Serving and Supporting BC’s Boards of Education
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Thanks for Joining us at Trustee Academy 2017

We hope you enjoyed and found this year’s Academy useful to your important work as a trustee.

Trustee Academy 2017 was planned to inspire delegates as they assemble under the theme of “Education Evolution: Student-Centred Governance.” The goal of this year’s academy was to highlight the important role students play in the governance of our public education system.

We are hoping you could take a few minutes to provide valuable feedback to the Professional Learning Committee (PLC) and BCSTA staff who plan your professional development events.

Trustee Academy 2017 Feedback Survey

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New Trustee Learning Guide Launched

Attendees at this year’s Trustee Academy were provided an overview of BCSTA’s great new learning resource for boards, individual trustees, senior district staff and partners – The Learning Guide.  This very extensive on-line learning resource covers a myriad of topics that are of interest and/or applicability to trustees, boards and senior staff in their roles governing, leading and overseeing school districts.  Our intent is to provide everyone involved with a ‘one stop’ resource covering all of the basic information as well as supporting materials for any topic applicable to K-12 education.

BCSTA previously published learning modules for our members, but the materials were expensive to produce and often quickly went out of date as circumstances changed.  By providing the Learning Guide on-line, we are able to update, expand or improve it on a regular basis at minimal cost.  We are also able to provide active links to numerous additional outside resources as well as school district examples of programs, policies and processes that bring the information to life for students and staff.

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BCSTA HUB Now Open for Business

BCSTA’s new members-only area of our website, the BCSTA HUB, is now open for business.  The HUB will provide a number of new features and services aimed at providing improved services and communications for all members.

Included within the HUB will be:

  • The BCSTA Events Calendar
  • Member notifications and information updates
  • Discussion Groups (i.e. Listservs) for committees and board chairs
  • Access to our new Trustee Learning Guide and other resources
  • Work areas and information for all Branches and Standing Committees

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Trustee Academy 2017 Concurrent Sessions

Trustee Academy 2017 is just around the corner, featuring a variety of concurrent session that are set to inspire trustees as they assemble under the theme of “Education Evolution: Student-Centred Governance” this November. The goal of this year’s academy is to highlight the important role students play in the governance of our public education system. Have a peek at what’s in store:

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Raising the Valuation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge

In the spring of 2016, I had the privilege of hearing Mr. Tom Child recount the story of a Kwakiutl elder, Ms. Sara Sampare, who described her experience during the Great Depression of the 1930s. She had spoken of how during this time of national hardship, when everyone across North America was always hungry, the Kwakwaka’wakw peoples never experienced that same scarcity. Rich and sophisticated traditional ecological knowledge had resulted in more than enough food to meet the needs of the community.

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Our Journey of Awareness and Understanding of Aboriginal Culture

On September 18, 2015, the culture of the Squamish People came to life at Eastview Elementary School in North Vancouver. Our year long journey of awareness and understanding of Aboriginal ways was witnessed and celebrated through a presentation ceremony of our Welcome Figure. Over the year, every Eastview student contributed to the pole under the guidance of distinguished Aboriginal carvers Ses Siyam (Ray Natroaro), and apprentice Haat With Wayaanus (Josh Watts).

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Media Release: BCSTA Statement on Barry Neufeld’s Comments About SOGI Policies

[Vancouver – October 24, 2017] Please see below a statement from BCSTA President Gordon Swan on Barry Neufeld’s Facebook post regarding SOGI policies and initiatives:

“BCSTA does not support, nor agree with the position taken by Chilliwack school trustee Barry Neufeld. Our Association strongly believes that schools need to be safe and welcoming places for ALL students, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion or background. It is important that we all stand up and defend our students and our staff against any incidents of prejudice, bullying or discrimination.”

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Message of Support for SOGI Policies and Initiatives

[Vancouver, B.C, – September 22, 2017] – The British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA) would like to express its full support for boards of education, the Ministry of Education and the Provincial Government in their work towards fostering safer and more inclusive communities for all British Columbians, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In 2016, the Government amended the BC Human Right’s Code to include explicit protection for gender identity and expression, and, following that, the Ministry of Education required all public boards of education to address gender identity and expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination under their codes of conduct. BCSTA fully supports both the intent behind the decision and the requirement itself.

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Surrey School District Takes Their Data to a New Digital Level

Surrey Schools has designed a creative, innovative and interactive online tool called Our Data Story as part of the Our Learning Story webpage established to share facts and stories with parents and the public about student success in the district.

“Over the past few years, the district has been supporting teachers to explore the use of digital portfolios as a means to share evidence of learning with parents and students,” says Surrey Schools superintendent Dr. Jordan Tinney. “In many ways, Our Learning Story is mirroring a student digital portfolio approach by providing parents and the community with the advantages and convenience of online district performance reports.”

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