SD 10 Chairperson's Report, by Pattie Adam
Well it was an interesting start to the 2011/2012 school year. Lots of confusion and frustration with the BCTF strike action plus an election year too! Students have been busy and active. The staff in School District 10 is some of the most dedicated and innovative in the province, they have a true commitment to student achievement.
School District 10 is very fortunate to be in its second year of our Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement and things are off to a fantastic start. We have had field trips, guest Elders and authors speak, just to name a few of the events that have happened thanks to the Agreement. Our agreement is a living working document that is constantly changing and growing to foster a healthy and positive education for our aboriginal students and their families as well as our non-aboriginal students and their families.
At Lucerne Elementary Secondary School, the greenhouse has helped staff create locally developed horticulture courses. Into Learning begins soon, and secondary students will have a week of immersion in either film photography development or winter sports during Jan. 30–Feb. 3. We are fortunate to have student teacher Signey Fredrickson from the West Kootenay Teacher Education Program as an elementary instructor.
At Nakusp Elementary School exciting things are happening. A banner is being created to celebrate the traditional grounds of the Sinixt. All the doors at the school are going to be painted to welcome visitors, parents and students to the school.
Edgewood Elementary School had an upgrade on their heating ventilation and cooling system. In partnership with RDCK Paul Peterson, the project’s total cost is $240,000, with $40,000 coming from the RDCK.
We are right in the middle of our search for our new Superintendent/Secretary-Treasurer. Walter Posnikoff has decided to retire and we will wish him all the success in his future! What an inspiration to us all, to focus your life on education and children for more than 30 years in one District. He has agreed to stay on with us until a suitable candidate can be found. The superintendent search is moving along very well, the Board of Education will be short listing this week.