Working the cobwebs out of schools
NEWS/ SCHOOLS — It may take a few days to work the cobwebs out of the school system when it fires up for another year of classes Monday, says Kamloops-Thompson superintendent of schools Karl deBruijn.
Classes begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday except for Kindergarten.
“The process of finalizing enrolments and placing students in permanent classes and programs may take a few days,” deBruijn said in a voice message to parents.
“In the interim, students will be placed in appropriate grade level classes which will be taught and supervised by teaching staff.”
DeBruijn said that, while there are no plans to extend hours or add additional days to the school year, there will be an adjustment to the secondary school semester schedule to balance the number of instructional days per semester, and exam dates will be adjusted accordingly.
A district-wide professional development day scheduled for Friday will be rescheduled to a later date, he said, allowing classes to be in session that day.
“I know that this labour dispute has been very challenging for everyone involved and I know that there will be concerns about the amount of instructional hours that have been lost this September,” deBruijn said.
He said teachers and staff will work to ensure students have a chance to learn all the key competencies needed for success in their programs.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
More to the point:
WHAT CAN I DO NOW?
We came together as a community. We stood in defiance of a government who were focused on ruining our teachers resolve and eating away at their courage. They achieved neither, and instead we built an army of supporters behind them. The mistake the government made was to underestimate the human spirit of people who support public education in BC. While this battle is over there is more to come. Schools are broke as a result of serious underfunding, public education in under attack as a result of government’s re-engineering plans in the BC Jobs for Skills Blueprint, and there is a talk about a wholesale changes in the public education that will make a few very rich, make good on some Liberal promises and in general do damage to the concept of equity and developing a citizen – values that our public education system has been built on
The question is WHAT CAN I DO NOW? We are hoping that the energy created to support teachers can now be converted to improve public education and protect it from attacks that the Liberal government – please stay active as an advocate for improved public education. The children of British Columbia need your help.
It is time put the public back into public education.
What Can I Do?
Do not try to do it all – if you can just visit one teacher, write one letter, attend one rally or visit one block for recall – every little bit helps
Check out the main organizational website for Public Education Advocates
Protect Public Education Now http://www.ppen.ca
Here you will find updated readings, petitions, as well as details on advocacy projects and activities throughout BC
Talk to your child’s teacher (s)
Find out what they need in their classroom and the school in general (don’t forget the school office – tell your school’s principal, tell the superintendent, write a letter to your Trustees, write a letter / call / email your MLA, write to Minister Fassbender and Premier Clark – demand that your teacher(s) / school get what they want to be able to better educate your child. Your child deserves the best.
Participate in Twitter Campaigns
Currently these are focused on teachers telling stories about what their classrooms are like – often complete with pictures
#BusinessAsUsual #ISubsidizeBCEd
Join your child’s school PAC
Encourage discussion on important topics regarding public education
Help educate all parents in your child’s school on topics regarding advocacy for public education
Organize and / or Attend an All-Candidates Meeting for those Running for School Board in your area
Contact your MLA
Write a letter, send an email, phone, visit in person to tell them what will help to support public education
Public Discussion Face book Sites – general discussion, education and specific activities
BC Voters Supporting Teachers and Public Education
https://www.facebook.com/groups/203565789706890/
Support for BC Teachers
https://www.facebook.com/SupportBCTeachers2014
Protect Public Education Now
https://www.facebook.com/ProtectEducationPPEN
British Columbia Parent Teacher Alliance
https://www.facebook.com/groups/342498772586042/
Collective to Save Public Education in BC
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1461502640763541/
We Support BC Teachers
https://www.facebook.com/supporteducationinbc
Focused Action Face Book Sites – specific work being done on various topics regarding advocacy for public education
Blueprint BC – analysis, interpretation and action on the Liberal Government BC Skills for Jobs Blueprint
https://www.facebook.com/groups/blueprintbc/
Blueprints BC School Economy – analysis and action on the funding crises in BC schools
https://www.facebook.com/groups/513476795451673/
Blueprints Interdependence – Analysis of the similarities of concerns in public education and other areas of BC society
https://www.facebook.com/groups/665501833524953/
Blueprints BC Presentation – Discussion around developing a presentation on the state of public education in BC to be shown throughout the province
https://www.facebook.com/groups/272097202977663/
Rallies for Education – Get involved organizing or attending a rally in BC
https://www.facebook.com/groups/738683179524263/
Teachers’ Letters to MLAs – focus on writing to MLAs throughout the province
https://www.facebook.com/groups/226536574108231/
BC Recall 2014-15- become active in working on a Recall Campaign
https://www.facebook.com/groups/316129595235450/
Watchdogs of Public Education – Observe, record and report the damages done by the drastic under-funding of the BC public school system.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1481974738723475/
British Columbia Parent Teacher Alliance
https://www.facebook.com/groups/342498772586042/
Stories about Public Education
https://www.facebook.com/groups/143516465823513/
BC Businesses that support BC Public School Teachers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/760554764005445/
Write to BC MLAs – Protect Public Education Now
An open letter to Premier Christy Clark, asking her to heed the very reasonable demands of the BCTF and resolve the teachers’ strike.
ppen.ca
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