The Board Chair made the following statement:
A geographical search at St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in Williams Lake has located 93 unmarked
grave sites. Once again, our hearts are heavy with this horrific news. On behalf of the Board of Education,
I wish to call for a moment’s silence to demonstrate our deepest respect to Canada’s Indigenous
communities and to acknowledge the deep hurt these revelations bring, and to once again state the Board’s
commitment towards equity and Reconciliation in our public schools.
One minute of silence was observed.
Inside 23
- WHEELS Transition to Employment Program
Participating by Zoom:
Staff:
Michelle Kaupp, District Principal – Inclusive Education
Heather Whistle, Program Manager/Teacher, WHEELS Transition to Employment Program
Dustin Green, WHEELS Transition to Employment Program Facilitator
Student: Joss Gamache
The aim of the WHEELS Transition to Employment Program is to provide youth and young adults with
disabilities and diverse abilities, in Central Okanagan Public Schools, with opportunities to learn skills and
gain experiences that will help them make successful transitions to adulthood and to directly aid them in
making those transitions. The WHEELS Transition to Employment Program is offered in a professional,
community-based setting in order to facilitate transitioning students’ physical and attitudinal shift from school to adult environments.
The project facilitates student learning and achievement in the following areas:
• Support for obtaining paid employment as adults.
• Skill development in key transition areas, such as vocational development, recreation, home living,
health and personal hygiene, and personal financial management.
• Opportunities to participate in a Bicycle Maintenance and Repair program and in Shoe Repair and
Shoemaking School in order to further develop hand-eye coordination, problem solving, customerservice, and pride of workmanship. Learning to repair things is good for students. It increases their connections to others, to the physical world, and within their own mental processes.
Declarations:
- Human Rights Month – February
The Board of Education declared the month of February 2022 as Human Rights Month in Central Okanagan Public Schools. The Board of Education also acknowledged that Black Excellence Day was celebrated on January 14, 2022.
- Inclusive Education Month – February
The Board of Education declared the month of February 2022 as Inclusive Education Month in Central
Okanagan Public Schools.
Staff Presentation:
- COVID-19 Update
The Superintendent of Schools/CEO provided a PowerPoint presentation outlining information on the
Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus relative to Central Okanagan Public Schools. Details on staff
absences, from January 4th to date, and student absences, from January 10th to date, was shared. The
timeline of the Health Vaccine Status Verification was provided. The response rate of all employees to the
Vaccine Status Verification was 89.9% with a confirmed vaccine rate of all employees at 87.6%. The
response rate of assigned employees was 92.3% with a confirmed vaccine rate of 89.6%.
Action Items:
- Board/Authority Authorized (BAA) Course Proposal – Football 12
The Board of Education approved the Board/Authority Authorized (BAA) Course Proposal – Football 12
(Rutland Senior Secondary School).
- Board/Authority Authorized (BAA) Course Proposal – Wellness 10
The Board of Education approved the Board/Authority Authorized (BAA) Course Proposal – Wellness 10
(Rutland Senior Secondary School).
- Mount Boucherie Secondary School – Soccer Academy Fee Increase
The Board of Education approved the proposed fee increase for the Soccer Academy at Mount Boucherie
Secondary School.
- Mount Boucherie Secondary School – Outdoor Education Academy Fee Increase
The Board of Education approved the proposed fee increase for the Outdoor Education Academy at Mount Boucherie Secondary School.
- Mount Boucherie Secondary School – Baseball Academy Fee Increase
The Board of Education approved the proposed fee increase for the Baseball Academy at Mount Boucherie Secondary School.
- Annual Review of Committee’s Mandate, Purpose and Function – Policy 155 – Planning and Facilities
Committee
The Board of Education affirmed Policy 155 – Planning and Facilities Committee.
- Enhancement Agreement – Chief Tomat Elementary School GaGa Ball Court
The Board of Education agreed to enter into an Enhancement Agreement with the Chief Tomat Elementary School PAC for the creation of a GaGa Ball Court.
- Okanagan Mission Catchment and School Reopening Review Recommendations
The Board of Education approved the following Motions:
THAT: Effective the 2022/23 school year, Bellevue Creek Elementary School is reopened.
Motions for Primary Dual Track (English and French) Elementary Program at Bellevue Creek Elementary
and Dual Track (English and French) Intermediate Elementary Program at École Dorothea Walker
Elementary School.
THAT: Effective the 2022/23 school year, the Kindergarten and Grade 1 English and French Immersion
programs at École Dorothea Walker Elementary School are moved to Bellevue Creek Elementary School;
AND THAT: Effective the 2023/24 school year, the Grade 2 English and French Immersion programs at
École Dorothea Walker Elementary School are discontinued and are established at Bellevue Creek
Elementary School;
AND THAT: The Board of Education renames Bellevue Creek Elementary School to École Bellevue Creek
Elementary School.
THAT: The English catchments for the Okanagan Mission Family of Schools are changed per the map
presented in Appendix E effective the 2022/23 school year;
AND THAT: Any students currently enrolled in Chute Lake Elementary, Anne McClymont Elementary and
École Dorothea Walker Elementary shall retain their enrollment priority as “catchment or French Immersion catchment area students who, in the previous year, attended the school”. These students shall retain their current transportation eligibility as long as they attend their current school and live at the same residence;
AND THAT: The siblings of students who retained their catchment area priority shall be considered as
“siblings of catchment or French Immersion catchment area students”, if their sibling is currently registered at the school.
THAT: Section 3 of Policy 605 – Educational Facility Planning is modified to the following:
- Depending on student enrolment, French Immersion programs should be provided at an adequate
number of regionally located dual-track elementary schools that direct students to future regional
designated dual-track middle schools in several areas of the district and a single dual-track senior
secondary schools.
- Westside Catchment and French Immersion Programming Review Recommendations
Motions for Movement of Shannon Lake Elementary Middle Years Catchment to École Glenrosa Middle
THAT: Effective on the opening of the new Westside Secondary School:
The middle years English catchment within the boundaries of the elementary English catchment for
Shannon Lake Elementary School is moved from Constable Neil Bruce Middle School to École
Glenrosa Middle School;
AND THAT: The immediate area surrounding Constable Neil Bruce Middle School, as presented in
Appendix D, is designated as an optional attendance boundary for either middle school. Students that
choose École Glenrosa Middle School will be directed to the new Westside Secondary School and students that choose Constable Neil Bruce Middle School will be directed to Mount Boucherie Secondary School;
AND THAT: The boundaries of the secondary English catchment for Mount Boucherie Secondary School
are aligned with the middle years English catchment for Constable Neil Bruce Middle School;
AND THAT: The boundaries of the secondary English catchment for the new Westside Secondary School
are aligned with the middle years English catchment for École Glenrosa Middle School.
Motions for exemption of current students from catchment moves and consideration for siblings
THAT: Any students currently enrolled in a school and that reside in an area with a catchment change shall
retain their enrollment priority as “catchment or French Immersion catchment area students who, in the
previous year, attended the school”. These students shall retain their current transportation eligibility as long
as they attend their current school and live at the same residence;
AND THAT: The siblings of students who retained their catchment area priority shall be considered as
“siblings of catchment or French Immersion catchment area students”, if their sibling is currently registered
at the school;
AND THAT: Grades 9 and 10 students that are enrolled at Mount Boucherie Secondary School the year
prior to the new Westside Secondary School opening shall be exempt from this motion and will be
designated to attend their catchment secondary school when the new school opens.
Motions for Secondary French Immersion Programming
THAT: Effective the opening of the new Westside Secondary School, the Board of Education establishes a
Grade 9 and Grade 10 French Immersion program at the new Westside Secondary School;
AND THAT: An additional grade is added to the new Westside Secondary French Immersion program each
year until the school offers a Grades 9 to 12 French Immersion program.
Motions for Elementary French Immersion Programming
THAT: Subject to the final approval of the capital funding for the Westside Secondary School by February
28, 2022:
Effective the 2022/23 school year, the Board of Education moves the French Immersion program at
École George Pringle Elementary to programs that are established at Glenrosa Elementary School and
at Hudson Road Elementary School;
AND THAT: Effective the 2022/23 school year, Glenrosa Elementary School is renamed to École Glenrosa
Elementary School;
AND THAT: Effective the 2022/23 school year, Hudson Road Elementary School is renamed to École
Hudson Road Elementary School;
AND THAT: Effective the 2022/23 school year, the boundaries of the French Immersion catchment for
Glenrosa Elementary School are established as the area of the English middle school catchment for École
Glenrosa Middle School and the English elementary catchment for Shannon Lake Elementary School, as
presented and attached in Appendix E;
AND THAT: Effective the 2022/23 school year, the boundaries of the French Immersion catchment for
Hudson Road Elementary School are established as the area of the English middle school catchment for
Constable Neil Bruce Middle School, with the exception of the English elementary catchment for Shannon
Lake Elementary School, as presented and attached in Appendix E.
THAT: Subject to the final approval of the capital funding for the Westside Secondary School after February
28, 2022 but before February 28, 2023:
Effective the 2023/24 school year, the Board of Education moves the French Immersion program at
École George Pringle Elementary to programs that are established at Glenrosa Elementary School and
at Hudson Road Elementary School;
AND THAT: Effective the 2023/24 school year, Glenrosa Elementary School is renamed to École Glenrosa
Elementary School;
AND THAT: Effective the 2023/24 school year, Hudson Road Elementary School is renamed to École
Hudson Road Elementary School;
AND THAT: Effective the 2023/24 school year, the boundaries of the French Immersion catchment for
Glenrosa Elementary School are aligned with the English middle school catchment for École Glenrosa
Middle School and the English Elementary catchment for Shannon Lake Elementary School, as presented
and attached in Appendix E;
AND THAT: Effective the 2023/24 school year, the boundaries of the French Immersion catchment for
Hudson Road Elementary School are aligned with the English middle school catchment for Constable Neil
Bruce Middle School, with the exception of the English elementary catchment for Shannon Lake Elementary
School, as presented and attached in Appendix E.
- Vaccination Mandate for Staff and Trustees
The Board of Education approved the following:
THAT: The Board of Education directs the Superintendent of Schools/CEO to implement a vaccination
mandate for COTA staff, COPVPA staff, Excluded staff and Trustees per the Operating Procedure specified
in the Letter of Agreement between the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation and the British Columbia
Public School Employers’ Association;
AND THAT: The Board of Education directs the Superintendent of Schools/CEO to implement a vaccination mandate for CUPE Staff per the Operating Procedure specified in the Letter of Agreement between the CUPE K-12 Presidents’ Council and Support Staff Unions and the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association.
Information Items:
The Board of Education reviewed the following:
- Level 4 and 5 Field Study Summary – 2021/2022
- General Statement – January 12, 2022
- Central Okanagan Public Schools Provincial Online Learning School Feasibility Report
Items Requiring Special Mention
The Board Chair and the Superintendent of Schools/CEO spoke of the following:
The success of the École Kelowna Secondary School school-based thrift store. This past December, the
thrift store made a $1,000 profit which was donated to the Kelowna Gospel Mission.
2022-2023 Budget Presentation
The public presentation, explaining how the District’s budget is established, will take place at the Central
Okanagan Parent Advisory Council (COPAC) meeting on Monday, February 7, 2022 at 7:00 pm by Zoom. If
you would like to listen to this presentation, please request the Zoom link from:
copac.president@sd23.bc.ca All those interested in learning more about the School District 2022-2023 budget and how to provide input are encouraged to participate in this information meeting.
Parent and Staff Digital Wellness Learning Sessions
Two upcoming Raising Digital Leaders Webinars are being hosted for parents/guardians. February 1st for
Elementary Parents/Guardians and February 3rd for Middle/Secondary parents/guardians. An email was
distributed to all parents/guardians on January 20th.
Re-Elect Julia Fraser for School Trustee 