SD57 Vision Statements
School District 57 is committed to the journey of physical literacy in our students. Physical literacy is a lifelong journey in the development of Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) that will give students the competence, confidence, and motivation to be active for life.
In partnership with all members of our learning community, we endeavor to embed inclusive, equitable, and respectful programming into all aspects of school life by providing Educators the resources and confidence to be champions of physical literacy .
The Physical Literacy Curriculum Hub page will host professional development, in-service school programs/projects, and collaboration with local and provincial partners.
SD57 with the support of SOGI 123 helps educators make schools inclusive and safe for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities (SOGI). At a SOGI-inclusive school, students' gender does not limit their interests and opportunities, and their sexual orientation and how they understand and express their gender are welcomed without discrimination.
SD57 is committed to establishing and maintaining a safe and positive environment for all students, families and employees, including those who self-identify as 2SLGBTQ+, including, but not limited to, those who identify as two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, intersex, transgender, or queer, or who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. SD57 also recognizes that students and other school community members of all sexual orientations and gender identities face challenges within our schools and communities. It is with this rationale in mind and with an understanding that each member of the school and district community bears the responsibility for creating a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and affirming environment for all individuals that this policy is adopted.
Strategic Plan Alignment
Truth and Reconciliation:
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Policy and SOGI Advisory terms of reference updated to reflect Two Spirit identities at the start of the 2SLGBTQ+ abbreviation to honour the presence of our Indigenous members.
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Increase awareness of Two Spirit identities through resources
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SOGI Advisory Committe includes one or two representatives from the Indigenous Education Department.
Equity:
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Access to a welcoming environment
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Access to 2SLGBTQ+ flags and signage
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Encourage the purchase of Rainbow matting in entry ways
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Increase our communication with students and families while developing personalized learning supports to remove barriers for their success (GSAs, classroom lessons, staff Pro-D, parent information, Gr. 7s to connect with Secondary school GSAs prior to Grade 8).
Wellness:
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Schools provide a sense of belonging for all students through various strategies:
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SOGI inclusive resources in Library Learning Commons
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Professional learning on SOGI Leadership, Intersectionality, Safe and Inclusive Schools
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Work with StrongStart
Learning:
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Embedded SOGI education in classrooms
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Review resources for literacy (SOGI related Lit Circles, read alouds, DLC kits)
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Support equity in our schools with professional development.
School District 57’s Strategic Plan, “The pathway to a Diverse Learning Community with Purpose, Options and Choice for all”, embraces the belief that a strong Arts education benefits all students, communities, and societies by contributing to the development of well-rounded, educated citizens. The Arts connects students with history, heritage, culture, and community, fostering an understanding of the diverse values and perspectives of global, Indigenous, and Canadian societies. Arts education ties itself with Core Competencies as it stimulates students’ imaginations, innovation, creativity, and a sense of well-being while developing Curricular Competencies useful to students’ education, careers and lifelong learning.
SD57 Arts programs and opportunities fit seamlessly into the District Directions or our Strategic Plan:
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Truth and Reconciliation
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Collaboration with Indigenous Education department on projects such as ‘Indigenous Music Through the Seasonal Rounds’
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bringing local Indigenous artists and musicians into the schools to teach drumming, singing, carving and visual Arts
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Honouring Indigenous graduates by providing singers for Ts’udlehti
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Providing Arts related workshops for the Indigenous Day of Learning
Learning
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Full-time Fine Arts Resource Teacher available to support professional growth and assessment of the Arts
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Professional collaboration and conversation within each branch of the Arts through Teams meetings and Pro-D
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Support of many district-wide Fine Arts opportunities such as;
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District Choral Fests (Christmas Nights of Music and Singfest)
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District Band Fest
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District Visual Arts speed painting competitions
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PGSS Performing Arts Program which is a Secondary program open to all district high schools for students who are at a high level of competition in any of the Fine Arts areas
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Collaboration with community partners such as: Two Rivers Art Gallery, Prince George Symphony Orchestra, Theater Northwest, Cold Snap Music Festival, Method Dance Collective, Studio 2880, and Kym Gouchie.
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Provincial Affiliation with PSA’s in all areas of the Arts
Equity of Access
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Fine Arts Support Teacher travelling to rural communities to demonstrate or workshop new resources
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Projects provided on-line for access from anywhere
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Involvement in the ASSAI program which provides Sports and Arts programming after school to students from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds
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District Cultural Committee providing accessible and affordable in-school and/or online performances for all schools in the district
Wellness
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Including choices/options for learning and incorporating a variety of learning styles within all aspects of the Arts to ensure that students feel they can be successful in a safe, caring and inclusive learning environment.
SD57 is committed to providing quality, equitable, and inclusive Early Learning experiences and opportunities for young children and their families. Schools, families and communities can work alongside children to provide rich learning experiences. SD No. 57 acknowledges children as strong, capable and full of potential and active participants in their own learning journey.
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SD57 has 15 StrongStart locations. StrongStart is a free school-based early learning program for children ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.
School District 57’s vision of “all students are prepared for each step of their life’s journey with the skills, knowledge, options, and choices to be successful” starts with the Core Competencies. The Core Competencies are the intellectual, interpersonal, and emotional skills that students need to engage in lifelong learning and become productive global citizens.
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The Core Competencies are interrelated and interdependent. These competencies are foundational to every aspect of learning, including skills needed for students to embody the First Peoples Principles of Learning. The Core Competencies are embedded within the curricular competencies of each subject, and they manifest themselves in our district’s six key values: community, transparency, integrity, respect, inclusion, and equity.
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Our District Directions will help us guide our students’ development of the Core Competencies for the next five years. For example:
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Learning – Building engaging and innovative learning communities with options and choices for all students to be successful requires the development of our students’ creative, critical, and reflective thinking abilities.
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Wellness – Creating culturally safe, caring, inclusive learning communities where all students thrive involves helping our students to develop communication and collaboration skills.
Equity of Access – Establishing responsive systems which provide accessible educational opportunities for all students to achieve their goals necessitates the development of our students’ personal awareness and responsibility.
Truth and Reconciliation – Facilitating the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action throughout our system is helped when students develop a positive personal and cultural identity along with social awareness and responsibility.
Reflection and self-assessment on the Core Competencies allow students to develop their ability to describe themselves as unique individuals. They can set goals and gain ownership of their learning as they document their progress and share their growth. SD57 is supporting our students with this growth through our mission to “...nurture and empower all students where they are to be proud, confident, and engaged lifelong learners."
The purpose of assessment is to improve learning by informing students of their progress and informing their teachers about their understanding.
The schools we envision recognize every child’s right to grow up literate as a member of a dynamic learning community that values the richness of linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity.
Fountas, I.C., & Pinnell, G.S. (2018). The literacy quick guide: A reference tool for responsive literacy teaching. Heinemann.
