BCCPAC
604-474-0524 
parent education
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Funding Model Review & Implementation Information
The Funding Model Review process and implementation began back in early 2018 and BCCPAC has been heavily involved throughout. We have kept our members informed all through the stages of the review and shared information to ensure parents understood the facts and how the process was proceeding.We've put all the individual files and reports from the Independent Review Panel and the Ministry of Education together and will update them here until the model is finalized and launched.November 2019 - Funding Model Update & Inclusive Education at DPAC SummitOctober 2019 - Funding Model Implementation Working Group Reports (4)June 2019 - Funding Model Review Progress ReportMay 2019 - Funding Model Update at our Parent Education ConferenceFebruary 2019 - Ministry Information Session with Education PartnersDecember 2018 - Funding Model RecommendationsReleasedMay 2018 - Funding Model Review Discussion PaperBCCPAC Submissions: -
Funding Model Working Group Reports
Recommendations from the Ministry of Education's funding model review Working Groups were released in October 2019.
Read the reports:
Financial Management
Adult and Continuing Education
Inclusive Education
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Gaming Grants Information 2019
Gaming Grants has developed a new 2019 presentation for PACs and DPACs. The presentation covers all of the basics, a few complex questions, and features an expanded list of eligible/ineligible disbursements (with better examples).
The presentation is 25 slides and should take 30 minutes to deliver. PACs and DPACs are reminded to apply online for Gaming Grants between April 1 - June 30, 2019 to receive funds in Fall 2019.
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Gender Identity in Schools
The Government of Canada's Public Health Agency created this short question and answer document for parents - "Gender Identity in Schools" (2011)
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Guide to the Personal Information Protection Act
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Internet Safety Guides for 8-12 year olds
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LGBTQ Students in BC Fact Sheet
The Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Center at the University of BC is a research team which looks at health inequities and strengths among stigmatized groups of youth, as well as the programs and policies that support them. They have compiled a short fact-sheet based on a decade of research with LGBTQ that can teach us about student well-being and how we can make schools more welcoming places to improve student health.
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Math for Families
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Math for Families
Helping your child with math at home Teachers help build children’s mathematical thinking at school. Families help build it at home. Research shows that an ongoing partnership with families can help children develop math understanding. This resource suggests ways families can support children’s math development by doing activities at home. Resource available in English, Chinese and Punjabi
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Ministry Resources
Ministry of Education Factsheet: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) in Schools
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Parent Information on New Curriculum
Learn all you need to know about the new curriculum including: core competencies, assessments, orientation guide, parent's guide and the ability to give feedback. All materials housed on the government website.
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Parent Presentation Resource
SOGI 1 2 3 Parent Resources were created in collaboration with BCCPAC, Ministry of Education and ARC Foundation to answer parent questions about what SOGI-inclusive education looks like in BC schools. Use the complementary presentation and facilitator's guide to learn within your parent community.
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Parent Resources: Videos, Brochures, Fact Sheet
SOGI 1 2 3 Parent Resources were created in collaboration with BCCPAC, Ministry of Education and ARC Foundation to answer parent questions about what SOGI-inclusive education looks like in BC schools.
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Proposed Changes to Distributed Learning
In June 2021, Ministry of Education staff met with Distributed Learning educators and also met with BCCPAC President Sinclair and CEO John Gaiptman to explain the proposed plan and to engage us as part of the consultation process which is just now beginning. During that discussion, it was agreed that BCCPAC would assist the Ministry with parent focus groups in the fall of 2021 to ensure they were hearing directly from families.
Read the Parent Information Sheet. Please review the TimelineFor more information about the overall timeline, the consultation process, proposed changes and what to expect, please visit the Ministry’s information page on The New Model for Online (Distributed) Learning.
Parents/guardians/caregivers are encouraged to review the materials and
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .On behalf of the Ministry of Education, BCCPAC is working with DPACs to invite parents to participate in a virtual Online Learning Parent Forum. There will be six held in total; independent schools and indigenous students will also be participating in separate events co-hosted by Federation of Independent Schools Association, First Nations Education Steering Committee and Metis Nation British ColumbiaAs the new online learning policies, processes and other details for the new online learning model are developed during this fall, the Ministry is looking to gather feedback from parents (those current enrolled in DL/OL and those considering doing so, full time or partial time) on changes to come as well as to share updates on key milestones and some of the online learning workstreams underway (e.g. policy, procedures, provincial schools, quality assurance process).The Ministry will be co-hosting with BCCPAC, two parent forums for public distributed learning schools for parents with children enrolled in DL —one will be a general forum for parents with children enrolled in distributed learning AND one for parents of children enrolled in DL who also have disabilities or diverse abilities. The sessions will be approximately 90 minutes in length and occur between October 5-7th. BCCPAC is seeking DL parents to participate in one or the other parent forum AND for 1 delegate from each DPAC to attend these sessions.There is a three year implementation timeline and work has only just begun as work was delayed due to the pandemic. The initial steps were completed during the Funding Model Review in 2018; online learning had its own group and BCCPAC participated in those discussions as all the education partners did.
The OLWG published a series of recommendations around how to best modernize the delivery of online programs in BC while addressing critical gaps and facilitating better program choices and learning outcomes for students. The recommendations included a new model for Online Learning (previously referred to as DL) including a provincially supported infrastructure consisting of:
- Single Online Learning Policy
- New Online Learning Management Service
- Selected Provincial Service Providers
- New Quality Assurance Framework
- Shared resources for educators
Read that Online Learning Report.
Over the last year, the Ministry, in consultation with public and independent administrators and educators, has begun drafting the criteria, guidelines and procedures for each of the five workstreams to best enhance the equity, quality and availability of Online Learning for students. Subsequently, during the pandemic, safety measures accelerated students’ and teachers’ engagement with online learning and blended learning programs, increasing the need for implementation of the OLWG’s vision.
The proposed changes are all about improving equity and access for all students and families to programs that:
- are of high quality,
- provide flexibility for families and their students,
- ensure that wherever a child lives in the province, they have access to a program that meets their unique needs.
Families of children with unique learning needs will continue to have supports whatever type of schooling they select.In support of the new Online Learning legislation which came into effect July 1, the Ministry has contacted Boards of Education who currently have a DL agreement in order to sign an Interim Online Learning Agreement. Interim Online Learning Policies have also been posted. Parents can review these interim online learning policies which school districts must adhere to.
BCCPAC is supportive of the review of the DL/OL programs across all 60 school districts as they aren’t all the same as regards quality, flexibility, equity and access.Read about Standards for K-12 Online Learning and Standards for Online Learning Content
For more information about the overall timeline, the consultation process, proposed changes and what to expect, please visit the Ministry’s information page on The New Model for Online Learning.
Parents/guardians/caregivers are encouraged to review the materials and
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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Radon Awareness & Testing
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in the ground. You can’t see it or smell it. When radon gas seeps inside an enclosed space, such as a home or workplace, it can build up to high levels and become a health risk. Long term exposure to high radon levels is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, and the second leading cause after smoking overall. All homes and buildings have some level of radon. Radon levels tend to be the highest in enclosed spaces and lower floors of a building since they are closest to the ground source. Since any building can have high radon levels, it’s important that all buildings get tested.
Public schools in the North Shore/Coast Garibaldi regions of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) (North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Sea-to-Sky, Sunshine Coast, Powell River and Central Coast) were screened for radon during the 2017/2018 school year. VCH conducted a radon school testing project in 2017/18 where they tested over 90 schools. Read their Final Report.
Recognizing that awareness related to radon has increased significantly over the last five years, Health Canada has contracted Scout Environmental to help identify potential new opportunities to educate Canadians into action. Health Canada has funded several campaigns related to radon and while these campaigns have made significant strides, there continues to be a disconnect between education and action.
Scout Environmental (Scout) and BCCPAC have partnered to increase awareness on radon and the importance of testing through several engagement channels. Scout’s Program Ambassadors will be in attendance at our annual Parent Education Conference in May 2020 to engage parents on the topic of radon and offer an exclusive discount on Health Canada approved long-term radon test kits.
We have written a letter of support for the program as we know this is important to members. We will work with Scout Environmental to help educate parents and school boards. We will share more information with parents as we progress.
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Raising Digitally Responsible Youth Parent Guide
In cooperation with Safer Schools Together, the Ministry of Education has created/updated "Raising Digitally Responsible Youth" parent guide.
There is more information at Safer Schools Together, ERASE site, Common Sense Media and many others.
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Reading Standards - A Guide for Parents
Understanding the BC Reading Performance Standards: A Guide for Parents
This document was developed to provide a guide for parents to the BC Performance Standards for Reading and Writing. It is hoped its use will:
- help parents know more about their child’s performance
- help support children’s learning
- help schools and families talk about reading and writing performance.
Working together, you and the teacher can help your child have a more successful school year. Together we can reach a shared goal in helping your child get the best education possible.
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Sex and Gender
Sex' and 'gender' are often used interchangeably, despite having different meanings.
Gender: socially-constructed roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men and gender diverse people.
Sex: biological attributes of humans and animals, including physical features, chromosomes, gene expression, hormones and anatomyThis simple infographic from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research helps to explain the difference.
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SOGI Learning Moments
Learning Moments - SOGISOGI School Leads will often be seen as the go-to person for SOGI resources in their school. But explaining all things SOGI isn’t always easy and it’s definitely not straightforward.One SOGI Lead in Victoria created a Bite Size SOGI Series that breaks down some of the core concepts into digestible graphics that School Leads can share at staff meetings, or in response to common questions.There are 12 in all - feel free to download and share. -
Statement on Kamloops Residential School
The truth about residential schools is undeniable.
We need to listen to the elders.
We need to create space for Indigenous people to speak.
We join in respecting and supporting the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc people and all people across Canada who are impacted by the tragic news of the 215 children whose lives were lost at the Kamloops Residential School. With this revealed truth, comes an even greater responsibility for each and every one of us to act.
BCCPAC stands alongside all Indigenous people to ensure that all Canadians learn about the past and the harm that was perpetrated. Truth and Reconciliation must become an educational pillar in our school system to ensure that all students learn the history of the Indigenous people and the tragic errors that were made. We pledge to continue to educate ourselves and to support and educate DPACs, PACs and parents/guardians/caregivers.
We recognize the important role parents play in our collective journey of truth and reconciliation. We can all raise awareness in our communities and discuss with our families. We thank parents and families for the work they are already doing in their school communities to encourage the next generation and bring about change.
June is National Indigenous History Month and June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day.
What steps will YOU commit to take this month and beyond?
Please read and review the TRC and Residential Schools resources we have compiled to help educate and inform.
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Treasurer 101 Workshop
On March 29, 2022 we held a 90minute live webinar session with Q&A entitled "Treasurer 101 Workshop" for parents/guardians/caregivers in the province.This session focused on the role of DPAC and PAC Treasurer, specifically tailored for the non-bookkeeper. We discussed best practices and each section will have the opportunity for group discussion. The Workshop will help Treasurers and PAC Executive Members better understand what's involved, general overview, the responsibilities, and a few general tips and tricks.Please share in your school PAC communities.
