DM Bulletin – March 7, 2025 – Deputy Minister's Bulletin

Friday March 7, 2025

**Kaye Krishna**
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care

Greetings from the Partner Liaison Meeting (PLM) in Vancouver! It’s been great connecting with many of you at the All-Superintendents Meeting yesterday and PLM today, bringing together the B.C. School Trustees Association, the B.C. School Superintendents Association, and the B.C. Association of School Business Officials for discussion on dedicated topics of interest. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed engaging in dialogue, hearing what’s top of mind for participants, and providing ministry updates.

I’m happy to share in this week’s Bulletin a new agreement with the Government of Canada for National School Food Program (NSFP) funding. School Food Coordinators are asked to provide a list of schools anticipated to receive NSFP funding. Also see registration information for two May conferences and the Framework in Action Virtual Learning series, as well as assessment session results, a new Indigenous Education Council resource, and a grant for families of students in Kindergarten through Grade 3.

As mentioned in the All Supes Meeting, you can reach out to me directly (Kaye.Krishna@gov.bc.ca or 250-880-3451) if you need to flag or escalate issues, and you can continue to contact Jennifer McCrea (Jennifer.McCrea@gov.bc.ca or 250-896-3735) on a regular basis, as I know many of you do today.

Wishing you a sunny weekend.

Kaye

For Action

National School Food Program Funding Announcement

For Action

Published Friday March 07 2025

National School Food Program Funding Announcement

As announced in today’s news release, the Ministry of Education and Child Care has finalized an agreement with the Government of Canada for National School Food Program (NSFP) funding. B.C. will receive up to $71.4 million over the next five years in additional school food program funding to complement Feeding Futures. The signing of this agreement secures the first three years of funding for the Province.

School district allocations for the first year of the NSFP have been shared with School Food Coordinators, and districts can expect funds to be dispersed in April 2025. A request has been sent to school food coordinators to provide the ministry with a list of schools anticipated to receive NSFP funding. Completed lists are due to ECC.schoolfood@gov.bc.ca by Tuesday, March 11 at 12:00 pm PST. Please email ECC.schoolfood@gov.bc.ca if you have any questions.

School Food Coordinators|Secretary-Treasurers
Mental Health in Schools Conference Registration

For Action

Published Friday March 07 2025

Mental Health in Schools Conference Registration

Registration is still open for the Mental Health in Schools Conference in Vancouver on May 5-6, 2025. This year’s theme is Walking Alongside (walking alongside students, staff, and the broader school community) to promote student and adult mental health and well-being in the B.C. K-12 education system. Please ensure that your school district team is registered before the deadline on March 21, 2025. If you did not receive an email invitation, please contact bc.mentalhealthconference@gov.bc.ca.

Mental Health Leads
2025 BC CAISE Spring Conference – May 22-23 in Vancouver

For Action

Published Friday March 07 2025

2025 BC CAISE Spring Conference – May 22-23 in Vancouver

The B.C. Council of Administrators of Inclusive Support in Education’s (BC CAISE) Spring Conference—Inspiring Voices: Learning Together Through Experience and Story—will be held in Vancouver on May 22 and 23. This two-day conference will feature keynote speaker Myles Himmelreich, whose work is focused on bringing awareness and supports to all individuals with diverse learning styles, and a Becoming Anti-Ableist workshop led by Elisabeth Walker-Young and Shawna Lawson, which will explore frameworks and practical approaches for becoming anti-ableist to expand attendees’ toolkits.

Registration is now open on the BC CAISE website for school-based administrators and educators.

Directors of Instruction|Inclusive Education Leads|Online Learning Principals and Vice-Principals|Principals & Vice Principals
B.C. Training and Education Savings Program Grant

For Action

Published Friday March 07 2025

B.C. Training and Education Savings Program Grant

Please share this B.C. Training and Education Savings Program Grant flyer with families/guardians of students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 prior to Spring Break to let them know their child may be eligible for a $1,200 B.C. Training and Education Savings Grant for their post-secondary education or training.

Principals & Vice Principals
Framework for Enhancing Student Learning Framework in Action Virtual Learning Series Registration

For Action

Published Friday March 07 2025

Framework for Enhancing Student Learning Framework in Action Virtual Learning Series Registration

The Framework for Enhancing Student Learning team is hosting a Framework in Action Virtual Learning series this spring. These sessions will focus on sharing promising practices through short district presentations and providing opportunities for discussion between sector leaders. Superintendents are encouraged to invite their senior leadership team to the sessions; there is no attendee limit for district teams. More information and registration links are available in the Framework in Action poster. For questions, please email EDUC.Framework@gov.bc.ca.

Directors of Instruction

For Information

January 2025 Graduation Assessment Results

The January 2025 assessment session results are now available for the Grade 12 Literacy Assessment (LTE12), Évaluation de littératie de la 12e année – Français langue première (LTP12), Évaluation de littératie de la 12ᵉ année – Français langue seconde – immersion (LTF12), and Grade 10 numeracy and literacy assessments (NME10, NMF10, LTE10, and LTP10).
(more…)

Principals & Vice Principals|School Counsellors
erase Organized Crime and Exploitation Prevention Information Series – Surrey WRAParound Program – March 12, 2025

For Information

Published Friday March 07 2025

erase Organized Crime and Exploitation Prevention Information Series – Surrey WRAParound Program – March 12, 2025

As part of their erase Organized Crime and Exploitation Prevention Information Series, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (PSSG) is hosting a presentation on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 10:30 am–12:00 pm PST on the Surrey WRAParound Program.

Led by the Safe Schools Department of the Surrey School District, the Surrey WRAParound Program has been operating since 2008 and involves wraparound care planning for youth who are being exploited and/or recruited by organized crime. The presentation will include best practices on how to first engage youth who are involved in high-risk activity in the community.

If you have questions you would like to send in advance, please reach out by email to SOC.hub@gov.bc.ca.

Registration for this session is now open. This presentation series is intended for school district staff and their teams and will not be available for a wider audience. Please register with a work e-mail address to confirm eligibility.

This is the eleventh presentation in PSSG’s erase OCE series.

Inclusive Education Leads|Indigenous Education Leads|Mental Health Leads|Online Learning Principals and Vice-Principals|Principals & Vice Principals|Safe School Coordinators
New Indigenous Education Council (IEC) Implementation Resource

For Information

Published Friday March 07 2025

New Indigenous Education Council (IEC) Implementation Resource

The ministry is pleased to announce the release of a new two-page resource designed to assist with the implementation of Indigenous Education Councils (IECs). The document includes key steps and reminders to support the successful establishment of IECs.

Please email EDUC.IndigenousEducation@gov.bc.ca if you have any questions about Indigenous Education Councils.

Indigenous Education Leads
Discipline Outcomes

For Information

Published Friday March 07 2025

Discipline Outcomes

Discipline outcomes are posted to enhance the transparency of the processes and decisions made with respect to complaints and reports about educators. Recently, an outcome was posted regarding Joseph Scott William McLeod, whose certificate was previously cancelled and who agreed to a lifetime ban on reapplying or being issued any authorization to teach in the K-12 education system.

Directors of Human Resources|Principals & Vice Principals|Secretary-Treasurers

All school district reporting requirements are available in the online reporting calendar. The following reporting requirements are due to the ministry in the next few weeks:

April 11

School District Quarterly GRE Financial Report – April

April 17

Event-Driven Reporting

April 28

June Graduation Assessment Registrations – Opening Date

April 30

Friday March 7, 2025

For Action

National School Food Program Funding Announcement

National School Food Program Funding Announcement

Mental Health in Schools Conference Registration

Mental Health in Schools Conference Registration

2025 BC CAISE Spring Conference – May 22-23 in Vancouver

2025 BC CAISE Spring Conference – May 22-23 in Vancouver

B.C. Training and Education Savings Program Grant

B.C. Training and Education Savings Program Grant

Framework for Enhancing Student Learning Framework in Action Virtual Learning Series Registration

Framework for Enhancing Student Learning Framework in Action Virtual Learning Series Registration

For Information

January 2025 Graduation Assessment Results

erase Organized Crime and Exploitation Prevention Information Series – Surrey WRAParound Program – March 12, 2025

erase Organized Crime and Exploitation Prevention Information Series – Surrey WRAParound Program – March 12, 2025

New Indigenous Education Council (IEC) Implementation Resource

New Indigenous Education Council (IEC) Implementation Resource

Discipline Outcomes

Discipline Outcomes

District Reporting Requirements

News Releases

Additional Resources

Contact Us