Superintendent’s Update

Dear Parents and Caregivers:

The focus of January is to share stories about relationships/connections and the value commitment of respect in the 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan.

Artificial Intelligence - Elizabeth deVries and Carol DeFehr

Thank you to Elizabeth deVries and Director Carol DeFehr for working together to showcase the work of the committee and consultation on the AI framework that is being developed for the District. They shared the purpose, vision, strategies, and applications that are being explored and look forward to sharing it more broadly as they continue consultation in smaller focus groups.

École Lloyd George School – January 29, 2025

Principal Dumas, Vice Principal Hurren, and I started our visit by discussing the School Learning Plan goals. The school’s focus on literacy and sense of belonging has resulted in increased results. École Lloyd George teachers worked collaboratively with teachers at South Sa-Hali to cocreate a French continuum for literacy to ensure students meet literacy objectives in French. The French version of the Primary Reading Assessment (Évaluation de lecture au primaire) showed steady increases in Grade 1, 2, and 3 students’ results (+1% to +12%). Mme Dumas and Mme Hurren attributed these improvements to the staff’s collaborative efforts to co-plan, co-assess, and co-reflect on progress in student learning.

We stopped to see the students in Mr. Hogeveen’s class where Mr. Hogeveen conducted the Grade 5 students who sang, played, and moved to the song “Africa” by Toto. It was a spirited piece that is well liked by the students.

As we walked past the front display, Mme Dumas shared how the students continue to learn about the Seven Grandfathers’ Teachings. Each grade is focusing on one animal and working to integrate the values of that animal into their learning.

Their school is welcoming, caring, and has a positive sense of belonging by keeping their guidelines for behaviour simple and visual. Mme Dumas shared, “We began this work last April and continued in a way that has helped everyone to identify and remember what creating an inclusive learning environment looks like and sounds like every day.”

Mme Jenkin’s Grade 7 students were learning about change, and had done reflections on the Seven Grandfather Teachings. She explained that this is common across their school to see different ways that these teachings are lived and displayed to be celebrated in classrooms.

Mme Silzak was teaching Grade 3-4 about being a “Dictionary Detective,” and the students shared how they love to learn new words and it is part of Unplug and Play Week.

We stopped in to see Mme Allen who was working with a student in the “LABO” which used to be a computer lab and is now an alternative, flexible space for students to work. She described how they have this space as an alternate place to work and to have sensory breaks, social skills groups, and to be a “learning hub”. Both Mme Dumas and Mme Allen emphasized the importance of designing these spaces to invite students in to relax and to be active (i.e., she had created a lego wall that was used by the students to build with lego). She described how designing and co-creating this room was a team effort. She painted the leather furniture, had help from the District carpenter to put a border around their lego wall, and they came up with the idea and had to try it out because it was not something that had been done before.

Mme. Bossio read a story to Grade 1 and worked on “loose parts” story-creating activities. I also learned that each loose parts table had different types of backgrounds, with some very tactile manipulatives (i.e., salt in a box) that became part of students’ storytelling.

Mme Dumas shared the development of the Secwépemc kits in the library. She explained that the staff will spend part of their next Professional Development Day sharing what is in these kits and what they have had success doing with them in classrooms.

It was a lovely visit at École Lloyd George and students, parents, and staff were enjoying learning and preparing for the basketball game after school.

Unplug and Play Family Literacy Week – January 25–February 2, 2025

From January 25 to February 2, 2025, schools, students, and families have been participating in the 14th annual Beem Credit Union Unplug and Play Family Literacy Week. This week is focused on raising awareness about the importance of reading and encouraging families to find a healthy balance between screen time and active family time.

Schools across the Kamloops-Thompson School District participated in various Unplug and Play activities and school challenges throughout the week. As part of the Intellectual Development priority in the 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan, the District is committed to providing diverse learning opportunities featuring multi-leveled resources that promote joyful reading, thoughtful written responses, and interesting conversations. Read more.

Outride Bike Program at BEST – January 11, 2025

Bert Edwards Science and Technology School (BEST) has been selected for the Outride Bike Program. On Saturday, January 11, 2025, volunteers from the local mountain bike community and Bicycle Cafe, along with students from Mr. Wood’s Grade 6/7 class came together to build 30 brand new mountain bikes for BEST students.

Outride is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth through cycling. The Outride Bike Program provides grants, research, and cycling programs to empower youth to experience the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of cycling. Since 2012, Outride has partnered with nearly 400 schools and granted $2M+ to over 250 cycling programs, impacting up to 50,000 youth annually. Read more.

Kamloops-Thompson Students Achieve Highest School Completion – January 31, 2025

In the 2023-2024 school year, all three student group categories – Resident students, Indigenous students, and students with Diverse Abilities – experienced the highest completion rates ever achieved in the Kamloops-Thompson School District. Read more.

District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC)

New alert from the BC Gaming for PAC Gaming Grants: All PAC's in BC must have a business BCeID to apply for the 2025-2026 grant for your school. To find out more or for help getting this important step completed please see the DPAC webpage. Don't delay in getting your BCeID!

Board Notes – Board Update

Based on feedback from the District Parent Advisory Council, we have revised the Board Notes to be more like a newsletter format. If you have time, please let us know what you think of the new format here.

It has been a full month back in January, and we have so much to celebrate and be thankful for as we start February, a month focused on kindness. Be kind to yourself and each other as you take in activities that rejuvenate you this weekend.

Rhonda Nixon, PhD
Superintendent