Items discussed at the Board of Education meeting held on December 9, 2020.

Due to revised orders from the Provincial Health Officer, the Board meeting was held via Zoom.

Administration reported that there are still 142 ‘transition students’ within the district. Schools indicate that they are expecting more families to return to in-class instruction after Christmas break. Our priority is to support students and families who may not be managing as well as they would like with distance learning. We have shown that our schools are safe places; however, we continue to respect family choices and unique circumstances.

Professional development is still alive and well in SD No. 53. While it took some time for high quality virtual professional activities to present themselves, staff are engaging in virtual book clubs, webinars, virtual conferences, speaker series, and Zoom podcasts.

Administration reported that there had been a confirmed case of COVID-19 reported in one of our school communities. Our protocols with Interior Health are in place and they have performed their contact tracing and notification functions.

We have demonstrated that schools are safe when we follow the protocols. We are confident that we are prepared as best as we can be and will work together efficiently and transparently to address positive cases occurring within our district. The safety and well-being of staff, students, and families remains our highest priority.

The Board was informed that Corcelettes Estate Winery in Cawston has donated $12,500 to Cawston Primary School. Funds will be used to defray expenses of the school’s lunch program and to purchase playground equipment. The Board thanks Corcelettes for this generous donation.

Rob Zandee, Chairperson
School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen)