In light of recent cyberattacks, school districts are reminded to follow cybersecurity best practices, industry standards and ministry recommended security policies to ensure a safe digital learning environment for students, educators and district staff. Please see the Being Cyber Secure in K-12 10 Point Checklist and other cybersecurity resources on the FocusEd website for important tips and reminders.
Friday November 29, 2024
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care
Happy Friday, everyone.
I hope that you have had a good week and thank you again for joining me on the call this morning.
Minister of Education and Child Care Lisa Beare, Minister of State for Child Care and Children and Youth with Support Needs Jodie Wickens and I have had two fulfilling weeks of connecting with partners at in-person meetings, virtual forums and by telephone. Minister Beare has met with every school board chair this week and will join tomorrow’s BCCPAC Virtual Membership Summit. We also continued detailed briefings on all the files related to K-12 and Child Care.
In this week’s bulletin, we focus on online security and safety. As discussed this morning, you will find resources regarding cybersecurity best practices to help you take action in light of recent attacks on school districts. Also, Safe School Coordinators and their teams are invited to attend an online presentation on ways to keep students safe online and when using today’s most popular apps – evolving strategies that we need to learn continually.
Following up on the All Superintendents meeting, we remind you to please share a copy of the Indigenous Education Council (IEC) Terms of Reference approved by your IEC, if you have them, by January 15. I want to recognize that last week we heard loud and clear that not everyone is at the same place when it comes to the implementation of their IEC’s and we look forward to ongoing dialogue on how to advance implementation into the new year.
Lots to read and I hope that you find the information valuable to your work.
This week’s bulletin also includes information on funding. Below you will find more information on a school health grant for youth through the Public Health Agency of Canada as well as the B.C. Excellence and Pathway to Teacher Education scholarships. In addition, you will find a reminder that federal French education funding contributions under the Official Languages in Education Programs will be transferred to BC school districts now that it’s the end of November.
Wishing you a lovely weekend as we head into December.
Warmly,
Kaye
For Action
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erase Organized Crime and Exploitation Information Series and Community of Practice – Keeping Kids Safe Online
As part of their erase Organized Crime and Exploitation Information and Community of Practice series, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (PSSG) is hosting a presentation on Wednesday, December 11, 10:30 am–12:00 pm PST about keeping kids safe online. The PLEA Community Services’ Children of the Street program will focus on ways educators can help keep students safe in the online world. Presenters will share an overview of the way children and youth are being exploited online, including warning signs, as well as today’s most popular apps and ways to use them safely. The session will include how to discuss these topics with children and youth.
This is the ninth presentation in PSSG’s erase series. Recordings of past presentations along with resources on organized crime and exploitation are accessible through their SharePoint website. Access to the website is restricted to Safe School Coordinators and their teams. You can request access by clicking the link or contacting your district’s Safe School Coordinator.
Registration for this session is now open.
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Public Health Agency of Canada School Health Grant for Youth
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is accepting applications for the School Health Grant for Youth. Youth aged 16 to 19 who are enrolled in secondary school can apply for a $1,000 micro-grant to lead a short-term initiative promoting youth health at their school. Applications will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis, until all funds are allocated or until December 20, 2024, at 11:59 am EST. Recipients will publicly share their project on social media to encourage community discussion and enable other Canadian youth to find, share and draw inspiration.
See the Stakeholder Toolkit for additional social media and promotional resources.
For Information
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Indigenous Education Councils (IECs) Terms of Reference – Due January 15, 2025
If your school district has Terms of Reference approved by your IEC, please send a copy to the Ministry by January 15, 2025. Understanding this may take time, if you have not yet developed or finalized IEC Terms of Reference, please indicate to the ministry a date by which the Terms of Reference will likely be complete. Please submit to the Indigenous Education inbox at EDUC.IndigenousEducation@gov.bc.ca.
The IEC Terms of Reference template is available at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/legislation-policy/resources/iec-template-terms-of-reference.pdf
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French Federal Funding Contributions for School Districts 2024-25
Federal French education funding contributions under the Official Languages in Education Programs (OLEP) will be transferred to BC school districts at the end of November. Contribution amounts, the updated French Funding Guide and other French Education information can be viewed on the Funding Support Under Official Languages in Education Programs (OLEP) web page. Contact Duncan.McIndoe@gov.bc.ca if you have questions.
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2025 BC Excellence and Pathway to Teacher Education Scholarship Applications are Now Open
Online applications for the BC Excellence and Pathway to Teacher Education scholarships are now open and are due by Monday, February 17, 2025, at 3:00 pm PST. Selected applicants will be notified in June 2025 and must graduate and meet core eligibility and scholarship-specific requirements by August 31, 2025, to be confirmed for an award. In the fall of 2025, recipients of this scholarship will receive a voucher worth $5,000 they can use to be reimbursed for tuition paid at a designated postsecondary institution or BC-authorized trades training provider (Excellence) or an approved K–12 teaching program in BC (Pathway). Please contact scholarships@gov.bc.ca with any questions.
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Notification of Certificate Rescission
Pursuant to section 31 of the Teachers Act, boards of education have been notified that Nazli Kamalimoghaddam’s Certificate of Qualification was rescinded on November 22, 2024.
