Trustees would like to thank our communities for the compassion, kindness and support that we have received during this current very difficult consultation process. None of us wanted to embark on this journey but after five years of cutting costs from the periphery, which would not directly affect quality student learning, the challenges with our declining enrolment and structural deficit, as well as our struggle to provide a variety of learning opportunities for secondary students left us no choice than to consider this option and hear from parents and the community. We are listening to input from all of our partners and we are at the same time building a budget with cuts that amount to about $700,000. It is a sad day in education when we have to look at lists of services to our students and have to choose which cuts will have the least effect, knowing they all will have an impact. We will continue to lobby our government to fund rural districts to meet the needs of rural students. An updated FAQ can be found on our website.

On Friday, February 19th administrators and teachers gathered around the district in schools or teams to engage in professional development sessions around teaching and learning to improve student success. Around the province workshops were presented by local and provincial facilitators on Infusing Aboriginal Content, Social Media, Poverty as a Classroom Issue, Numeracy in the Early Years, Career Ed, Developing a Growth Mindset and Understanding LGBTQ Issues in School.

Our enrolment is at 2,264.6875 FTE. Compared to October 2, 2015, our elementary enrolment increased by 4 FTE, secondary enrolment decreased by 12.625 FTE and YouLearn increased by 50.5 for an overall increase by 41.875 FTE. Our next enrolment report will reflect secondary enrolment more accurately as this will reflect the second semester courses taken by our senior students. The Ministry of Education has advised that school districts should receive the 2016/17 funding announcement on March 15. There is no indication at this time of significant changes to the funding formula; however, there have been challenges provincially with increasing enrolment so changes may be required. Our school district’s preliminary student enrolment projections anticipate 2,181 students which is a 42 FTE reduction from the current school year. Once the funding announcements are made, our district will continue with its 2016/2017
budget process. School districts around the province were recently given approval to provide up to a 2% increase to principals and vice principals effective July 1st, 2015 and January 2016. The additional cost to SD53 is approximately $54,000 for salary and benefits. We anticipated the approval by the Ministry this year and incorporated this in our current budget. In the past the Ministry funded these increases but they no longer do. Other excluded staff compensation remains frozen at 2008/2009 salary levels. We are waiting to hear from BCPSEA regarding potential exempt staff salary grids compared to other similar positions in sectors such as post-secondary institutions and municipalities. We are expecting that these increases will also have to be funded out of our budgets, not by the Ministry.

District staff notified trustees of changes in the legislative language regarding school calendar submissions.
Changes for 2016/17 include an additional non-instructional day for the purposes of supporting the
implementation of BC’s redesigned curriculum. The board is required to make the proposed calendar public for one month before submission by March 31st. Staff prepared a calendar that was presented at the Education Committee meeting on February 10th and to the board at the regular meeting on February 24th.

The superintendent presented her annual Report on Student Achievement. Highlights include:

1. An increase in the six-year completion rate of students – this seems to be an improving trend.
2. Pass rates for provincial exams (English10, Social Studies 11, English 12 and Communications 12) are
strong and improving.
3. C+ or better grades in English 10, Science 10 and SS 11 is improving.
4. Early learning partnerships and programming to support kindergarten readiness.
5. Increased inclusion of StrongStart facilitators in early learning initiatives and in leadership.
6. Continued improvement and participation in our careers programs.
7. Tracking and intervening with students struggling in grade 10.
Challenging areas of student achievement highlighted in the report:
1. The graduation years are a challenging period of transition for all students but particularly Aboriginal students.
2. Student engagement as identified by schools.
3. Addressing social and emotional components of education system-wide to improve student success.
4. The transient nature of many of our families continues to be a challenge.

We are trying to mitigate these challenges with specific interventions and programs such as:
 Summer reading program
 Innovative instruction and assessment strategies
 Investing in the learning of our teachers
 Networks
 Literacy summits
 Self-regulation
 CR4YR – intermediate
 Inquiry
 Response to intervention and the development of a Pyramid of Intervention for every school
 Early Learning Partnerships
 Roots of Empathy and the focus on Social and Emotional learning in all schools
 Aboriginal education – student support and cultural integration
 Integration of technology
Please be assured that we are continuing to listen to your ideas and feedback during the consultation process and we are looking at all of the suggestions regarding budget decisions that we are receiving from so many of you.

Should you have any questions, please contact me at 250-498-1333.
Submitted by Marieze Tarr, Chairperson
School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen