Board Meeting: November 21, 2023
November 20, 2023
Agenda
Superintendent’s Reports
AP 356 – Return to School
Assistant Superintendent Lisa Lainchbury presented the new Administrative Procedure 356: Return to School. Lainchbury provided some background on the development of the new administrative procedure. In December 2020, it was decided that a new AP 355 Student Discipline was to be created as well as a new AP 350 Student Code of Conduct. At that time, it was realized there wasn’t an administrative procedure that addresses the return to school for students absent for non-disciplinary reasons. She explained the purpose of this new administrative procedure was to provide clarity to caregivers and to administrators as to how students return to school when they have been absent for non-disciplinary reasons.
Director of Learning Support Services, Michael Morgan, informed the Board that various groups were involved in this consultation process including ya:y̓ əstəl̕, BCED Access, and employee partner groups, among other groups. He explained that based on feedback on the development of this procedure, changes were made. The changes to the administrative procedure included clarification of which section on the school act pertain to the procedures, removal of procedures related to partial day programming, and a focus on return to full time attendance.
He explained the procedure involved included the following: communication to parents, accessing district level supports, consistent recording of absences, plan for return, and return to full time attendance. As part of the implementation of this new procedure, District staff would have additional steps in place in relation to monitoring student absences monthly, among other actions such as supporting students and families.
Recommendation: That the Board of Education receives Administrative Procedure No. 356 (Return to School) for information, as presented.
The Board approved the report as presented. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Communications Plan 2023-2026
Jo Abshire, Communications Manager, presented the Communications Plan 2023-2026, which is a blueprint for the District’s communications strategies and goals for the next four years. She started the presentation by acknowledging her colleague, Nick Greenizan, Communications Specialist, who is part of the Communications team. She told the Board that the plan is in alignment with the District’s Strategic Plan and that is reflected in the addition of two new pillars in the plan: Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Promoting Truth and Reconciliation.
Abshire discussed the improvements made over the last few years when it comes to communications with parents, emergency and crisis communications, and promotion of campaigns, events, and initiatives. The hope is to continue making improvements in areas that need it, including building capacity in communications and enhancing communications with internal staff.
Abshire provided an overview of the seven pillars of the plan, outlined examples of the goals and strategies undertaken, and also shared meaningful stories through photos. The seven pillars include: Celebrate our Story, Enhance our Brand, Promoting Health, Safety, and Wellness in our Schools, Strengthening our Relationships, Building our Capacity, Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Promoting Truth and Reconciliation. The pillar Celebrate our Story focuses on the sharing of positive stories, such as student and staff achievements and successes. She provided a quick snapshot of the District’s social media analytics over a four-year period, which indicated immense growth over time in categories including followers, and other measurements of engagement. The pillar Enhance our Brand focuses on the strategies that aim to communicate “who we are, what we do, and why it matters” to the District’s audiences. Enhancing and protecting our brand can include the development of practice and reactive key messaging to use with audiences such as the media.
The pillar Promoting Health, Safety, and Wellness in our Schools focuses on the fast, effective communications delivered during emergencies and crises. The pillar Strengthening our Relationships focuses on communications that aims to build relationships and connect audiences through opportunities of sharing information. The pillar Building our Capacity focuses on professional development, sharing communications best practices and training for staff. The pillar Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion focuses on raising awareness and highlighting the work the District is doing in relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The pillar Promoting Truth and Reconciliation focuses on the sharing of resources and knowledge related to Indigenous worldviews and perspectives and working together with staff on the District’s journey of Truth and Reconciliation.
Recommendation: That the Board of Education approves the Communications Plan for 2023-2026, as presented.
The Board approved the report as presented. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Policy Committee Reports
Notice of Motion Return – Policy 20: Public Interest Disclosure
Recommendation: That the Board of Education approves Policy 20: Public Interest Disclosure, as presented and add the annual report to Policy 2 Appendix A – Board Annual Work Plan for the month of September.
The Board approves the above motion. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Notice of Motion – Policy 4: Trustee Code of Conduct
Recommendation: That the Board of Education serves Notice of Motion to the District’s education community and its education partner groups that it intends to adopt the revisions to Policy No. 4: Trustee Code of Conduct at the January 30, 2024 Regular Board Meeting.
The Board approves the above motion. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Advocacy section on District Website
Recommendation: That the Board of Education requests staff to create a Board Advocacy section on the district website.
The Board approves the above motion. The video above will begin on this agenda item.
Communications Committee Reports
Partner Feedback on Strategic Plan
Recommendation: That the Board of Education meet annually with each partner group individually to provide feedback on the Strategic Plan.
The Board approves the above motion. The video above will begin on this agenda item.