Our team is looking forward to learning with you this year!  Here is a glimpse of what we accomplished together last year and some of the opportunities as we move forward with implementing the redesigned curriculum in 2016/2017.

2015/2016 Year in review:

• Re-establishment of the JEAC planning committee;
• Selection of 28 K-9 teacher planners who attended two planning days and coordinated two curriculum implementation days;
• District supported two collaboration days for teachers to work with colleagues to explore the redesigned curriculum;
• Aboriginal mentor teacher presentations at February 22^nd NID, resources from the Siwal Si’wes Library highlighted;
• Reconciliation tour of St. Mary’s Residential School on May 2^nd with a waiting list for 2016/2017 school year;
• Print and digital resources being shared on our district learning commons “Curriculum Connections” (10 000+ views, 200 Tweets sharing strategies/ resources/community events)

• Educators from each school attended a tour of the Stave West area and Zajac Ranch where they shared ideas for using the space for Outdoor Education initiatives;
• Print resource ‘Invent to Learn’ purchased for every school to help support the new K-12 Applied Design Skills and Technologies curriculum. In addition, some teacher librarians attended a four week Makerspace webinar series and are curating resources and ideas for maker-oriented activities;
• Two after-school learning sessions offered by the Curriculum Department focused on technology integration and resource strategies;
• District partnership with The Critical Thinking Consortium enables teachers to access high quality digital learning resources. Binders of “The Competency Toolkit” were purchased for each school with over 70 lessons focused on thinking and literacy skills embedded into content areas.

What’s New:

• 9000 Years of the River People (digital version) available in the Siwal Si’wes Digital Library.
• K-9 curriculum documents have been finalized. Several subject areas now have detailed elaborations within the Big Ideas – some in the form of inquiry questions. Instructional Samples are available for many subject areas and grades. **Please refer to the finalized versions online if you are using a print copy of the curriculum from one of our planning sessions in the spring and check for changes/new information.**
• Educator Update K-9 Curriculum: Information and Q&A (Ministry of Education, released August 2016)
• Reporting Order information (released August, 2016)

Launching Fall 2016:

• CALM: A self-regulation curriculum developed by the Fraser Valley Child Development Centre.  Training will be provided to Kindergarten teachers and Strong Start Coordinators on September 9th.
• Assessment Committee: We plan to establish an assessment committee in September. The goal of this committee will be to share assessment practices, gather resources and co-develop community goals for assessment tools that support the redesigned curriculum.
• Curriculum Implementation Planning: JEAC and teacher facilitators will plan our October 24^thNID for both K-9 and 10-12 groups.
• Technology Committee: Will be established September 2016.

Purpose:

1. Set broad educational goals and direction for students at all grade levels with the use of technology;
2. Establish a vision of seamless integration of IT into instruction in a variety of course and subject areas;
3. Ensure sustainability and stability of IT throughout the district; and
4. Plan IT purchasing throughout the district in an organized and logical manner.

Stay connected:

• Use our new Calendar tab on Curriculum Connections for curriculum related events and learning opportunities.
• Follow us on Twitter @SD75Curriculum for links to resources, ideas and updates.