Additional professional development workshops supporting the implementation of the Indigenous-focused graduation requirement have been scheduled for May and June 2023. There are four different workshops: BC First Peoples 12 (in-person), BC First Peoples 12 (virtual), Train the Trainer (in-person) and English First Peoples 10-12 (virtual). Please share the registration details with teachers who will be teaching these courses in the 2023/24 school year.
Friday April 21, 2023
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care
Hi, everyone – another week comes to a close that feels more March than April, but I am watching the longer days and cherry blossoms as promises of spring on the way! Please see below for important items, such as a flag half-masting notification regarding the former residential school in Sechelt; Pro-D workshops for the Indigenous-Focused Grad requirement for the 2023/24 school year; parent brochures for your school communities in French, Farsi, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Tagalog; and a reminder to register for the next All Superintendents Meeting and Year 3 Framework Calibration Meeting.
Wishing everyone a productive and successful BCSSA Spring Forum!
Christina
For Action
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Indigenous-focused Graduation Requirement Parent Brochure in Multiple Languages
As previously communicated, a parent brochure was created to support conversations with students, parents/caregivers, and staff regarding the new Indigenous-focused graduation requirement. This brochure has now been translated into six additional languages: French, Farsi, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Tagalog. Please share these translations with the contacts listed below with a request for them to distribute to their school communities as appropriate.
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Registration Reminder for All Superintendents Meeting and the Year 3 Framework Calibration Meeting
A reminder that registration is now open for the All Superintendents Meeting (May 17) and the Year 3 Framework Calibration Meeting (May 18) at the Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport in Richmond. Please confirm registration by April 28. A reception will be held following the All Superintendents Meeting on May 18 from 4:00 – 5:30 pm at the Radisson, so please join us to celebrate achievements from throughout the school year. Please also note that after receiving feedback from the sector related to travel impacts and timing with the budget cycle, the May 18th session will now be exclusively for Superintendents, with a session dedicated to Secretary-Treasurers to be held at the BCASBO meeting the following week.
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Transition to Post-Secondary Institutions (PSI) Dashboard
Please join us April 27 at 3:10 pm for this month’s Analytics Outreach and Information Sharing Session on the PSI transition dashboard; see this poster for more information. The dashboard can be accessed through the BC K-12 Education Data Portal. Please contact EDUC.ReportingUnit@gov.bc.ca if you have any questions.
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Remitting Annual Practice Fee for Certificate Holders – Due May 15
Under section 37 (Annual practice fee) of the Teachers Act, employers are required to remit to the Ministry the $80 annual practice fee that is deducted from the wage of certificate holders employed with the board on April 30. Please ensure you remit the 2023/24 fee through the Employers’ Area on or before May 15. If you have any questions, please email the Teacher Regulation Branch at trb.employers@gov.bc.ca or call 236-455-1872.
For Information
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Half-masting Notification: Former Residential School in Sechelt
Pursuant to the British Columbia policy on half-masting, the Canadian flag at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria will be flown at half-mast until sunset on Sunday, April 23, 2023, acknowledging the request from shíshálh Nation to honour those who suffered trauma and harm at the former residential school in Sechelt and their families and communities who are mourning. The direction of the Province on half-masting protocols is provided in case school districts wish to follow a similar approach.
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erase Information and Requests
Please see this erase Spring Updates document for reminders and requests regarding the BC Student Safety Communications Protocol, Community VTRA Protocol/Partnership, updates on the anti-racism inclusion calendar, and erase training.
