Do you need to register your child for school in September, or transfer schools? Don’t wait until the first day of school to do so.
For more information, there are a variety of links on the school district website:
September Registration – Mackenzie
September Registration – Prince George
September Registration – Robson Valley
Kindergarten Registration
According to the Prince George Citizen, August 4th, “School maintenance staff and private contractors have been busy since classes ended in June working on capital projects to upgrade school buildings.”
http://princegeorgecitizen.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/showlink.aspx?bookmarkid=WT7PMOBOIAF2&preview=article&linkid=14d1edf9-d55b-4ba0-b415-4ea1cf0b13ae&pdaffid=LTyb997%2f7Ao%2b9spt3Z%2fhkQ%3d%3d
Working within a budget of about $3.2 million, the projects range from new rubberized gym floor replacements at Foothills and Hart Highlands elementary schools, to lighting upgrades at PGSS, College Heights elementary, École Lac des Bois, Edgewood, Foothills, Heritage, Highglen, Pinewood, Vanway, and Westwood schools. New boilers have been or will be installed at Blackburn, Glenview, Highland and Mackenzie secondary.
The Citizen listed schools with portables, attributing portable removal to declining enrollment. This may be a surprise to parents at schools such as College Heights Elementary, where children have been refused admission to this school due to lack of capacity:
Portables are still in use at some schools, although declining enrollments are reducing the need for those additional classrooms. The district’s student population in 2011-12 was 12,767, which is expected to drop by 238 students to 12,529 in the 2012-13 school year.
Heritage will have just two portables in use in September, down from three in previous years, while College Heights elementary is down to one portable, with one still on site that won’t be used in the coming school year. D.P. Todd secondary will continue using three portables, while Beaverly, Malaspina, Glenview, and Southridge will each have one portable in use starting in September.
Please note that the school board has changed their regular meeting time from Tuesday at 7pm, to Tuesday at 6pm.
The agenda package is available here:
http://www.sd57.bc.ca/fileadmin/cao.sd57.bc.ca/Trustees/Board_Meetings/Agendas/Next_agenda.pdf
According to online reports, Susan Johnston, from School District 67, has been appointed as an Assistant Superintendent of Schools in SD57 Prince George.
The Prince George DPAC has received the following email from the Prince George District Teachers Association, and is passing the message along:
Hello,
We wanted to keep our Partner Groups and Supporters….in the loop about the upcoming Teacher Event. We would really appreciate it if you could let your members know. We would love for them to join us! We are all in this struggle together and are hoping for your support.
Thank you
Tina
My original message:
There will be a “GIANT” burma shave occurring province wide on Wednesday June 20. All 60 BCTF locals around the province are encouraging their members to come out and show their solidarity before the end of the school year.
In Prince George, we ask that all of our PGDTA members and supporters come out to a giant Burma Shave from 4:30PM -5:30PM between 5th and Central to 10th Ave. We plan to line up along both sides of the bypass. We are hoping for a turn out of 100′s of people!!! Please be sure to stay off the pavement, we want everyone to be safe. Line up along the grass.
http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/BargainingContracts/LRB/LRB63467-12.pdf
http://www.bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx?id=27257%29
The Labour Relations Board (LRB) today issued a one-page “bottom-line” decision (with reasons if the parties so request) with respect to the application filed by BCPSEA on May 9 for a declaration that the BCTF and its members have declared or authorized or are engaging in an illegal strike, contrary to the Labour Relations Code and the Education Improvement Act.
The LRB found as follows:
For more information and background, please see:
http://sd57dpac.ca/2012/05/more-information-on-bcpsea-application-to-lrb/
DPAC MINUTES FOR June 6, 2012
7:00 p.m. Van Bien Training and Development Centre
DPAC Executive: Don Sabo (Chair), Gillian Burnett (Recorder), Steve Shannon, Sarah Holland, Darlene Campbell
Partner Groups: Brian Pepper, Superintendent; Kate Cooke, Trustee; Matt Pearce and Tina Cousins, PGDTA; Lorraine Prouse, CUPE
School Reps: Darlene Campbell, Aboriginal Choice; Colleen Smith, Beaverly; Jaqueline Dockray, Ecole College Heights; Chris Finke, DP Todd; Darlene Campbell, Duchess Park; Steve Shannon, Hart Highlands; Sarah Holland, Heather Park; Steve Shannon, Kelly Road; Shauna Connor, Ecole Lac des Bois; Gillian Burnett, Nukko Lake; Michelle Rolfes, PGSS and Pineview; Don Sabo, Pinewood; Ryan Clarke, Quinson; Dennis Fudge, Spruceland
Motion to accept agenda – Lac des Bois
Seconded by – College Heights
Motion to accept minutes – Aboriginal Choice
Seconded by – Quinson
First order of business. Chair calls for nominees for Director-at-Large. Jacqueline Dockray accepts and is elected by acclamation. Chair calls for nominees for Secretary, hearing none this position remains vacant.
PACs are busy with yearend plans, graduations, Sport’s Day and elections (for some).
Presentation was made to Michelle Rolfes and Chris Finke for all the work they have done on behalf of DPAC as past executive officers.
(a) DPAC Chair Report – see attached.
(b) Treasurer’s Report – see attached. Chris Finke prepared this for us because the materials have not yet transferred to Gillian Burnett.
(c) Superintendent Report – Expressed thanks to DPAC and all PACs for all we do to support education in the district. Cindy Heitman and Lisa Carson gave a presentation on the Proposals to Utilize Appropriated Surplus to Improve Student Learning and Increase Teacher Capacity (report attached). The Board is looking for feedback from all interested individuals or parties. Superintendent Pepper expressed interest in discussing Strategic Planning with Partners and Stakeholders.
(d) Trustee Report – see attached.
(e) PGDTA Report – June is often a hard time to get students to focus on learning. Labour Relations news: LRB hearings over next 2 weeks. Protest action against Bill 22 has been deemed an illegal strike. Mediation is on-going, but BCTF seeking Dr. Jago’s removal.
(f) PGPVPA Report –Not in attendance.
(g) CUPE Report – Provided information concerning this year`s bumping, only 18 bumps this year. Still have members on leave. Members were hopeful that new positions would be available as a result of the Education Improvement Fund, but no new positions, rather increased time for existing positions. May 24th submitted intent to return to the Provincial and Local bargaining tables. Looking for a common front from all public employer unions.
(h) DSAC Report – Not in attendance
(c) Policy/Governance Committee Report – DPAC has not been invited to a meeting. Sarah Holland has written a letter regarding Bylaw 1 for review by the membership.
MOTION – by Heather Park
That DPAC send a letter requesting that partner groups be members of standing committees.
Discussion concerning the difference between being invited to attend and having privileges of
membership. Seat at the table not enough, we need a voice too.
CARRIED
(a) Discussion on DPAC Budget Recommendatins and Motions to Accept Report – Recorder reviewed past minutes and the report is already accepted, but the recommendations have not been addressed. First recommendation:
MOTION – by Pineview
That DPAC hold a PAC parent workshop in tOctober/November 2012.
Discussion regarding the timing and the need for a budget.
AMENDMENT – College Heights
That DPAC hold a PAC parent workshop in the 2012/2013 school year with a budget of $2500.
CARRIED
Discussion regarding the establishment of a committee to organize the PAC parent workshop. Called for volunteers.
Gillian Burnett, Dennis Fudge, Darlene Campbell and Sarah Holland will sit on this committee.
Second recommendation: That DPAC create two $500 bursaries. Lots of discussion, but no decision. This recommendation will be tabled until our September meeting and members are to gather more information.
Gillian Burnett and Don Sabo have been added as members of this committee and the committee is to revisit the funding grants for PACs.
(b) Motion to change signing authority, remove Chric Finke add Steve Shannon & Gillian Burnett
MOTION – by College Heights
To remove Chris Finke as signing authority on the DPAC bank accounts.
CARRIED
MOTION – by College Heights
To add Stephen Shannon and Gillian Burnett as signing authority on the DPAC bank accounts.
CARRIED
(c) June 16th Food Safe- 8 seats filled, 12 seats still available. Course will be 8 hours long and the $17 covers the cost of the booklet and the certificate.
(d) BCCPAC Conference Report – see attached
(e) Report on Curriculum Assessment – see attached. Noted that although SD57 teachers did not partake, there were teachers from other districts in attendance.
Nothing at this time.
As voted on at our June DPAC meeting, our submission to Policy and Governance:
2012 june 5 DPAC letter re partner groups and committees
June 5, 2012
Board of Education – Prince George School District
Attention: Tim Bennett, Chair of Policy and Governance Committee
2100 Ferry Avenue
Prince George, BC V2L 4R5
Dear Mr. Bennett,
Re: Partner Groups and Committees
The Prince George District Parent Advisory Council would like to provide some input to the Policy and Governance Committee regarding Bylaw 1, specifically with the area of committees of the board.
Currently, partner group representatives are invited to attend some of the committee meetings. These representatives are not members of the committees, and have no rights in these meetings other than those granted by the chair of each committee. While partner groups may request that items be placed on the agenda of each committee, this ability is shared by all members of the community according to bylaw 1, and the committees are not required to place any items on their agendas.
We would like to suggest that the partner group representatives be made full members of the committees. As full members, they would have the right to vote, make motions, and speak during committee meetings.
While it is valuable for the partner groups to be able to know what happens in committee meetings, it is equally valuable for the school district to have full and meaningful input from their partner groups.
Yours truly,
District Parent Advisory Council No. 57 (Prince George)
Don Sabo
Chairperson