As a reminder to all school districts that have not yet submitted their Mental Health in Schools Action Plan Questionnaire, the questionnaire is due today, February 2, as part of the Mental Health in School Grant. The ministry will be following up with school districts that have not submitted the questionnaire in the following week. Please contact AWIS at support@awinfosys.com or 1-866-558-5339 if you’re having trouble accessing the questionnaire. Any other questions can be directed to the Mental Health and Substance Use Branch at EDUC.MentalHealth@gov.bc.ca.
Friday February 2, 2024
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care
Hi everyone,
Please see below a reminder about two surveys for which we request information, including the Feeding Futures School Food Survey. Information from this survey will be integral to informing quantitative and qualitative analysis for government of this foundational year of the ongoing program. There is also information on the launch and phased rollout of the Education Data Exchange (EDX) that’s modernizing how the Ministry of Education and Child Care receives 1601 data, and eventually 1701 data, from schools and districts. I look forward to seeing everyone at the meetings next week in Richmond and I hope you have a great weekend!
Christina Zacharuk
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care
For Action
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Feeding Futures School Food Survey
Schools are asked to complete the School Food Survey to provide an update on the establishment and expansion of school food programs through Feeding Futures funding. This survey will collect information about the delivery of school food programs to inform Feeding Futures, including:
- Program type, approximate number of students accessing programs, and cost to families
- Food procurement methods, information about new and existing community partnerships, and approaches to sourcing local food
- Nutritional quality of meals provided
- Engagement with local First Nations and/or Indigenous organizations
- Processes used to identify students who could benefit from school food programs, and methods for targeting these students in a way that reduces stigma
- Opportunities for improving school food programs
The survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete and will be open from February 2-26. Please contact ECC.schoolfood@gov.bc.ca if you have any questions about the survey. -
Cancellation of Teaching Certificates
In line with Section 34 of the Teachers Act, employers are being notified that 12 teaching certificates were cancelled on January 15, 2024, for certificate holders who did not comply with criminal record check requirements. To ensure that the teachers employed at your schools remain certified, please check their status using the Certificate Verification Tool and review the cancellation notice available in the Employers’ Area. If you have any questions, please email the Teacher Regulation Branch at trb.employers@gov.bc.ca or call 236-455-1872.
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2023/24 New Spaces Fund Intake Closing Soon
The ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund will be closing its current intake on February 9. In the coming weeks, the New Spaces Fund will introduce a new application process and new guidelines for the next intake scheduled to open in April. These documents will be added to the web page and shared in a future edition of the Deputy Minister’s Bulletin.
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Annual Lead in Water Reporting
School districts are required to test for lead content in drinking water in their school facilities to ensure the quality meets established guidelines. Please complete the Testing Lead Content in Drinking Water of School Facilities Report 2023-24 (under Publications and Resources on the Capital Planning web page) and then email your report to the Capital Management Branch by February 28. Policy information is available on the Testing Lead Content in Drinking Water web page.
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McCreary Adolescent Health Survey Data Access Request
The ministry is seeking superintendents’ consent to allow the McCreary Centre Society to release their aggregate district-level data and report to the ministry from the 2023 McCreary Adolescent Health Survey. To provide your consent, please sign and return this letter to the Mental Health and Substance Use branch at EDUC.MentalHealth@gov.bc.ca.
For Information
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Feeding Futures Communities of Practice
In response to interest expressed by School Food Coordinators, the ministry is working to establish regional Feeding Futures Communities of Practice to support information sharing and connection among School Food Coordinators. The Communities of Practice will be facilitated by SHIFT Collaborative and School Food Coordinators can expect to receive communication from SHIFT Collaborative regarding next steps in the coming weeks.
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New Online Form for TRAX Changes and Exemption Requests
Historical corrections to ministry records for students who have left the B.C. secondary school system (Grades 10-12) should now be submitted using the new, online TRAX Change Form instead of the emailed PDF document. A new form has also been introduced for Grade 10 Literacy Assessment(LTE 10)/ Évaluation de littératie de la 10e année (LTP 10) exemption requests. More details and the form are available in the updated Grade 10 Literacy/Litteratie de la 10e année exemptions process guide.
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Standardizing Capital Projects Contracts within Capital Asset Management Framework
As per Capital Project Funding Agreements (CPFA) and Annual Program Funding Agreements (APFA), districts must adhere to the Capital Asset Management Framework (CAMF) guidelines and checklists. This now includes the use of these standardized contracts and their supplementary conditions as best practice. Details can be found on the Resources to Support the Use of Contracts web page and should be referenced for upcoming capital project contracts. The ministry’s Capital Management Branch will liaise directly with districts involved in any relevant upcoming projects.
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EDX Launch and Onboarding Update
The Education Data Exchange (EDX) successfully launched in mid-December. All school district offices are in the system, with most public schools to follow beginning February 5. Visit the Education Data Exchange web page for new training resources and details on how the ministry is supporting the roll out to schools.
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French Immersion Celebration Week – February 4-10
The Province of B.C. is proclaiming the week of February 4-10 as French Immersion Celebration Week to acknowledge and celebrate French Immersion student success, as well as the contribution of French Immersion educators. Over 53,000 students are enrolled in a French Immersion program offered by 45 school districts throughout the province. Over this week, French immersion students, educators, and their families can participate in fun-filled activities in their communities. Learn more at the Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon website.
