Author Archives: deborah

Possibly $3.5M in Downloaded Costs…Not Acceptable!

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Trustee Nohr…Report #16      SD 61

Equality for All in  Public Education

Fully Funded Public Education Justice, Not Charity

April, 2013      What’s Going On At the Board?

First, at our Education Policy Meeting   April 2, 2013

We were provided with a full review of the counselling services provided to the district. The presenters included: Debra Mackie-Principal of Special Education, Deb Courville-Associate Superintendent, Nella Nelson-Coordinator of Aboriginal Nations Education, Dick Brown- District Counsellor
School counsellors are responsible for providing many services to their assigned schools. These services include: school-based team collaboration, student support for social-emotional issues, coordinating community services (including longterm counselling), student transfers and career counselling for high school students.
Youth and Family counsellors (YFCs) work with students and their families.

There are 6 counsellors in our district who provide specific support for Aboriginal students. They have assigned schools and additional schools for whom they are responsible.

Our staff work above and beyond the call of duty and I’d like to thank all of them for their efforts.

What I do know is that we DO NOT have anywhere near enough counselling support for the complex needs of some students, a proactive/nip it in the bud approach for other students, the intensive support necessary for serious depression, suicidal thoughts, abandonment issues and bullying. I strongly encourage parents to advocate for this very necessary component of a successful school experience.

The final revision of Regulation 6140.1 Child Abuse and Regulation 5140.2 Child Abuse and School district Employees
This revision was presented by District Principal, Janine Roy. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity to ask follow up questions. I will make a request to senior administration that they provide a review of these regulations so we may be clear and confident that all aspects of student safety are effectively in place.

Second, at our Operations, Planning and Policy Meeting   April 8, 2013

District Wide School Websites Updates are occurring as I write. Ted Pennell, Director of Information Technology and Andy Canty, Manager of Information Technology explained that we have hired a local web development company, the same one that was used by Oak Bay Municipality, to create a district wide software program to support current and ever changing information to all school websites. The stated cost is $27,000. I strongly support hiring local small entrepreneurs. We have four pilot schools: Campus View, Monterey, Vic High and The Link. This is great news! Hopefully, parents and the community will now find all critical information in a timely manner. Also, there will be a language translator and since we are a global community this is essential so we can engage more effectively with all parents and citizens.

$3,810,599 for the total Annual Facilities Grant- motion passed unanimously

Public Engagement Committee …great discussion by attendees.

Letter to Minster of Education re: Downloading of additional costs referred to Debra Laser, secretary treasurer for specific costs. This motion will be brought forward to the Board meeting.

Fair wage for all employee groups to keep up with inflation, the funding must come from the negotiated wage settlement- motion passed unanimously

Make public, all classroom organization data 2012-2013, which is public information, place it on SD 61 website and bring it forward for discussion at the board meeting- motion defeated
I am very disappointed and concerned that publicly elected trustees would think withholding public information is a good idea. As I say, informed parents and citizens make great advocates!

The Provincial Overview of Class Size and Composition 2012-2013 has been so reduced in detail as to be of almost no use. Don’t fund and hide the results/evidence!   http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/reports/pdfs/class_size/2012/public.pc

For- Trustees Alpha, Loring-Kuhanga, McNally , Nohr

Against- Trustees Orcherton, Ferris, Horsman, McNally, Leonard       Absent-McEvoy

Now, at the Board Meeting

Monterey students shared their experiences collecting donations for the United Way. Clearly, there was an enlarging of their awareness of families’ struggles when living at or below the poverty level or with chronic health issues.

Motions

1) The Capital Bylaw $2,414,051- passed unanimously

2)Moved- Nohr

Letter to the Minister of Education expressing serious concern about the downloading of additional and unanticipated costs to the district -passed unanimously.

Here are the costs to date: teachers’ pension increase-$1.2M (1.3%), employee benefit increase-$775,000, Hydro rate increase (1.44%), transition to PST/GST-$330,000, general inflation(2%) $350,000 , if Cooperative Gains stays in place- $1.5M for every 1% for employee groups…….TOTAL   $3.5M loss…..this is equivalent to losing ( approx.) 35 teachers or educational aides or CUPE employees or exempt staff! Our school district cannot afford this loss. Your children or someone in your community will have children that will not get the instruction and support they need. What is your vision of a just society?

3) Moved- Nohr

Letter to the Minister of Education expressing a clear expectation that the government provide for the wage increase for any negotiated settlements with all our employee groups. I support all employee  groups receiving a fair wage increase when considering that inflation is approx. 2% this year.-passed unanimously

Just an update on VCPAC. I attended their VCPAC/AGM at Hillcrest School this past week and it was stated that VCPAC did not have quorum at any of their meetings this year. John Bird was re-elected as president.

Thank you,
Your trustee,
Deborah Nohr ( 250-380-0888 or 250-896-0808-c )   deborahnohr.ca

* Please take a look at Trustee McNally’s blog, Lined Paper:)

Remember……the new budget has no additional funding for public education! That means we take 2% or $350,000 from our budget BEFORE we even start.

Attend candidate forums and ask questions about fully funding Public Education….it is like the air we breathe…necessary for life… enlivening a child’s heart and mind, bringing equality in the learning experience for every child and creating social justice in our society:)

Wi-Fi Victory for Victor School

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I  must respond to the letter written by Mr. McDermott, a parent with a child at Victor School.
I support the use of technology as one important teaching tool. At this time I believe that we should continue to use the hard
wired technology already built into our classrooms, at least, at the elementary level. And the reasons are as follows:
1. It will cost more to install wifi when we already have hard wired technology
2. Laptops and iPads can be charged using hard wired technology and taken from the trolleys and used anywhere in the school
3. The World Health Organization has classified wifi as a B2 carcinogen
4. Wifi is ubiquitous now and we are just beginning to understand the non thermal biological effects especially for children
5.Dr. Martha Herbert PhD M.D Harvard Medical School stated, after reviewing 550 current research findings,
‘EMF/RFR from wifi and cell towers can exert a disorganizing effect on the ability to learn and remember,
and can also be destabilizing to immune and metabolic function.  www.bioinitiative.org
6. I support the Precautionary Principle- prove that there are no negative effects
7. Our district, like every district, has children and employees experiencing significant sensitivity to EMF/RFR

Deborah Nohr
trustee
SD 61
Victoria

Freedom of Speech Leads To Dialogue

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The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ( April 17, 1982 )
Parents’ Perspectives and Presentations
Fundamental freedoms (section 2), namely freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of belief, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and of other media of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.

Meaningful engagement leads to informed citizens and this comes from supporting, encouraging and living the fundamental value of freedom of speech. I stand by my comments that all parents must be heard. I would also suggest that as an elected trustee
I must undertake the necessary ‘due diligence’ to understand the context of presentations at the Board. In other words, ask questions and get a real sense for the who and what behind the presentations. I plan to do this more effectively at the board table in the future.

Please read and consider this editorial piece.

 http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-school-board-muzzles-debate-1.78951

Government Claws Back Funds for the Classroom!

Trustee Nohr…Report #13      SD 61
Fairness and Equity for All in Public Education
January, 2013      What’s Going On At the Board?

60 Districts Write to the Minister of Education About Their Concerns Over Funding Clawback!
Districts around the province are reeling from the requests by the government to find funding that doesn’t exist. Originally, we were to find the following funding from our district budget:
Teacher pension increases- 1.3% approx $2.4 M / $1.2M for each of the next 2 years for SD 61
CUPE Cooperative Gains Mandate- 1.5%  approx $500,000/yr for SD 61
BCPSEA fees-$2-$3M to be taken out of holdback funds
And Now……Holdback Funding- provincially $26.3M and that would be approx $750,000/yr for SD 61
Every district in the province wrote a letter to the Minister of Education expressing concern about these funding expectations which would result in funding cuts to every district. I am very concerned, as trustees around the province are, that the $26.3M in holdback funds may be redirected elsewhere in the government or to future budget years rather than for this year when we were expecting and needing this funding. At this time we are uncertain about whether the Minister and government are going to respond to the clear concerns and expectations of trustees around the province.

Two Important Motions Passed to Support Students’ Needs-Letter Sent to Minister of Education
Two motions were passed identifying the need for greater funding support for:
1)K-3 students presenting with very significant learning/behavioural challenges (these students do not have designations with any funding at this early point in their schooling)
2) students with an ASD designation needing full-time Educational Aide support
These areas of concern will be brought forward to The Technical Review Committee/Ministry of Education for consideration.
New….Oak Bay High School
Long overdue…..still in the planning stages.
Cloverdale Elementary School
High Risk Priority for seismic upgrading
* If your school is slated for seismic upgrading, phone Central MS and ask to take a tour so you can see what is possible.
…..wifi, wifi, wifi……..
Just trying to understand……While there was a motion on the agenda (June, 2011) for a ‘moratorium’ on wifi in our elementary schools it was tabled at this meeting. At some point, the Chair directed the Superintendent to explain to the principals that there would be no district installation. However, I cannot find any motion to this effect. I thought, as did members of the public, that a ‘moratorium’ was a ‘moratorium’…meaning that the action was completely forbidden. That is not how the Chair explained the motion/situation. Then, early in this school year, the trustees were informed that some teachers were bringing retail routers into their classrooms. At that time, the Superintendent was directed to inform the principals and teachers that there could be NO additional wifi installation.Presently, the trustees are waiting to hear back from VCPAC and other parents who have a position on this issue. Again, I follow the precautionary principle that wifi be proven harmless and until that time I think we should have our elementary schools remain hard wired.
This is for your consideration…..
BYOD
Bring Your Own Device Demise

“The differences in bone density and the amount of fluid in a child’s brain compared to an adult’s brain could allow children to absorb greater quantities of RF (radiofrequency) energy deeper into their brains than adults… the current exposure limits may not reflect the latest research on RF energy”.

http://citizensforsafetechnology.org/Letter-from-the-American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-to-US-Congress,24,2818

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2011/2011_131-eng.php

Why BYOD Is A Disaster Waiting To Happen For Schools

“having worked in educational IT (with both public and private schools), I have to say that the idea of launching BYOD at the K-12 level makes me shudder. There are several serious concerns that should be forefront in the minds of school IT staff, administrators, teachers, and parents about BYOD in schools.”

Read more: http://www.cultofmac.com/176277/why-byod-is-a-disaster-waiting-to-happen-for-schools/#cYzqtKs0JMCllqoF.99

A fantastic video from Australia which summarizes a lot of pertinent information about wireless radiation and children! ( 18 min. ) Please watch it!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmcAXZ-o1K4&feature=share&list=FLI_8xq3QcBTrnb4665kpsNA

New Committee- Public Engagement Committee
Should we have a Q&A? Should we video or audio tape the meeting? Of Course! It is a public meeting and the public is entitled to access.
This committee will review these issues and many others. Do you have any thoughts? Please let me know or send you ideas to porcherton@sd61.bc.ca or sbell@sd61.bc.ca.
Members of the committee include:
ASA – Melanie Houston
GVTA- Gill Miller
CUPE 947 – Brad Hall
VCPAC – John Bird
CUPE 382 – not participating
Public – Donna Jones and Rebecca Pearson ( Donna is a former Trustee and Chair of the Board from a number of years back and Rebecca is a Manager in a Credit Union with a keen interest in Public Education). A former trustee is not my ideal candidate for a member of the public. The criteria for choosing the Public members was to find people from within the Community that are not currently engaged in the District but have some experience/interest in Public Education and are familiar with Chairing/participating in meetings.
Staff to support the Committee will be;
Deb Whitten, Principal
Mark Walsh, Exempt
Sherri Bell, Deputy Superintendent

Richmond Elementary School….our jewel!
The Catholic Diocese of Victoria made a request to buy Richmond Elementary School. There is a unanimous position by the Board of Trustees that Richmond will NOT be sold. Currently, it is being used by other schools during seismic upgrading. I have spoken to a number of parents that would like to see their children attending Richmond, their neighbourhood school. Unfortunately, at this time, it cannot be done.
I voted NO for the Superintendent’s Report on Student Achievement  2012-2013
Why?
The report is very selective in the information it presents and it does not have a consistent statistical formula for analyzing student achievement. The report contains the following statement: This year we exceeded the provincial FSA results for all students in reading, writing, and numeracy in grade 4 and grade 7. However, for some cohorts there a was a 4 year analysis used while in other cohorts there was a one, two or three year time frame. This is not a sound statistical framework. So the previous statement is questionable. In summary, in my opinion, it was not sufficiently accurate in reporting the overall achievement results or comprehensive in reporting graduation rates over time.
Our First Nations’ students are making great progress. Graduation rates are as follows: 2008- 32.9%, 2009-36.5%, 2010-40.6, 2011-48.8% and 2012-52.8%. Congratulations to our students and staff and families who support them!
Tara Ehrcke, President of the GVTA, stated the following:
Greater Victoria also was in the news after this report was brought to a Board Meeting. Kudos to Lindsay Kines, who reported that the graduation rates increased from 76%, the previous high, in 04/05, to 78%, the current number. The provincial average is 80%. This is a very different way of describing the data than the chart showing the changes beginning from the low point in 2008. (http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/graduation-rate-reaches-new-high-in-greater-victoria-school-district-1.51362)
Why? Because this government pulled approximately $275M per year out of public education each year since 2002. Students that  graduated in 2005 had been in the system when there was greater funding for teachers and counsellors and learning support. Specialist teachers like learning support teachers, librarians and counsellors have been hit the hardest. They provide essential support to our most vulnerable students. As a public trustee, it is my responsibility to inform the parents and community about the big picture. While there is tremendous dedication and hard work being done every day by our staff, the fact remains that our children deserve to be the first priority. Funding must be returned to the 2001 levels.

* Please take a look at Trustee McNally’s blog, Lined Paper:)

Highlights:
Spectrum Community School Lacrosse Academy- Students shared their positive experiences as members of the team and explained that their sports focus helped them stay positive about their academic commitments.Thanks to the staff, coaches and students.
Lansdowne Middle School- Mitchel du Plessi, a Youth and family worker received an excellence award for her dedication to supporting students. Thank you to ALL our counsellors and YFC workers who have such a vital roll in our schools.

Thank you,
Your trustee,
Deborah Nohr ( 250-380-0888 or 250-896-0808-c )
Please write a quick e-mail…and express your ideas and feedback to the Premier and Minister of Education, Don McRae
• premier@gov.bc.ca
• *minister.educ@gov.bc.ca
• MLA Finder- drop down menu / easy to use
• robin.austin.mla@leg.bc.ca education critic

Trustee Report December 2012

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Trustee Nohr…Report #12  SD 61

First Priority Always…Advocacy for Our Children 

December 31, 2012       What’s Going On At the Board

Highlights:
Trustees Elections for 2013…..No New Trustees Included!
Elections were held by trustees for the following positions:

  • Chair- Peg Orcherton
  • Vice Chair- Bev Horsman
  • Rep for BCPSEA (British Columbia Public School Employers’ Assoc.)- Tom Ferris
  • Rep for BCSTA (British Columbia School Trustees’ Assoc. Provincial Councillor- Bev Horsman
  • Rep for VILRA (Vancouver Island Labour Relations Assoc.)- Tom Ferris
  • Chair- Operations, Policy and Planning Com’t- Elaine Leonard
  • Chair- Education Policy Com’t- Catherine Alpha

Unfortunately, none of the newly elected trustees ( Diane McNally, Edith Loring-Kuhanga, Deborah Nohr ) were elected to any positions.
This is unfortunate because these trustee bring some new ideas, energy and connection with the community to their work.
Question and Answer Debate…goes on and on!

Rachel Franklin, a parent, strongly encouraged the trustees to get on with it and immediately include a Q&A at Board meetings as did all members of the public at that meeting. This request fell on deaf ears and the Q&A issue is now going to a new ad hoc committee (Public Engagement Committee) for review. Interestingly, Michael McEvoy, a trustee, asked why there were no members of the public on this committee? Peg Orcherton and Bev Horsman gave their very weak rationales. Peg Orcherton asked how she could possibly develop a process to include the public? Michael McEvoy stated that it was very important to have the public involved. And thus, Peg took a breath and accepted this position after rejecting our very same request to include the public. We (Trustee McNally and Trustee Nohr) are waiting to hear about the date for the first meeting so we can attend as observers because Peg Orcherton and Bev Horsman were strongly opposed to following the district’s own Bylaw 9140.4 of including trustees/rep. of the public on this committee! Again, trustee McEvoy enthusiastically stated that, of course, trustees could attend this committee! Trustee Orcherton and Trustee Horsman, unfortunately have resisted change that is important and reflects current thinking about public bodies and their connection to their citizens
We have updated our Child Abuse Policy 5140.1.

Coming soon….trustee remuneration! Should trustees have a raise when CUPE and GVTA did not get a raise last year? I say NO! We need to remember the equity principle.
MOTIONS, MOTIONS, MOTIONS…

Recommended Motions:

  • i. The Board of Education School District No. 61 (Greater Victoria) from and ad Hoc Committee to review Bylaw 9360 to make recommendations for enhancements for public engagement including a structure for a possible Question and Answer period. The Ad Hoc Committee will include one representative from ASA, CUPE 382, CUPE 947, Exempt, GVTA VCPAC, VPVPA, and the Superintendent of Schools. The committee will report to the Operations, Policy and Planning Committee and will be at no cost to the Board.
  • ii. That the Board of Education of School District No. 61 (Greater Victoria) amend bylaw 9368 ‘Procedure’, Article 107.00 to read: “Any Trustee may challenge the ruling of the Chair, according to Robert’s Rules of Order. The Trustee making the challenge (with a seconder) will be asked by the Chair to state the challenge; debate will occur according to Roberts Rules of Order; a vote to sustain the Chair will follow debate.
  • iii. That the Board of Education of School District No. 61 (Greater Victoria) adopt the revised Policy 5140.1, Child Abuse.



Wi-Fi….What is going on? I’m confused!
The wifi issue is complex in large part due to the fact that issues and motions have not been addressed in a timely manner over the past year and a half. At one point, there was to be a discussion and possible motions brought forward about a moratorium on wifi in K to 5 schools and a district policy on ‘duty to accommodate’ students with sensibilities to EMR. At this time, a year and a half after it was first discussed, there is finally a moratorium and that means no more District installation and no more retail devices installed by teachers. I am concerned that neither the trustees or the wifi committee have addressed the ‘duty to accommodate’ issue. I will be putting this forward to the next OPPs meeting. Apparently, the wifi committee was to have only one meeting. That doesn’t make sense since there are so many important issues that remain unaddressed.

The wifi committee is waiting to hear back from the VCPAC, our parents organization. I have serious concerns about the lack of democratic representation by this organization. They do not represent 50% or more of our school based PACs. I would suggest that the wifi Chair send out an email to the school based PAC presidents and ask them to discuss this important issue at their January meeting using some survey questions and return their responses for the February OPPs meeting. Remember, School Planning Councils provide feedback each year around the budget issues.

I don’t support school by school decisions for wifi installation. The Board should make a district determination based on health, safety and the precautionary principle and keep our elementary schools hard wired.

This Government’s dreadful and persistent cuts to our District’s Budget
In October, the Ministry of Ed. informed our District that we would need to cover the costs of our teachers’ pension increase to the tune of $1.2M. What!!! We have never been responsible for this provincial cost. Then in December, again, the Ministry of Education, under the Cooperative Gains Mandate which they NEVER discussed with us, sent a letter directing our District to find 1.5% savings this year and next from our CUPE budget for a total of $500,000 each year. What!!! You have to be kidding. But, no! Not this government. Remember, large corporations have had their taxes reduced from16.5% to 9% and that equals anywhere from $500,000M to $1B eliminated from general revenue each year and that means PUBLIC EDUCATION is the victim of this fiscal mismanagement! We DO NOT have these funds.
Parents please send a brief but clear directive to your MLA, Premier/ M of Ed and say that this is not acceptable for our children.

Thank you,
Your trustee,
Deborah Nohr ( 250-380-0888 or 250-896-0808-c )
Please write a quick e-mail…and express your ideas and feedback to the Premier and Minister of Education.

• premier@gov.bc.ca
• *minister.educ@gov.bc.ca
• MLA Finder- drop down menu / easy to use
• robin.austin.mla@leg.bc.ca education critic

VPEC AGM

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VPEC is having it’s AGM

The AGM will be at the Emily Carr Library Meeting Room on Saturday, December 1 at 10:00 am will run until 1:00 pm if necessary.


The Emily Carr Library is located at 3500 Blanshard St., Google Map to help out is here, it is located near Uptown, behind Save-On-Foods and is surround by one way streets and a boulevard.


Hope to see everyone there.




October Board Meeting…New Committee to Address Bullying

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Trustee Nohr…Report #9   SD 61
First Priority Always… Advocacy for Our Children   Oct. 2012
October 15, 2012       Public Board Meeting

Highlights: Our Students….. Cops for Cancer

$109,000 was raised by students, staff, parents and community members at Reynolds Secondary School this year to contribute to our fight against cancer! In three years Reynolds raised $370,000! That is truly amazing and a testament to the human spirit! Alanna Charlton, principal who will be retiring in December and will be truly missed, and Dean Norris-Jones, lead teacher for the initiative, along with some student reps explained the heart, soul and personal growth that were central to the experience this year. Thank you to everyone at Reynolds and thank you to all the other high school students who worked hard and contributed to the Cops for Cancer Campaign!

* Please support The United Way…….The United Way supports our students and communities!

* New Ad Hoc Committee has been established. It is called Culture and Community Committee …..What is it about? In general terms, the goal is to create more awareness, effective strategies, processes and connection with community services and clear roles and expectations by all professionals to ensure that our students feel cared for and safe at all times. Every partner group will have an opportunity to provide their ideas.
Motions, Motions, Motions………1)    Oak Bay High School  and  Oak Bay Recreation Center have applied for a grant to expand their TV production equipment and therefore expand their capablility to offer more courses aligned with school curriculum and on an exploratory basis through the Rec Centre. They have asked for $16,741.86. T.his grant offering is in support of Neighbourhood Learning Centres * Motion passed unanimously.

2)   The Board approved he  submission to the Ministry of Education, 2012/2013, of its Five Year Capital Plan that includes 3 seismic upgrade projects (George Jay, Tillicum, and Shoreline), the mechanical/energy upgrade (Vic High), the 3 buildings envelope projects (Lambrick, Esquimalt and Mt. Doug), the 2 replacement schools (Cedar Hill and Frank Hobbs) and the 2 school addition projects(Mt. Doug and Spectrum).
FYI

*I will be asking some important questions at the next OPPs  (Nov. 13 @7:30pm) meeting about our budget. I want to have a discussion about ‘capping’ the expenses of our senior staff.

I will put two motions forward to our Board to write letters pertaining to the following two issues. If the motions do NOT pass I will write the letters myself.

  • an advocacy letter to the new Minister of Education requesting that he undertake a review of funding for assessments of our K, gr1, gr2, and gr 3 students who exhibit significant learning needs but get NO funding at this time
  • an advocacy letter to the new Minister of Education requesting a review of funding for students with significant and persistent behavioral challenges. Presently, most of our students with severe autism and oppositional defiant behaviour receive educational support time for less than half the day. This puts students and teachers at risk!

Thank you!
Your trustee,

Deborah Nohr ( 250-380-0888 or 250-896-0808-c )
Please write a quick e-mail…and express you ideas,feedback or concerns, if any.

• premier@gov.bc.ca
• *minister.educ@gov.bc.ca
• MLA Finder- drop down menu / easy to use
• robin.austin.mla@leg.bc.ca education critic
Premier Christy Clark Wants 10 Years Without Any Labour Disruption for BC Teachers
Premier Clark ‘imagined’ students in grade two continuing through to grade 12 without any threat of labour disruption. I would like to assure Premier Clark that all teachers, support staff, families and citizens would also like to see this. However, Premier  Clark has lost sight of the most critical detail necessary to bring this to pass.

In 2002, Minister of Education, Christy Clark passed Bill 28, Public Education Flexibility and Choice Act, which resulted in removing approximately $275 million from public education funding EACH YEAR. This was a devastating blow.

As a trustee and a retired teacher I also, ‘imagine’ ALL students from kindergarten to grade 12 experiencing a highly effective educational experience based on more teachers to meet more needs, less split grades, more learning support teachers to target our bright students with learning disabilities, much more counselling support, full-time educational assistance for full-time students was significant and severe behaviour challenges and proactive educational assessments for high need students who enter the system in kindergarten, grade one and two.

I encourage every citizen in our community to realize and support the necessity of reinstating this very essential funding. The 80%  of our citizens who do not have children in our public education system should understand that public education, the great builder of equality, most definitely has the potential to create literate and competent students who then bring greater employment, higher levels of employment, stability, creativity and vitality to our communities.

Deborah Nohr
 SD 61
Victoria
 Trustee

Welcome to the New School Year!

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I ask all parents to take the time to go to your child / children’s school and meet their teacher or teachers within the first TWO weeks. This will help ensure that everyone gets off to a great start and there is the important, two way  exchange of information that happens at the BEGINNING of the year…proactive communication, not reactive.

Bill 22 has removed class size limits on all grades from grade 4 to grade 12. Be aware of this and find out what your child / children’s class sizes are. Teachers strongly believe that with the complex needs of so many children these days, smaller class sizes are needed. Also, there are no limits on the number of special education students even though teachers have expressed much concern as they know that this is NOT in the best interests of any of the students.

Please read the following summary of  the concerns and issues with Bill 22

Bill 22 hurts students and attacks teachers’ rights

Bill 22 makes working and learning conditions even worse

  • repeals and reintroduces parts of Bills 27/28 that stripped class-size and composition contract language and were ruled unconstitutional by the BC Supreme Court
  • wipes out virtually all current class-size and composition limits found in the School Act (Bill 33)
  • no limits on number of students with special needs in a class
  • no limit of numbers of students in Grades 4 to 12
  • no consultation with teachers about their classes
  • no public accountability for school boards

Bill 22 means no collective bargaining

  • legislates net zero, no salary or benefit improvement, or anything that has a cost
  • ends free collective bargaining by imposing a government-appointed “mediator” who must operate under a narrow government mandate focused on employer concessions
  • the mediator is bound by net zero
  • concessions regarding seniority, post and fill, layoff and recall, evaluation and dismissal, control of professional development must be part of the new contract
  • makes any strike action an offence subject to heavy fines for members, representatives, and the union
  • attacks fundamental Charter right of freedom of association

Bill 22 ignores the BC Supreme Court ruling

  • BC Supreme Court Justice Griffin found contract stripping legislation regarding class size and composition was unconstitutional
  • Bill 22 repeals Bills 27 and 28 and then legislates them back into effect
  • fails to restore minimum service level guarantees for special education, ESL, teacher-librarians, and other learning specialist teachers
  • fails to restore language supporting the integration of students with special needs.

Thank you for your on-going support!

Trustee Deborah Nohr

Essay: Trustees should be able to focus on their jobs

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Here is Starla Anderson’s essay in the Times-Colonist. She’s given VPEC permission to reprint it:

A Nanaimo Daily News editorial reprinted in the Times Colonist on July 4 asks readers a pertinent question about the recent firing of the Cowichan Valley School Board by the minister of education: “If boards cannot do what they were elected to do, why do we go through the charade of an election every three years to vote for a new board?”

Most citizens assume that school board trustees are elected to mediate the schooling needs and interests of their communities within the mandates of the provincial government. It doesn’t occur to us that a school board’s primary task is to manage school district finances within constraints over which they have little say.

The preamble in the 2012 School Act states that “it is the goal of a democratic society to ensure that all its members receive an education that enables them to become literate, personally fulfilled and publicly useful, thereby increasing the strength and contributions to the health and stability of that society.”

The idealism in this statement provides inspiration to all who are committed to public school education, including those who choose to run the gauntlet of candidacy to become a trustee. And yet, if our 2012 School Act is compared with B.C.’s first School Act of 1872, we find the primary task of school boards to manage finances has not changed since, despite the addition of more than 170 pages of directives. In contrast to our current School Act’s preamble, the 1872 Act’s preamble is more honest in its limited vision:

“Whereas it is expedient that provision should be made for the establishment, maintenance, and management of Public Schools throughout the Province of British Columbia -”

Egerton Ryerson’s influence on the writing of the Ontario School Act of 1871 shaped a centralized public school system that provided a model for B.C.’s School Act of 1872. This model has been pretty much intact since: Provincial governments delegate management powers to locally elected trustees and it is rare for trustees to attempt to negotiate finances with the minister of education. The three school boards that have made this attempt in the past 35 years have all been fired and replaced by “official trustees.”

Idealism motivates most citizens who want to participate in shaping public education and anyone who has not read the School Act is unaware that fundraising has in recent years become part of a trustee’s job description. The 2012 School Act outlines protocols for renting and selling buildings and property, holding local referendums requesting that citizens pay extra taxes for special projects and starting companies such as the one Saanich trustees have decided to organize to make up funding shortfalls by selling online courses overseas.

The nation-builders of the late 1800s would be baffled that the foundation that they laid enabled subsequent politicians and educators to build a complex public-school system that they couldn’t have imagined, and then, in a decade of neglect, the system unnecessarily declined. The consequences of tax cuts made to corporations, small businesses and individuals since 2001 have not only created havoc in school districts, but have given us a shakeup that forces us not to take for granted the world-class public school infrastructure that took more than 100 years to develop.

The Cowichan school trustees who would no longer co-operate with the dismantling of their school district have awakened us all. Their words and actions honour the legacy of social reformer Amos de Cosmos and those 19th-century citizens whose campaign to bring schools to the colony of Vancouver Island was successful. After the opening of Victoria’s Central School under the 1865 Common School Act, de Cosmos wrote in the British Colonist:

“The blessing of education has been presented to the poorest as well as to the richest child – We hope that rumour is falsifying – that the education appropriation will have to be reduced $32,000.”

In this 21st century, it is up to all of us to communicate to government that we expect elected officials to keep our schools moving towards fulfilling the goals stated in their own 2012 School Act. And trustees should not have to concern themselves with raising funds for the viability of their school districts – that is the job of government.

Starla Anderson is a retired teacher and education consultant who lives in Victoria.