Superintendent’s Report – April 2022

Framework for Enhancing Student Learning (FESL)

** click here to see the full Framework Plan

Intellectual Development

Indigenous-Focused Grad Requirement

As per the recent Ministry of Education and Child Care announcement, our secondary school staffs are working on course offerings in School District 60 to satisfy these new requirements. 

Provincial Dashboard on Student Success for SD60

Click on the image below to open the site in a new window.

Inclusion

School leaders recently participated in a workshop offered by the group Changemakers.  This is a group of adults with FASD who share the results of research they have carried out to better understand the obstacles people with FASD face. 

 

Human & Social Development

Musical Shrek!

During uncertain times, École Central Elementary School of the Arts produced the musical Shrek at the North Peace Cultural Centre at the end of February.  They had to navigate changing guidelines, public venues, altered practice regimes and many other obstacles in order to bring this show to fruition.  Congratulations!!

 

Career & Skill Development

Inclusive Supports for specific students have been added to Gr. 4-6 Elementary Careers Toolkit – such as the ADST lesson/unit using string art.   The Occupational Therapist and Physical therapist modified the tools in the kit to make the lesson accessible and achieve the same goals for students with disabilities.  An example of this is pre-drilling the holes for the nails, providing a hollow pen through which to thread the string, etc.  This has been a creative and impactful initiative.

Operations / HR

Professional Development Opportunities April 22nd for the Non-Instructional Day

Several workshops were offered to educational staff on April 22nd, including the one below on the Picture Word Induction Model to support literacy:

Proposed BC School Food Guidelines

The Ministries of Education and Health will be updating the current guidelines to reflect the 2019 Canada Health guidelines.  This process is still in the consultation stage and is framed as follows:

“The Guidelines provide a voluntary set of best practices aimed at supporting schools as they work towards the gold standards while providing room for flexibility to support each school’s unique needs and operational circumstances.”

Education staff, Parent Advisory Councils and Trustees have been provided with information and the opportunity to provide feedback by the end of April.

 

Truth & Reconciliation

Students from the Learning from the Elders Class from North Peace Secondary School went on a field trip to the Beatton Park on Tuesday, March 15th …. click on this link to see the Beatton Field Trip Report... or … see the full-sized on-screen version below:

Click on the following link to see the May 6, 2022 Indigenous Learning Day informational poster … or …. see the full sized on-screen version below:

“Take 3”

Baldonnel Elementary

Our intermediate students made arcade games using cardboard boxes.  This is our third annual arcade.  They set the games up in the gym and the primary students had fun learning about and playing the games.  The intermediate students demonstrated leadership skills as game leaders for our younger students.  Developing leadership skills is one of our Framework goals.  Our second Framework goal is developing literacy skills.  Students practice communication skills by explaining the games and helping the younger students understand what to do.  A creative project meeting a variety of educational learning goals:  ADST, Science, Fine Arts, Literacy, creativity, building and designing and core competencies of communication and thinking.  Afterwards, students reflected on their projects discussing how they came up with their design, what they learned during building their game, what did they have to overcome in building their game, rules of their game, how the arcade went and what would they do differently next time.  The intermediate students had a chance to play the games as well.  Each primary student left the arcade with a small prize donated by Baldonnel parents.  A great success!

Mrs. Merrill’s class has a window display showing support for the Ukraine people.  Students learning about the National flag and what the colours represent.  They each made a sunflower, which is Ukraine’s national flower.  This beautiful sunflower heart can be seen from the Baldonnel Road as you drive by.  Students learned about what is going on in the Ukraine.

Christine Todd, Principal, Baldonnel Elementary

Charlie Lake Elementary

Over the years many staff have participated in Bluey Day to support the FSJ Hospital Foundation. We’d like to share that Mr Merhi at Charlie Lake Elementary will join the ranks who have helped to raise funds to support the FSJ Hospital Foundation. You can support the fundraiser through the QR code below or this link.

Mr. Merhi, Teacher, Charlie Lake Elementary

Taylor Elementary

An article was published in the Alaska Highway News (written by Dave Lueneberg) – April 7, 2022

Posthumous award sought for beloved Taylor Elementary teacher, Donna-Lee Cooper.

Donna-Lee Cooper, who passed away from cancer in 2019, will be considered for an Excellence in Education award.  The nomination was made by the District of Taylor.  The district applied and received permission from the Province, to have Donna-Lee Cooper considered, posthumously, for the 2021 Premier’s Award for Excellence in Education.“Donna-Lee was a spark and a light of what she did in literacy, the community and the school,” said Coun. Betty Ponto, when asked to speak on the nomination. “She was this tiny little person, this phenom of energy and dedication.”

“I can’t say enough good things about her,” added Coun. Michelle Turnbull.

“Her legacy will be in the kids she inspired to become teachers. The kids will go through life remembering her as their Grade 2 teacher,” said Mayor Rob Fraser.  “You don’t often remember your Grade 2 teacher, but I think these kids will. They’ll be inspired to do better in school. That’s the best legacy a teacher can ever have.”

“Part of the story is when it came to us and we read the call for nominations, we felt Donna-Lee fit the description but didn’t fit the criteria,” said Coun. Brent Taillefer. “Staff going to the Province and getting that exemption, is a big part of this story as well.”

Meet The Author, considered of one Cooper’s legacies, was a project introduced to staff and students at Taylor Elementary shortly after her arrival – the program is still carried out today.

“She was the strongest advocate for the concept where every student from pre-school to grade 6 or 7, whatever it was at that time, would write and illustrate their own book or their class book, and those books were all published in hard cover,” said Ponto. “She made sure their efforts were recognized and rewarded by having a Meet the Author Day, where the community was invited and these new authors would be celebrated by having them sign their own books.”   A collection of those books, she said, can be found in the school’s library for anyone to see.

Council is hoping to hear back on Cooper’s nomination by the fall.