[Sent March 19, 2019]
President Swan to Minister Fleming:
“With Boards of Education providing their reviews of the independent review panel recommendations, and the working group review processes now underway, I wanted to reiterate BCSTA’s support for the review and redevelopment of the funding distribution model for K-12 public education.”
In the book “Vanishing School Boards: Where School Boards Have Gone, Why We Need Them, and How We Can Bring Them Back” Patrick Rice asserts “school boards keep the public in public schools, have a positive effect on student achievement, function as trustees over district resources, and serve as advocates for public schools.” He backs up these claims with research and experience. Fortunately, in British Columbia, there is significant buy-in to this assertion, and the recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the BCSTA and the Ministry of Education is concrete acknowledgement of the value of boards in our province.
Although reported numbers vary somewhat, it is safe to say that one in seven young people in BC, or at least 84,000 school-aged students, experience one or more mental health disorders at some point in their young lives. And, of these, only approximately one third receive the treatment they need.
Continue Reading “Focus on Mental Health – A Story of Hope and Hard Work”
The governance structure of the BCSTA includes several standing committees established to consider the organization’s business in a specific area and provide recommendations to the Association’s Board of Directors. The committees also provide members with opportunities to engage directly in BCSTA work and to provide perspectives from the membership.
In this edition of BCSTA’s Education Leader we profile a pair of stories focused on students and technology in the classroom with a pair of intriguing stories from North Vancouver and North Okanagan-Shuswap.
[Vancouver, BC – February 19, 2019] Today’s provincial budget has once again delivered a stable year ahead for British Columbia’s 60 public school districts by funding growing student enrollment as well as the school buildings needed to house them. The British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA) supports this significantly increased spending 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.
Continue Reading “Media Release: BC School Trustees Respond to the 2019 Provincial Budget”
[Vancouver, B.C. – February 14, 2019] Affirmation of the current positive direction for K-12 education in B.C. is the theme of this week’s provincial speech from the throne, in the opinion of BCSTA President Gordon Swan. As stated by Premier John Horgan in a subsequent press release, “People deserve the opportunity to build a good life in the communities they call home, with housing and child care they can afford, quality public services, like health care and education, good jobs and a better future.”
Continue Reading “Media Release: BCSTA Responds to BC Government’s Speech From the Throne”
Following the trustee elections in October 2018, close to half of the trustees elected were new to the role. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge to the BC School Trustees Association.
A common refrain in discussions around board of education tables is “we must focus on students in our decision making” and “this is in the best interest of our students.”
Continue Reading “Spotlight on Students – Student Voice Matters”
Recreational cannabis is legal for adults 19 and over in British Columbia. Both federal and provincial legislation regulate the consumption and distribution.
Continue Reading “Cannabis Legalization Presents Opportunity for Discussion”
