April 13, 2022 Board Highlights

Appointment of Acting Secretary-Treasurer
Due to the Secretary-Treasurer/CFO vacancy, the Board appointed Delta Carmichael, Assistant SecretaryTreasurer, as the Acting Secretary-Treasurer for all Public Board Meetings until the SecretaryTreasurer/CFO position is filled.
Central Okanagan Public Schools – “Inside 23”:

1. Seamless Day Kindergarten
   In attendance:
   Jamie Robinson, Acting Assistant Superintendent
   Joan Szewczyk, Early Learning Team Teacher
   The Seamless Day Program is a pilot initiative in the Government of British Columbia’s effort to make child care accessible, affordable and seamless. The Seamless Day Program was initiated in 2019 and began in four elementary schools in British Columbia and has now expanded to twenty-one schools across the Province. Bankhead Elementary School is offering the first program in the Central Okanagan Public Schools. The Seamless Day Programs allow Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) to work alongside the
   teachers in the classroom throughout the school day, and to provide high-quality before and after school
   care within the same Kindergarten classroom setting. With minimum transition for the students, and team
   collaboration for the educators, youngest students excel in all aspects of their development.
   Declarations:
2. National Volunteer Week – April 24 to 30, 2022
   The Central Okanagan Board of Education declared April 24 to 30, 2022 as National Volunteer Week and
   recognizes all volunteers in the Central Okanagan Public Schools.
3. National Day of Mourning – April 28, 2022
   The Central Okanagan Board of Education declared April 28, 2022 as a Day of Mourning in Central
   Okanagan Public Schools. Flags will be lowered to half-mast on April 28th at Operations and the School
   Board Office to honour those workers who have been hurt or who have lost their lives in the course of
   performing their duties.
   Information Items:
   The Board of Education reviewed the following:
4. Level 4 and 5 Field Study Summary – 2021/2022
5. General Statement – March 9, 2022
6. General Statement – March 15, 2022
   The Board Meeting Highlights are published after each Public Board Meeting.
   Please check the School District website (www.sd23.bc.ca) for all Board and Committee Meeting dates and times.
7. General Statement – March 17, 2022
8. Change in Name of Ministry of Education to Ministry of Education and Childcare
   The Government of British Columbia recently announced that the accountability for child care would
   transition to the Ministry of Education at the beginning of April 2022. “Bringing childcare under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education acknowledges that it is part of a child’s learning journey, delivering important early learning opportunities, and supporting future educational success”, says the letter from the Minister of Education and Minister of State for Child Care dated February 8, 2022.
9. New Indigenous-Focus Graduation Requirement
   The Ministry of Education and Childcare, in collaboration with the First Nations Education Steering
   Committee (FNESC), recently announced that as part of the Province’s commitments to truth, reconciliation, and anti-racism, the Ministry of Education and Childcare is implementing an Indigenous-focused graduation requirement for all students. Implementation of the new requirement is expected to involve a phased-in approach that would come into full effect in the 2023/2024 school year.
   Items of Special Mention
   The Board Chair, Trustees and the Superintendent of Schools/CEO spoke of the following:

• Davidson Road Elementary School hosted their School Community Student Learning Plan Conversation
  today.
• Informal visits to schools on the Westside.
• The Early Years Partnership Committee recently met where there was discussion about Kindergarten
  registration and transition.
• The recognition of Rod Belinski, former Central Okanagan Public Schools volleyball coach, into the 2022
  Volleyball BC Hall of Fame.