This month’s Analytics Outreach and Information Sharing Session will focus on Enrolment Statistics and Completion Rate Power BI reports. Please register for this and our other monthly sessions and invite staff as you deem appropriate. Contact EDUC.ReportingUnit@gov.bc.ca if you have any questions.
Friday November 18, 2022
Deputy Minister of Education and Child Care
Hi, everyone – it’s a busy week of updates including a request and reminder to complete the Mental Health in Schools Action Plan questionnaire, an update and communicable disease reminder re: the Respiratory Illness Season, including a reminder/information that districts can continue to order free non-medical personal protective supplies such as non-medical masks. Please also find registration information about the Public Sector Climate Leadership Symposium, important clarifications related to recent changes to the Employment Standards Act related to student work experience, and how to find out more about recent updates to the Youth Work in Trades (WRK) Award. I could go on!
So, I will! I’m also pleased to announce that today marks the launch of the new Deputy Minister’s Bulletin website. Moving the Bulletin online will allow us to make real time updates to the content and will make it much easier for you to search for and find content from previous editions. You will also be able to share individual articles with staff as each of them is on its own web page. There are many other improvements as well.
Have a wonderful weekend!
For Action
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Mental Health in Schools Action Plan Questionnaire
Due December 16
School districts are required to complete the Mental Health in Schools Action Plan Questionnaire by December 16, 2022. Please contact AWIS at support@awinfosys.com or 1-866-558-5339 if you’re having trouble accessing the Action Plan Questionnaire. Any other questions can be directed to the Mental Health and Substance Use Branch at EDUC.MentalHealth@gov.bc.ca.
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Provincial Learning Management System (LMS) Update
School districts interested in onboarding to the new provincial LMS (D2L’s Brightspace) are invited to attend a Ministry information session on January 17, 2023. This session will provide an overview of how to onboard to Brightspace for K–12 use cases and Brightspace for professional development. To receive the Zoom links and further information, please have the school district’s representative/s RSVP to ecc.bc.lms@gov.bc.ca by December 16.
For Information
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Communicable Disease Update re: the Respiratory Illness Season
Please see the Communicable Disease Update for information on recent guidance from the Provincial Health Officer as well as reminders regarding functional closures and free personal protective equipment.
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Public Sector Climate Leadership Symposium
School district staff are invited to register for the Public Sector Leadership Symposium 2022 on December 6 in Vancouver. Topics include updates to the Carbon Neutral Government Program and the Clean Government Reporting Tool, High Impact Climate Solution Case Studies from the Public Sector, and Upcoming Climate Action Policies (Existing Building Strategy, Zero Emission Fleet Transition and Climate Resilience Framework & Standards for Public Sector Buildings).
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Clarification of Changes to Employment Standards
The Ministry of Labour recently amended the Employment Standards Regulation identifying age restrictions and hazardous work. The amendments come into force on January 1, 2023. School and school district staff are advised that under Section 32(1)(b) of the Regulation, students in a secondary school work study, work experience or occupational study class are exempt from these provisions, as are trainees or apprentices registered with the SkilledTradesBC (previously the Industry Training Authority of British Columbia).
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Clarification of the School Recommendation Form
As part of recent changes to the Employment Standards Act, the Ministry of Labour has created a School Recommendation form for schools to share any concerns about a student’s ability to do the work. This form is not required for students on Work Experience or Youth Work in Trades placements, and there are no associated liabilities for school districts. The form is intended for employers seeking a work permit to hire young workers. More information is available on the Employment Standard Branch’s Employment Standards Branch website.
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Youth Work in Trades (WRK) Award Updates
The Ministry of Education and Child Care and SkilledTradesBC (previously the Industry Training Authority of British Columbia) invite those working directly with the WRK Award to join them at the 2022 Career Education Society Conference on Monday, November 21, at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. This is your opportunity to learn more about proposed updates to the Award that are intended to better support students transitioning to post-secondary trades training, and to provide feedback. Register on the CES website.
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Recent 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, outcomes were posted for Andrew Duncan Nairn, whose certificate will be suspended for one day, and Kenneth George Costea, whose certificate will be suspended for five days.
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Improve School Road Safety through British Columbia Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant Program
This Grant Program supports communities to implement road safety improvements and protect vulnerable road users from serious injuries, disability, and deaths. Applications opened November 1, 2022, and provide up to $20,000 in funding per project. Please see the website for full application details and examples of current projects.
