Please see below for Professional Learning Opportunities for Teachers 2025-26 that can be used toward the May-in-Lieu Day. Sessions are listed in order by calendar start date. Additional professional development opportunities are posted on the Pro-d page.
Coming soon! We’re sharing a Pro-d Calendar through MS Outlook – watch for an invitation to All Teachers so you can see the opportunities offered this way as well.
1. District Inquiry:
New this year: Attend 3 of 4 district organized sessions OR work at your own site for 2 of the session dates. One member from each team must be present at the first and last district sessions.
(5 hours required to fulfil May-in-Lieu)
(For Sessions #2 & #3 – attend a district organized session or meet at your own site.)
Inquiry opportunities could include:
- A focus on Equity, Accessibility, Literacy or Numeracy.
- Equity and Accessibility/Inclusion Connections. (See pages 18-22 of Equity Scan Document & District Accessibility Plan p.17-24 for prompts and actions.)
District Commitments:
- Allocated budget for resources, materials & release time.
- Support from the Curriculum Team. (This includes TLs, Itinerant staff, Student Services Specialists, Mentor Teachers, District Principals and more.)
- A personal copy of ‘The Spiral Playbook’.
Team Commitments:
- Attend at least 3 out of the 4 sessions. One member from each team must be
present at the first and last session. - Share your learning with others. Submit a digital or one-page summary, and list of resources (if purchased) that can be posted and shared. (Template will be provided.)
- Engage in inquiry throughout the 2025-26 school year.
- Collaborate with your inquiry team members and Curriculum Team supports.
Register here for District Inquiry participation.
Once registered, Inquiry participants will receive a confirmation email, resource package, and budget to support them through the inquiry process.
2. Punjabi Language Collaboration:
Friday October 3, 2025 at Albert McMahon (2.5 hours toward May-in-lieu)
Mission Public Schools staff have been meeting to discuss how to create Punjabi language opportunities for students in our schools. We have had meetings in June and are now at a stage where we are ready to collaborate on ideas, resources and activities. This is a May in lieu session for teachers to come together and collaborate for Punjabi Language in Mission Public Schools. If teachers have resources, please bring them as well as ideas to share to help our group. The session will be hosted at Albert McMahon school for an after school session of 2.5 hours on Friday October 3rd, 2025. Hosted by MPSD teachers Parampreet Atwal, Ashok Sharma and Anna Abbot.
Session Completed! Stay tuned for a possible second session.
3. Technology: (Virtual sessions)
Empowering Each Other: Supporting One Another in Tech and Platform Issues
For K-6 Teachers.
Location: Virtual (attend 5 of 6 sessions to fulfil May-in-Lieu)
In an increasingly connected world, technology forms the backbone of our daily work, learning, and communication. Yet, as platforms become more sophisticated, users frequently encounter challenges—ranging from simple login errors to complex configuration issues. While technical support teams play a vital role, empowering everyone within a community to support one another fosters resilience, strengthens collaboration, and accelerates problem resolution.
This course, “Empowering Each Other: Supporting One Another in Tech and Platform Issues,” is designed to cultivate a culture of shared responsibility and mutual aid. By equipping participants with both technical troubleshooting skills and the empathy to guide others, it creates an environment where everyone can contribute to collective success.
Course Objectives:
- Demystify common technical and platform issues encountered in workplace and educational settings
- Develop effective communication and problem-solving skills for peer-to-peer support
- Foster a community-driven approach to technology troubleshooting and learning
- Empower participants with resources and strategies to escalate complex issues appropriately
Dates:
- Mon. Oct 20, 2025
- Mon. Nov 17, 2025
- Mon. Jan 19, 2026
- Mon. Feb 9, 2026
- Mon. Mar 9, 2026
- Mon. Apr 13, 2026
Register here for Empowering Each Other sessions.
4. TEACHING BEGINNERS’ FRENCH? PAS DE PROBLÈME!
SERIES: Make learning meaningful and engaging pour tous·tes! (Fulfils 5.0 hours toward May-in-Lieu)
JOIN THIS 3-PART SERIES DESIGNED TO LEARN PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING FRENCH, EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT FLUENT IN THE LANGUAGE!
- Dates: October 28, November 25 & January 27
- Presenter: Shauna Néro, French program coordinator
- Location: TBD depending on registration numbers
Registration link : Register by October 27 at 3pm
5. Literacy Series with Dr. Julia Lindsey: (Virtual sessions)
- Also includes a Virtual Debrief on January 23rd, from 12:00-12:30pm
- Fulfils 5.0 hours toward May-in-lieu
**The registration is now full and is closed.**
6. Indigenous Education:
A. Webinar from UBC: Weaving Decolonizing Practices in Education
Facilitator: Su Chang, MPSD Indigenous Student & Community Outreach Teacher
May in Lieu: Teachers who attend all three sessions in person at SWSW room 104 qualify for the May in Lieu opportunity.
Join us for a three-part webinar series. This series offers an opportunity to learn from Indigenous scholars, educators, and practitioners who are engaging in transformative approaches to teaching and learning. Together, we will explore how decolonizing practices can be meaningfully woven into classrooms, institutions, and community-based educational settings. Each session brings together theoretical perspectives and practical applications, inviting participants to reflect on their own roles in advancing reconciliation and relational accountability within educational spaces.
Location: Siwal Si’wes, Fraserview Learning Centre, Room 104
Dates:
- November 5, 3:30-5:00
- February 25, 3:30-5:00
- March 11, 3:30-5:00
Refreshments will provided at these sessions
- Register with UBC: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4coJTj8qcL0MAu
- And Register to be a part of the Learning Group:
B. Dialogue on Denialism, Decolonization and Me (2.5 hours toward May-in-Lieu)
Phyllis Webstad is Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band). She comes from mixed Secwepemc and Irish/French heritage, was born in Dog Creek, and lives in Williams Lake, BC. Today, Phyllis is married, has one son, a stepson and five grandchildren. She is the Founder and Ambassador of the Orange Shirt Society and tours the country telling her story and raising awareness about the impacts of the residential school system. She has now published two books, the “Orange Shirt Story” and “Phyllis’s Orange Shirt” for younger children. See HERE for Phyllis’ story, in her own words (From Orange Shirt Day Society website).
September 30, 2021, became the first official National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, which coincides with Orange Shirt Day. We were extremely fortunate that year to host Phyllis Webstad, founder of Orange Shirt Day at the partnership event between MPSD, local Nations, the Mission Friendship Centre, and the City of Mission held at the site of the former St. Mary’s Indian Residential School. Despite being in the throes of the COVID pandemic, we were fortunately able to host the event.
Recently Phyllis, along with Kristy McLeod (author, scholar and registered Métis with family roots in the Lac St. Anne and Red River Settlements), co-authored a book called Decolonization and Me: Conversations about Healing a Nation and Ourselves.
In this learning opportunity, participants will take a deep dive into this book and consider (questions from Decolonization and Me: Conversations about Healing a Nation and Ourselves) :
- What does it take to heal a nation and a society that has been built on the oppression of people for the benefit of others?
- What does it take to overcome racism and stereotypes perpetuated by economic, political and social systems that are based on the belief that natural and human resources are to be exploited and used for one’s own or one group’s gain?
- What does it take to move forward in acknowledging and accepting the past, walking in a good way in the present, and healing for future generations when systemic oppression occurred in the past and continue in the present?
Books will be purchased for all participants in advance of the learning evening. Light snacks will be provided.
Where: Room 104 Siwal Si’wes
When: Two repeat sessions will be offered, one on November 20, 2025, from 3:30pm to 6:00pm and another one on April 9, 2026, from 3:30pm to 6:00pm.
Who: Everyone! Maximum number of participants is 16 for each session. Sign up for one session only.
Register HERE for Dialogue on Denialism, Decolonization and Me.
7. EMPOWERING ELL EDUCATORS (Which Means All of Us):
Strategies for Success in Supporting ELL Students in the Classroom (Fulfils 5.0 hours toward May-in-Lieu)
- Dates: December 3, January 14, February 11
- Presenter: Shauna Néro, French program coordinator
- Location: TBD depending on registration numbers
Registration link : Register by October 27 at 3pm
8. Literacy Book Club:
(Fulfils 5.0 hours toward May-in-Lieu)
Register here by December 19th for the Literacy Book Club.
9. Accessibility/Inclusion:
| SESSION | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
| #1 In-Person | Thursday January 29, 2026 3:30pm – 5:15pm | School Board Office, Large Boardroom |
| #2 In-Person | Thursday February 5, 2026 3:30pm – 5:15pm | School Board Office, Large Boardroom |
| #3 In-Person | Thursday February 12, 2025 3:30pm – 5:15pm | School Board Office, Large Boardroom |
Registration is full for this session and is now closed. (5.25 hours – fulfills May-in-lieu)
SPACE IS LIMITED TO 20 PEOPLE
10. Coaches Corner:
Monday November 3rd 3:30pm – 6pm at Hatzic Middle School (2.5 hours toward May-in-lieu)
This in-person session is for teachers interested in teaching and coaching basketball in Mission Public Schools. This session is for folks who are new to basketball as well as seasoned enthusiasts to learn fundamentals, see interactive demonstrations, and various aspects of the game such as player development, team building and inspiring youth and creating a positive culture around basketball.
Facilitated by Pat Lee:
Pat Lee has been involved in basketball for over 50 years as a player and coach. He began playing in Grade 11 at a private Catholic School in Saskatchewan (St. Peters College) and continued at Mission Secondary and Trinity Western University before finishing his playing career at the University of Calgary, where he played on a Nationally ranked Number 1 in his second year there, won the rebounding title in 1979 in Canada West, was a Canada West first team allstar and was in the top 10 in scoring.
His first coaching job was at Aldergrove Secondary School with the Senior Girls, where they went on to win a BC Championship, 2 bronze and 2 silver before taking over the UCFV women’s program for 2 years where they went to the National tournament in Kamloops placing fifth and then in 1995 began coaching the men’s program at UCFV. At UCFV, Lee and the Cascades fashioned a record of 151-56 over his time there and won 3 National Championships and 4 British Columbia College Association Championships. The program sent many players to the CIS, now U Sport, to fashion careers at various universities in Canada.
Pat has been involved in community basketball throughout his career with many camps and leagues at the high school level and now involved with Youth Basketball for the past 15 years. He has taught at every level from Elementary to University and believes that teaching the skills, and more importantly the values and character that team sport brings to developing children can be so beneficial to our youth of today.
Register here for Coaches Corner to express an interest in the session.
11. Elementary Athletic Vision Planning
This in-person session is for teachers interested in the success of elementary athletics in Mission Public Schools.
Teachers (and admin.) invested in athletics are invited to help us create a positive cohesive elementary athletic standard. With 13 elementary schools, teachers, parents and community volunteers all with varied experience levels for the multiple offerings of sport, the need for a transparent and explicit sports ethos is required to ensure the focus remains on the District’s overall commitment to students in Mission. The session will be hosted by AME teachers Nathan Reist and Ashok Sharma, with support from PATH facilitators and MPSD Teacher-Counsellors Monica Nguyen, Yvonne Hale and Mila Djordjevic. Thursday April 16th 3:00pm – 5:30pm at AME 2.5 hour session.
Elementary Athletic Vision Planning – Fill out form
We will be using the PATH process to facilitate the vision planning for this session.
Description of the P.A.T.H.™ Process:
The process ideally involves two facilitators – one to graphically illustrate the group’s thinking; the other to graphically depict the individual’s or group’s thinking on each part of the process.
The facilitators guide the group to explore the vision and short-term goals, then identify who will support in realizing the goals and action steps to achieve the goals. The group receives a visual, colorful record of the ideas that emerge from the process for future reference. This process can be followed up with a more thorough strategic planning process sometime later.
Curriculum Connections 