School board trustees and staff discussed student achievement and bus orientation during the last school board meeting on Nov. 6 at the school board office.
Bus orientation
Kindergarten to Grade 3 students throughout the school district were given a 15-minute bus orientation from bus driver Joanne Rooke in October.
“The orientation was to explain the rules of riding the school bus to all the students, which is done every year,” said secretary-treasurer Jeanette Hanlon. “This year instead of a contest, we provided students with an activity booklet highlighting bus safety. Them seemed to enjoy it a lot.”
Greenwood playground
The new Greenwood Elementary School playground has been put up, with only one more attachment to add to complete the playground.
Greenwood Elementary received a $50,000 grant last July to promote student recreation and to have active recesses.
Annual flu shot
Around 60 teachers and staff received their flu shots within the district during the annual flu shot campaign.
“At the moment, it’s just for teachers and staff. The government is planning to expand the parameters of who can get the flu shot,” explained Superintendent of Schools Michael Strukoff. “The employee groups lobbied to make the flu shot available for it, but they have to sign up before hand.”
Superintendent achievement
The Ministry of Education plans to resume the Superintendent of Achievement District visits this year.
The visits is meant to be used to consult with superintendents about the development of the district, connecting schools and districts with necessary resources, as well as identifying resources, strategies and structures to improve student learning.
No date has been set for SD51.
Upgrades to school grounds
In Hanlon’s report, she noted that all irrigation systems have been flushed and prepared for winter.
“The leaves are still falling for trees so we’re hoping they will be picked up before the snow falls,” she said. “We also have had a problem with the deer messing up the playing fields. We have hired a bus driver to clean up the grounds.”
Aboriginal ed in class projects
Métis jigger (dancer) and historical storyteller Bev Lambert visited elementary schools across the Boundary in October. Lambert demonstrated traditional jigging, Métis music and culture during her visit.
Grand Forks Secondary School also has local artist and carver Terry Jackson is currently instructing Brent Johnson’s woodworking class, along with Jan de Haan’s art class.
Aboriginal information and culture through Moodle
An Adobe Connect planning session included teachers from the Boundary, Arrow Lakes, Haida Gwaii and Gold Trail School Districts to discuss Aboriginal education held in October.
The session discussed methods and opportunities for students to increase their knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal information, culture and other issues.
Maxine Ruzicka, the director of instruction, reported it helps connect students to other students, “and to have thoughtful dialogue on a variety of topics that would not be available without these teachers and district administrators (who are) working together as a professional learning community.”
Ruzicka was in Kelowna attending another meeting and was not present at this month’s school board meeting.
The next SD51 school board meeting will be held on Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. at the School Board Office in Grand Forks.