Across Canada and around the world, April 28 is designated as a day of mourning for workers who have lost their lives, suffered injury or illness on the job or experienced a work-related tragedy.  It is a day to collectively renew our commitment to improving the health and safety in our workplace and to prevent further injures, illnesses and deaths.  I am happy to report that in 2023 slightly fewer people died from injury or disease in British Columbia on the job. Having said that, we still have a lot of work to do to bring that number down further, where nobody is seriously injured, and nobody dies.  I believe we are on the right track here in Delta with improvements we are making and with your continued commitment, we will continue to strive towards that day.

This year we will raise the CUPE Day of Mourning flag on Friday April 26 as the 28^th is a Sunday. I have once again brought decals with me, to remind you to take a moment on the 28^th to pause and honour those who have died or suffered injury or illness. I ask that we remember our member, Manny Reel, who lost her battle with cancer and who has left an enormous hole in the hearts of those who knew her. Please mourn the dead but continue to fight for the living.

Thank you.

Darren Duff, Director of Employee Services and Joanne Gill, 1st Vice President, CUPE Local 1091

The post National Day of Mourning – April 28, 2024 appeared first on Delta School District.

This month, students at the school learned about Vaisakhi and what it means, including the importance of Seva (selfless giving). Grade 7 Leadership students used the book “Garden of Peace” by Navjot Kaur to explain the importance of the five seeds of Khalsa: Daya (kindness), Dharam (fairness), Mohkam (determination), Sahib (changemaker), and Himmat (courage) during their class presentations. 

Last week, Grade 6/7 classes practiced Seva by creating over 300 seed packages to distribute to each child. These colourful wildflower seed packages were made to brighten each child’s day with positivity – a principle known as ‘Chardi Kala.’ As changemakers, leadership students also collectively organized a Vaisakhi Food Drive to help the greater North Delta community. Currently, they have collected 16 boxes of food which will be donated to the Guru Nanak Food Bank. 

This week, each class is taking part in a Bhangra lesson thanks to Simran Sohal, owner of Rim Jhim Bhangra.  

“Students wanted to create a stall experience with a focus on seva – selfless giving and building community – similar to the Nagar Kirtan that happens in Vancouver and Surrey. I am so proud of their hard work in setting up this event and their desire to give back to their local community,” said Sonia Rundhawa, Child and Youth Care Worker at Gibson Elementary, who along with Satpaul Gill, Grade 3/4 Teacher, has supported students in organizing the school’s Vaisakhi activities.  

Stalls will be set up by the PAC and various community businesses to distribute cupcakes, popcorn, samosas, jalebis and hot drinks. There will also be various activities for children including colouring sheets, skipping ropes and outdoor chalk.  

Many thanks to the Gibson PAC, Silk Lounge, Jagga Sweets, Starbucks, Universal Track & Field, Fraser Health and the Delta Police Department and Delta Fire & Emergency Services for their invaluable support of this event.  

Families and community members are invited to attend the Vaisakhi Celebration at the school this Friday.  

The post Gibson Elementary Holds First Vaisakhi Celebration  appeared first on Delta School District.

Delta School District staff and the Board of Trustees are committed to a thoughtful, strategic, and student-centred approach to balancing the budget each year. A balanced budget is a stipulation of the School Act.

2024/25 BUDGET OVERVIEW

 The Annual Operating Budget for 2024/25 is $197.486 million, up by $772 thousand from the 2023/24 Amended Annual Operating Budget of $196.714 million.

 The district anticipates a decrease in enrolment of 89 full-time enrolled [FTE] students for the 2024/25 school year, bringing the student FTE total from 16,280 in the 2023/24 Amended Annual Operating Budget to 16,191 student FTE forecasted for the upcoming year.¹

The district is projecting a shortfall in its Annual Operating Budget for 2024/25. At $1.388 million, the shortfall makes up approximately 0.7% of the 2024/25 budgeted operating expenses.

To balance the budget in the most sustainable and strategically effective way possible, the district will continue to adopt a budget balancing strategy based on the following themes:

• Ensuring that any proposed reductions have the least impact on students.
• Making decisions based on sound educational objectives and considerations.
• Decreasing program areas that have had limited impact on student success and wellbeing.
• Mitigating risk and ensuring long-term sustainability by reducing the reliance on Reserve funds.
• Navigating ongoing financial constraints to ensure a balanced budget.

Approximately 90% of the district’s operating costs are staffing related. As always, the district staffs schools and provides resources based on student needs, enrolment trends and in compliance with the district’s collective agreements.

¹The enrolment numbers are early estimates and subject to change. The final funding received will reflect the actual enrolment numbers reported once the 2024/25 school year has started.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT

The Ministry’s Funding Announcement on March 14 resulted in a total Operating Grant of $174.491 million for the Delta School District. The Per Pupil amounts increased by 3.4%.

The Operating Grant increase aims to cover wage increases for teachers, support staff and non-educator exempt positions. The province will also fund the 1% cost of living allowance for these staff. This year’s Operating Grant is the highest received by the district. However, it has not addressed the full impact of inflation and other costs, including increases to EI, WorkSafe, benefit premium rates and overall benefit rate increases.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE BUDGET

School districts in B.C., including the Delta School District, continue to experience significant financial uncertainties and volatility arising from complex variables, including fluctuating student enrolment, rising inflation impacting unavoidable costs and significantly larger absence-related costs, all of which need to be considered when formulating the budget.

This year, the graduating Grade 12 cohort is larger than the anticipated incoming Kindergarten cohort resulting in a predicted decrease in overall student enrolment for the upcoming school year. In addition, the district estimates that the number of Indigenous students will remain the same next year, while there will be a decrease of 87 Inclusive Learning students in Levels 1, 2 and 3, and a decrease of 13 English Language Learners (ELL) compared to the 2023/24 Amended Annual Operating Budget. Staffing levels are adjusted as needed to reflect actual student enrolment.

Work absenteeism due to illness remains very high across Canada. The district, like most organizations, continues to see a significant increase in illness costs. Since the pandemic, people are more inclined to stay home from work if they are unwell to avoid spreading their illness to others in their workplace. This represents a significant emerging cost that needs to be addressed as the trend of elevated absenteeism due to illness is not likely to ease. The district continues to have strategies in place to support staff health and wellness.

Although the outlook for the International Student Program (ISP) remains positive with enrolment returning to pre-pandemic levels, the revenue generated by the program is not as high as before. Simultaneously, agent commissions continue to increase significantly and department costs such as student recruitment-related travel are heavily impacted by inflation. The district is increasing future ISP program fees to help address these factors but must also consider what the market will bear. As a result, the district will need to take a cautious approach and not overly rely on ISP revenue to supplement Ministry funding.

While a small increase in investment income will assist with budget balancing this year, this source of funding cannot be relied on. In future years, we expect a significant downward trend in interest rates that will add to the budgetary pressures moving forward.

After years of reductions, there is very little flexibility remaining in the budget. Because the financial situation is so challenging, in a departure from recent years, departments were asked to build a budget from scratch rather than the usual approach of trimming their current budget. This approach, known as zero-based budgeting, helps to ensure that the most strategic and important initiatives are included in the budget. This means the budget was developed with a focus on initiatives that support the district’s strategic objectives and Vision for 2030.

In addition, the budget was restructured to ensure that ongoing costs, inflationary increases, and areas of potential risk are included.

THE 2024/25 BUDGET SHORTFALL COMPOSITION

There is a preliminary shortfall of $1.388 million. The key drivers of this shortfall include, but are not limited to:

• Unfunded wage and benefit increases¹
• Unavoidable inflationary increases and other non-salary related cost pressures²
• New technology and cybersecurity related software licensing
• Illness cost increases
• Increase in investment income
• New government grant net contributions
• Slight upward adjustment to the pupil-teacher ratio at secondary school level by 0.5

¹The Ministry funding is not sufficient to cover all staffing changes or certain increases such as extended health and dental, enhanced Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance and WorkSafe.

²For example, utilities, bussing, International Student Program agent commissions, insurance, legal and other miscellaneous costs.

2024/25 BUDGET BALANCING APPROACH AND RECOMMENDATIONS

As in previous years, the district is recommending a budget strategy that ensures the proposed changes have the least possible negative impact on students and classrooms. This means being strategic to ensure continued proportionality of staffing and operating in the most cost-effective manner possible.

As always, the district remains committed to fully funding its operations without undue reliance on uncertain funding sources. The district proposes to balance the budget by introducing several operational savings and using other sources of funding to ease pressure on the operational budget.

Balancing Initiatives – $1.388 million

• A decrease in administration costs and supplies. [$46 thousand]
• A reduction of one unfilled teacher FTE position will provide savings without impacting the classroom. [$89 thousand]
• Efficiencies in the Learning Support Teacher program will result in cost savings district-wide while still maintaining student/staff ratios higher than required. [$392 thousand]
• Unintended hiring delays, a result of the current competitive labour market, often lead to a delay in filling vacant positions which can result in some of the budget allocated to salaries remaining unspent. The anticipated savings in salaries that arise from the regular recruitment process can be used to help balance the budget without reducing actual FTE positions. [$409 thousand]
• Special purpose funding is available following the phasing out of program areas that have limited impact on student learning. This can be used to support some EA staffing that is currently paid for by the Operating Fund. [$139 thousand]
• As a result of the new Feeding Futures Fund from the provincial government, there is a saving available from the re-allocation of the district’s long-standing Operating Fund food program that is fully aligned with the intent of the Feeding Futures program. [$34 thousand]
• Additional International Student Program revenue, cautiously reflecting the program’s recovery trends in recent years, are available to help balance the budget. [$279 thousand]

COMMENTARY

“Like all other school districts, the Delta School District continues to face budgets that have experienced years of reductions and ongoing budgetary pressures from operating in tight financial times. While we are pleased that the Ministry has increased the Per Pupil amounts by 3.4% for next year, unfortunately it’s not enough to cover increased costs, which results in a shortfall. High inflation and increases to other unavoidable costs, including illness costs and rapidly increasing technology costs, combined with uncertainties in revenue sources, are exerting great pressure on our budget and require us to make reductions to some budget areas this year. Ultimately, we have to live within our means.

Feedback from rights-holders and stakeholders is key to guiding our decision-making around the school district’s annual budget. As a result of limited participation in recent years, the district revised its budget public consultation process with the aim of increasing engagement and gathering more feedback from the community. This year, the district invited feedback via an online survey, as well as the more traditional channels of email, mail and through schools’ Parent Advisory Councils. The approach resulted in more than 180 responses which highlighted support for Inclusive Learning as a top priority. Additional priorities identified for the budget include art, music, physical education and STEM, general classroom/equipment and a focus on learning the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic.

We have taken this feedback into consideration while also adopting a new approach to structuring this year’s budget that will address ongoing and emerging cost pressures, help to protect the school district from risk and reduce negative impact on students and staff as best as possible while living within our means in increasingly difficult financial times.

The Delta Board of Education welcomes feedback on these Draft Budget Recommendations at the Public Board Meeting on April 23, by email or via an online survey.”

Nicola Christ, Secretary Treasurer
Delta School District

The Delta School District is committed to being an innovative, inclusive community where all learners belong and everyone soars.  Its mission is to inspire and nurture thriving, future-ready learners.

PUBLIC INPUT

Members of the public are asked to provide their input and feedback on the 2024/2025 Draft Budget Recommendations. Options for providing feedback include:

• Attending and speaking at the Draft Budget Input Public Meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at the School Board Office, 4585 Harvest Drive, Delta. To sign up to speak at the meeting, please email rsonsalla@deltaschools.ca by noon on Monday, April 22, 2024.
• Sending an email to budget@deltaschools.ca by noon on Monday, April 22, 2024.
• Completing the online survey (https://forms.gle/69ZdPF9LcrQXhVdX9) by noon on Monday, April 22, 2024.

The Delta Board of Education will consider all feedback received on the draft budget recommendations before amending and/or approving the budget for 2024/2025.

For more information on the budget process, please visit: https://www.deltasd.bc.ca/news-events/news/budget-consultation-process/. or view this handout.

Translation available: To view this information in a different language, please select the ‘Language’ button in the top right-hand corner of this web page. 

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First the group visited Gray Elementary where Assistant Superintendent Brad Bauman and former Assistant Superintendent Nancy Gordon described the engagement process used to create the district’s current and previous Visions, and highlighted the importance the district places on the Spiral of Inquiry framework for making improvements to student outcomes through an inquiry-oriented, evidence-based approach to learning and teaching. In addition, Mr. Bauman shared results that indicated the district’s focus on having high expectations for all students has positively impacted graduation rates and helped to reduce the achievement gap for students with Indigenous ancestry or diverse abilities.

Gray Elementary Teacher Carol Silva talked about the importance of the territorial acknowledgment in the district. She explained how she works with students to help them understand what the words mean and encourages them to create personalized territory acknowledgments. Students Alisha and Marcus then shared their personal territory acknowledgements with the Hackney delegation.

John Mann, Principal at Gray Elementary and Niels Nielsen, Principal at nearby McCloskey Elementary, talked about the importance of students having at least one adult in their lives that believes in them and goes out of their way to support them, as that was foundational to their educational journey. They shared that their actions and leadership approach are driven by their desire to make a positive difference to students’ lives every day. They asked the visiting educators to consider how their own educational history and experiences impact their values and practices today. They encouraged them to lead with transparency, build relationships and trust with staff and families, be agile and responsive to changing needs, participate as much as possible with students and create a vision and shared focus for the school.

Following a student-led tour of Gray Elementary, the delegation headed to Sands Secondary for a tour of the school and a presentation by students Trin and Georgia and former Vice Principal Joanna Macintosh who have used the Spiral of Inquiry to address social justice issues. The day ended with the Hackney delegation sharing their stories and learnings with administrators at Sands.

“Although our school systems differ in the way schools are governed – in Hackney, by a Governor and trustees for one school, unlike our system where trustees are responsible for the entire school district of 31 schools, ultimately, everyone is doing their best to make a positive difference in students’ lives. There is much to be learned from each other during valuable interactions such as this!” said Val Windsor, Chair, Delta Board of Education.

The visit was initiated by Dr. Judy Halbert and Dr. Linda Kaser, leaders of the Transformative Educational Leadership Program at the University of British Columbia. Through their work with the Network of Inquiry and Indigenous Education (NOIIE), Dr. Halbert and Dr. Kaser have been supporting Hackney educators on their journey of continuous improvement. As part of this visit, the Hackney delegation also spent time visiting Richmond School District. Both Delta and Richmond School Districts have embraced the Spiral of Inquiry with the aim of continuous improvement and have worked closely with Dr. Halbert and Dr. Kaser in recent years.

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Amare’s project highlighted the impact household bacteria has on plants. He gathered bacteria from different places around his house and put it on the leaves and in the soil of plants.

In a quote to local media Amare said: “I noticed a variety of stuff … black and brown canker, and the leaves started to turn a different shade because it’s a deform growth chlorosis that’s when it’s not getting enough sunlight in the plants draining the nutrients.”

Amare was inspired to base his project on this topic by his aunt. “She took biology throughout high school and university, and she’s a pharmacist now, and I’ve seen the way she’s done this stuff, and it really got me interested in it,” he said.

“Amare put a lot of thought and effort into his project,” said his teacher Tanya Dobie. “I’m thrilled that his hard work paid off and that he’s keen to participate in the Science Fair again. I can’t wait to see what his project will involve next year!”

The post Gray Elementary Student Wins Medal at the South Fraser Regional Science Fair appeared first on Delta School District.

For her Capstone project, Grade 12 student Kimran Boparai wanted to do something meaningful to raise awareness of organ donation and to help individuals who are waiting for organ transplants. Until last year, Kimran’s family was waiting and hoping for a kidney transplant for her younger brother.

“My 9-year-old brother spent the first eight years of his life in and out of the BC Children’s Hospital having kidney dialysis and multiple surgeries,” said Kimran. “Last year, he was fortunate enough to have a kidney transplant, which has made such an incredible difference to his life. We are so thankful for the doctors and surgeons who have helped him over the years. I wanted my Capstone project to involve the medical field as I am hoping to pursue a career in medicine, and I also wanted to do something to give back to people in need.”

Sunday, April 7 was Green Shirt Day (https://greenshirtday.ca/), a day that was created to honour, remember, and recognize all the victims and families of the fatal Humboldt Broncos crash that took place in 2018. One of the players, Logan Boulet succumbed to his injuries but thanks to his wish to donate his organs, six lives were saved. Green Shirt Day helps to continue Logan’s legacy by inspiring Canadians to talk to their families and register as organ donors.

For her project, Kimran decided to organize a Green Shirt Day fundraiser at North Delta Secondary. All students and staff were encouraged to wear green on Friday, April 5 and Kimran will be collecting donations for Transplant BC during the week of April 8.

“It is so important that people know about organ donation and talk about their wishes to become an organ donor with their families and friends,” said Kimran. “Although donation rates have improved in recent years, there is more to be done – there are still many families waiting for organ transplants for a family member.”

You can register your decision to donate organs here: https://register.transplant.bc.ca/  A parent/guardian can sign on behalf of someone who is under the age of 19.

“I have encouraged Kimran to enter her project for BC Transplant’s Live Life. Pass It On scholarship,” said CLC teacher, Sonia Grewal. “Each year, BC Transplant awards four $1,500 scholarships to grade 10-12 students who lead an organ donation awareness project in their school or community. This is a cause that is close to Kimran’s heart, and she has been involved in several fundraisers to support BC Children’s Hospital, including one last year for the Nephrology Unit that raised just under $200.”

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The peer-voted StudyTravel Awards celebrate outstanding secondary education providers and the contributions they make to the education industry as a whole. Delta School District currently has more than 630 students from 30 different countries in its international student program for the 2023/2024 academic year.

“We are thrilled and honoured to have been nominated by our industry peers for this prestigious award and want to take this opportunity to thank our valued partners for their ongoing support over the last few years,” said Karen Symonds, Director, International Student Programs.

Each award category consists of just five finalists. The winners will be announced at the upcoming ST Secondary School Awards ceremony on April 19 in London, UK.

About the StudyTravel ST Awards

StudyTravel magazine is a leading voice in the international education sector. They work with a variety of organizations and institutions such as language schools, high schools, colleges and universities.  Annually, education consultants vote for their preferred program in a range of categories worldwide including study travel agencies, language providers, vocational colleges, secondary schools, service providers and associations.

About Delta School District International Student Program

Delta School District runs International Education programs through its 31 schools in Delta, Ladner and Tsawwassen. We welcome international students from age 5 to 18 years old in short term, full year, and summer camp programs. Delta staff run and monitor the custodianship and homestay program personally with 24-hour service. We run monthly sightseeing activities such as ski trips to Whistler, whale watching, camp excursions and more. Delta staff assist students with university and college applications and run university fairs. With continuous intake, students can start at the beginning of each month all year long. For more information, please visit: https://godelta.ca/

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“Students used The Decision Playbook, written by Brooke Moore, District Principal – Learning Services, to plan the best way to promote participation in the challenge,” said Heather Mack, teacher. “It was great to see so many students excited to participate and work towards a common goal while at the same time being physically active.”

The post Hawthorne Elementary Wins HUB Cycling Award appeared first on Delta School District.

Guided by expert instructors, students enjoyed an immersive firefighting experience. They spent the mornings delving into theory in the classroom, then geared up for hands-on firefighter simulations and drills in the afternoons, which included deploying 24’ ground ladders, scaling the 100’ aerial ladder, dressing fire hydrants, rolling fire hoses, repelling off buildings, working on rescue missions and handling charged attack lines to spray water. They ended the week by demonstrating their new-found skills to their families and school district staff, before being celebrated for their efforts at a formal presentation.

“This program is a great way for us to connect with the youth of Delta, showcase our profession and expose students to firefighting who may not have thought of it as a possible career option,” said Chief Guy McIntuck, Delta Fire & Emergency Services. “I believe this program will help a lot of young adults be able to decide on a potential career path that may be any of the emergency services – fire, police or ambulance. It gives them a taste of what it’s like.”

“Last year, out of the 16 students in the program, there were some who had expressed they would like to become a firefighter,” he continued. “We had one student who is now actively pursuing a career in firefighting and we are helping to mentor her. Whether she chooses to work at Delta Fire or another department, I will be a very proud person the day she gets hired.”

“There is a lot of front-end work before students come here to the firehall. I call it work but for all the members involved, they don’t consider it work. They are all so excited to be able to be part of this experience. This program is a collaboration between the City of Delta, fire union and school district, and is a huge success because of the efforts and enthusiasm of everyone involved. This also includes the students that came here with such a positive and respectful attitude. We are committed to continuing this program for the foreseeable future,” he concluded.

“Over the course of the week, we saw the students’ confidence and trust in themselves and each other grow,” said Cole McQueen, firefighter. “We are so proud of what they have accomplished and hope to see them back on our fire trucks one day.”

“This program encourages leadership skills, teamwork abilities, and a strong sense of community,” said Lisa Chapieski, Delta School District Coordinator Student Options and Opportunities. “These qualities are valuable not only in firefighting but in any profession. This program offers a supportive atmosphere for our students to delve into the firefighting career path, an experience that will significantly enrich their future pursuits.”

“The mentorship provided by firefighters is invaluable as they guide, advise, and cultivate connections among students. Last year, we witnessed students actively volunteering and maintaining their dedication to both the firefighters and the local community following the Academy. I extend immense gratitude to all the firefighters who have facilitated this invaluable experience for the students.”

Competition for the program, which is open to all senior grades, was fierce with 63 applicants vying for 16 places. The Delta Fire Youth Academy took place at Boundary Bay Fire Hall #4, which has a state-of-the-art on-site training centre. Prior to starting the Academy, the students also completed a first aid course as part of the program.

Congratulations to the following students who completed the program this year:

• Tyler, Burnsview Secondary
• Jeramie, Delta Secondary
• Kaida, Delta Secondary
• Tysei, Delta Secondary
• Anmoldeep, North Delta Secondary
• Carter, Sands Secondary
• Austin, Seaquam Secondary
• Brendan, Seaquam Secondary
• Jack, Seaquam Secondary
• Renate, Seaquam Secondary
• Noah, Seaquam Secondary
• Theo, Seaquam Secondary
• Amelia, South Delta Secondary
• Cameron, South Delta Secondary
• Joshua, South Delta Secondary
• Tyler, South Delta Secondary

The post Second Delta Fire Youth Academy a Roaring Success! appeared first on Delta School District.

On March 2, the team made history by winning the 2024 BC School Sports 4A Girls Basketball Provincial Championships. This was the first championship title for Seaquam and the first girls’ championship title in Delta’s history!

Students packed the gym to watch a replay of the nail-biting last quarter of the game, which saw the team come from 10-points behind to beat the defending champions and number one seed – the Riverside Rapids.

The pep rally concluded with the raising of the 2024 BC School Sports 4A Girls Basketball Provincial Championships banner. Well done to the team and their coaches!

Seaquam Senior Girls Basketball Roster 2023-24

• Syra Toor
• Callie Brost
• Anika Dass
• Rana Amarkhil
• Priya Toor
• Maya Mackenize
• Iria Etxezarraga
• Mackenzie Henderson, Provincial First Team All-Star and the Championship Player of the Game
• Camryn Tait, Provincial First Team All-Star and the Most Outstanding Defensive Player
• Neelum Sidhu
• Sydney Roufosse, Provincial Second Team All-Star
• Sukhman Brar
• Coach Taylor Kelly
• Coach Jim Sidhu
• Head Coach Lucky Toor

The team’s achievement was also highlighted in the local media:

• North Delta Reporter
• Delta Optimist

Congratulations Seaquam Seahawks!

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