Following are some highlights from the Board of Education meeting held on May 26, 2021.

Staff reported to the Board that Kindergarten registration for next year is relatively strong with most
schools at or near projected enrollment. The Board would like to remind all parents to register
children who will be 5 years old by December 31, 2021 as soon as possible to facilitate staffing. These
will be children who are born in 2016. Parents must bring their child’s birth certificate and medical
card.

Staff reported on the initiatives promoted this year by our Health Promoting Schools Coordinator, Ms.
Jennifer Martin. Interior Health supports health promoting practices within school districts by
providing partial funding to support this position. This year, various activities from “Kids in the
Kitchen” to yoga sessions for students and staff to “Take A Hike” after-school sessions have been
offered in various community locations.

Staff reported that the largest initiative this year, for this position, centered around providing outdoor learning experiences for both students and staff. Our Health Promoting School Coordinator and
District Physical Therapist teamed up to offer outdoor, land-based experiential education
opportunities to schools. Cohort-based, half-day opportunities were offered and Indigenous Education
Advocates were invited from various schools to join and enhance the day by offering ‘place-based’
connections to the learning. Mindfulness and Movement incorporated Mental Health and Movement.
Over 650 students and their teachers participated in these popular land-based learning days this year.
As we move to June, many thoughts turn to graduation. This year, PHO guidelines do not limit the
students to gather in groups of 50 unlike last year. Students can gather in their learning cohorts. This means that graduates can gather together for the ceremony which is important to them.
Unfortunately, the gathering order does not permit schools to include parents and family members
outside the cohort. OSS, SESS, and SOSS have enlisted professional videographers to capture the
ceremonies live for families.

Our District is one of 46 in the Province participating in “Equity in Action”, an ongoing collaborative
process to improve the educational experiences for Indigenous learners with the goal of achieving
equity within our system for all students. There have been a number of action items identified that
will be added to our Equity Plan. Our final Equity in Action Plan will be submitted to the Ministry by
the end of June and will be published on our SD No. 53 website. This Action Plan will be updated each
year moving forward.

Finally, most of the new outdoor learning spaces at all of our schools are at or near completion.
Taking learning outside has shown to increase engagement, relevance, health, and well being. These
spaces were supported with federal grant monies. Outdoor learning involves specific strategies and
competencies to make learning meaningful and connect to nature and the outdoors.

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