In mid-July, the district was informed the Slocan Valley Refugee Coalition had been matched with a Somalian family who had been living in a Kenyan refugee camp for the last 10 years.
Staff at the school are busy preparing to welcome the five school-aged children. Their English Language Learning (ELL) skills will be assessed when they arrive, and, if required, an ELL teacher will be hired to assist them learn English. The family also has a three-year-old child who will be going to the New Denver Strong Start Centre.
SD 10’s Design Thinking Grant approved
Starting in September, the Design Thinking: Making a Difference in the World project celebrates 13 local artists who will be doing residencies in the schools across the district. They will be working with children and youth in genres ranging from pottery to timber frame building.
Thirteen artist, maker, and builder residencies will be scheduled from November to May, with culminating showings of final prototypes and design processes held in the communities of Nakusp, New Denver, and Edgewood on May 18.
New SD 10 films launched
Four new films celebrating teaching and learning in the district have been completed, and are available on the SD 10 Arrow Lakes YouTube channel, and the district website.
They are:
1. Garden, Greenhouse, and Sustainability, which focuses on the pre-school, Strong Start, and K-12 programs at Lucerne connected to the school garden, greenhouse, and sustainability initiatives.
2. Taking Care of Community: Collaborative Environmental Stewardship features two Nakusp Elementary teachers sharing their work in co-teaching Grade 5/6 students in inquiry projects focused on taking action in the community
3. Solar Energy Project showcases the hands on and technology learning experiences involved in the installation of solar panels at NES and Lucerne last fall.
4. Technology in the Wild: Primary Students Explore Their Places shares Edgewood Elementary School’s outdoor classroom. K-3 students inquire about animal habitats and needs in the forest using game cameras to record animal presence.
New school bus for Eastern Zone route
The 60 passenger bus has arrived and will serve the Hills-New Denver-Silverton route.
The new bus is a replacement for the propane bus, which has had engine problems since its purchase. The Ministry of Education authorized replacement of the vehicle with a new diesel bus.
In addition, $15,000 from the sale of the propane bus has been approved by the ministry to go into SD 10’s restricted capitol surplus fund.
In total, there are now three new buses in the district, one for the Edgewood route, one in Nakusp, and this most recent one for New Denver.
Strong Start Review at Lucerne Oct. 6-7
A team of four researchers is coming from the University of Toronto to conduct research interviews and a focus group with Strong Start co-ordinator Charlene Alexander and parents.
Tessa Graham, director of the Office of Early Years, and Maureen Dockendorf, superintendent of Early Learning, will also attend the review.
New Denver Strong start is one of 10 sites chosen for this research across B.C. as a result of its innovative community partnerships and flexible evening/after school hours, amongst other practises.
Part time district health coordinator
New Interior Health Authority funding for a part-time, one day per week, has allowed the district to hire Heather French as the new healthy schools co-ordinator.
French has begun working with Lorna Newman, director of learning, on a draft plan to address three identified district health needs: nutrition, substance misuse, and mental health.
She will visit schools and talk to staff as she launches this new health program, which will augment existing healthy schools initiatives.