Times Chronicle Staff

The following are school board briefs from the March 15 meeting.

Skills competition

Local students performed well at the Skills Canada regional competition in Kelowna last month.

The district had 42 junior competitors and five senior competitors, including students from Osoyoos Secondary and Southern Okanagan Secondary. 

One team from Osoyoos and one team from Similkameen Elementary Secondary School in Keremeos will compete at the provincial level in Abbotsford next month.

Gateway students successful

Seven students (six from SOSS and one from SESS) have completed the Gateway to Technology program offered through Okanagan College. 

This program introduces students to a wide range of opportunities in the tech sector from coding, web development, and networking. 

There are currently 24 students enrolled in dual credit programs in the district. Superintendent of Schools Bev Young reports that trades training is the program with the highest enrollment with 19 students, including four in business and one in emergency medical response through the Justice Institute. 

“We are looking to expand further opportunities next year with the addition of the ECE (early childhood education) assistant program through Okanagan College,” she says. 

In addition to the ECE program, the district is finalizing seats in medical office assistant, nursing unit clerk, and healthcare assistant programs. 

Food security

A number of district partners are supporting families via the non-stigma backpack program.

The Oliver Starfish Backpack Program supports schools in Oliver and Okanagan Falls. 

“This year was a year of growth in numbers with 37 families currently in four schools receiving support weekly,” says district Superintendent Bev Young, who thanks program leader Sam Marsel with the help of Buy-Low Foods and the Town of Oliver, plus the volunteers who deliver the backpacks to schools.

Young says it costs about $600 to feed a child (and their family) for a year, adding this year local schools have enhanced the backpacks with items and gift cards through the Student and Family Affordability Fund. 

Young reported that Osoyoos Elementary School has a similar program supported by the Rotary Club and the Osoyoos Food Bank. “They are currently giving out 11 backpacks of food for 11 families, 23 students weekly,” she points out.

Similkameen schools also have the backpack program.

Okanagan Day

The district Indigenous team led by Helen Gallagher held Okanagan Day on March 1. More than 500 Grade 3 students from all elementary schools in the district took part. 

Sixteen stations were offered to students including traditional food, drumming and singing, the salmon life cycle, craft stations for pictographs, bracelet making, speetlum (bitterroot), traditional games, hunting stations, storytelling, and self care. The highlight for most students was horse grooming with a real horse visiting Oliver Elementary School.

District Powwow

The District Pow Wow is taking place at SOSS in Oliver on April 21.

Invitations are being shared with Boundary School District, local Indigenous schools, Penticton secondary schools, Princeton high school, and the Penticton Indian Band adult group. 

The Smoky Valley Drumming Group is joining the district from Chehalis (Fraser Valley) to be the lead drum. 

The fundraisers for the powwow have been very successful with about $3,800 having been raised thus far, with the Osoyoos dinner still to come. 

Foundation Skills Assessment 

The district had excellent participation rates for the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA), with 92 per cent in Grade 4 and 7 literacy, 94 per cent in Grade 4 numeracy, and 91 per cent in Grade 7 numeracy. This compares to a typical provincial average of 70 per cent participation. 

Literacy results for both Grades 4 and 7 overall are very similar to last year with 73 per cent and 71 per cent, respectively. Numeracy results at the Grade 4 level were similar to the last couple of years with 56 per cent showing as being on track or exceeding. At the grade 7 level in numeracy there was marked improvement with 58 per cent showing as being on track. 

“One of the biggest highlights from this year’s FSA results was the narrowing of the equity gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners,” says district Superintendent Bev Young.  “Last year the overall average in percentage of students on track or extending in all areas showed a gap of 12.75 per cent. This year that gap has narrowed to 3.75 per cent. This is an incredible improvement that our district will strive to continue to replicate.”