Students in the district can get a jumpstart on their careers after the launch of the new dual-credit program.
The board heard from Tessa Wiseman, who’s stepped into the role of Dual Credit Coordinator and Selkirk College liaison this year.
Wiseman connects students with the Youth Train in Trades (YTT) program, which allows students to begin trades training while still in high school.
YTT foundational programs include carpentry, fine woodworking, heavy mechanics, and welding.
“I’m seeing it make a real difference in students’ lives. They tell me they are loving it,” said Wiseman. “They say things like, ‘I’m thriving’… They were ready to get started on the things that matter to them. It’s beautiful to see them happy.”
Seven students are enrolled in YTT; four began this fall, and three will begin in the winter semester. Five students are conditionally accepted for next year.
Funding for each participating student is provided by Skill Trades BC. The district covers tuition, but students must pay for housing and living expenses.
The dual-credit program also offers an early childhood education assistant program, with one student enrolled this year. Healthcare assistant is another option; two grade 12 students are preparing applications to start in February. When they finish in August, they will be fully certified, said Wiseman.
Students can also take individual courses at Selkirk College to explore interests and possible career paths, all while gaining secondary school and college credits.
“Having a direct connection with programs at Selkirk helps our students understand earlier that these are avenues they can take,” said Superintendent Peter Dubinsky.
Chair and vice chair re-elected
Steve Gascon, Central Zone Trustee, and Christine Dixon, Trustee at Large, were elected by acclamation as board chair and vice-chair. This is the second term for both in these roles.
Gascon was elected as trustee in the 2020 byelection, and was elected chair in November 2023.
Dixon has been trustee since 2018, and served as chair from 2020 to 2023, when she became vice-chair.
Outdoor education
Nakusp Secondary School science teacher Julia Flesaker updated the board on the successes of outdoor education in the district.
Flesaker teaches grade 11 and 12 outdoor education at NSS, with art and math teacher Sheena DeLong taking on grades 9 and 10.
The program gets the students outside every day to experience nature firsthand, fostering a deeper connection to their surroundings.
Many have spent very little time in the outdoors, said Flesaker.
“All this is sometimes new to [students]… It gives them a chance to explore how far they can push themselves,” she said. “It inspires a whole lot of confidence in them.”
Flesaker highlighted a three-night canoe trip on Slocan Lake. It was challenging for the students, she said, with inclement weather most of the trip. Students were relieved when it was over, but a week later they expressed what a great trip it was.
“Now that you’ve survived this, you can survive any camping situation,” she told them.
Beyond practical outdoor skills, Flesaker also focuses on leadership skills. She assesses each student’s unique talents to see how they can contribute to “a really solid team.”
“Because we’re such a small group of students, that teamwork aspect is really important… We’re building relationships and having adventures together, and that’s the coolest part about [outdoor education],” she said.
Flesaker and the other outdoor education teachers in the district recently completed Wildness First Aid Training. The extensive 90-hour course ensures teachers can respond to outdoor emergencies and keep students safe.
Finances
Secretary-Treasurer Michael McLellan updated the board on the district’s finances.
Currently, the district is in an $800,000 deficit. But no need to worry, said McLellan, since it’s only due to a timing gap between funding and spending.
The district is still waiting on 80% of its revenues from the Ministry of Education and Child Care. As funds are received and the year moves forward, the deficit will even out.
The district has around $3 million in the bank at any given time, said McLellan, and can cover temporary deficits like this.
Student delegates
The board discussed the possibility of non-voting student delegates attending the BC School Trustees Association (BCSTA) annual general meetings (AGM).
During a board meeting in January, the BCSTA passed a motion to develop a framework for including student delegates at its AGMs. BCSTA is looking for feedback from school district boards on how to make this happen.
Overall, the board agreed that if this is going to happen, the reason for attendance and the benefits for students need to be clearly defined.
“One of the purposes is to engage youth in the democratic process,” said Trustee Amanda Murphy. “But maybe there’s a better approach, where we can work with students and find what is valuable to them and how they want to be involved, rather than telling them how to be involved.”
Chair Gascon will submit the feedback to BCSTA.
