ourvoicefall200

Our Voice
BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils
Inside:
Fall Conference Emphasizes Student Success
Is Canada Losing Its Edge in E-learning?
More Physical Activity = Student Academic
Success
September 2009
It’s time to
renew your
membership or
join BCCPAC
(see page 15)
Who We Are
The BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils
(BCCPAC) is recognized as the collective voice for
parents regarding public school education in BC.
Every public school Parent Advisory Council and
District Parent Advisory Council in the province is
eligible for membership. BCCPAC is a charitable
non-profit organization registered under the BC Society Act. BCCPAC purposes are:
• To advance the public school education and wellbeing of children in the province of BC
• To carry on activities to promote and enhance
meaningful parent participation in an advisory role
at the school, school district, and provincial level.
Our Voice
Published by the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils.
Subscriptions are included with your PAC or DPAC
membership. Individual subscriptions are also available—contact the office for more details.
ADVertising
President’s Message........................................................ 3
BCCPAC Fall Conference.............................................. 4
Education Partners use Advocacy Tools......................... 6
Fostering Creativity with Destination ImagiNation........ 8
Is Canada Losing its Edge in E-learning....................... 10
Kids Show Kids how to put a Halt to Cyber Bullying.. 12
BCCPAC Membership Application Form..................... 14
Why your PAC should join BCCPAC........................... 15
Promoting the Healthy Food Guidelines in Schools..... 17
More Physical Activity=Student Academic Success.... 18
Learning, Fun and Prizes for Creative Youth................ 22
Mark Your Calendar!
SEPTEMBER
Contact our office for rates & available space.
1
Time to renew your BCCPAC membership for the 2009/2010 year
publicAtion AnD copyright
8
25-27
School begins
BCCPAC Board Meeting
The views expressed in Our Voice are those of the
authors and are for member information only. You
may copy and distribute any of the material in Our
Voice, unless otherwise noted, so long as this magazine is acknowledged as the source.
BC Confederation
of Parent Advisory
Councils
Suite 350-5172 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC V5H 2E8
Tel. 604.687.4433 or
Toll Free: 1.866.529.4397
Fax 604.687.4488
[email protected]
2
Table of Contents
OCTOBER
16
Deadline for early bird discount for the BCCPAC Fall Conference
NOVEMBER
12-15 S
tudent Success: Common Vision & Collaborative
Action BCCPAC Fall Conference
in Burnaby, BC
december
4-6
BCCPAC Board Meeting
15
Deadline to renew membership in order to vote at Annual Meeting
18
Schools close for winter vacation
JANUARY
4
Schools reopen
31
Deadline for resolutions for AGM
www.bccpac.bc.ca
President’s Message
As I listen to the neighbourhood sounds of summer: kids
laughing, bicycle bells ringing, street hockey slap shots
and friends visiting friends; I find it hard to accept that
September is quickly approaching and with it a return
to school and packing lunches. While we rush to get the
last few excursions into our summer plans I find myself
also looking forward to the excitement of a new school
year.
September and back to school presents a new beginning
for our students and parents; a chance to start again,
achieve new goals, and try new activities. If last year
was a good year then this year may be even better. If last
year was a tough year then this new school year provides
opportunity for a new start and optimism for a better year.
Research studies show that students do better in school
when parents have opportunities to be genuinely
involved in advising educators on programs, services and
operations. In 1989 Parent Advisory Councils (PACs)
were legislated into the School Act giving parents the
authority to advise the school board, the principal and
staff on matters relating to the school.
Over the past 20 years parents around the province have
exercised this right and come together through PACs,
District PACs and through BCCPAC to discuss issues
facing schools and public education, building positive
relationships and outcomes with educational partners.
Schools, school districts and the Ministry of Education
are increasingly supportive of parent involvement
in education and accepting that parents are not only
partners in education, but they are primary partners.
There are more opportunities than ever to get involved in
your child’s school and education.
Parents play a key role in student safety and health
through nutritional food programs, earthquake
preparation and transportation studies. Parents are
actively involved in school planning councils, analyzing
data and input from many sources to create goals and
plans to improve student success. Parents are engaged
in supporting teachers in the classroom through reading
programs, field trips and craft projects.
District Parent Advisory Councils (DPACs) play a
critical role improving programs and services for
students and advising the local school boards on district
issues. PACs and DPACs have a strong voice through
the British Columbia Confederation of Parent Advisory
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
(BCCPAC) with provincial
educational partners and the
Ministry of Education.
As we head into a new school
year and a new budget, that
will reflect the economic
downturn, BCCPAC will
continue to represent the
collective voices of its
membership to the Ministry
of Education and other partner
groups. We will be closely
BCCPAC President
monitoring to ensure that the
Ann Whiteaker
best interests of students – all
students – will be the paramount focus of all funding
decisions.
BCCPAC will continue to support our members
around the province through parent resources, learning
opportunities and conferences, including updates on
emerging issues and opportunities through our online
newsletter, NewsBytes, and through our Advocacy Project.
I invite you to participate in BCCPAC’s upcoming Fall
Conference: “Common Vision and Collaborative Action”
which offers workshops for both novice and seasoned
parent leaders. Our line-up of keynote speakers, includes
the BCCPAC Advocacy Project’s Coordinators, speaking
on the Power of Parents.
Gary Anaka, an entertaining expert on the topic of brain
wellness will show you how to prepare your child’s brain
for improved learning and how to prevent your own loss
of brain power as you age. Dr. Susan Phillips, who has
worked on several collaborative education projects in
different provinces, will talk about building collaborative
action.
It’s been 20 years since PACs were first legislated into
the School Act. Join us in the celebration. Learn from
our workshops and speakers and, most importantly,
by networking with other delegates. I look forward to
meeting you there.
Supporting student success through parent involvement.
Ann Whiteaker
President
3
BCCPAC Fall Conference Emphasizes Student Success
Student success is the goal of every individual parent
in a PAC or DPAC. This November BCCPAC will
explore how to enhance it through common vision and
collaborative action.
The keynote speakers will include Gary Anaka, whose
topic will be Student Success Requires a Well-built Brain.
He will help you discover how to maximize your child’s
potential based on how
the brain learns naturally.
Discover the brain’s best
kept learning secrets.
Today, Applied Educational
Neuroscience makes it
crystal clear: the brain is the
wave of the future providing
a common platform for every
child’s success. Parents will
decide what type of brain
their child will have. This
Gary Anaka
keynote is full of hope and
optimism for the future.
Delivering a keynote on The Win-Win of Collaborative
Education will be Dr. Susan Phillips. She will speak
on how together we can achieve results that would not
likely be achieved alone. From her experiences as a
researcher on educational issues and as a parent, teacher,
counselor, school principal, and district administrator
she will provide examples of how collaborative action
can influence student success. Susan has worked with
parents, students, educational staff, and community
members in many diverse
programs in different provinces.
The ever-popular BCCPAC
Advocacy Project coordinators
will provide the keynote on
Thursday night as well as hold
two workshops.
On Friday they will talk about
Tackling Topics at PACs Before
Dr. Susan Phillips
They Supersize. PAC leaders will
learn how to tackle “hot” topics successfully in parent
councils. You will leave knowing how to create a safe
and respectful forum while getting those difficult issues
on the table where they can be addressed.
On Saturday their workshop is called, Let’s make a real
difference! Janet and Cathy have been in the advocacy
field for years, yet they’re still seeing the same issues,
the same barriers, over and over. They want to
teach parents how together they can make a difference
for kids.
Bill Robinson is an exceptional speaker, storyteller and
workshop leader with an amazing collection of “hidden
And the winner is...
Shaughnessy Elementary School Parent Advisory
Council is the lucky winner of the BCCPAC
Earlybird Membership Draw. The prize is a
free registration for one delegate to either the
upcoming Fall Conference, happening November
12 through 15, or a registration for the Spring
Conference coming up in May 2010.
our cover
Trinity Fox, a kindergarten student at Ecole
Margaret Jenkins in Victoria is our cover
artist. This picture “starry night” was
created through a school-wide art project
which brought in local artists to work with
the students, using different media and
techniques. The work includes tin foil and
card as well as paint.
4
www.bccpac.bc.ca
heroes” stories about ordinary people who have done
small things that have made a big difference, both in
their own lives and the lives of
people around them. Delegates
to the Fall Conference will find
him inspiring.
As Bill says, “It’s not the one in
a million heroes that make the
biggest difference in this world,
it’s the millions of hidden
Bill Robinson
heroes, people just like you and
me.” You’ll leave his workshop
with a personal action plan ready to tackle your own
self-defined challenges with passion, heart, and courage.
Bill’s background is radio, for many years he was a
professional radio host as was another speaker at the
BCCPAC Fall Conference, Trisha Miltimore. She will
be talking about empowering ourselves and our children
to make choices today that lead to positive opportunities
for tomorrow.
Luc van Hanuse is a social worker on the Aboriginal
Child Welfare Team in Victoria. He has held various
positions at Native Friendship Centres and worked as
a First Nations District Counsellor in elementary and
middle schools. Luc will explore the barriers to student
success that are unique to Aboriginal students and how
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
many schools and communities
have implemented successful
changes that have improved the
outcomes of Aboriginal students.
The Friends for Life program
will present a workshop on
collaborating with schools to
prevent mental illness among
students. Last Fall Conference
the Friends for Life presentation
proved to be the most popular.
Luc Van Hanuse
The Conference will also feature some very practical
seminars that will greatly benefit BCCPAC members.
These include Volunteers and the Law with Michael
Steven, a lawyer who is knowledgeable about BCCPAC
and the type of legal issues that concern its volunteers.
If you want to take part in the BCCPAC Fall Conference,
fill in the form that is part of the insert with this
magazine. You can also find the Fall Conference
Registration form at www.bccpac.bc.ca. If your PAC
is not yet a member of BCCPAC, join us and save the
additonal fee for non-members, since the fee to become
a member is equal to the fee for non-members to register.
BCCPAC membership will allow your PAC to send all
its delegates for the lower member price.
5
Education Partners Can Use Advocacy Tools to Help
Calling all parent leaders! Are you looking for ways to
help parents speak up when they have a concern about
their child’s education, health or safety at school?
Engage your education partners in conversation about
the advocacy tools available to help parents address their
concerns. Introduce them to the four parts of advocacy:
Rights, Information, Voice and Inclusion.1. Show them
Problem-Solving and Meeting Survival, the BCCPAC
Advocacy Project self-help guides included in Speaking
Up! A parent guide to advocating for students in public
schools.2.
Parents around the province use Speaking Up! and the
guides to help them deal with concerns. Parent leaders,
supporting individual parents to solve problems, turn to
the four parts of advocacy and the self-help guides in
their volunteer work. But did you know that these tools
are also useful to your education partners when a parent
comes to them with a problem?
First impressions count! In the busy day-to-day life of a
school and district, staff members may delay or forget
to respond to parent concerns. In some cases, parent
concerns are ignored. The result? Frustrated parents,
students with unmet needs and heated conversations in
the parking lot.
Following a BCCPAC Advocacy Project session in
Saanich School District last year, Superintendent Dr.
Keven Elder wrote in his blog:
We were reminded that true and solution-focused
advocacy for children and families is based in
strong relationships and clarity around rights,
information, voice and inclusion. We also talked
about how barriers can so easily come up through
lack of common understanding of the issues, the
pathways to resolution of concerns and the degree
of urgency to the parent. If we misfire on any of
those, conflict can so easily arise.3.
The people who work in the public education system
have a responsibility to respond to parents’ questions
or concerns about their children’s education, health
or safety. As parent leaders, you can work with the
education partners in your school and district to raise
awareness and understanding of the benefits of early and
effective resolution to parent concerns and how using
the four parts of advocacy and the self-help-guides can
help.
6
Rights, Information, Voice and Inclusion
When everybody views a concern through the lens of the
four parts of advocacy, they are more likely to remain
focused on the same issue at the same time and with
the same intent—solving a specific problem in the best
interest of the child affected.
Here are a few ways that staff members can use the four
parts of advocacy when parents come to them to solve a
problem:
Rights: Know and understand the roles, rights and
responsibilities of the people in the public education
system. Importantly, be able to explain your role and
responsibility, and those of others involved, specifically
in terms of this issue for this child. Let parents know
what you will do to help solve the problem.
Information: Explain the school district process for
solving a problem, but don’t stop there! Help parents
find and use the information and policies—and reach the
people—necessary to solve the problem. Remember to
use plain language and explain any education terms.
Voice: The introduction to Speaking Up! says:
“Something is bothering you about your child’s education
and you can’t quite put your finger on it.” Recognize
that many parents have difficulty identifying a specific
issue, and often there is more than one. They need time
to express their concerns. Help them identify each issue
and its effect on their child. Help prioritize the ones most
important to solve at this time. Once identified, restate
the issues and clarify anything you may have misheard.
Inclusion: Include the parent (and where able, the
student) in developing solutions. Share information and
seek input from parents in a timely way. Explain what
information is confidential and why. If it is necessary to
include others to help solve the problem, explain how
their respective roles and responsibilities will contribute
to solving the problem in the best interests of this child.
Problem-Solving and Meeting Survival Guides
The Problem-Solving self-help guide helps parents
identify their concerns, seek relevant information and
pursue solutions that meet the needs of their child. The
Meeting Survival self-help guide helps parents prepare
and participate if a meeting with members of the school
or district staff is necessary.
www.bccpac.bc.ca
Using the four parts of advocacy and the self-help guide can help education partners resolve parent concerns amicably.
The questions posed in both guides are useful for staff
members to consider when hearing and responding
to parent concerns and making decisions that affect
students. This is the kind of information that parents
need and are entitled to know. Staff members can use
the guides proactively to help parents throughout the
problem-solving process
Benefits of helping parents speak up
It’s not surprising that questions and concerns arise in a
large and complex system that is expected to meet the
diverse needs of many students. Schools and districts
that act early and effectively to solve problems build
parents’ trust and confidence in our public education
system.
Parents are more likely to work within the school district
process for problem-solving when they can see they are
treated fairly and respectfully and that their efforts result
in a positive solution for their child.
Moreover, they see that everybody is working together
to ensure that their child is well-supported for success
throughout their years in BC public schools. They are
less anxious about their child’s education and well-being
at school and more likely to share positive stories in the
parking lot!
Need more information?
For nearly 15 years, the BCCPAC Advocacy Project
has supported individual parents and parent leaders
to speak up on behalf of students in public schools.
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
Raising awareness and understanding about roles and
responsibilities in problem-solving is another way we
can work together with our education partners to help
achieve the vision for BCCPAC advocacy:
•
•
•
To have all parents and students in public education
respected, with parent and student needs and
opinions reflected in school, district and provincial
decision-making
To have PACs, DPACs and BCCPAC working
together effectively, in the best interests of BC’s
students and parents, with recognition and support
from the Ministry of Education
To have school districts provide the information and
support parents and students need to resolve their
issues effectively within school district processes.
FOOTNOTES
1.The
Four Parts of Advocacy. Office of the Child, Youth and
Family Advocate 1996 Annual Report. p.4.
Up! A parent guide to advocating for
students in public schools and the Self-help Guides. BC
2 Speaking
Confederatio of Parent Advisory Councils. 2008.http:// www.
bccpac.bc.ca/advocacyproject/resources.aspx
3.Parent Advocacy,
Sept. 5, 2008. http://sd63supersblog.
blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html
Discover how we can help you
visit us online at www.bccpac.bc.ca
7
Fostering Creativity with Destination ImagiNation
Canada’s performance on innovation over the past three
decades rates a consistent “D.” Out of 17 developed
countries it is rated as 13th in terms of innovation, according to the Conference Board of Canada’s Report
Card on Canada, released in August.1.
Roger Garriock believes that the foundation of innovation is creativity and that there needs to be more of an
emphasis on creativity and innovation in the K -12 curriculum.
Garriock has worked with adults teaching workshops on
innovation since he retired from a senior management
position at IBM eight years ago. The fees from these
workshops go to fund Destination ImagiNation (DI), a
volunteer-based not-for-profit which provides students
from K-12 with after-school facilitation to learn life
skills they don’t learn in school.
The skills the children learn include communication,
teamwork, research, thinking ‘outside the box,’ budgeting, and working with others. Skills also acquired
include creative problem-solving and time management.
DI does not teach students, but facilitates them to learn
by themselves by solving challenges in groups of seven.
Volunteer facilitators are not allowed to take part in the
solution of the challenges the students tackle.
8
“The kids have to do everything,” says Garriock. “We
want this to be a kid’s learning experience—not a parent’s learning experience.”
The challenges are posted in the fall and are in the following categories: Technical/Mechanical Design, Structural/Architectural Design, Theatrical/Literary/Fine Arts,
Scientific Exploration, and Improvisation.
The students choose one challenge to solve over eight
to 12 weeks. The volunteers facilitate one hour per week
over this period. At the end of the period the students
present their solutions to a group of appraisers. The competition is intense, but the program is designed so that all
children feel like winners.
“At the end of every performance all the appraisers give
the students a standing ovation. No child ever goes home
in tears,” says Garriock.
DI divides the province into eight regions, so that virtually every part of the province can be involved. Last year
DI celebrated its 25th anniversary in BC.2.
“In excess of 20 million children in BC have participated
in DI since it began,” said Garriock. “DI has experienced
a 30% compounded growth rate over the last three years.”
DI is international, operating in 42 nations worldwide,
but it is huge in the U.S. where it operates in virtually
www.bccpac.bc.ca
every school, according to Garriock. He
said there are a total of 60,000 volunteers in
North America.
“The way some of these kids tackle the
problems is exhilarating. They develop
facilitation and presentation skills at the age
of eight.”
Students tend to be most involved in DI in
grades four to eight, but the program also
has a program for children aged two to
seven called Rising Stars. And for adults
there is DIcor, the corporate consulting division of DI which Garriock runs.
The cost for a child to participate in DI is
$30/year and the organization makes every
effort to make the program accessible to all
children in the province, according to GarDestination Imagination participants at provincial competition.
riock, who is not the only one singing the praises of DI.
students to become confident innovators who can problem“DestiNation Imagination is the perfect complement to a
solve successfully and work cooperatively with others.
sound education, giving kids the needed skills that will
They carry these valuable skills for the rest of their lives,”
help make them better adults and definitely help them
said Marjatta Chapman Principal, Lac la Hache Elementary.
become more employable. Every child in British Columbia should be given the opportunity to participate,” said
FOOTNOTES
Marion Hunter Principal, Rosemont Elementary.
1.
“Destination ImagiNation has proven to be an outstanding
program which facilitates problem-solving, critical thinking, risk-taking and leadership skills development. DI helps
How Canada Performs: A Report Card on Canada. Conference Board of Canada. August, 2009. http://www.conferenceboard.ca/HCP/default.aspx
2. You
can find out more about DI at http://bcdi.org/
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9
Is Canada Losing its Edge in E-learning?
The Canadian Council on Learning recently released a
report on the State of E-learning in Canada.1. Our Voice
had some questions for Erin Mills, one of the lead researchers for the report.
O.V. What are the benefits of e-learning over traditional teaching?
Mills: E-learning can offer a wide range of benefits that
can improve the flexibility, quality, access and delivery
potential of traditional teaching and learning approaches.
As a flexible learning tool, e-learning enables learners to
choose the time and place in which to learn and to tailor
the learning content to their specific learning needs.
O.V. What about accessibility to e-learning?
Mills: Our population has widespread access to the
internet. E-learning can increase access to learning opportunities and resources. It also facilitates the development of key competencies in areas that support lifelong
learning, including literacy, essential skills, and problemsolving skills. It can play a role in non-formal or informal learning at home and in the community. It also helps
include those living in remote communities to experience the same quality of education.
O.V. How does Canada compare to other nations in
terms of its e-learning capabilities?
Mills: Over the last decade, Canada has played a leadership role and gained international recognition in elearning—in infrastructure deployment, learning methodology, tools
and practices.
It has also
led the way
in work on
accessibility
and research
on learning
objects and
repositories.
Canada, more
so than most
other countries,
appears well
positioned
to reap the
benefits of elearning. Our
telecommunications infrastructure, generally regarded as
one of the finest in the world, provides a firm foundation
for online learning initiatives.






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












 
10

www.bccpac.bc.ca
O.V. Doesn’t the Canadian Council on Learning
Report indicate Canada may be falling behind?
Mills: Yes, despite its strong foundation, evidence is
mounting that Canada is starting to trail behind the
efforts of other countries. International studies and
surveys have suggested countries such as Australia, the
U.K., France and South Korea are harnessing e-learning’s potential contributions to economic and social
development through the development of plans, policies
and initiatives.
O.V. Is there adequate research to guide Canada’s
e-learning efforts?
Mills: There is a lack of Canadian data related to elearning in particular. We need relevant empirical and
longitudinal research on e-learning that details the effectiveness of current Canadian e-learning initiatives. Right
now we have contradictory research findings about the
impact of technology on student learning.
O.V. What constraints are there to utilizing the full
potential of e-learning in Canada?
Mills: Numerous studies have identified issues that
constrain e-learning’s potential, including low levels of
collaboration across and among jurisdictions, resulting
in the duplication of efforts and unnecessary costs.
At the university level, key barriers, include infrastructure, funding and staffing issues. Also, there is resistance
by faculty, due largely to added workload and intellectual property issues.
O.V. What plans are there for the future of e-learning in Canada?
Mills: There is insufficient planning for e-learning for
the future. Canada lacks a national plan to assess the impact of e-learning initiatives. We need a comprehensive
coherent approach to align e-learning’s vast potential as
a learning tool with a clearly articulated and informed
understanding of what it could or should accomplish.
O.V.: What can be done to enhance e-learning in
Canada?
Mills: Despite widespread agreement that e-learning has
vast potential, there is room for improvement. In particular, there is a need for increased collaboration, sharing of
resources, and continued discussions around the use of
evidence-based practices among a wide range of sectors
and stakeholders, including educational institutions, federal, provincial and territorial governments, businesses,
community-based organizations and associations.
FOOTNOTE
1.
State of E-learning in Canada.Canadian Council on Learning, May 2009. http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/E-learning/ELearning_Report_FINAL-E.PDF
Will he
be home
for dinner?
46 young workers are injured
every working day in BC.
Learn how you can help him stay safe.
Resources for parents
available in the Young Worker
section at WorkSafeBC.com
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
11
Kids Show Kids how to put a Halt to Cyber Bullying
When the Virtual School Society (VSS) launched its
Cyber Safe with Steve Dotto initiative targeting parents
it knew the best way to combat internet danger was
to find a way to get students, teachers, parents and the
community on the same page. It seems to have found
a great champion for a significant part of the studentfocused component in Vernon Secondary School in
Vernon, BC, more specifically, in media and social
studies teacher Mike Sawka.
Two years ago, Sawka worked with some of his students
to develop a high impact anti-bullying presentation
targeting high school students. On “presentation day”
students, instructed not to speak about their messages,
walked the halls at break and lunch holding signs
featuring phrases such as “I will step up,” “It happens
here” and “I can be a hero.” After lunch, Sawka and
his students then broadcast a documentary on bullying,
and challenged other students to take a stand against
bullies in the school. Feedback was tremendously
positive. Through an “I can be a hero” mailbox students
began reporting instances of bullying which were then
addressed by the principal, teachers, parents and the
students themselves.
Last year Sawka and his kids took on cyber bullying –
bullying which occurs in an online environment - by
ramping up their video with a mix of dramatic vignettes
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12
in the form of a play, live music and music videos
and taking it to an audience of 1,000 packed into the
school gym. After the event over 700 students made a
commitment to refrain from cyber bullying and to “be
the change” necessary to stop this form of harassment.
“For kids, interacting with each other on the internet is
as real as seeing each other in person. We spend a lot
of time ‘street-proofing’ our kids, helping them to deal
with potentially dangerous or stressful situations out in
the community and at school, but so many parents have
no idea how to even begin to help their kids address the
same types of things when they happen on the internet
and it’s happening every day,” said Sawka.
The school district, local law enforcement and local
government encouraged Sawka to deliver his program to
all schools in the district. As a result of the enthusiasm
and support shown by kids and adults attending
Sawka’s presentations and because he clearly can’t
be everywhere at once, the Virtual School Society is
sponsoring the development of a re-usable toolkit that
other teachers can use across the province with their
students, schools and communities.
The toolkit will contain a video, script and other
components to make it straightforward for anyone who
wants to replicate Vernon Secondary School’s program.
VSS had already produced for parents CyberSafe with
Steve Dotto - Protect your kids in Cyberspace: A howto guide to being CyberSafe, which is a collection of
short videos, hosted by computer guru Steve Dotto. It
demonstrates how kids use the internet and explains the
responsibilities of being an effective parent in the digital
age. This student-focused toolkit seems to be the next
logical step.
“Our mandate includes improving educational choice
for students. One of the ways we do this is to open up
access to a variety of educational resources through the
internet. If we open this door for kids we need to make
sure we do everything we can to help them stay safe,”
said VSS project director Lynne Masse-Danes.
The parent-focused resource, as well as a workshop and
toolkit, are available at no charge by going to the VSS’s
educational portal at www.learnnowbc.ca/lnbcresources/
cybersafe/. The toolkit for teachers and students is slated
to be ready in late fall 2009. To order a copy email
[email protected].
www.bccpac.bc.ca
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13
The B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils
Membership Application Form for the year of September 1, 2009 – August 31, 2010
#350-5172 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 2E8 Ph: 604-687-4433 Toll Free: 1-866-529-4397 Fax: 604-687-4488 [email protected]
Member Information
School or DPAC Name (please print in full):
School District:
F Elementary
SD#:
F Secondary
F Middle
F Other (specify):
School Mailing Address (All mailings will be sent to this address):
City:
Postal Code:
School information:
Student Population:
Choice Programs:
F French Imm.
F Sports
F Fine Arts
F Other
F Community
PAC/DPAC Contact information
*Chair Name:
Chair email:
Chair Phone:
*BCCPAC is committed to protecting your personal information. The information collected is used solely for association business and kept in
confidence; we do not sell, rent or trade our mailing lists. Please contact the office with any questions.
**Authorized Signature:
I, the undersigned, am hereby authorized to apply for membership on behalf of our PAC/DPAC in the B.C. Confederation of Parent
Advisory Councils and agree to abide by its Constitution and Bylaws and policies. www.bccpac.bc.ca
Additional Contact Person
Electronic correspondence and time sensitive information will be forwarded to the PAC/DPAC Chair. Please indicate below any
additional name/s (optional) to receive BCCPAC correspondence on behalf of your organization. Please advise the BCCPAC office of
any changes to contact information by completing a Change of Information Form. www.bccpac.bc.ca
Name:
Position:
Email:
Contact Phone:
Payment Information
Fee for the 2009-2010 membership year: $65.00
Payment by:
F Cheque
F VISA
Card Number:
Expiry Date:
Name on card:
Signature:
F MasterCard
Special Instructions/comments:
Important
**Authorized Signature: Please note that all forms must be signed by the PAC/DPAC Chair.
Membership: The membership year begins September 1st of each year. Membership will take effect once a completed
and signed form and membership fees are received by the BCPCAC office.
Voting Privileges at the 2010 Annual General Meeting: To vote at the 2010 AGM, signed membership application form
& fees must be received by the office by December 15, 2009.
14
www.bccpac.bc.ca
Why Your Parent Advisory Council Should Join BCCPAC
When parents join a Parent Advisory Council (PAC) they
want to be involved in the learning experience of their
child. They quickly come to realize that challenges facing their child are common to all children in the school.
The PAC provides a way to voice these concerns to the
principal or School Planning Council (SPC).
individuals and PACs advocate with teachers, schools
and school districts (see page 6). BCCPAC’s listserv
offers an important benefit to members– a virtual community through your email. The listserv allows BCCPAC
parents to share information across BC without having
to initiate and maintain separate email conversations.
Some PACs find the concerns they have reach beyond
their school and affect their school district. They reach
out to their District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC)
which can advocate for schools at the district level.
BCCPAC also holds conferences, such as the one described in this magazine, where the delegates network
and learn more about parent involvement in education.
The Annual General Meeting, which occurs in spring,
provides member PACs or DPACs with the opportunity
to bring forth resolutions regarding education issues.
These are voted on and, if adopted, become the work of
BCCPAC. These resolutions are listed on the website
under the Resolutions category.
What happens when systemic change is needed across
the province? That is when PACs and DPACs turn to the
BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC). It is recognized by government and the partners
in education as the voice of parents in the province.
As a PAC is a community for parents within a school,
the BCCPAC is a provincial parent volunteer community
composed of PACs and DPACs within the province.
As members, PACs and DPACs receive an online newsletter, NewsBytes as well as e-mail alerts, concerning issues of interest. A wide variety of resources are available
via the BCCPAC website, including materials to help
The President, Board members and other volunteers
meet with education partners, including the Minister
of Education, representing the interests of parents as
voiced in the resolutions. This influence has proven very
successful and has improved education, safety and other
school issues across the province. For complete information on the services BCCPAC offers see our website at
www.bccpac.bc.ca. To join BCCPAC see opposite page.
The Alfred Adler Institute
~ APABC since 1973 ~
Certified Parenting Facilitator Training
The Certificate program in Parent Education provides the necessary training for Parenting Facilitators to lead
Adlerian recognized Parenting Programs. The training will provide participants with the necessary understandings
and practical skills required to effectively lead parenting programs. The program is designed to ensure a high
quality of facilitation for the variety of parenting population served within this diverse society. The CPF training is
provincially approved by PCTIA. Institute graduates are inducted into the Directory of Certified Parenting
Facilitators operated by the Adlerian Psychology Association of BC.
For more information on other workshops
offered please call or visit our website
To register, please contact the
Adler Centre: 604-742-1818
www.adlercentre.ca or [email protected]
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
The Alfred Adler Institute is
Registered with the Private
Career Training Institute
Agency of British Columbia
(PCTIA)
15
Advertisement
Start refund-raising
at your school.
In the 2008/2009 school year alone, 415 schools (181,110 students)
participated in the Encorp School Recycling Program.
E
n c o r p’s BC Scho ol
Recycling Program provides your school with
the tools and resources to make
recycling easy, convenient and
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Recognized elementary and
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The schools and the environment both benefit from this
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it’s an easy way to fundraise for
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Keeping beverage containers
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Thousands of tonnes of paper
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paper pulp recycled, approximately 17 trees are saved.
Since the program’s inception
in 2000, about 29 million containers have been recycled, and
Encorp has refunded more than
$1.7 million in deposit refunds to
participating BC schools. In the
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415 schools (181,110 students) participated in the Encorp School
Recycling Program and raised
$317,096.75. That means over
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Encorp has also spiced things
up a bit by adding a little incentive. Schools that raise the most
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Twenty-seven cash prizes are
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The contest is designed to allow
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16
www.bccpac.bc.ca
Promoting the Healthy Food Guidelines in Schools
Obesity among Canadian children is often referred to
as “epidemic.” The statistics show an increase of 11%
in overweight and obese children in 2004 as compared
with 1978/79. In 2004, 26% of children 2 - 18 years of
age were overweight or obese as compared to 15% in
1978/79.1. Clearly, something had to be done.
In 2008 the BC government mandated that all schools
must follow the Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales
in BC Schools. This meant that students could not be
sold food in the “choose least” or “not recommended”
categories outlined in the Guidelines.
Many schools decided they wanted their children to
make healthy food choices. One example is North Vancouver’s Plymouth Elementary School PAC which used
their “fun day” to promote healthy snack options. They
partnered with Vancouver Coastal Health for a display
where children spun a “wheel of fortune” to “win” a
healthy snack.
If PACs want to model healthy choices at school, they
want to do the same in their fund raising. The BCCPAC
Board of Directors supports the Guidelines and no longer allows advertisers or conference exhibitors to promote foods and beverages that don’t meet the Guidelines.
This policy applies to this magazine, so parents can get
some ideas for fund raising here.
DASH BC provides a booklet,
Healthy Fund raising for Schools,
that outlines how
to implement
healthy fund raising. It is available
at the DASH website (www.dashbc.
org). Dietitians
of Canada, with
financial support from the BC
Healthy Living
Alliance and ActNow BC, has de- Plymouth Elementary PAC’s Fun Day
veloped several resources to assist parents and students:
the Brand Name Food List (www.brandnamefoodlist.ca)
lists packaged and franchised foods and beverages that
meet the Guidelines and Bake Better Bites (www.healthyeatingschool.ca) provides recipes that have been used
successfully for fundraising bake sales.
FOOTNOTE
Margaret, Overweight Canadian children and
adolescents. Statistics Canada. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/
pub/82-620-m/2005001/article/child-enfant/8061-eng.htm
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BrefoBaarkeHeddalsGoods
Cakes
When preparing food
for sale
to students...
Recipes meet the Guidelines
for Food and Beverage Sales
in BC Schools.
Download at
www.healthyeatingatschool.ca
Questions? Call
Dietitian Services at 8-1-1
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
An initiative of these
BC Healthy Living Alliance members
Tips and
Recipes for
Quantity
Cooking:
Nourishing
Minds and
Bodies
17
More Physical Activity = Student Academic Success
Children who are more physically active are also more
academically fit, resulting in better scores in math and
reading, higher grades, greater perceptual skill and
overall academic readiness, according to the 2009 Active
Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity
for Children and Youth, released in collaboration with
ParticipACTION and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern
Ontario Research Institute – Healthy Active Living and
Obesity Research Group (CHEO-HALO).1.
“Being active feeds the brain, giving active kids an academic advantage over their peers who are more sedentary,” says Dr. Mark Tremblay, Chief Scientific Officer,
Active Healthy Kids Canada. “We’ve always known that
physical activity is essential for kids’ health and their
long-term well-being. Now we know that it also improves school performance. A workout for your body is
a workout for your brain.”
Unfortunately, this year’s Report Card gives most
Canadian children a failing grade for Physical Activity Levels, with only 13% of Canadian kids getting the
recommended 90 minutes of physical activity a day. The
Report Card also assigns an F for Screen Time, as 90%
of Canadian children are still spending too much time
in front of television, computer and video screens. Also
distressing are the grades for Active Transportation (a
D, as most families live close enough to walk or bike
to school, but do not) and for school Physical Education and School Policy, which rate a mediocre C- and C,
respectively.
...research shows that
reducing physical activity does
not improve academic ability
or test scores.
Dr. Mark Tremblay,
Chief Scientific Officer
Active Healthy Kids Canada
“Unfortunately, in our eagerness to ensure academic
success, we’ve cut out time for activity in the school day
and devoted it to sedentary study,” says Tremblay. “But
research shows that reducing physical activity does not
improve academic ability or test scores. Kids need to get
up and move more to enhance physical and intellectual
health and success at school.”
The Report Card does note that there is some reason for
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optimism, even with the
overall failing grade. The
number of Canadian children who are active is on
the rise—up to 13% from
9% in 2006. It also offers
solid recommendations
for how our society can do
better.
Making Time and Space
for Play
School schedules are
packed with heavy curriculum expectations,
parents have intense work
demands that eat away
Children working out their
at family free time, and
brains as well as their bodies.
governments, as well as
individuals, are feeling the pinch of today’s economy.All
true, agrees Michelle Brownrigg, Chief Executive Officer, Active Healthy Kids Canada. But there are solutions.
“Improving opportunities to be active is not an either-or
proposition. It’s an investment with direct benefits that
are immediate and lasting,” she says. “Helping the 87
per cent of Canadian kids who aren’t getting enough
daily activity will take a concerted, joint effort.”
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
“Schools don’t sacrifice academic results when they devote time to Phys. Ed. The kids do as well or better than
they did when all their work was at their desks. Most
busy household schedules can find time for activity by
simply turning off the TV or computer and going outside.
Municipalities can and should invest money in parks and
sport, but they also need to consider policies and bylaws that act as barriers to play in their communities.”
School
Recognize the importance of physical activity. Treat
Phys. Ed. classes as any other subject, with devoted time,
skilled instructors and assistance for children who need
extra encouragement or teaching. Offer an assortment
of activities, from traditional team sports to individual
activities like yoga or martial arts. Team up with children’s
home supports and local community groups to ensure that
the message of physical activity is communicated, just as the
importance of homework completion is emphasized.
Home
Parents can inquire about the activity policy in their
children’s schools and insist that physical activity be integrated into the curriculum and overall school programming. For example, school fund raisers can promote
movement with dance-a-thons or laps around the school.
(Continued on page 21.)
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More Physical Activity
(continued from page 19)
You can also lead the way at home through modeling active behaviour and by scheduling time for play. Though
families are feeling the time pinch, TV and computer
time in most Canadian households far exceeds the
recommended limit of two hours per day. For a better
academic outcome for your child, replace screen time
with active play.
Get children ready to learn by having them walk or bike
to school each day. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to
supervise the route twice a day, team up with neighbours
to form a “walking school bus” or choose a daycare that
uses active transportation. You can also emphasize the
routine of daily play by packing a skipping rope or ball
glove in your child’s knapsack.
Active Play Essential to Better Performance
“When you add up better health today, decreased health
care costs in the future and increased mental focus and
academic results, it’s clear that being active is not an
extra—it’s an essential ingredient in raising healthy,
intelligent children who will be able to guide our society
in years to come,” says Dr. Art Quinney, Chair of Active
Healthy Kids Canada. “We all know that Canada needs
people with good minds. And good minds grow in active,
healthy kids.”
The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card is made
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
possible through financial support from the Public
Health Agency of Canada, the Lawson Foundation, Kellogg’s and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Governments can also provide leadership in the area of
physical play by putting activity on the public and political agendas. The provincial Ministers of Sport, Physical
Activity and Recreation in Canada have collectively set
a target of increasing the number of active Canadian
children to 20% by 2015.
FOOTNOTE
1 .Healthy
Kids Canada Report Card on Physical
Activity for Children and Youth. http://www.
activehealthykids.ca
JOIN THE BCCPAC MEMBER LISTSERV
BCCPACs Listserv offers an important benefit to its
members– a virtual community through e-mail.
The listserv allows BCCPAC parents to share
information with each other across BC.
To subscribe send an e-mail to [email protected],
providing your full name, PAC/DPAC name, school
district and the e-mail address you wish to use. Get
chatting now via your e-mail!
21
Learning, Fun and Prizes for Creative Youth
Do you know any budding young filmmakers? Are
your kids forever uploading their videos to YouTube? If
so, be sure to tell them about the WorkSafeBC Student
Video Safety Contest, an annual competition that gives
them a chance to learn more about hazards at work and
how to avoid them. And if workplace health and safety
knowledge and awareness aren’t enough of a takeaway –
there’s the added bonus of cash prizes!
Now entering its fifth year, the contest asks students to
work with a supervising teacher to create a 60-second
video focusing on workplace health and safety. Entries
are invited in two categories: for students in grades eight
to 10 and for those in grades 11 and 12. The video that
wins first place in each category gets $2,500 ($2,000
for the participating school and $500 for the students),
while second place nets $2,000 ($1,500 to the school
and $500 to participating students). The complete list of
winners is published each year, along with video clips
of the winning submissions, on WorkSafeBC.com and
YouTube.
Since its inception in 2005, the contest has generated
close to 170 workplace safety videos reaching thousands
of students each year. Videos have helped to raise

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 
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 
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 

awareness of the dangers that young people face on the
job – from things like slips and falls in construction and
retail, to cuts and burns in the restaurant industry. They
also help to reinforce the need for young people to ask
questions when they don’t know how to do a task safely,
to refuse unsafe work, and to get proper training and
orientation from their employers.
 
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 
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 




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By writing, acting and directing a safety video, students
are engaged in learning about health and safety in
a positive, proactive way. When they share their
experiences with their friends, those safety messages are
further communicated.
So urge your kids to be innovative, creative and original.
Entries should aim to provide a youth’s perspective on
workplace safety and promote the importance of safe
work practices to the students’ peers. Entries are judged
on the basis of impact (the transferable safety message),
(Continued on page 24.)
22
www.bccpac.bc.ca
~ Together building respect for self and others ~
STEP Parenting Workshops
This 8 week parenting group is based on the highly regarded STEP (Systematic Training in
Effective Parenting) method. Learn useful new tools for dealing with the challenges of being
a parent. The STEP program covers topics such as: Communication, positive discipline,
problem solving, encouragement, freedom and responsibility, family meetings, family
relationships and family constellation.
Dates: Consecutive Tuesdays from September 15th – November 3rd
Consecutive Wednesdays from October 7th – November 25th
Times: 6:45pm – 8:45pm
Venue: The Adler Centre
Cost: $100.00/person or $150.00/ couple
The Adler Counselling Clinic
The Adler Centre is a facility that provides clinical services to the community, by providing
accessible and affordable counselling therapy. Counselling can be useful for life transitions,
self-esteem, anxiety, depression and more. For individuals and Couples.
The clinic also provides the services of a women’s therapy group that discusses issues
related to living an empowered life. This is a unique opportunity for women to offer and
receive support through topics such as: self-esteem, communication, dreams, goal setting,
and identifying and expressing feelings. Facilitated by Laurel Mowatt, MA, RCC
An alternative form of therapy is found in our art therapy group, where participants create
the possibility of experiencing a deeper inner connection based on the relationship we
cultivate with our creative self. This is a confidential group open to men and women.
Facilitated by Tamara Pride, MA, CCC
To register or to book a clinic appointment, please contact The Adler Centre:
604-742-1818
www.adlercentre.ca ~ [email protected]
BCCPAC — OUR VOICE
23
Learning, Fun and Prizes (continued from page 22)
as well as original creative concept and technical ability.
Critical in producing a video is ensuring the students’
own personal safety, and the safety of their crew, cast,
and others involved in production. While supervising
teachers will be sure to make safety their priority,
parents can assist by urging their children to seek
permission to film a segment in a workplace before
entering it and to take all appropriate health and safety
precautions if filming means working with running
machinery, working at heights, or facing other potential
hazards.
Last year, video submissions were asked to focus on
hazards and safe work practices associated with jobs
in construction. By this newsletter’s publication date,
the theme of the 2009/2010 awards had not yet been
determined. Details of the theme will be available on
the Young Worker section of the WorkSafeBC web site
by October at http://www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/
YoungWorker/Home.asp. Be sure to check the web site
for details. More information will also be posted in a
future issue of BCCPAC’s bi-weekly online newsletter,
NewsBytes.
Subscribe to NewsBytes and receive it
in your e-mail “in” box.
E-mail: [email protected]
BCCPAC Fall Conference 2009
November 12 - 15, 2009
Hilton Vancouver Metrotown Hotel
Student Success:
Common Vision and Collaborative Action
Gary Anaka
Dr. Susan Phillips
Bill Robinson
Trisha Miltimore
Learn how to use your brain to its full potential, develop your collaborative skills, become inspired to heroic
deeds and empowered to lead. Gary Anaka is an expert on how to develop the human brain both in your
children and yourself. Dr. Susan Phillips has been involved in collaborative education projects in several
provinces. Bill Robinson is famous for his “Hidden Heroes” program and Trisha Miltimore will show you
how to make choices today that lead to positive opportunities for tomorrow. Workshops with the BCCPAC
Advocates will show you how to tackle topics at PACs before they supersize and how to really make a difference for students.
For complete details on the conference presentations and to register see the insert
with this publication or go to www.bccpac.bc.ca
24
www.bccpac.bc.ca