From the Office of the Superintendent
To: Trustees
From: Lynn Hauptman
Date: September 15, 2015
Re: Monthly Report to the Board
Purpose of this Report:
As the Board’s Chief Executive Officer, the Superintendent of Schools is accountable for the day-to-day operations of the school district and for ensuring that the Board is aware of how the school district is doing in all areas of its operations.
Enrolment report – funded enrolment report will be provided at October Board Meeting
Superintendent’s Activities
It is hard to believe that two years ago I became the Superintendent of this great school district and that a year ago at this time, we were behind picket lines waiting for a resolution at the provincial bargaining table. It is wonderful to contemplate a year ahead where everything isn’t new and labour strife is not on the horizon! I look forward to a great year of doing what we all love best – teaching and learning together!
On August 25, 26 and 27th, we met with the Principals and Vice-Principals and the District Management Team. This year our format had to change as we needed to incorporate two days of MyEducationBC conversion and training work with administrators and clerical staff. Consequently, we took only one day for our usual Administrators’ Meeting with a focus on ensuring our students have the best possible education through a series of activities and educational leadership practices. Our guest speaker, CBEEN Executive Director Duncan Whittick, shared some wonderful opportunities and resources for our district. It is our hope that our staffs will utilize this environmental education platform as a springboard for some project-based learning to further engage our students and as a way to begin implementing the redesigned BC Curriculum and Competencies. As always, information necessary for a successful school start was also a part of the agenda. We also welcomed two new temporary vice-principals: Carlene Lochrie at TMRES, and Renee MacCormack at FJMES.
I am very proud to report that our schools are ready for the new school year after another summer where our superb maintenance and custodial staff were able to complete projects and have our schools clean and ready to begin. Shiny floors, new rooms, clean desks, new pavement, etc., have all been completed to meet the needs of our students and staff. Thank you very much to our Operations staff that transform our schools every summer. The pride in your work is very much in evidence!
New Teacher and Teachers-Teaching-On-Call Orientation Day
For the first time in our district we co-planned and co-presented with our CFTA Co-Presidents and created a full day of activities, training, and information with our new employees. It was a very full day indeed with information about the history of the Ktunaxa and the implications into our newly redesigned BC Curriculum and Competencies; Health and Safety Requirements; Human Resources information and training’ Professional Development opportunities; policy information; Expectations for the Teacher and the TTOC; the Role of the CFTA; Learning Services info; Literacy Supports and Resources: and finally, the day concluded with a tour of the District Resource Centre.
District Professional Development Day – September 25th – MBSS
One of the sessions Diane Casault and I attended at the ASCD Conference this past summer was with Barbara Coloroso. Having seen Barbara many times in the past I was intrigued by the title of this session: Just Because It’s Not Wrong Doesn’t Make it Right. Teaching Kids to Think and Act Ethically. Her message was so on-point that we felt it was time to bring her back to our district. So, on our District Day on Friday, September 25th, Barbara will be delivering this session at Key City Theatre both in the morning and the afternoon and she has agreed to do a parent session the evening before (Thursday, September 24th at 7:00 pm). Plans are underway to ensure that all staff have the opportunity to be at one of the sessions. Schools will then use the opposite time slot to focus on their own school directions; how to better support Aboriginal learners; and, how to integrate Aboriginal content and perspectives into the curriculum. It should prove to be a very engaging day that will benefit all of our staff, parents, and ultimately, our students.
Short Course
Once again the district was able to support sending a number of new administrators to the BCPVPA sponsored, week-long Short Course held every summer at UBC. This year Kaley Wasylowich, Erin Hay, Nicole Neufeld and Laura-Lee Phillips were in attendance. It is our hope to send other administrators next year as this is an incredible professional development opportunity that is extremely beneficial.
Telus Backpacks – Kits for Kids
Telus Ambassadors, once again, have provided School District 5 students with Backpacks full of school supplies! Backpacks are ready to go as soon as school opens! Telus has provided 200 backpacks to be divided up amongst the schools!! Thank you to Telus Community Ambassadors!
Dogwood District Authority Award Scholarships
I had the honour of being involved this past June in the interviews for the District Dogwood Authority Awards of $1000 each. Forty-eight of our Grade 12 graduating students from last year were recipients of this award. These awards are scholarships which are funded by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Advanced Education and awarded to students through a local selection committee. The Selection Committee was comprised of Jason Tichauer, Gail Rousseau and me. Stay tuned for changes to the BC Scholarships and Bursaries coming this school year.
Finance/Operations Updates:
Along with the normal requirements for the summer such as preparation of financial statements, dealing with Auditors and many other year end reports, we also have been asked by various Ministry committees for detailed information for shared services initiatives for Legal expenses, Transportation organization and costs, Maintenance organization and costs and Natural Gas usage per year.
BCPSEA and their consultants requested detailed job descriptions and salary and benefits data for all of our Exempt staff to continue their market analysis for salary recommendations for each position.
Interviews were completed Aug 12th for the replacement of a CUPE accounting position due to a retirement.
The Ministry requested Capital plans for SD5 so we have started preparing these plans.
Budgets are being set up for Schools and managers for the 15/16 fiscal year.
We are working with SD6 on an International Education partnership.
Accounting and Payroll have moved upstairs and integrated with Human Resources, this will be positive and efficient for staff in those departments.
Update from the Director of /Student Learning and Innovation
Carole Fullerton will be returning to our district to continue the work in regards to conquering the confusion around Math instruction. The exact focus of the sessions and the grade level of participants still needs to be confirmed with Carole.
Three Curricular committees are being supported to investigate and implement the newly redesigned BC curriculum and competencies. (Primary, Intermediate/Middle, Graduation). The first meetings are planned for the beginning of October.
We will be continuing with supporting the Changing Results for Young Readers but as facilitation and funding are no longer provided we will be reviewing the structure expectations of the group.
Support will continue for Professional Learning Teams to utilize a spiral of inquiry approach to improve the achievement of some of our most vulnerable learners.
Enrolment continues to grow in our four StrongStart Centers. (AWES, FJMES, IDES and SES) We are currently working to ensure that our Early Learning Facilitators have access to relevant professional development along with our SD5 Early Learning educators. They are anxious to welcome their families as well as to continue to build on their existing relationships within their school communities.
The 2015-2016 District Literacy Plan has been submitted and is available on the school district website. Although no longer required by the BC Ministry of Education we will continue to participate in community literacy conversations. Be sure to check out all the work that has gone into ensuring literacy needs are being met in our communities.
Technology Update
Our search for a District Principal of Technology and Transformative Learning continues but we are very excited to welcome Jennifer Roberts to our team in an acting capacity.
Regular meetings continue in order to review and/or monitor the status of the technology plan and its importance to student learning, the development of the portal system as well as to ensure our readiness to move forward with the upgrades that are being established provincially.
Currently the “roll-out” is ahead of schedule and the five year plan may well be complete within three years.
All schools have now been converted and are active in MyEducation BC. School set-up support and training sessions were held at the end of August for PVP, clerical and counselling staff. With the input of the “Train the Trainer” group, a schedule will be developed to complete the training for the remaining elementary schools, the secondary schools as well at the Student Services group. Folks are anxious to move forward and become familiar with the new system. A BIG thanks to Sharon Waswick who continues to put in countless hours to ensure our data is accurate and ready for our schools, staff and students!!
Update from Director of Student Learning and Aboriginal Education
Aboriginal Education
Following the success of our hosting of the Aboriginal Perspectives and Worldviews in the Classroom session last spring, I am excited to see that the draft of the provincial Aboriginal Perspectives is now available. SD5 participants are quoted extensively, and it appears that we have been able to inform and give voice to this provincial document intended to help inform school staff on how to incorporate Aboriginal viewpoints into all curriculum.
Safe School Coordinator
This past spring, the Ministry of Education released a new Emergency Management Planning Guide for School Districts. We used this document to update and expand our Emergency Procedures Handbook. Given the expanded nature of the handbook, we took the opportunity to create a condensed Emergency Quick Reference that we feel school staffs will find very user-friendly in emergent circumstances. We do not anticipate the need to update this reference for many years.
Provincial Scholarship Committee
I was fortunate to be able to sit as part of a committee of educators who gave feedback to the new provincial scholarship plan. In response to our feedback, and to the feedback of other stakeholders, the Ministry is revamping its scholarship plan. Much of the new plan is thankfully aligned with the goals of the BC Education Plan. As well, the amount of monies that individual school districts will be able to allocate as part of the district allotment will increase!
Update from the District Principal/Student Services
Darcy Verbeurgt attended the BC Council for Administrators of Special Education, where keynote speaker Dr. Jennifer Katz and Ministry of Education staff encouraged all to embrace diversity in the classroom and provide access to the curriculum through improved classroom practice.
The long awaited Ministry document: Guideline on Seclusion and Physical Restraint is close to being released. A review by the new Minister of Education needs to be done before we will receive them.
The staffing process this academic year has been fairly smooth. We are still seeking to employ two Student Services Teachers and a part time Speech-Language Pathologist. There will also be a handful of Education Assistants to be hired in the first couple weeks of September.
We have expended the greater part of our Learning Improvement Funds (Teacher Education portion) during the Spring Consultation process. The remaining funds will be allocated in mid-October to early November after our Fall Consultation process.
Update from the Director of Instruction/Human Resources
Stenographer (CUPE position), Lisa Matheson was hired to the HR department July 6, 2015. Welcome to the Human Resources Department, Lisa!
80+ teacher postings have been posted and filled since the first round of postings began in June.
CUPE postings (Education Assistants) continue to be ongoing based on school needs and budget allocations.
All elementary EAs within the District have had their day extended 15 minutes as a result of SSEAC (Support Staff Education and Adjustment Committee). The money to support this increase has been provided through the Learning Improvement Fund.
Important Dates for Trustees:
Committee Meetings – Sept. 28
BCPSEA Symposium – October 22 - 24
BCSTA AGM – November 26 – 28
BCSTA AGM – April 14 - 17
Lynn Hauptman
Superintendent
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