Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools’ board is expected to vote on whether to send a revamped strategic plan out for public consultation.
Last November, the board decided to update the document, which guides decision-making, and a draft 2019-23 plan was presented to the school district’s business committee on June 12.
Goals include ongoing efforts to enhance teaching and student evaluation and having learning conditions that are “safe, caring and healthy.”
The plan strives to take a lead in sustainability and environmental stewardship and aspires to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by two per cent a year. It also calls for provision of infrastructure for recyclables and compostables at all schools and facilities.
The district adopted its Syeyutsus framework policy earlier this year, which is in line with a goal to continue with truth and reconciliation. Furthermore, the plan calls for the implementation of the framework across the district and promotion of learning programs based on the Hul’q’umin’um’ language.
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The plan seeks to accelerate seismic upgrades, and according to a recent capital bylaw amendment report, work is underway with planning definition reports for Cilaire and Pleasant Valley elementary schools.
Feedback from an open house and online survey were among methods used to gather information and Charlene McKay, school board chairwoman, said she is proud of the work to update the plan.
“The board spent a lot of time together, really assessing what our values and goals are [and] what we’d like them to look like and when it comes to the truth and reconciliation and to be a leader in environmental stewardship and sustainability, those are two really big goals that I believe the school district should be proud of,” said McKay.
She said she believes the district is the only one to have a goal of truth and reconciliation and it has seen that flourish and spread throughout the district.
“We’re hoping to see the same type of response should we be able to take the strategic plan as it is,” said McKay. “To be a leader in environmental stewardship and sustainability, there’s no other district in the province that’s looked at that as a strategic goal and that was a big one that we heard from students too, so it was really nice to see our values reflected in what we heard back from students during our process as well, so those are two pieces that I think we’ll be keen to watch and see where we take them.”
The business committee recommendation is expected to go before the board for approval at its meeting Wednesday, June 19.
If approved, feedback from the public will be sought throughout the summer, said McKay.
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