Superintendent’s Update

Dear Parents and Caregivers:

As we near the end of the third week of September, I hope that you and your family have been able to reconnect with existing friends and make new ones. In this update, I focus on the core value of relationships and connections in the 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan.

Savona Elementary School – September 17, 2024

Principal Galloway and Secretary Lamberton started the day by sharing how much they each appreciated where the school is located (at the western end of Kamloops Lake) because the staff and students enjoy walks on the beach, which are one aspect of outdoor education.

Mr. Galloway and I first visited Ms. Broad who was supporting a Gr. 6-7 small group of students engaged in reading the novel, Fatty Legs: A True Story by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, illustrated by Liz Amini-Holmes. As part of ongoing education about Truth and Reconciliation and the history of residential schools, these students shared how they most enjoyed making text-self, text-text, and text-world connections where they reflected on the characters’ experiences and how it relates to their own lives and what is happening in the world. 

Ms. Broad greeted us in the hallway as we made our way to Ms. Gill’s K-1 classroom. Ms. Broad is very involved in the school community in her multiple roles as a CEA and Custodian. She is so much appreciated.

Ms. Gill was working one-on-one with a student on letter sounds, and Mrs. Edmondson was guiding students in different groups who were engaged in building things, colouring, and reading books.  Mrs. Johnson’s Gr. 1-4 class had just taken part in listening to a story with the goal of drawing or writing their own. One student, Tucker, was drawing a series of pictures about his experiences on a dirt bike. He then shared how he had once had a dirt biking accident, and he was drawing and writing about that. Shelby was also drawing about her real life experiences being sick.

As we circulated to other groups’ approaches to story writing, one group was using texts such as “How to Draw Sharks” to draw favourite sharks (like the hammerhead for Braxton) and then to get ideas and write what happens next. Maverick was focused on the wolf character in one of the stories written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. He was interested in drawing that character and then deciding what would happen to them. This activity promoted connections between students, their personal stories, and favourite characters and creatures to inspire innovative storytelling.

Ms. Regan’s Gr. 4-7 class was continuing with literature circles in the classroom. One group was reading “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, and when I asked which character they liked the most, they all responded at once, “Ichabod”. When I asked why, they said, “Because Ichabod loves food and storytelling!”. Another group of students were working on finding key vocabulary in a crossword puzzle, which they enjoyed and it reinforced their learning.

Championing Welcoming, Caring, Inclusive Schools

Given the planned gatherings of groups who intend to share polarized views about Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) education on September 20, it is timely and necessary to speak to our core commitment as a District and Board of Education—that we support every child and adult to be who they are and value their protected human rights. Read more.

David Thompson Bike Rodeo Empowers Young Riders with Safety Skills

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, students at David Thompson Elementary School started their day learning about bike safety at the DT Bike Rodeo. This fun and educational day aimed to promote physical health and safety for a vibrant school community that values outdoor play.

Students from Grades 1–7 of all abilities were invited to bring their helmets, bikes, scooters, and striders to school to participate in games and safety lesions. Read more.

Starfish Backpacks

Thank you to all the SD73 staff who visited the Kamloops Food Bank this morning to help prepare this week’s Starfish Backpacks.

Working in an assembly line, staff loaded bags with easy-to-prepare, nutritious food items. The backpacks and bags were then delivered to several schools across Kamloops, ensuring vulnerable students have enough to eat for the weekend.

Westsyde Secondary Volleyball Team

Congratulations to the Westsyde Secondary Senior Girls Volleyball team for being ranked #5 in the BC School Sports ‘AA’ Girls Volleyball rankings for the 2024 season.

District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC)

Welcome back to all Parent Advisory Council (PAC) volunteers. PACs are open to everyone connected to a child in school so if you are interested in joining, please reach out. The District Parent Advisory Council is here to help – visit the DPAC page on sd73.bc.ca for DPAC’s contact information, meeting schedule, and meeting Zoom link.

Board Notes

For those who would like to keep track of major events discussed at Board meetings, I will reference Board Notes (summaries of board meetings), which are available on the District website under “Our District/Board” under “Board Communications”. See board notes for the Regular Public Board meeting on September 9, 2024.

Thank you for your genuine efforts to make September such a good start up for students and for each other.

Rhonda Nixon, PhD

Superintendent