A reminder that the Framework in Action session, Framework for Enhancing Student Learning 101 – Unpacking Your Questions, is on May 7, 2025, at 1:00-2:30 pm PDT. This session will provide an overview of the Framework for Enhancing Student Learning and include time to answer your questions. To join this session, register to receive the Zoom link. The Framework in Action poster has information on additional learning sessions. Please share information about these sessions with your senior district teams. Please email EDUC.Framework@gov.bc.ca if you have any questions.
Friday May 2, 2025
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care
250-880-3451
Kaye.Krishna@gov.bc.ca
Hello all, and happy Friday.
It was great to see most of you today at our All Superintendents meeting on the theme of Consciousness Based Systems Change to Support Student Success. My team and I always appreciate the opportunity to connect with you to provide important updates, hear what’s happening in your districts, and to discuss shared priorities.
This week’s Bulletin has details on several important items, as well as upcoming recognition dates, so please take the time to go through it carefully. And in case you missed it, please look for the Special Update I sent you yesterday with important information on today’s provincial day of remembrance and mourning for victims of the Lapu Lapu festival and their families, as well as an update on the flag half masting protocol.
Districts must complete and submit their BCTEA 2025/26 Joint Transportation Plan as well as their 2024/25 Revenue and Spending Report by May 16. Building off Cloë Nicholls’ presentation on FESL earlier today, there’s a reminder about an upcoming virtual learning session meant to help you unpack any Framework questions you have.
Next week is Canadian Mental Health Week, and we’ve shared some information and resources for you and your school communities. It’s also Emergency Preparedness Week, and we’ve included links to updated emergency management resources to support your district emergency preparedness work.
May also happens to kick off Child Care Month in BC, with Child Care Provider Appreciation Day taking place on Friday, May 9. What a great time to say thank you to the providers and staff that are helping your district offer students and their families child care on school grounds!
There are three additional updates on operating grants, curriculum and capital planning that are important, so please review and share with those you need to.
Finally, a reminder that next Monday is Red Dress Day,an annual event formed by the REDress Project (#REDress) in memory of the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (#MMIWG) across Canada. We’ve included more information and some links below.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Kaye
For Action
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British Columbia Tripartite Education Agreement (BCTEA) 2025/26 Joint Transportation and 2024/25 Revenue and Spending Report – Due by May 16
Signed BCTEA 2025/26 Joint Transportation Plans and signed 2024/25 Revenue and Spending Reports are due to bctea@gov.bc.ca by May 16. Joint Committee approvals are dependent on timely submission of Joint Plans. Information is available in this backgrounder to support the Joint Plan submission process, reporting requirements and to learn about the new extracurricular allocation process.
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2024-25 Student Learning Survey Extension
The 2024/25 Student Learning Survey deadline has been extended to May 9, 2025. To help monitor survey participation, districts can view their SLS participation rates (updated weekly) through the SLS Participation Dashboard within the BC K-12 Education Data Portal. If your school would like to request assistance in determining who hasn’t completed the survey yet, as well as for technical and administrative support, please contact AWIS at 1‑866‑558‑5339 or at support@awinfosys.com. For any questions related to the survey content and dashboards, contact Educ.ReportingUnit@gov.bc.ca.
For Information
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2024/25 Operating Grants – Correction to February 2025 Enrolment Totals
After a review of the enrolment totals from the February 2025 data collection, the ministry has confirmed there were data discrepancies affecting some districts’ operating grants for inclusive education enrolment growth and newcomer refugee enrolment. The operating grant tables have now been updated with the corrected enrolment and are available here Interim Operating Grants web page. Please contact EDUC.FundingandAllocationUnit@gov.bc.ca with any questions.
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Emergency Management Resource Package and Key Contacts
Emergency Preparedness Week is May 4-10, 2025. To support emergency preparedness and planning across the education and child care sectors, the Ministry of Education and Child Care is sharing updated emergency management resources for the 2025 year. These resources support mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery planning.
- The K-12 Education and Child Care: Emergency Management Key Contacts lists current contacts at the ministry and other educational partners to support emergency response coordination and information sharing.
- The K-12 Education and Child Care: Emergency Management Resource Package includes key resources to help schools and child care facilities plan for, respond to, and recover from emergencies such as wildfires, heat events, floods and other climate-related risks.
Districts are encouraged to review and share this information to help strengthen emergency readiness across their school communities.
Any questions can be directed to the Student Safety team at erase@gov.bc.ca.
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Curriculum Updates for 2025/26 School Year
This is a reminder about recently announced updates to learning standards in the Social Studies 10 and Physical and Health Education 10 curricula that will take effect at the start of the new school year on July 1, 2025.
The updates to Social Studies 10 include specifically requiring learning about:
- The Holocaust and the concept of genocide
- Racial segregation and the destruction of Hogan’s Alley
- Internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II
In addition, there will be an expanded focus on existing learning about Residential Schools and other injustices towards First Peoples in BC and Canada.
The updates to Physical and Health Education 10 include:
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) learning
Education partners and various community organizations have been informed of these updates and they have also been communicated to Superintendents via the BC School Superintendents Association (BCSSA). For those who may not have received information about these updates to the curriculum, please reach out to the BCSSA, or directly to the Ministry of Education and Child Care via the StudentLearningBranch@gov.bc.ca.
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2026/27 Capital Plan Instructions
The 2026/27 Capital Plan Instructions to inform upcoming capital project submissions are posted at Capital Planning web page. Please contact Michael.Nyikes@gov.bc.ca if you have any questions.
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Red Dress Day
A reminder that next Monday, May 5, 2025, is Red Dress Day, an annual event formed by the REDress Project (#REDress) in memory of the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (#MMIWG) across Canada. The hashtag #SayTheirName brings awareness to remembering the names of those who have been murdered or are still missing. Please visit Amnesty International Canada’s Red Dress Day website to learn how Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people in Canada are disproportionally affected by violence and are over-represented in the rate of murdered and missing women and how we can all take steps to be changemakers.
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Canadian Mental Health Week – May 5-11
Canadian Mental Health Week from May 5-11, 2025, offers a powerful opportunity to spark change. Living with mental health challenges often forces people to hide behind a “mask” to protect themselves from judgment and discrimination – this year’s theme is “Unmasking Mental Health”, encouraging people across Canada to look beyond the surface and see the whole person. See the Mental Health Week School Toolkit for more information and to access free resources.
During the Canadian Mental Health Week, the ministry is hosting its fifth Mental Health in Schools Conference on May 5-6, 2025. This year’s theme is “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. This anticipated conference amplifies the ongoing work in school-based mental health and substance use education, as well as our commitment to collaboration with education, health, and community partners. It will bring together K-12 and early learning sector representatives and partners, health authorities, and Indigenous organizations. Ministry partners will also be present to provide a cross-government commitment to mental health in schools in BC.
You may also find mental health resources and information for students, adults and school staff on erase under mental health and substance use.
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Changing Results for Young Children Provincial Network Session
The Changing Results for Young Children Provincial Network Session will take place on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm PDT (via Zoom).
Please join us for an engaging session focused on celebrating the project involvement of 49 school districts. Learn from national and international experts about how focusing on social-emotional well-being supports children’s success. Find out about project successes and hear stories of educator participation and practise. Learn about developmental science focused on children’s social-emotional well-being and mental health.
Speakers include:
- Denise Augustine: Welcome
- Monique Gray Smith: Children’s book author, featuring her newest children’s book
- Sharon Jeroski: Research reflections and achievements
- Rhona MacIntosh, Jill McDonald and Jodi McLean: Participant stories and reflections
- Jean Clinton: Children’s mental health and wellness
- Kim Schonert-Reichl: Early childhood science and research focused on social/emotional well-being.
Registration for this event is free and everyone is welcome. See this event poster for more information.
Questions about this event may be directed to educ.earlylearning@gov.bc.ca.
