Board Meeting: June 20, 2023
June 19, 2023
Agenda
Announcements
National Indigenous History Month & National Indigenous Peoples Day
Board Chair Candy Ashdown made an announcement to recognize National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day (which is on June 21). Ashdown explained that the month and day is aimed at celebrating and honouring the history, culture, and perspectives of the Indigenous community in our country. In addition to the learning happening across the District and in our schools, she encouraged those in attendance and the public to do their own learning.
Pride Month
The Board Chair Candy Ashdown made an announcement to recognize Pride Month. Ashdown explained throughout the month of June schools are celebrating, organizing school activities, and holding fundraisers to raise funds for community groups that support LGBTQ+ members in the community. She mentioned schools will be taking part in learning opportunities across the District.
National Accessibility
The Board Chair Candy Ashdown highlighted National Accessibility Week which occurred at the end of May. To celebrate this week, she explained that the District’s Learning Support Services staff conducted activities to engage staff on how the District is supporting students using technology and tools. Staff offered demonstrations of these tools and equipment that help promote accessibility for our students. She also noted the District’s newly created Accessibility Committee which is a new requirement from the province.
Superintendent’s Report
Annual Truth and Reconciliation Update
District Principal of Aboriginal Education Mike Pue introduced and invited members of Kwantlen First Nation to lead and conduct the Acknowledgment of Traditional Territories. After drumming and singing, Kwantlen First Nations Chief Marilyn Gabriel shared heartwarming words about a student named Emma, who was set to share a poem in the meeting. Gabriel thanked the Board and the attendees for being witnesses.
Emma, a student from Peter Ewart Middle School, delivered her poem called “White Indigenous” which is about what it is like being White Indigenous from her perspective. It was an emotional, powerful, and inspiring poem that captivated the Board and attendees.
District Principal of Aboriginal Education Mike Pue continued with his presentation outlining what guides the District in this journey of Truth and Reconciliation. He talked about the First People Principles of Learning and the Guiding Principles of “One heart, one mind” and “Working Together.” He outlined the meaning behind the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Centre logo, which is a flame. Pue provided some background on when the District started its journey of Truth and Reconciliation. He shared it started with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the learnings shared by some members of the school district community who returned from the Commission. He continued by outlining the various learning opportunities available to all District staff, which included various topics, such as: history of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the ongoing effects of Residential Schools, and the effects of colonialism. He noted the District’s professional development conference available to staff in February and highlighted the “Conversation with the Nations” which was one of the sessions during the conference. He outlined future dates for staff learning opportunities which include virtual learning sessions and an in-person conference at professional development. He closed his presentation with a video from Kevin Lamoureux, who is an Aboriginal educator.
Chief Marilyn Gabriel shared final thoughts on the work in the journey of Truth and Reconciliation. Gabriel’s husband Kevin Kelly shared a personal family story about his mother’s experience and impacts from the Residential school system.
Recommendation: That the Board of Education receives the update on Truth and Reconciliation for information, as presented.
The Board approves the report as presented. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Strategic Plan 2023-2026: Year in Review
Prior to the presentation, Assistant Superintendent Lisa Lainchbury reflected on the previous presentation. She said she was honoured and grateful to be able to learn from the speakers and hear their stories.
Lainchbury started the presentation by giving an overview of the documents that guide the District’s work. She said the District is guided by its mission and the District’s Ensouling our Schools Initiative. She outlined the main pillars of the Strategic Plan (which include Educational Opportunities, Community Partnerships, and Operational Priorities), and the SD 35 Continuous Improvement Plan. She said the presentation will focus on the District’s Framework for Enhancing Student Learning (FESL) and the strategies within it. One of the components of the FESL are the systems and structures and response to intervention.
To demonstrate these components, she shared videos from various schools across the District. She shared a video with Langley Meadows principal Beth Cairnie talking about the school’s experience creating Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and Response to Intervention (RTI). In the video, Cairnie talked about the work of staff to collaborate and work together to implement specific interventions for targeted groups. Lainchbury shared a video with examples from educators at Simonds Elementary/U-Connect outlining their experiences with the District’s Teaching and Learning Framework. In the video, the educators talk about how they use the Teaching and Learning Framework to support their students, and how they use their teacher growth plan, as well as highlighting the successes experienced.
Assistant Superintendent Marcello Moino talked about the importance of assessments in school and communicating student learning. He noted the District’s shift to student-inclusive conferences. The concept of student inclusive conferences is to have the student, parent, and all relevant staff to have the opportunity to share learnings. He said by the end of 2024, all elementary schools will have student inclusive conferences. He shared a video from Shortreed Elementary School of an example of a student inclusive conference. In the video, a resource teacher explains the importance of the student inclusive conference and how it is a sharing of information among the educators and the student/family to help foster success. Moino shared a video of District staff talking about creating a common understanding of universal design for learning (UDL) within Instructional Services, Learning Support Services, and the Aboriginal program. He summarized the video by identifying four main themes: UDL is incredibly complex and must be started at the District level, three separate departments working with different students have to come together, evidence of a plan adapted by staff, the need of patience and time. He closed the presentation noting that adults/educators have to know that every child matters for learning successes.
Recommendation: That the Board of Education receives the report on the Strategic Plan 2019-2022 Year in Review for information, as presented.
The Board approves the report as presented. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Strategic Plan 2023-2026: Community Of Partners
Superintendent Mal Gill talked about the change of one of the pillars in the Strategic Plan, moving from Community Partners to “Community of Partners.” He shared the vision for this specific pillar and the goals. As part of this report, he highlighted the District’s community partners, making note of departing representatives and incoming representatives. Mal Gill took the opportunity to thank outgoing president of DPAC Alicia Rempel for her service as well as outgoing LTA president Tanya Kerr for her service.
Recommendation: That the Board of Education receives the Strategic Plan – Community of Partners report, for information, as presented.
The Board approves the report as presented. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Secretary-Treasurer’s Reports
2023-2024 Annual Budget Bylaw (Third and Final Reading)
Secretary-Treasurer Brian Iseli provided an overview of the 2023-2024 Annual Budget Bylaw and reminded the Board that it required third and final reading.
Recommendation: That the Board of Education directs staff to appropriate the following Restricted surplus amounts to balance the 2023/24 Annual Budget.
Internally restricted for student capacity needs: $1,500,000
Internally restricted for infrastructure replacement: $107,804
Internally restricted for projector replacement: $150,000
Internally restricted to balance future budgets: $507,868
Restricted for future District capital contributions: $300,000
Recommendation: That the School District No. 35 (Langley) Annual Budget Bylaw for fiscal year 2023/24 in the amount of $355,297,252 be given third reading, passed and adopted on this 20th day of June 2023.
The Board approved the above motions. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Three-Year Financial Plan
Recommendation: That the Board of Education approves the Three-Year Financial Plan, as presented.
Secretary-Treasurer Brian Iseli shared an overview of the three-year financial plan. He explained to the Board that it was recommended for Boards to develop a three-year financial plan. This is the first year for the District to create this plan. Iseli shared some highlights from the plan including revenue and expenses over the three years. He noted the District would utilize surplus funds to balance future budgets.
The Board approves the report as presented. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Five-Year Capital Plan 2024-2025
Secretary-Treasurer Brian Iseli shared an overview of the five-year capital plan. He says the submission made in the District’s 2022/2023 school year will have approvals for the Ministry’s fiscal year 2024/2025. Iseli made note of major capital projects (e.g. Smith Secondary, various school additions, new sites) and minor capital projects (e.g. enhancement at H.D. Stafford) and provided a brief explanation of the capital project approval process (which is three stages).
Recommendation: In accordance with provisions under Section 142 (4) of the School Act, the Board of Education of School District No. 35 (Langley) hereby approves the proposed Five-Year Capital Plan (Major Capital Programs) for 2024/2025, as provided on the attached Major Five-Year Capital Plan.
Recommendation: In accordance with provisions under Section 142 (4) of the School Act, the Board of Education of School District No. 35 (Langley) hereby approves the proposed addition to the Five-Year Capital Plan (Minor Capital Programs) for 2023/2024, as provided on the attached Minor Five-Year Capital Plan addition.
The Board approved all of the above motions. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Policy Committee
Notice of Motion Return – Policy 17: Accumulated Operating Surplus
Recommendation: That the Board of Education approves Policy 17: Accumulated Operating Surplus, as presented.
The Board approved the above motion. Video link to come.