Under the direction of the Provincial Health Officer, the Minister of Education has suspended in-class instruction in all schools until further notice.
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Advocacy: Vape Awareness and Vape Cessation Resources for Youth Response
[Received February 21, 2020]
Director General Van Loon to President Higginson:
“The Government of Canada is very concerned about the rapid rise in youth vaping. We are taking further action, including putting in place additional controls through regulations, investing in public education and intensifying enforcement of the legislation.”
Advocacy: School Site Acquisitions
[Sent January 20, 2020]
President Higginson to Minister of Education Fleming:
“The enclosed discussion paper identifies several specific concerns about school site acquisitions and lists recommendations for government consideration which are intended to address those concerns. The paper was developed as a result of engagement with every Board of Education and input from several boards.”
AGM Speaker Preview
BCSTA’s Professional Learning Committee has been hard at work curating a diverse and exciting professional development program as part of the association’s annual general meeting this April. Below we highlight just some of the speakers that will engage with our members.
Celebrating Pink Shirt Day
Our board of directors and staff are proud to wear pink today, February 26, to stand against all forms of bullying and discrimination. Pink Shirt Day originated in Nova Scotia when two grade 12 students defended a grade 9 student who was being bullied for wearing pink.
BCSTA Branch Profile: Northern Interior
BCSTA’s Northern Interior Branch (NIB) consists of eight school districts: Cariboo-Chilcotin, Quesnel, Central Coast, Prince George, Peace River South, Peace River North, Fort Nelson, and Nechako Lakes. We meet four times per year, twice in host member districts and twice during BCSTA’s annual general meeting (AGM) and the annual BCSTA Trustee Academy.
Artificial Intelligence in Schools
As technology continues to proliferate all around us, I have wondered about the impact artificial intelligence (AI) will have on education, especially on teaching and learning. You need not look very far to see its ubiquitous presence in our lives.
Media Release: School Trustees Pleased Education Remains a B.C. Budget Priority
[Victoria, B.C. – February 18, 2020] Once again, today’s provincial budget has delivered another year of stable and predictable funding for B.C.’s 60 public school districts. The British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA) is pleased to see continued funding for growing student enrollment as well as for additional classroom space in the 2020/2021 school year. We support the priority this government places on K-12 public education as a wise investment on behalf of both families and taxpayers within the important context of a balanced provincial budget.
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Supporting Indigenous Learning in SD47
Weaving Indigenous content into the everyday curriculum is important to all School District 47 educators, but many need support. The First People’s Curriculum is now mandatory everywhere in B.C., from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
Pilot Girls in Trades Program a Success
A unique program at Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools (NLPS) encourages young women to consider a career path in the trades through hands-on learning. The Careers Technical Center (CTC) in School District 68 runs trades introduction programs starting with short programs in Grades 6 and 7 allowing students to build projects like planters or birdhouses.