and made multiple presentations to the VSB Facilities Committee and stakeholder groups. The board passed the 2020 LRFP on January 25th. We are pleased that the trustees articulated their educational vision for the district in this document. We will work with the VSB to ensure that steps are taken to realize that vision.
Anti-racism - Our goal is to provide resources to PACs and parents that inform anti-racism work in their communities. Our recent January 28th general meeting had a number of speakers addressing the goals, mindset and steps to take in anti-racism work. We will post video to our website shortly.
School liaison officer program - In December, the DPAC exec took a position in favour of cancelling the school liaison officer (SLO) program (approved minutes) and have provided feedback in the consultation process. The consultation process will also include an online survey for parents and students and an opportunity for written submissions by individuals, groups and organizations -- details to come.
Budget, Fine Arts review - DPAC has also provided feedback on Budget 2021-2022 and the recent Fine Arts review. Parents can provide additional budget feedback at the page above, and can email media@vancouverdpac.org for any last minute feedback on the Fine Arts review.
Parents, Happy New Year! I hope the break has allowed you time to celebrate, recharge and reflect.
Read MoreParents,
As we progress through this school year full of changes, it is important to hear from parents about what has worked and what needs improvement.
Read MoreJoin an engaging and informative evening with your DPAC community for part two of the sustainability education series called Sustainability: Principles to Practice this coming Thursday, November 26, 2020. You will take away the latest information about the Vancouver Plan for greening our city, plus the latest developments and next planning stages.
This event happened in 2020. View video here
Read MoreParents,
As the year progresses, DPAC continues our role as a stakeholder to the board, where we provide feedback from the parents' points of view and highlight opportunities for parents to provide feedback. Some of our activities in the last month:
Read MoreAs the school year begins, our families have a mix of anticipation and concern far beyond that of a regular September. Like the rest of the world, our schools will be very different this fall. Families are naturally looking for answers so they can make the best choices for their families. (read more)
Read MoreHappy Canada Day to all.
This year, in the face of extraordinary circumstances, school communities have worked together to adapt, be resilient and care for one another. Social distancing has highlighted the importance of the connection our children have to their schools, their classrooms and their friends. We can be proud of our work to find ways to maintain those connections.
For our part, DPAC has conducted all of our regularly scheduled meetings online since spring break, as well as hosted several informative Q&A town hall meetings with VSB staff. We have also helped PACs host their regular meetings and AGMs online using Zoom. If your PAC needs help hosting an online meeting, please reach out to us.
We are very pleased to receive a nomination to the DPAC Executive from the Strathcona PAC for Krista Sigurdson:
Krista Sigurdson is a sociologist who teaches in the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University and conducts qualitative research (remotely) at Stanford University in the School of Medicine. She teaches in the area of gender and science and her research is in infant and maternal health (specifically breast feeding and racial/ethnic disparities in neonatal care).
Krista has two children at Lord Strathcona Elementary – one in grade 5 English and the other in grade 1 French Immersion. She has served on the Strathcona Elementary PAC board for two years – as secretary then as chair. In the last two years, Krista helped revitalize the Strathcona PAC – leading the reorganization of its communication systems and financial records, improving relationships between the school administration and the PAC, leading advocacy and fundraising campaigns and spearheading social events. She has assembled a diverse team of advocates and volunteers at the PAC. If her election to DPAC executive is successful, she hopes to serve as Strathcona PAC DPAC liaison in 2020-21.
Krista has appeared three times on CBC’s The Early Edition with Stephen Quinn and on the CBC National News advocating for Vancouver schools.
Prior to moving to Vancouver, Krista spent 10 years in The San Francisco Bay Area completing her PhD. Krista observed profoundly unequal access to public education and other social supports in the United States stratified by race and socioeconomic status.
Krista’s experience on the Strathcona elementary PAC has filled her with enthusiasm for neighborhood schools with wrap around services for children and families. She is motivated to improve equity between and within Vancouver public schools.
We are very pleased to receive a nomination to the DPAC Executive from the Eric Hamber PAC for Vik Khanna:
Hi! My name is Vik Khanna, a technology entrepreneur and a passionate advocate for public education.
At a very early age, I developed an entrepreneurial and enterprising spirit as I helped my parents run our family grocery store, and it was there that I learned the critical importance of hard work and the imperative need to exceed customer expectations. I ventured into business during my college years as I operated a specialty cheese distribution company, a scrap metal brokerage, and a fruit and vegetables wholesale operation. Found my calling in 1996, when I co-founded a technology company that grew to employ over 120 staff right here in Vancouver; I exited after 18 years. Today, I am guided by my passion for kids, education, technology and experiences. As CEO of National Education Technologies, I am leading our effort to help Parents “parent” their family’s technology use.
As a testament of my many accomplishments, I was awarded the prestigious 2008 'Top 40 Under 40' award by Business in Vancouver magazine and I was also selected to participate in the Richard Ivey School of Business’ Quantum Shift Program which provides continual learning with Canada’s top entrepreneurs as my classmates and alumni network.
I grew up near Kingsway and Joyce; Went to Sir Guy Carleton Elementary and Windermere Secondary. I have 3 kids; the youngest is in grade 7 at Emily Carr and the older ones are grades 9 & 12 at Eric Hamber Secondary.
I have been honoured to contribute to our community of schools by serving on the Vancouver DPAC Executive team as a Member At-Large since December 2019. My specialty on DPAC is to chair the Facilities Committee; I am passionate about the
VSB and the Ministry of Education thinking much more holistically and planning better for the long term, when it comes to our school facilities.
My goals are to:
- make a meaningful contribution as a member of the Vancouver DPAC Executive team
- meeting with all PACs that are going through or will go through the seismic program
- advocate for more involvement from the City of Vancouver since our schools are an essential infrastructure item that is not keeping pace with the growth of the city
- chair the DPAC Facilities Committee to the betterment of all schools in Vancouver
VSB families, please take the time to complete DPAC's survey on your and your child's experience with COVID-19 pandemic schooling. Our collective feedback will be given to aid VSB in improving how school happens in 2020/21 year. Survey open through June 30th.
https://forms.gle/zBW9x7KNiQFpAVMM9
Dear families
Today marks the reopening of our schools. The level of care and the enormous amount of planning that has been given to this task is phenomenal. And staff and teachers have a lot to be proud of for their effort. Hopefully parents have been able to make the right choice for their families based on these efforts and the continued flow of information from the District, Ministry, and Provincial Health Office … read more
