Board receives financial report
The Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) report, dual credit programs, and Indigenous content graduation requirement were just some of the topics under discussion at the regular meeting of the Board of Education of School District No. 83 at the District Education Support Centre (DESC) on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.
SOFI Report
The Board received the
Statement of Financial Information
for SD83 for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 from Acting Secretary Treasurer Bruce Hunt. Hunt, a former SD83 secretary treasurer who graciously agreed to temporarily return while current secretary treasurer, Dale Culler, is on a temporary leave of absence.
Hunt explained the report is comprised of two main areas, the Schedule of Remuneration and Expenses (which lists all payments made to trustees and any employee with remuneration exceeding $75,000) and the Schedule of Suppliers of Goods and Services (any payment to supplier in excess of $25,000).
The Schedule of Remuneration and Expenses, he explained, includes any form of salary, wages, taxable benefits, payment into trust or any form of income deferral paid by the Board to an employee. Remuneration can include payouts for vacation, gratuity and compensatory time not taken, in addition to regular salary. It also includes the taxable benefit for vehicle allowances for employees who regularly use their personal vehicle for school district business, and a portion of employer-paid group life insurance premiums.
The Schedule of Suppliers of Good and Services includes all payments made from operating, special purpose, and capital funds for the supply of goods and services. He noted a significant portion of the payments represents contributions to pension and employee benefit plans, as well as contractors for capital projects. He added that payments for both employer and employee contributions to employee benefit plans are included.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Donna Kriger updated the Board on SD83 results in the Student Learning Survey and the latest five-year high school completion rates. She noted that after dissecting the data, both reports had some positive trends but also raised questions where further research is necessary.
READ STUDENT LEARNING SURVEY INFO
READ FIVE-YEAR COMPLETION RATES INFO
Kriger finished her report with some celebrations including:
- Hillcrest Elementary is once again in the top 10 for the CBC Music Class Competition . Their video “The Rest of My Life” by Sloan is a finalist! Over 35,000 students from every province and territory in Canada entered the challenge this year. Hillcrest is the only school in the BC interior to make the top 10!
- The daytime custodian Brett Sherwood at South Broadview Elementary has built an incredible Christmas village with over 1,000 pieces for students and staff at the school to enjoy!
- A shoutout to all the staff who have organized concerts for families and students to enjoy! After two years of cancelling these activities, it has been wonderful to see them resume.
- Close to 200 SD83 high school music students were treated to a private concert with a Canadian jazz and boogie-woogie pianist at the Song Sparrow Hall in Salmon Arm on Nov. 30. Thanks to the Salmon Arm Folk Music Society and District Music Vice-Principal Michelle Reed for making this opportunity possible for students.
- A shoutout to Diane Anthony (education co-ordinator for Adams Lake Band) who presented about the Local Education Agreement process with SD83 and SD73 (Kamloops-Thompson), and to Director of Instruction Chelsea Prince, who spoke on the Indigenous Content Graduation Requirement, at the provincial First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC). “Presenting at the provincial level speaks to the quality of people we have here.”
- Huge “Thank You” to ALL district staff for their hard work and commitment to students and families throughout this school year!
- A shout out to Manager of Payroll & Benefits Amanda Longland and her payroll team for the extraordinary amount of work done to ensure the recent contract changes are reflected in employee pay grids! Well done!
Trustees thanked Kriger for the report. “I appreciate all the data and how you articulate the next steps using the data. It shows we have a thoughtful process moving forward,” added Trustee Tennile Lachmuth.
Indigenous Content Graduation Requirement
Director of Instruction Chelsea Prince gave trustees a bit of history on how the requirement for the Indigenous content course requirement for next year’s Grade 12s came about, and that BC is the first jurisdiction to make the requirement; however others, including universities are now either instituting or looking at instituting similar requirements. “BC is committed to reconciliation. Education is the answer to meaningful change.”
She noted some often asked questions include whether post secondary institutions accept English First Peoples 12 for admission and the short answer is yes. “All of the Indigenous content courses we are offering as a district are as rigorous and complex as their equivalent courses. In fact, an increasing number of post secondary programs have already, or are in the process of, introducing required Indigenous content courses.”
She added that in February the district is holding an Indigenous Focussed Graduation Requirement working group session at A.L. Fortune and teachers from Revelstoke and Vernon school districts have been invited. Prince commented that work continues but that she is proud of the district’s direction, supports and plan.
Dual Credit Programs
There is a changing landscape when it comes to dual credit policy and Director of Instruction Reid Findlay updated trustees on what appears to be the new direction to improve access and increase participation in dual credit program opportunities. He added this is a win-win as it allows students more flexible learning in their own community with attending in-person on weekends at a college site, and then even doing practicums in their own community and, students in a dual credit program are seven per cent more likely to finish high school. “It’s really exciting times.”
Findlay also discussed the “micro-credentialing” Gateway 2 Tech program which is run in conjunction with Okanagan College. This program allows high school students to take college level IT courses which ladder into a full Infrastructure and Computing Technology diploma program at Okanagan College.
He noted a recent presentation about this program at Career Education Society Fall Conference garnered the interest of a senior policy analyst from the Ministry, who was interested to see if this could be expanded upon and shared.
Board Annual Work Plan
After discussion, the Board of Education adopted the 2022-23 Board Annual Work Plan as presented. The plan was developed at the Board’s working session on Dec. 5. Board Chairperson Marianne VanBuskirk noted that the meetings for strategic planning, which will begin in January, will be in addition to the Board Work Plan.
View Work Plan Here
Education Directions
VanBuskirk reported that at the Ed. Directions meeting there was a special welcome to Craig Adams, who is the new Indigenous language teacher at Salmon Arm West. She added Director of Instruction Carol-Ann Leidloff provided an update on the ARC Foundation’s SOGI report and survey results. There was also an update on communicating student learning.
Finance & Facilities/Audit
Committee Chair Amanda Krebs reported there isn’t a timeline for budget development yet as they are waiting for funding finalization as well as to be a little further in the strategic plan development so that a mixture of the old plan as well as what we are going to be moving toward can be used to guide the budget process.
She noted that looking at the monthly financials the flu has hit early and substitute costs are at about one-quarter of what was budgeted for the year (it should be around one fifth). “This is just a heads up because we may have to have conversations in January and February about increasing funding in this area.”
Labour Relations
Committee Chair Brent Gennings commented his first Labour Relations meeting was an introductory session for him, so there isn’t any business to report.
BCSTA Update
Lachmuth reported the Thompson-Okanagan Branch trustee meet and greet session went very well and that all SD83 trustees and Superintendent Donna Kriger attended the B.C. School Trustees’ Association Academy on December 1-3. Lachmuth also attended the provincial council meeting where a motion around advocating for school district’s to get more funding to deal with inflationary costs and cost pressures was passed.
VanBuskirk provided a written report on the academy which can be read here . Trustees commented that it was a very good conference with excellent presenters. In particular Chief Cadmus Delorme was mentioned, which Kriger noted several local school districts were discussing working together to bring him in to do presentations for local school districts.
Correspondence
In June, the Board sent a letter to Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside regarding how the cost of inflation was impacting school operations. Whiteside thanked the Board and noted she had received letters from several other school districts as well. “The Ministry if working with the BC Association of School Business Officials to gather information on inflationary pressures in the K-12 sector, and discussions are ongoing as to the extent of that impact on operations.” She goes on to say that they have introduced the Student and Family Affordability Fund, which is designed to assist families who have been impacted by global inflation and the associated cost increases to daily lives.
READ LETTER HERE
Trustee Reports
Lachmuth reported she attended and really enjoyed the school band concert performed by Len Wood students.
In a written report, as she was unable to attend the meeting, Trustee Corryn Grayston reported she attended the Carlin winter concert where students did a wonderful job. She also attended North Shuswap and Carlin Parent Advisory Council meetings.
Gennings reported he visited Eagle River and Parkview schools and was really impressed with the food programs at the schools. He added the work being done to help support vulnerable students was pretty phenomal.
VanBuskirk reported that it was a truly meaningful milestone at the Nov. 18 signing of the Local Education Agreement with Little Shuswap, Adams Lake, and Neskonlith Bands. “Although only five people signed this agreement, many people worked behind the scenes to bring this agreement to fruition. I look forward to putting those words into action.”
She also gave a shout out to all PACs who are so heavily involved in fundraising at this time of year. “All of these efforts do not go unnoticed by the Board. Thank you to all the PACs.” She also thanked teacher-librarians for all the work to put together and run book fairs at many of the schools. She wrapped up thanking Salmon Arm Storefront students for their hospitality when she attended their annual holiday luncheon. “I was fortunate enough to attend and sat with a group of students who were very proud to show us where they are on their path to graduation. It is a vibrant place of learning.”
Upcoming Dates
Jan. 17 – Regular Board of Education meeting at 6 p.m. at A.L. Fortune Secondary