The Canadian flag at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset on Saturday November 8, 2025, to mark Indigenous Veterans’ Day. It will also be flown at half mast on the Parliament Buildings in Victoria and on all British Columbia government buildings and establishments across the province from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday November 11, 2025, to mark Remembrance Day. The direction of the Province on half-masting protocols is provided in case school districts wish to follow a similar approach.
Friday November 7, 2025
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care
250-880-3451
Kaye.Krishna@gov.bc.ca
Happy Friday, everyone – I hope it has been a good week for you.
This week, provincial elected officials and public service executives joined leaders from First Nations spanning BC to attend the 10th annual First Nations Leadership Gathering (FNLG). The Minister and our ministry executive team met with 46 Nations over the course of two days to hear concerns and ideas on how to improve child care and education systems for First Nations families. It was a grounding reminder of all the critical work we have yet to do together in our journey toward Truth and Reconciliation.
As we head into the weekend, please note the article below regarding half masting flags in commemoration of Indigenous Veterans’ Day and Remembrance Day next week.
Finally, I will be taking a medical leave for the next two months and Jennifer McCrea will serve as Acting Deputy Minister during that time.
Thanks for all that you do. Take care and have a nice weekend.
Kaye
For Action
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District Early Learning and Child Care Lead Interim Report
Boards of education that have Early Learning and Child Care Leads are required to complete the District Early Learning and Child Care Lead Interim Report by November 29. Information from the report is collected to understand the top three child care projects on school grounds that are planned/underway in your district. If you have any questions, contact educ.earlylearning@gov.bc.ca.
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Reminder: Update Records for Scholarship Eligibility for 2024/25 Graduates
The Ministry of Education and Child Care uses records provided by schools to confirm eligibility for all awards under the Provincial Scholarships Program:
Moreover, as per policy, graduating students had until August 31 to meet requirements.
Final marks for any summer course completions, and all other data, including citizenship/permanent residency status, should now be up to date for graduates of the 2024/25 school year.
This is a reminder to take any last steps necessary to ensure the accuracy of your student records so that those students will be considered appropriately for scholarships this fall. Find reporting resources on the TRAX Information web page.
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Framework for Enhancing Student Learning: Community of Practice Update and Expression of Interest
Communities of practice under the Framework for Enhancing Student Learning, originally planned for September 2025, have been delayed for a number of reasons. The ministry is now seeking expressions of interest from senior district teams who would be interested in joining a community of practice focused on building alignment between district strategic plans and school plans, an area for improvement identified in the 2024 Annual Review. This community of practice is expected to consist of three to four sessions in January to March 2026. For more information, please see the community of practice poster. Please note, the launch of this community of practice is dependent on sector participation and may not run if there is limited interest.
To express interest in this community of practice, please email EDUC.Framework@gov.bc.ca by November 28, 2025.
For Information
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Discontinuation of the School Food Survey
For planning purposes, please be informed that the School Food Survey (SFS) is being discontinued and will not be distributed this school year. However, the financial reporting for Feeding Futures and National School Food Program funding will continue to be collected, with end of year reporting due July 31, 2026.
Please contact ECC.schoolfood@gov.bc.ca if you have any questions.
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Student Appeals Procedures
A reminder to boards of education that a decision by a board employee that “significantly affects the education, health or safety” of a student may be appealed to the board by the student or their parents under section 11 of the School Act. Additionally, a decision of the board made under section 11 may be appealed to the Superintendent of Appeals. The Ministry has recently noticed an increase in board decisions being appealed to the Superintendent of Appeals. Resources to help boards navigate the process, including the Student Appeals Procedures Manual may be found on the student disputes and appeals web page.
