InspirEDFall 2019 British Columbia School Superintendents Association C E L E B R AT I N G O V E R 1 0 0 Y E A R S ! The official journal of the British Columbia School Superintendents Association Canada Post Publications Agreement Number: 40609661British Columbia School Superintendents Association 5 CONTENTS Published For: The British Columbia School Superintendents Association #208 - 1118 Homer Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 6L5 Phone: (604) 687-0590 / Fax: (604) 687-8118 cguy@bcssa.org www.bcssa.org Published By: Matrix Group Publishing Inc. 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Printed in Canada. 7 A Message from the BCSSA President 9 A Message from the Assistant Deputy Minister of Education 11 A Message from the BCSSA Executive Director 12 Revitalizing Traditions and Language 15 A District’s Vision in Action: An Innovative, Inspiring, and Unified Learning Community 21 Re-Imagining Secondary: It’s Not Complicated; It’s Complex 27 Innovation and Strategic Planning 29 The Kootenay HUB Community of Practice: Innovating Assessment Together GREETINGS FEATURES 34 Index to Advertisers SPECIAL SECTION 32 Showcasing Superintendents’ Contributions to Our Education SystemBritish Columbia School Superintendents Association 7 A mid the excitement and bustle of the new school year, it is easy to get caught up in the minutia of our work and to be consumed by the tyranny of the urgent. It’s important in our busy, demanding roles, not to lose sight of what is truly important, and what grounds us. This past summer I had the opportunity to travel to Kenya to see some of the work that the WE organization has done. Various remote communities now have access to water, schools, a hospital with maternity and surgical wards, and recently they have built a college. It’s remarkable! Now, there are still challenges for the people of these communities – where seven dollars is all that is available to sustain a family of seven for a week – but I was struck by the people there, and how incredibly grateful and generous they were. To be around these people was incredibly humbling and touching. These are two qualities that many, if not all of us, can learn from. We are immersed in a society where we are inclined to focus on what I need, what I deserve, and what I am owed. To be grateful and generous, people can often be pushed to the wayside and forgotten. These qualities need to be brought back out into the spotlight. As we see increased pressures around mental health and wellness, too, we know that being grateful and generous are key components in improving our mental health. As we continue our work this fall and into the new year, I am grateful to work with all my wonderful colleagues across our organization and I am grateful for your work on behalf of students across our province. On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you, and let your generous spirit guide your work. Chris van der Mark President, British Columbia School Superintendents Association Superintendent, Cariboo-Chilcotin School District 27 Fall 2019 November 21-22, 2019 Westin Bayshore Vancouver Spring 2020 April 17, 2020 Westin Bayshore Vancouver Summer 2020 August 19-21, 2020 Fairmont Chateau Whistler Fall 2020 November 5-6, 2020 Westin Bayshore Vancouver Spring 2021 April 23, 2021 Westin Bayshore Vancouver Summer 2021 August 18-20, 2021 Fairmont Chateau Whistler Event dates for the next several years are already available online. Visit www. bcssa.org for details. A Message from the BCSSA President As we continue our work this fall and into the new year, I am grateful to work with all my wonderful colleagues across our organization and I am grateful for your work on behalf of students across our province. Chris van der Mark President, British Columbia School Superintendents Association Superintendent, Cariboo-Chilcotin School District 27 President Chris van der Mark Vice-President Alison Sidow Past President Tom Longridge Treasurer Kevin Kaardal Secretary Lisa McCullough Professional Development Chair Wanda Mitchell Member Services Chair Reno Ciolfi Executive Director Claire Guy THE BCSSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fraser Valley Gord Stewart Kootenay-Boundary Paul Carriere Metro Jordan Tinney Northern Manu Madhok Thompson-Okanagan Teresa Downs Vancouver Island Sheryl Koers CHAPTER DIRECTORS JOIN BCSSA AT THESE UPCOMING EVENTSBritish Columbia School Superintendents Association 9 A Message from the Assistant Deputy Minister of Education B elieving that every child can learn, that every child has a gift, is what drives me every day in my work. When asked what I do, my answer is simple: I have the best job in government. I truly believe that. The diversity of the portfolio and the students they represent brings a big responsibility and incredible opportunity. To simply list the areas of the Learning Division doesn’t begin to describe the work or the passion of each member of our team. B.C. is on a very important journey that starts with honouring the truth of our collective history related to Indigenous people in our province and our country. Our truths aren’t easy to hear or imagine, but we must provide space for Indigenous voice to hear the stories of the past before we can move down a path towards reconciliation. The legacy of residential schools, the racism of low expectations, and the generations of trauma are no longer secrets in our province and the Indigenous Education team is truth-telling alongside districts. The B.C. Tripartite Education Agreement will support new community relationships and hold each of us accountable to ensure First Nations learners leave our school system with dignity, purpose, and options – and their Dogwood graduation certificate in their back pocket. It’s no secret that I believe strongly in the power of the erase strategy and the expanded scope from where we started in 2012 to include mental health and sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) leadership. Young people today face greater pressures than students in the past. The complexity of anxiety and depression coupled with social media and global influences is resulting in higher numbers of students needing support. The Mental Health in Schools strategy will focus on creating the foundation for promotion and prevention that has started with social emotional learning in the early years and the revised K-12 curriculum that includes mental health as part of Physical Health Education. The second focus area of the strategy recognizes that districts need to continue to build capacity in the areas of social emotional learning, mental health literacy, and trauma-informed practice. Capacity building funding has been committed for districts over the next three years. The School Community Mental Health Conference will bring together educators and community partners for the third year in a row in Spring 2020. Superintendents across the province support our team in the work we do. You are our critical friends and friendly critics, and we could not do this work well without you. Jennifer McCrea Assistant Deputy Minister British Columbia Ministry of Education The third area of the Mental Health in Schools strategy is leadership development. Partnering with the Superintendents Association, the Principals and Vice Principals Association, Maple Ridge School District, and the Human Early Learning Partnership, the Ministry is leading Compassionate Systems Leadership with the Compassionate Systems Awareness team out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Peter Senge and Mette Boell. This work has been shared through last year’s School Community Mental Health conference and will continue this year as we develop our system change projects. It will be featured next summer at the superintendents meeting in Whistler. The final focus area continues to be violence threat risk assessment, crisis support, and trauma response with Safer Schools Together. This work has also expanded to include advanced digital support, and gang and gun prevention in key communities around the province. Provincial leadership has never been stronger or more united than it is with SOGI 123 (www.sogieducation.org). Every education partner and rightsholders have come together to support students of all sexual orientations and gender identities in our province as part of the SOGI collaborative. All students have the right to feel safe and belong in B.C. schools. The SOGI network grew from just nine districts to 60 in one school year. Every district now has a SOGI lead and resources are available to support teachers through SOGI 123. The SOGI collaborative has identified two priorities for this school year – to expand the Indigenous focus and learnings, and to create more space for authentic student voice to guide this work. In addition to these three highlight areas, the Learning Division also leads the provincial work of Inclusive Education, French Education, Early Learning, and Libraries. The Ministry has ensured that students are at the center of the work that we do through the Policy for Student Success. Students are the heart of the Learning Division. Superintendents across the province support our team in the work we do. You are our critical friends and friendly critics, and we could not do this work well without you. Thank you for your support and answering the phone when I call. Jennifer McCrea Assistant Deputy Minister British Columbia Ministry of EducationNext >