June 2013 BCPVPA Journal Volume 25 • Number 5

Adminfo
June 2013
BCPVPA Journal
Volume 25 • Number 5
BC Principals’ & Vice-Principals’ Association
Connecting Leaders:
Beyond Innovation
and Change
October 25-26, 2013
Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel • Richmond
7551 Westminster Highway
Keynote
Simon Breakspear is an internationally
recognized thinker on the future of learning and educational innovation. He
is the founder of Nextgen Learning, a consultancy that delivers strategies to
enable 21st Century learning. Simon has worked in Australia, New Zealand, the
USA, the UK, Europe, Israel, Hong Kong and India. A passionate educator and
innovation strategist, Simon works on systemic challenges in education reform
and redesign. He has contributed to the OECD’s PISA and Innovative Learning
Environments projects. In 2012, he co-founded LearnShift India, a cross-sector
network of leaders working to design innovative solutions for educational
transformation in India. He is the co-author of Talent Magnets a white paper on
attracting, retaining and developing quality teachers.
Keynote
George Couros is the Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning for
Parkland School Division. He has worked with all levels of school from K-12 as a teacher, technology facilitator, and
school based administrator. He co-facilitates Great Leaders, Great Teams, Great Results leadership training, is a leader on
the effective use of social media to improve student learning. George is also the creator of the Connected Principals blog
site as well as the founder of Connected Canada. His focus is to help organizations create optimal learning environments
for innovation within schools. Although George is a leader in the area of innovation, his focus is always the development
of leadership and people and what is best for kids.
Breakout sessions by leading BC educational practitioners including:
Cale Birk; Taryn Dixon, Nicole Driscoll and Shawna Petersen;
representatives from DASH BC; Will Eaton; Linda McGraw and Laurie Bryce;
David DeRosa; Grant Frend; Karen Goetz and Tim Manuel; and, Ian Landy.
Program guide, registration & hotel: http://bit.ly/113VZbJ
June 2013 • Adminfo • 2
Striking a balance
BCPVPA President Shelley Green writes about the power of
energy, enthusiam and mood and how to sustain them.
H
ow often do you hear the
statement that you have to
achieve a balance between work
and life? If you speak to most prin-
cipals and vice-principals and ask if
they do have a balance they will tell
you no! They generally follow that
answer up with statements about
the business of the particular time of year (not that it
matters what time of year
it is: start of school, fall
events, Christmas, back after the break, before spring,
2012 — 2013
after spring, end of year)
Board of Directors
and comments about the
President Shelley Green (Nanaimo-Ladysmith)
impossibility of rest and [email protected]
laxation when they have a
Past President Jameel Aziz (Kamloops/Thompson) million things that must be
[email protected]
done. These are the leaders who tend to be sleep
Directors
deprived, but continuously
Jessica Antosz (Qualicum)
check their iPhone or [email protected]
Berry, start a work-related
Parm Armstrong (Kamloops/Thompson)
conversation as they first
[email protected]
walk through the school
door, and, drop the run they
Susan Clough (Surrey)
had planned for that day
[email protected]
due to a new meeting. For
Rod Giles (Kootenay Lake)
many of us, these examples
[email protected]
produce smiles and nods.
Heidi Grant (Cowichan Valley)
But how do we achieve [email protected]
ance with the numerous demands placed on our time
Brett Johnson (Greater Victoria)
[email protected]
and the deep dedication to
our job?
Bryan Johnson (Sooke)
This year a friend sent me
[email protected]
an article entitled 12 Ways
Lee Karpenko (Prince George)
to Fuel Your Own Fire ([email protected]
well, 2013). The sentence
Brian Leonard (Coquitlam)
that resonated with me was,
[email protected]
“Those who care about
performance fuel their own
Gordon Li (Burnaby)
fire.” When I looked at the
[email protected]
ISSN: 1201-4214 list of the 12 ways to do just
that I decided to pick five and make
sure I put them in my calendar and
my life weekly or daily to help restore balance and re-fuel my fire.
The five I chose were:
• Listen without solving.
• Hold your head up and
breathe deep.
• Complete tasks.
• Break down long term
projects into a series of small
completion points. Let small
stuff be small.
• Exercise (regularly).
The final statement in the article
was to “Stoke your own fire. No one else
will. Don’t wait for the energy fairy. She
ain’t coming.” The one thing we know
about our job is that it takes a tremendous amount of energy. We not
only need the energy to complete
the endless amount of tasks in our
daily work but our energy ignites
the energy in our buildings.
One of my university professors
stated that the energy, enthusiasm
and mood we set when we enter the
building will set the tone for all who
entered. Loehr and Schwartz wrote,
“Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance.” With all of
this in mind, how do you revisit your
busy world and create the balance
continues page 11
Highly engaged
and knowing learners
George Bonner Middle School in the Cowichan Valley creates a grade
7 class that focuses on personalized learning. Teachers and students are
empowered to engage in inquiry and innovation.
by Heidi Grant
In 2011
I left my
position as
Principal, Discovery Elementary
(Shawnigan Lake, SD#79) to become Principal at George Bonner
Middle School (Cobble Hill). My
first year was marked in many ways
by “job action.” While there were
a lot of things that we couldn’t do,
there were many that we could do.
Firmly believing that something
good comes of everything, I kept
my mind open to possibilities. Last
year was all about conversations.
Anything worth communicating to
staff was communicated through
conversation. Teachers, being forward thinking and focused on learning, had a lot of questions about
what Personalized Learning and the
BC Education Plan were all about.
George Bonner is a middle school
with a long established timetable
and a strong system of teaming. A
structured timetable, while having
many benefits, does not always lend
itself to flexibility and choice, a key
component of personalizing learning. With my time not taken up with
meetings, there was time for thinking and talking (while perpetually being
on supervision). Through this chatting,
interest, and enthusiasm, a germ of
an idea was born.
One of our department heads,
Rich Ready, had taken particular
interest in many aspects of personalized learning. We had many philosophical and “what if ” conversations. Timetable building began and
the discussions became more about
what we could do. I had given a lot
of thought and much conversation
to what could be different; to how
June 2013 • Adminfo • 4
we could add flexibility to increase
engagement. My goal was to empower teachers to see the possibilities and to engage with inquiry and
creativity. One day I casually suggested we might have room in the
timetable for a one division class
with a flexible schedule. It might
be multi-graded, but, at that point,
I couldn’t be sure. Would he be interested? What happened next was
one of the most rewarding and invigorating experiences of my career.
I don’t think Rich slept for a week as
I received emails at all hours of the
day and night. We were going to try
it; now what would it look like?
My role was to set the parameters and let my colleague create
the framework and make it a reality.
The parameters were simple. The
class had to have the same class size
It has been delightful watching this group of
learners come together both as individuals
and as a group. It is a dangerous place to go as
an observer because it is hard to tear yourself
away. These learners are highly engaged and are
becoming aware of themselves as learners.
and the same class composition as
any other class. Reporting, at least
for the first year, needed to follow
the same schedule and use the same
format as other classes. Students
would still follow the exploratory
rotation (art, drama, technology,
French, Coast Salish Studies, woodwork, metalwork, cooking, and sewing). Students would have daily PE
and full access to the band program.
Those classes would be scheduled.
Otherwise, the timetable was flexible. Other important parameters
were a focus on integrating technology and, of course, personalizing
learning for every student.
The next consideration was how
we were going to fill the class. By
this point we had determined it
would be a grade seven group. It
was important that all students and
their families knew about the opportunity and had a chance to express
interest. We had no idea what the
interest would be. As an administrative team, we had worked with our
PAC and had sponsored a number
of speakers and workshops on the
BC Education Plan, including having Rod Allen from the Ministry
of Education present to our par-
ent community. They knew about
Personalized Learning. We created
a brief description of the class we
were creating and an application
form. The number of applications
we received from this somewhat low
key process, from both inside and
outside the school, gave us the impression that the community was
ready for educational change and
that students had clear ideas about
what they wanted for their learning.
It has been delightful watching
this group of learners come together both as individuals and as a
group. It is a dangerous place to go
as an observer because it is hard to
tear yourself away. These learners
are highly engaged and are becoming aware of themselves as learners.
The language they use to talk about
their learning is an indicator of the
kind of language used every day in
the classroom. The following quotes
are a small sample of feedback they
have provided to me when asked:
Leading for Learning
ShortCourse
Annually every july • Fully-subscribed early this year
Moral Stewardship: The “I” in Leadership
Relationships: Hearing Voices • Instructional Leadership
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of British Columbia
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April 2013 • Adminfo • 5
What are you learning?
• The main things I’m learning
are how to learn differently
and the best way for me to
learn.
• We are learning about core
competencies, habitudes, A/B
partner talk, active listening.
• I am learning how to write
strong and effective sentences
and paragraphs.
• I am learning how to go at
solving a problem.
How are you doing
and how do you know?
• We get descriptive feedback and
that tells me I am doing well.
• I am really challenged in this
class and am forced to think
outside the box a lot and to
look at things a different way.
• He also will usually give us a
rubric to look through so we
can sort of self-evaluate ourselves and to try and figure
out what we work on or fix or
add more of something.
Where to next
with your learning?
• I would like to explore the
history of Hip Hop music.
• Next I want to master all of
my 6, 7, 8, and 9 timestables.
• Right now I really want to
learn more about Mesopotamia and how people lived
thousands of years ago.
• I have a lot of questions I
want to answer. I want to
enhance my learning more
by trying new things and new
ways to show my understanding. I have a strong calling
toward my family’s culture
and would like to next do an
independent project on it. I
am proud of the person I am
today and would like to ac-
knowledge my ancestry.
• I would like to learn more
about Earth Science. How do
they know about the Earth’s
core without going down
there?
• Next I’d like to do a project for
the rock fair about the quarry
on Cobble Hill Mountain.
As the year winds down, we are in
the reflection process. It has been an
incredibly successful project. Other
staff and TTOCs who have taught
this class continually remark on
their engagement and enthusiasm.
This extends from the special needs
students in the group right through
to the highly gifted. We are proud;
the teacher is humble. We have
learned much along the way, howWhat is personalized
ever what we really have are more
about your learning?
• We can choose how to present questions and more ideas. Learning
rounds are in process involving othour work.
er interested staff from our school.
• Before I take a test, Mr.
A visit to a neighboring district is
Ready normally makes us
do an AFL test, which isn’t
upcoming and we are taking a team
of ten interested staff. The students
for marks. Then when we’re
ready, we can do an AOL test, are asking how they will be able to
continue with this approach for their
which is for marks.
• I’m allowed to use an iPad in- grade eight year. The teacher is exploring many ideas including a move
stead of using my hands.
• I really like our class because
away from letter grades. Like the
every block isn’t scheduled so definition of Personalized Learning,
there is no recipe for what we have
then let’s say you’re on a roll
created. The greatest lesson we have
while doing something then
you can just continue doing it taken is the power of empowering
instead of packing up and go- teachers and students to engage in
inquiry and innovation.
ing to your other class.
• We have choices about how
we show our understanding.
In addition to her responsiblities as
• I am able to research into the Principal, George Bonner Middle
topics I am passionate about
School, Heidi Grant is a member of
such as the Northern Gatethe BCPVPA Board of Directors and
can be reached at [email protected]
way Pipeline.
Adminfo
VOLUME 25
NUMBER 5
Adminfo is published five times per year by the BC Principals’ & Vice-Principals’ Association.
Subscriptions for non-members of the Association are available for $33.60 per year, including
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[call 604-689-3399 or 800-663-0432, fax 604-877-5381 or email: [email protected]].
Editor June 2013 • Adminfo • 6
Richard Williams
The making of a great school
A principal makes the case that great schools
are created by dedicated professionals who work in consort
to meet the interests and needs of all students.
By Cathal Walsh
I
t seems appropriate at this increasingly
turbulent time in education across BC that
we, as educators and parents, continue to
focus our energy and understanding on the Let’s take school size
example. Small
critical factors that contribute to a quality for
schools, by themselves,
not automatically
education for our children. Beyond the smoke do
produce
greatness.
and confusion of politics, economics and However, small schools
tend to more easily fospersonal opinion there is a clearing of truth ter increased parental
involvement, positive
with respect to the making of a great school. staff collegiality and
During the past 25 years I have
had the opportunity to work in
many schools as a teacher, principal,
and district administrator. I have
also worked at the provincial level
conducting workshops for teachers on integrating technology into
their teaching practice and I have
been part of Ministry of Education school evaluation teams. I can
express with certainty that grade
configuration, school size and even
to some degree class size are not the
driving forces for student success in
school. If they were, there would be
no varying degree of student success and achievement among all
K-7 schools, low population schools,
etc. Yet there are enormous ranges
in school success among common
configurations and school population sizes. So, what are the factors
that contribute to the establishment
of a great school?
We must begin with an understanding of the important distinction between the factors that facilitate improved learning for students
to occur and the desirable practices
that emerge from these situations.
June 2013 • Adminfo • 7
collaboration,
and
strong teacher-student relationships.
It is these characteristics that are
the critical factors, not the size of
the school itself. If a larger school
embraces a philosophy of staff collaboration (as many schools now
do through the establishment of
Professional Learning Communities [PLC]); if they choose to shift
their instructional practice towards
personalized learning and work to
develop a school climate that invites
and engages parents in the life of
the school then, arguably, the same
benefits are there to be realized.
Critical Factor #1
People: Education is truly a ‘people business.’ Principal, vice-principals, teachers and support staff ultimately hold the keys to facilitating the unlocking of
each student’s potential. Collaboration, collegiality
and commonly agreed to philosophies towards learning, teaching, assessment and discipline contribute to a
culture of excellence in any school — large or small.
Great schools possess effective teachers who continually investigate and share best practices. They exist as
part of a PLC that places students at the centre of the
school’s mission. Ideally, teachers and support staff are
balanced in their personal and professional strengths
and counter balance one another for the benefit of all
students. Similar to a close knit family, over time, they
grow to support and care for each other and are often
connected beyond the hours of the school day. Student
achievements are celebrated as shared successes and all
students are seen as the responsibility of all staff.
the deliberate effort of school leaders (principals, viceprincipals, and teachers).
Critical Factor #4
Diverse Learning Opportunities: At the end of the
day, schools are intended to facilitate student learning.
If we accept the reality that all of our students come to
us with unique and varied interests and talents, then we
must also be prepared to respond by providing educational opportunities to engage the multitude of motivating urges to learn. Great schools are creative in how
they provide students with new and varied experiences
and open doors to interests and aptitudes that otherwise
may lay dormant in a field of traditional learning confines. From outdoor-centered discovery learning programs in primary years, to exploratory course offerings
(enhanced middle years learning) in the middle years,
to self-directed and personalized pathways to graduation; these are the signatures of schools aligned with the
rapidly shifting tide of student learning needs. These
approaches are not, however, carved in stone. Great
Critical Factor #2
Teacher-Student Relationship: Education is rooted schools engage in constant self-review and embrace
in the powerful relationship between teacher and stu- evidence-based decision-making; sharing and using
dent. It is a relationship formed by trust, respect and a data from a variety of sources to initiate better learndesire for personal growth and development of both the ing programming and opportunities for students. Data
student and the teacher. Enhanced facilities and new is frequently gathered, analyzed and used in decision
technologies may open the door for incredible educa- making regarding the impacts of new programs, intional opportunities but it is the relationship between structional practices and interventions. In other words,
teacher and student that brings potential to fruition. great schools don’t stand still. They constantly reflect,
Great schools are a result of constantly improving posi- contemplate and then move forward.
tive relationships between students and their teachers.
There are of course more than the handful of factors
Teachers who engage in supporting students outside the
classroom by coaching teams or sponsoring clubs often identified in this article that contribute to the making
excel in developing these strong bonds. These strength- of a great school. The important consideration, howened relationships can be the foundation for a student’s ever, is that sometimes we become paralyzed by asking
the wrong questions. Perhaps instead of debating over
willingness to engage as a lifelong learner.
grade configurations and school size we should instead
explore the merits of these different constructs as relatCritical Factor #3
School Climate: Have you ever walked into a school ed to the desirable practices that each respective school
and “felt” the positive energy? Are parents welcome to population and configuration nurtures. It is, after all,
come into their child’s classroom to “help out?” Are stu- these desirable practices that matter most when striving
dents and staff genuinely happy to be at school and feel to create a great school.
safe and respected when they are there? Do students
move through the hallways and transition to classrooms Cathal Walsh is a Principal in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith
School District. He has more than 20 years’ experience as
with calm and orderly presence and with an unspoken
a teacher and administrator in public and independent
understanding of the importance of respecting others? schools. He is also the founder of SHAKU Family Martial
Great schools enjoy a school climate that is safe and Arts; a Canadian organization committed to bullying preengaging for students and staff; and where parents are vention, fitness and personal well-being. You can email
welcome contributors to student learning goals. Positive Cathal at [email protected] References for this artischool climates do not happen by accident. They are cle are available by email [email protected]
June 2013 • Adminfo • 8
The Duty of Fairness
Throughout its 25-year history, the BCPVPA has been
a staunch advocate for and defender of
the fair treatment of its members by School Boards and others.
By Sharon Cutcliffe
The existence of a general duty of
fairness depends on: (i) the nature
of the decision to be made by
the administrative body; (ii) the
relationship existing between that body
and the individual; and (iii) the effect
of that decision on the individual’s
Knight v. Indian head school division no. 19, Supreme Court Judgments,
rights.
1990-03-29 Report citation [1990] 1 S.C.R. 653. Case number 21040
capacity until 1988. A number of
performance evaluations were conducted of him, and except for a fair
rating in 1987, his performance was
rated as very good. His contact contained the following clause:
Renewal
8.1 The Board shall notify the
Principal or Vice-Principal on or before
April 30, 1988 whether or not it intends
he Duty of Fairness applies administrators in the public school to renew the contract.
to an administrator when system has been developed by two
8.2 Should the Board advise the
a school board is making leading decisions of the B.C. Court Principal or Vice-Principal that it does
a decision either: 1) to terminate of Appeal, the Rainbow v. Board of not intend to renew the contract, the
that administrator’s employment School Trustees of School District No.23 Principal or Vice-Principal shall have an
contract prior to its expiration or, 2) (Central Okanagan) and Watkins opportunity to meet with the Board and
v. Board of School Trustees of School the Superintendent of Schools. to not renew the contract.
The Duty of Fairness does not di- District No.21 (Armstrong-Spallumminish the school board’s ability to cheen). In both instances, BCPVPAIn April, 1988, the Board wrote
terminate without just cause, but appointed lawyers from Davis & Co Mr. Rainbow informing him that the
it does require the Board to act in (now Davis LLP) worked on behalf Board had decided not to renew his
accordance with the principles of of the BCPVPA member.
contract of employment as an adIn Rainbow, the administrator ministrator. The Board offered him
fairness, in addition to satisfying the
terms of the employment contract had worked in the school system for an opportunity to meet with them
involved.
22 years. In 1981, he was appointed to discuss “his preferred teaching as The Duty of Fairness as it applies to a principal, and continued in that signment” for the next school year.
T
June 2013 • Adminfo • 9
It is critical that principals and vice-principals
ensure that the clause in their contract which states
that they have the opportunity to have a hearing
with the Board of Trustees in case of termination
without cause remains in their contract.
Mr. Rainbow asked for the reasons for the Boards decision, but
the Board was unwilling to discuss
the reasons for the non-renewal, as
in its view, the case did not involve
discipline or dismissal, it was unnecessary for them to provide reasons.
Since the Board’s decision was
made without any prior notice of
the reasons and without the opportunity to respond to concerns, Mr.
Rainbow commenced an action
against the Board, seeking to set
aside the decision not to renew his
appointment.
Mr. Rainbow relied on Knight v.
Indian Head School Division No. 19 to
assert that he was entitled to fair
treatment.
The Court of Appeal held that
it was incumbent on the Board, at
minimum, to give Mr. Rainbow the
reasons for its decision not to renew
his employment contract, and also
to meet with him so that he would
have an opportunity to persuade it
to change its decision. The Court
held that Mr. Rainbow needed the
reasons for the decision not only so
that he could attempt to persuade
the Board that it should change its
mind about his contract renewal,
but also so that he could make an
informed decision about his career.
Dunsmuir v. New Brunswick has since
altered the fact that an employee
has an automatic right to meet with
his employer in case of termination
without cause. In this case the Court
has said that unless it is stated specifically in an employment contract,
was not presented by an earlier favorable evaluation which was done
by the predecessor of the superintendent. The Court held that the
Board should have the positive as
well as any negative information
before it if an atmosphere of fairness was to prevail.
2. Full Disclosure
there is no duty for an employer to
At its meeting with Mr. Watkins,
meet with the employee.
to discuss his evaluation report,
This is why it is critical that principals and vice-principals ensure that the Board considered material
which he was unaware of until
the clause in their contract which
states that they have the opportuni- that meeting. The Court found it
difficult to fathom how a hearing
ty to have a hearing with the Board
could be fair if material was not
of Trustees in case of termination
without cause remains in their em- fully disclosed.
ployment contract.
3. Skewing results
The general duty of fairness was
The Superintendent skewed the
elaborated on in Watkins v. Board of
results of teachers’ questionnaires
School Trustees of School District No.21.
and interviews which were used in
Whereas in Rainbow, the Board was
the evaluation.
unfair for failing to give the reasons
for not renewing the contract of a
4. Prior statements
principal or vice-principal, in WatThe Board’s statement made prior
kins, the Court of Appeal held that
to the hearing that the contract
the Board’s decision not to renew
would not be renewed made the
the principal’s or vice-principal’s
hearing unfair.
contract because its reasons were
based on a faulty evaluation.
The Court commented on some Establishing the right
elements of the evaluation process to a fair process
he facts of the Brian Fox and
which were unfair.
Board of Education of School Dis1. Material information was trict No. 62 (Sooke) v. Margaret Hildebrand case are not unique. Margaret
withheld from the Board
Only the most recent evaluation, Hildebrand was a long term educawhich was unfavorable, was pre- tor in the Sooke School District.
In 2007, the Board received a
sented to the Board. The Board
T
Further reading
http://bit.ly/13guo9g Knight v. Indian head school division no. 19,
Supreme Court Judgments, 1990-03-29 Report citation [1990] 1 S.C.R. 653.
Case number 21040
http://bit.ly/154VEJV Dunsmuir v. New Brunswick,
Supreme Court Judgments, 2008-03-07 Report citation [2008] 1 S.C.R. 190.
Case number 31459
June 2013 • Adminfo • 10
complaint against elementary Principal Hildebrand alleging that she
had “grabbed the teacher’s assistant
by the arm while she was in a classroom, pulled her into the corridor
towards a parent and continued to
hold her arm tightly while speaking
to the parent in the corridor, thereby bruising the assistant’s arm.”
The District retained a third party
to investigate the complaint. The investigator interviewed the teacher’s
assistant, Hildebrand and the parent who was in the corridor at the
time of the alleged incident. However, the investigator failed to interview the teacher or any students who
were in the classroom at the time.
The investigator’s report contained
information not disclosed to Hildebrand and concluded that the complaint
was justified. Hildebrand was not provided an opportunity to respond to
the report and was subsequently disciplined by the School Board.
Hildebrand’s legal counsel requested that the Superintendent
withdraw the letter of discipline and
to refrain from sending it to the British Columbia College of Teachers
until Hildebrand had an opportunity to respond to the investigator’s
report. The Superintendent refused
and proceeded to forward the letter
to the College, the teacher’s assistant and the union.
Hildebrand sued the School Board
and the Superintendent for gross
negligence and the School Board
for vicarious liability for the Superintendent’s conduct. Hildebrand
also sought aggravated and punitive
damages.
The B.C. Supreme Court dismissed
Hildebrand’s claim, saying her allegations did not amount to gross negligence, but that decision was overturned by the British Court of Appeal (BCAA) on November 5, 2008.
The BCCA also rejected the su-
perintendent’s attempt to strike the
action because he was acting strictly
in the course of his employment. The BCCA had ruled in its decision, that it was not “plain and obvious” that one employee did not owe
another employee a duty of care in
the manner in which the first employee investigated allegations of
workplace misconduct against the
second employee. The Supreme Court of Canada
dismissed the application with costs
the application from the judgement
of the BCCA (November 2009) for
leave to appeal the case.
This case was resolved without
further legal action.
The following statements were issued by the school district in February 2010: “The school district has
acknowledged that principal Hildebrand’s right to a fair process was
infringed and has apologized for
the personal and professional impact the failure of fair process has
caused. “The school district has also applauded principal Hildebrand as a
highly valued professional educator
and administrator, who served the
district admirably during her 36year career.”
This case illustrates that members of the employer’s management team and/or other employees
involved in the investigation of an
employee’s alleged wrongdoing can
be held personally liable to the employee for the “independently actionable” wrongs.
This case, along with the Rainbow and Watkins cases, illustrate
the importance of the duty of good
faith and fair dealing for employers
in dealing with their employees.
Sharon Cutcliffe recently retired as
the BCPVPA’s Manager, Legal and
Contract Services, Student Voice.
June 2013 • Adminfo • 11
Green, continued from page 2
to renew your energy? Every one of
us is different but we all know what
makes us relax, laugh, have fun and
truly enjoy life. These can be having
a coffee with a friend who makes us
laugh or setting the first four minutes in the door at home as personal
check-in time, not work review time.
Whatever the solution is for each of
us, we all need to take the time to
explore our needs and insert them
into our routines. As Rockwell stated, “If you can’t name the five things you
habitually do to fuel your fire, you’ll soon
be ashes!”
Spirals of Inquiry
by Judy Halbert & Linda Kaser
is available for purchase
on the BCPVPA website
http:www.bcpvpa.bc.ca
Copies are
$20 each
(includes all taxes).
All proceeds from the sale of
the book will be donated to the
Aboriginal Enhancement Schools
Network Provincial Fund,
with those funds to be
distributed to support
inquiry-based learning initiatives.
One Teacher’s Story
Bringing Mindfulness Intimately,
Clearly & Deeply into Schools by Cea Winter
Mindfulness
is a way of being fully present in this
moment — when your complete attention and senses are focused, without judgement, on your inner and outer
experience — being fully alert and present in your body (rather than just in
your head) experiencing your environment through your senses (what you
smell, feel, taste, see, hear). Being in more of a state of generalized ‘awareness’ (of your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, core self, surroundings) rather than immersed exclusively in your thought.
As a teacher, mindfulness practitioner and mind body therapist, I knew
that mindfulness was effective in bringing calm, mental acuity, focus, perspective, emotional regulation, motivation and a sense of daily optimism
to my own life, despite overwhelming challenges for the past eight years. I
had seen mindfulness in therapy bring people back into their bodies, which
generally helped them become calmer, clearer and more revitalized, as well
as allowing them to let go of negative mind states, emotions, tension and
gain insight and a sense of well-being.
Interestingly, in a field where effectiveness is measured in time and money, business leadership institutions are offering instruction in mindfulness as
a leadership development discipline. Harvard Law School has sponsored
entire conferences on applying mindfulness to dispute resolution, and Virginia Tech is planning a conference titled Contemplative Practices for a Technological Society.
According to psychologist, Jean Twenge, of Case Western Reserve University, average children ages 9-17 are more anxious today than those treated for psychiatric disorders 50 years ago. Dr. R. Cohen-Sandler states that
high school counselors, across the country (USA), are reporting a sharp
increase in psychological crises among students. This corroborates with my
experience working with at-risk youth in drug treatment, as well as youth
in mainstream and alternate high schools in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan,
and the Yukon. Youth experience stress due to dysfunctional family life,
peer pressure, identity confusion, low self-esteem, insecurity, trauma, learning difficulties and academic pressure, among numerous others (CohenSandler, 2005).
I have witnessed youth experience high levels of anxiety, depression, anger, violence, behavioral issues and slide downhill with the often further
damaging coping strategies they
use to try to alleviate this stress. I
decided to create a workshop series
that would bring the mindfulness
experience to youth and this was cosponsored by ArtStartsBC and the
alternate education school, Twin
Rivers Education Center, (TREC)
in Kamloops. It was called Art Explosion: Empowerment for Life. Over the
course of three months, I met with
students 11 times and facilitated this
mindfulness and processing through
art workshop series that culminated
in The Urban Art show.
I met with 13-18 year old youth in
groups as large as 18 and as small as
five, always beginning with a quick
check in around the group as well
inviting each student to check in
with what was going on internally
with a 10-20 minute guided mindfulness activity.
These activities ranged from basic
relaxation exercises, single-pointed
mind focus, to connecting with their
essential self and getting an embodied sense of their inner resources,
with titles like Connecting with Your Best
Friend, Strong Mountain Flowing River
and Meeting Your Inner Resources…&
I’m Not Talking About Your Kidney’s.
Then we would discuss what they
had noticed once they had calmed
and quieted their minds and bodies. Then they would take this a step
further by using art making materials like graphite, pastels, paint or
clay to express what they had realized, making it more concrete, real
and explicable.
This was always a personal process, yet took place in a socially supportive circle environment, where
each participating youth typically
left in a much calmer, satisfied and
optimistic mood.
In one experiment they would
chart their physical sensations, emotions and thoughts in response to
They were able to realize through paying attention to their bodies, how much
their experience was influenced by what they focused on.
different words, after noticing their
breath and turning their awareness
inward. What they were able to realize, in a more tangible way through
paying attention to their bodies, was
how much their experience was influenced by what they focused on.
They found that even one word
could markedly change their mental, emotional and physical experience dramatically. They generalized
their findings to how they could
have more control of how they felt
in any given situation by choosing
what they wanted to focus upon.
Students would sometimes come
in pale and agitated and after the
15-20 minute mindfulness exercise
would be breathing more deeply, be
more relaxed and have more color in
their cheeks. There was a noticeable
shift in all three domains: the mental, the emotional, and the physical
for most of the participants.
Student’s written comments reflected this shift with the likes of
— “I liked how calming it was,” “I felt
relaxed and carefree,” “I felt happy during
the workshops,” “I liked having the guided
visualizations before starting the projects
so I felt inspired,” “I get that my thoughts
are powerful and can change my mood,”
“I think I would deal with stress/drama a
little differently now by being mindful and
relaxed,” and “I see and appreciate more
of who I am like my inner peaceful person
and my inner warrior ‘cause I am strong
and a fighter.”
One thing to be aware of with traumatized youth, is that they should
be given the option of focusing on
physical movement such as mindful
walking or holding a pose with their
body such as a yoga pose rather than
strictly sitting and focusing on their
breath for example. They need the
safety and support of a counselor,
teacher or yoga instructor there beside them because there has been a
loss of a sense of safety within.
I realized this was only one group
of students in one school. I couldn’t
stop there. I believed that if the resources are easily and readily available, many more students in schools
across BC and Canada could be
developing mindfulness skills and
reaping these benefits — more selfregulation, more calm, more focus,
more academic success, more resiliency.
So I did two things — first, I put
my workshop series online with all
of the visuals, audios, videos and
lesson plans needed for any teacher
or counselor with the interest to be
able to facilitate the Youth Empowerment For Life workshops themselves.
Secondly, and this was painful,
I learned how to operate the Tascam recording software, and developed the Mind Focus Connection
guided mindfulness audio and video series. These are more than 30
guided mindfulness and yoga activities youth can plug into anytime to
calm, focus, re-energize, build ‘mental muscle’ and connect with their
core self and inner resources. The
yoga is ‘trauma sensitive’ and all activities can be done at a desk.
There are six categories they can
choose from: 1) Let’s Drool (relaxation & mellowing activities); 2),
Let’s Ground Down (activities to
help you inhabit your body powerfully); 3), Time to Work Out (mind
games and exercises to build mental muscle), and; 4), Becoming Bulletproof (mental rehearsals and explorations connecting you with your
inner and outer resources, building
new neural pathways for improved
mood states, learning to meet more
of your own needs and visioning
your highest potential). The last two
categories are 5) Standing yoga, and
6) Desk yoga.
Educators can use this ready-touse resource to steadily increase
mindfulness and the full range of
academic and emotional regulation
for students by building practice into
the school day (10-15-20 minutes in
the morning and/or after lunch).
They can be used with students with
behavior issues, either in class or at
the office, to calm and shift into a
different part of their brain. They
can also be used with staff as an effective stress reduction and self-care
tool.
Although it isn’t easy, it is possible,
and indeed, critical that we equip
youth with healthy coping skills to
develop secure positive identities
and manage the increased stress of
our modern environment. Statistics
and our own eyes and hearts tell us
that more and more, youth are not
managing and we owe it to them to
provide them with coping strategies
that will work. Cea Winter lives with her sons, cats and chickens near Kamloops and teaches in SD#73. For more information, visit
her website, Refreshing Education, at www.refreshingeducation.ca. She offers workshops for educators on how to
integrate mindfulness intimately, clearly and deeply within the classroom, secondary and post-secondary counselors
on using mindfulness and processing through art to improve student academic and relational functioning in groups
and individual counseling sessions, as well as leading workshops for youth and adults in schools and the community.
Cea also does somatically based mindfulness counseling for attachment and trauma recovery.
Giving kids a sporting chance
A born-in-BC organization helps brings kids into sports with
confidential financial support.
by Leslie Dyson
There
are good reasons to smile. Last year, KidSport’s Tri-Cities Chapter,
awarded 609 grants amounting to $130,000 to children from lowincome families. The program covers the cost of registration for organized sports.
KidSport started in B.C. in 1993 and has since become a national program. There
are 41 chapters in the province. The Tri-Cities (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port
Moody) and Greater Victoria chapters are large enough to have executive directors.
The program supports children three to 18 years of age in parent and tot programs,
sports leagues, martial arts and even some equestrian activities.
Chris Wilson, a former Olympic wrestler, is the part-time executive director in the
Tri-Cities. “Sports are near and dear to my heart,” he said.
Some grants are provided annually, some just once while a family is going through
a transition period. The majority of grants go towards soccer. “It’s the most popular.
June 2013 • Adminfo • 14
One boy was struggling because he was
preoccupied with worry that his father was
going off to prison. The school, with a grant from
KidSport, found him a place on a soccer team.
Later the father told a school staff member, “Being
involved with soccer has made a huge difference
for my son, and the coaches showed me how to
be a better role model as a dad.”
Equipment costs are low and it’s inexpensive with a long season. You
get more bang for your buck.”
He rattled off the benefits of
participation “that we know intuitively and anecdotally — better
health from more physical activity;
a chance to fit in; to learn life skills,
discipline and teamwork; to feel part
of a team, to set goals and to learn
from a coach.”
But there are barriers as well, such
as parents’ preoccupation with other concerns or their lack of awareness of how to connect their children. But, most often, it’s financial
hardship. “There’s a lot of guilt and
shame in not being able to provide
these things for their children,” said
Rissa Wilson, Chris’s wife and administrator of the Coquitlam Alternate Basic Education Program.
Being able to rely on KidSport, is
valuable for principals and viceprincipals, she said, “because you’re
helping parents to make a difference
in their kids’ lives.”
Lisa Rinke, Principal of Miller
Park Community School, said she’s
also seen how participation in organized sports provides great benefits
for children from new immigrant
families because it helps them learn
about the culture. “Some Afghani
students in our community, at the
middle school level, arrived in Co-
quitlam as refugees … They love
soccer but they’ve come from refugee camps where they had very little
and were playing with rag balls.”
With grant money from KidSport,
these students are now playing in a
soccer league.
“KidSport has allowed us to offer
all kids who need additional support
or who can’t self regulate in a regular program or whose parents don’t
have the financial means to afford
these activities, a chance to be successful … Even with the budget crisis we’re in, we’re so lucky,” Rinke
said. “This has helped kids and the
community. It’s multi-layered.”
Her Kindergarten to Grade 5
school with 250 students applied for
grants for 10 students this year and
she’s seen the difference it has made.
One student with behavioural
challenges could not manage a full
school day, she said. However, his
success in basketball enabled the
kids and teachers to see him differently. Success outside the school
impacted his behaviour inside and
outside school.
Another child, struggling with fine
motor skills got a boost when he saw
he had a talent for circus acrobatics.
“It’s something he’s so good at. And
the social and emotional learning
that he’s getting is leading to academic success,” Rinke said.
June 2013 • Adminfo • 15
“What kids do after school and on
weekends is beyond our school’s control,” she added, but enabling participation in sports teams “keeps them
out of trouble and engaged in positive relationships in the community.”
Rissa recalled one boy who was
struggling because he was preoccupied with worry that his father was
going off to prison. The school, with
a grant from KidSport, found him a
place on a soccer team. Rissa said
that later the father told a school
staff member, “Being involved with
soccer has made a huge difference
for my son, and the coaches showed
me how to be a better role model as
a dad.”
KidSport has helped students realize their dreams of playing hockey,
but it’s also provided children who
need support with the opportunity
to “feel more normal,” Rissa said.
“They have stories to share of playing soccer on the weekend [and]
they have jerseys to wear on Jersey
Day. They’re part of a team. It’s a
way to feel connected.”
Schools and athletic associations
will often waive a portion of the
fees, but they’re not able to keep
up with the demand. That’s where
KidSport steps in.
The process for linking low-income students with financial support is simple and quick and school
administrators and counsellors play
an integral role. City parks and recreation staff also provide referrals.
“Principals are with these families all the time,” Rissa explained.
“KidSport trusts that the principals
know. We don’t want to ask for tax
forms. It’s just a signature after one
sentence and contact information.”
“It’s very easy, not a hard process,”
Rinke agreed.
“We try to keep the barriers as
low as possible,” Chris added. “And
sometimes principals have to say no
to parents. But we work really hard
to raise the funds and it’s all done by
local volunteers. We want to make
sure the money is spent wisely.”
Rinke said KidSport addresses the
questions every administrator asks
when confronted with a child who’s
struggling academically and socially.
“How can I tie this child to something that will enhance his life? How
can we support families so they can
support their children? That monetary piece is huge,” she said, “especially in a time of restraint and
cutbacks. Even in wealthier schools
there are socio-economically challenged students.”
“Everything is confidential,” Chris
said. “The only person who would
know a kid has received a grant is
the registrar, not the coaches — unless there’s a good reason. We want
to make sure every kid is treated like
every other team member.”
Rissa said that when Chris took
on the role of executive director,
she was a school counsellor. “You’re
bombarded and it’s hard to know
what’s available. I thought we have
to get the word out.
“We made a concerted effort to
advertise it to school counsellors and
administrators and made it clear
that they were going to be asked for
adjudication. Now, it’s an automatic
part of planning for kids and a way
to make their lives more positive.”
Most principals and vice-principals in the district are aware of the
program, but the majority of applications are for younger kids, Chris
said. “Not as many older kids play
sports. They start dropping out at
the age of 13 or 14 because of the
competition from schoolwork, their
social lives and jobs. And for some,
sports become too intense. I’d love
to address that at some point,” he
said.
For KidSport, the priority has
moved from making people aware
of the program to having to raise
more money.
Six years ago, Chris said, the organization felt good that it had handed
out 24 grants worth $2,000. However, the program has grown exponentially since then. “I’ve seen poverty
and the income gap grow. We’ve
worked hard to broaden what we
do, but I’ve seen a steady increase
in need.”
Rissa said “administrators feel
that they’re getting busier and busier. PACs are raising funds for books
and playgrounds. Funding for athletic programs has been cut. Money’s short all around.”
The Tri-Cities program has come
up with several effective fundraising
strategies.
Staff and parents in the district
can see the difference it’s making
and are calling to ask what they can
do to help. Tapping into this interest,
Chris said several schools have held
penny drives. Some children have
had birthday parties and requested
donations to KidSport rather than
gifts for themselves.
The program has developed partnerships with several businesses in
the community, including Soccer
Express, Westminster Savings and
Thrifty Foods.
KidSport Tri-Cities also runs Operation Red Nose in the three municipalities, New Westminster and
Burnaby. And it hosts charity curling bonspiels and golf tournaments.
But it’s most successful fundraiser
it its twice yearly used sports equipment sales. Good quality equipment
is donated by students and parents
from schools throughout the district.
“That engagement is helping students learn about philanthropy and
the disparities that exist in their own
community, not just around the
world,” said Rissa. “It gets them to
recognize how privileged they are.”
Last spring, the event was held
at Riverside Secondary and raised
$16,000. “It’s a great fundraiser for
us, and kids can get all their hockey
equipment for $100,” Chris said.
The August sale is held at the Coquitlam Arena.
KidSport has forged a strong relationship with the school district.
“That’s really important,” said Rissa. Three former school administrators, “who are kid- and sports-passionate,” sit on the volunteer board.
“KidSport can be successful in every jurisdiction,” she added. “All it
needs is someone with the time to
invest in it.”
“I’ve been very lucky in my life
with the opportunities I’ve had
with sports,” said Chris. He played
hockey, baseball and football while
growing up in Winnipeg. He then
took up wrestling and in 1992 represented Canada at the Olympic
Games. He is a two-time World Cup
Champion and he has won gold, silver and bronze medals for wrestling
at the World Championships.
“Sports have made me the person I am today. It’s important for all
kids to have these opportunities. I’ve
coached kids who’ve had a grant
and seen the impact it’s had on their
lives. It’s awesome to make such a
huge difference.
“We have such a great partnership
with the school district, from the
board office staff to the youth workers. The schools appreciate what we
do and, at the same time, we appreciate what they’re doing because
we’re all trying to do what’s best for
kids.”
Rissa said “Involvement in team
sports leads to academic success,
then graduation, and they just go on
from there.”
Leslie Dyson is a regular contributor to Adminfo. She can be reached at Leslie@
F2Fcommunications.ca
Krieger, continued from page 19
fessions maintain public confidence
by providing assurance that professional practice is informed by current knowledge. The BCPVPA’s
brief asks that the Council review
other professions’ continuing education programs and consider establishing requirements for continuing
education that will bolster public
confidence in our profession.
The BCPVPA also recommended
that the TRB re-instate the survey
of recent graduates of education
faculties to assist in its assessment of
teacher evaluation programs. These
surveys, conducted for many years
by the BCCT, the predecessor of
the TRB, provided recent graduates’ perspectives on the degree to
which their pre-service education
provided adequate preparation for
the realities of teaching.
The BCPVPA TRB brief can be found here or visit http://bit.ly/11Hqtzn
We would be pleased to receive your feedback on the ideas presented
([email protected]).
Leading for Learning
ShortCourse
Annually every July • Fully-subscribed early this year
The University
of British Columbia
Watch for information and registration details
through all the BCPVPA communication channels for 2014
June 2013 • Adminfo • 17
The journey to become a teacher
Successful completion of a teacher education program,
including a practicum, successful completion of academic
requirements, and a demonstration of fitness to teach.
The BCPVPA’s Executive Director, Kit Krieger, writes about the
BCPVPA’s submission to the Teacher Regulation Branch.
T
he journey to become a
teacher in BC starts with
enrolment in a teacher education
program in one of the nine faculties of education in our province.
Successful completion of a teacher
education program, including a
practicum, is one of the three requirements for certification by the
Teacher Regulation Branch of the
Ministry of Education (TRB): the
other two are successful completion
of academic requirements and a
demonstration of fitness to teach attained by submitting references and
completing a criminal record check.
At its meetings in January and
April of this year, the Teachers’
Council of the TRB received submissions from seven partner groups,
including the BCPVPA, on teacher
education. The Council’s interest in
teacher education issues from Section 13 of the Teachers Act, which
gives the Council the following
“powers and duties”
(a) To establish
teacher education program
approval standards for
determining if the teacher
education program of any
faculty of teacher education
… satisfies the academic
standards for a graduate of
that program to be issued a
certificate of qualification;
(b) To determine if a
teacher education program
meets the teacher education
program approval
standards; and,
(c) To cooperate with a
faculty of education … in
the design and evaluation
of teacher education
programs.
The TRB exercises its authority
by establishing criteria for both the
academic and pedagogical coursework. For example, the TRB establishes requirements for the number
of university credits required for
certification, designates some essential areas of study, such as special
education, and minimum requirements for the duration of a final
practicum.
The 15-member TRB Teachers’
Council includes one person nominated by the BCPVPA. The current
council member from our Association is Qualicum principal, Don
Boyd. He will be succeeded in July
by Daniel Blais, Principal, Ecole de
L’Anse-au-sable School, Kelowna
(SD#93). Mr. Blais presented the
June 2013 • Adminfo • 18
BCPVPA brief to the Council on
April 18th.
Among the issues raised in the
BCPVPA brief are the following:
1. Is the pathway to teacher
certification sufficiently
rigorous, given the demands
and complexity of teaching?
The records of the TRB include
two large volumes listing the names,
ages, and IQs of graduates of Normal School dating back to the late
1930s. The requirement for certification was two years of post-secondary education. A Baccalaureate
degree became a requirement in
the 1950s and today approximately
one-third of BC teachers have Masters degrees.
Given the growing knowledgebase for teaching, the increased demands of society for an educated
citizenry, and the unprecedented
diversity of the student population,
should the academic and pedagogical requirements for teaching be
more demanding? Remarkably, the
requirements for certification in BC
were reduced when BC entered into
a labour mobility agreement (TILMA) with Alberta in 2006.
2. Should there be a
certification category specific
to principals and viceprincipals?
More than 99% of BC teachers hold either Professional or Basic Certificates. Certificates do not
identify teaching areas or school level (primary, elementary, middle, secondary) or specializations. School
leadership entails knowledge and
skills that are quite different than
those possessed by enrolling and
non-enrolling teachers. The Association asked the Council to consider
whether the TRB should identify
specific requirements and licensure
for principals, vice-principals and
other persons holding leadership
positions in the school system.
standards do not reflect the work
done by principals and vice-principals in their leadership capacities.
The Association asked the Council
to review the Standards and consider
revisions that would incorporate
4. Professional Standards
standards such as those found in the
The TRB is charged with estab- BCPVPA Leadership Standards.
lishing professional standards for
education, conduct and compe- 5. Continuing Education
tence of certificate holders. The
current standards, the Standards for
Almost all of the more than three
the Professional Education, Conduct and dozen regulated professions in BC
Competence of Educators in British Co- require licensees to undertake aplumbia, were introduced in 2003 and proved continuing education to
revised in 2008. The BCPVPA ad- maintain a license to practice. Provised the College that the current
continues page 17
first years of teaching” to stimulate
inquiry into an area of concern
common to virtually all partner
group submissions to the Council.
3. Is teacher induction
sufficiently lengthy and
rigorous?
Many professions, such as law,
medicine, engineering, and architecture, require extended internships under the supervision of licensed professionals before they attain full licensure. Applicants for a
BC teaching certificate are required
to have completed 12 weeks of
practice teaching, with a minimum
of eight weeks in a final practicum.
The induction process in some other professions is measured in years
rather than weeks. The BCPVPA
asked the Council to consider the
nature of the initial teaching experience. Should beginning teachers
be expected to be responsible for
the full scope of duties required of
experienced professionals or should
there be a graduated immersion
into the full responsibilities of teaching? We also recommended that the
TRB sponsor a conference devoted
to the themes of “induction and the
Cover Story
Our cover art this month is by
Tiana Kalke, who is a Grade
3 student at South Broadview
Elementary in the North
Okanagan-Shuswap School
District. Our thanks are extended
to Tiana, her teacher Mrs. Kelly
Cooper and Carl Cooper,
Principal, for sharing this work.