If you are able to attend and have not already registered for the Reception (4:00pm to 5:30pm) following the All Superintendents Meeting (Wednesday, May 17), please RSVP. If you are flying to Vancouver, you can contact the hotel for shuttle pickup and schedule your return trip at the front desk. The shuttle will take approximately 10 minutes to arrive. If you are bringing a vehicle, there is complimentary parking available in the hotel. Please use the parking map as reference.
Friday May 12, 2023
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care
Hi, everyone – I look forward to seeing you next week at the All Superintendents’ Meeting and the Framework session the following day; hopefully the sun stays with us through next week! Amongst other updates, please see below information on the Public Health survey being launched, as well as an invitation to partner for a grant opportunity to develop educator resources for early diabetes identification. Speaking of the sun, I’d also like to encourage everyone to stay informed about potential risks and to take precautions to ensure their safety and well-being considering the forecasted heat, with more information available from the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and the BC Centre for Disease Control on preparing for heat events. Finally, last week we indicated that there would be public release related to the new reporting policy for the 2023/24 school year; that announcement has been delayed. In the meantime, please continue to distribute materials and information at the district level.
Have a great weekend!
Christina
For Action
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Reminder to Verify Certificate Status
A reminder that the teachers employed by your district must hold a valid B.C. teaching certificate. Please search the online registry or use the tools in the Employers’ Area to verify that they do.
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Have Your Say in B.C.’s Largest Population Health Survey
Public Health is launching the third round of the SPEAK population health survey. This survey asks about physical and mental health, as well as social and economic well-being. The results will help support programs and initiatives to improve the health of your community. SPEAK is open to adults aged 18 and older and is available in English, French, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Punjabi, Farsi, Arabic, Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean. Please share the link to the survey with your Principals/Vice-Principals with a request they in turn share it with their school communities, especially people with children and young adults in their lives.
For Information
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Required Documentation for New Teacher Hires
If you plan to hire new teachers for September who are not yet certified, please ensure your prospective employees submit their applications for certification and related documents to the Teacher Regulation Branch no later than June 30. An application cannot be reviewed until all outstanding documents have been received.
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Updated 2022/23 February Operating Grants
Operating Grants tables for School Year 2022/23 have been updated to correct a data processing error in the February operating grant tables where special needs enrolments for online students was understated (Table 1a and Table 11). Please contact Tim.Jah@gov.bc.ca with any questions.
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Final Drop-in Session for BCTEA Transportation Planning and Reporting
The First Nations Education Steering Committee, the Ministry of Education and Child Care, and Indigenous Services Canada invite you to register for the final drop-in session on May 17, 2023 regarding BCTEA Transportation planning and reporting. These sessions are designed to give you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have during the development of the 2023/24 Joint Transportation Plan or completion of the 2022/23 Financial Report May 24. If you have already attended one of these sessions, you do not need to attend again. Please email BCTEA@gov.bc.ca with any questions.
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BCTEA Transportation Clarification on Extracurricular Reporting
The ministry has received requests for clarification regarding the BCTEA 2022-23 Transportation Reporting template, specifically the Tab (2) Extracurricular Report, and the scope of reporting. Please refer to the updated Extracurricular Report instructions for details. Please email BCTEA@gov.bc.ca with any questions.
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Request from the Canadian Pediatric Endocrine Group: Seeking District Partner for Grant Opportunity to Develop Educator Resources for Early Diabetes Identification
The Canadian Pediatric Endocrine Group (CPEG) is looking for school district partners to co-apply for a grant from Diabetes Canada to develop a prototype module for K-12 educators focused on early identification of diabetes symptoms. The intention is to develop a short-form module (e.g., a 5-minute video) as well as supporting materials. This initiative aims to reduce the number of children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening condition that can be prevented if diabetes symptoms (increased urination and drinking) are recognized early. The rate of DKA at the time of diagnosis has increased since the start of the pandemic. Expressions of interest should be made by the end of May. For more information, please contact:
Rayzel Shulman
Pediatric Endocrinologist
The Hospital for Sick Children
Rayzel.shulman@sickkids.ca -
ShakeOut BC Ask the Experts Free Webinar
The Great BC ShakeOut is hosting an “Ask the Experts” free webinar for students in grades 5-12 on Tuesday, May 16 from 1:30 – 2:30pm. Questions can be sent in advance via the registration form, by e-mail to info@shakeoutbc.ca, and via the live chat during the webinar.
