2017 year in review

Over the past, year the focus at West Vancouver Schools has been on the student and continuing to support student success. We’ve continued to champion unique programming opportunities and to create new reporting assessments as we’ve implemented the new curriculum from K-9.

A number of highlights over the past year include:

• The introduction of an audit committee, chaired by Trustee Dorsman;
• The opening of the École PJ nature park, with thanks to their team for their hard work and perseverance;
• The introduction of Milo into our schools to support students with special needs
• A focus on increasing physical literacy in K-3;
• The great success of our robotics program and the expansion of the hockey program;
• Tom Harding of Rockridge Secondary receiving the Prime Minister’s award for excellence in teaching;

And as always the many annual events that highlight our schools, our staff and our students such as: Lighthouse festival, the District Track meet, various Grad ceremonies and transitions, TedX West VancouverEd among others.

Provincially the focus of the board has been on:

• The implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on class size and composition;
• Smaller class sizes from K-3 and increased supports in non enrolling areas such as counselling and teacher librarian allocations;
• We have also put money aside to ensure we have extra teachers and EA’s in place to help with classes that are identified as complex or those needing extra support;
• Our board has also worked with other Metro districts to bring a motion forward asking the federal government to maintain or increase funding for settlement workers in schools;
• We are working with the new provincial government, which is committed to prioritizing public education, and have invited Minister Fleming to visit in 2018;
• We look forward to the implementation of the new curriculum in grades 10-12 and appreciate that the Ministry of Education is taking time to ensure that post-secondary institutions in B.C. are ready to receive our students.

The Board of Education also continued to build our community connections:

• We met with the Police Board and West Vancouver Mayor and Council;
• We are very pleased to see increased supports for youth on the North Shore with the opening of the Foundry;
• Met with the West Vancouver Teachers’ Association (WVTA), and are looking forward to our January meeting;
• Meeting with the North Vancouver School Board in January for a session on bargaining, so that everyone understands the history of bargaining in B.C. and also has the opportunity to hear about the direction that the employers’ association, the B.C. Public Sector Employers’ Association (BCPSEA), hopes to take in 2019.

As we look to 2018:

• Emphasis on the funding formula review;
• Working with DFO on the environmental academy (thank you to M.P. Pam Goldsmith- Jones for her support), and additional academies in animation, table tennis and volleyball;
• Local elections in October, 2018.

I would like to personally thank the members of our Board: Dave, Pieter, Nicole and Sheelah for their continuing dedication and leadership to the district. And on behalf of the board, I would like to thank our parents, staff, students and partner groups for everything that each of you do to support the board and the school district, ensuring as always that West Vancouver Schools continues to provide a world of opportunities as the premier place for learning.

Carolyn Broady, Chair