SD8 Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan
The School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) Strategic Plan 2024-2029 was approved by the Board of Education on May 9 and implementation began on July 1, 2023. Check out the one-page overview of the plan and watch a video of our engagement journey!
Our Engagement Journey
See our Public and Partner Input section on this page to read through verbatim input organized by five strategic priorities.
Many thanks to our Mount Sentinel Secondary School Academy PM students and teacher Jacy Schindel for producing this video. Thanks to District Principal Tamara Malloff for narration.
Our strategic plan sets SD8's mission, vision and priorities for 2024 through 2029. It will serve as a road map to ensure all partners in K-12 education work together so that all learners are enabled to develop their individual potential and acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful.
Thank you for participating!
Strategic Plan
The School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) Strategic Plan 2024-2029 was approved by the Board of Education on May 9 and implementation began on July 1, 2023. Check out the one-page overview of the plan and watch a video of our engagement journey!
Our Engagement Journey
See our Public and Partner Input section on this page to read through verbatim input organized by five strategic priorities.
Many thanks to our Mount Sentinel Secondary School Academy PM students and teacher Jacy Schindel for producing this video. Thanks to District Principal Tamara Malloff for narration.
Our strategic plan sets SD8's mission, vision and priorities for 2024 through 2029. It will serve as a road map to ensure all partners in K-12 education work together so that all learners are enabled to develop their individual potential and acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful.
Thank you for participating!
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Student Success
over 1 year agoCLOSED: Ideas gathering has concluded.The District’s role is to ensure that students have the ability to think and learn, foster a lifelong appreciation of learning, a curiosity about the world and the capacity for creative thought and expressions.
How could SD8 foster this?
Submit your ideas. You can include photos in your submissions if you wish. You can post as many ideas as you like and/or contribute by voting on other people's ideas.
Please indicate which partner group you are member of (KLTF, Indigenous partner, LKB, DPAC, teacher, student, school leader, community member, parent, support staff, etc.) and which family of schools you belong to (Creston, Salmo, Nelson, Kaslo, Crawford Bay, Slocan Valley). This is completely optional but will help us understand the level of participation from partner groups and from our families of schools.
Heather Buryover 1 year agoMore EA support for students in need. Reinstate outdoor education programs and opportunities. Include music in schools.
20Steve.Bover 1 year agoAfter reading input from some others, I would have to agree that Creston youth would greatly benefit from a middle school.
3LVR Studentover 1 year agoAct more on student input
Several Students feel like their voices are not being heard especially about class layout and issues with teachers
28Farrahover 1 year agoTake advantage of the skills and knowledge in our communities - people are hugely educated and experienced and we need to share that.
I'm a local community member
24Stanover 1 year agoTeam building
More sports introduced in school that build a team mentality. The leadership skills and value created as being part of a team environment is required in many of our lives after school.
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Teaching and Learning
over 1 year agoCLOSED: Ideas gathering has concluded.The District’s role is to ensure that students develop a sense of self-worth and personal initiative, that they value and honour diversity, as well the significance of physical well-being, and are leaving school prepared for their future.
How could SD8 support this?
Submit your ideas. You can include photos in your submissions if you wish. You can post as many ideas as you like and/or contribute by voting on other people's ideas.
Please indicate which partner group you are member of (KLTF, Indigenous partner, LKB, DPAC, teacher, student, school leader, community member, parent, support staff, etc.) and which family of schools you belong to (Creston, Salmo, Nelson, Kaslo, Crawford Bay, Slocan Valley). This is completely optional but will help us understand the level of participation from partner groups and from our families of schools.
Leoover 1 year agoTeach them to communicate better! Nelson
Better at the basics should be the top priority. I feel with more time on the topics that increases someones ability to communicate the more confidence and self worth that person would have. This goes for all ages. - More reading and then how to comprehend it. Then do it over and over again. So many books, genres, ideas, it’s endless. Allow for more time, 4-5 novels a school year is more than doable I believe. - More emphasis on spelling, grammar, punctuation, and organization of material. Allow for multiple times a day to drill and build your competency. Now they can create their own ideas to share. With and without a computer, understanding what you are reading and being able to write something readable will boost self worth! - Teach them how to research so many resources and ways to get answers! Equipping them with the know how to find their own answers, equals more freedom, which boosts self worth. Not relying on others opinions and creating your own helps boost self confidence and your awareness and understanding of other opinions and perspectives. - More time spent on math to teach kids how to problem solve, when u really look at an issue, the challenge is usually mostly mental in life, the ability to work things out in your head and on paper in a trained setting will teach kids the skills to lean on in real life situations. - And fitness! Teach them how to move their bodies. Properly squat,hinge, pull and press. A strong healthy body makes everything above a lot easier on everyone! Throw in sport to test out their physical abilities and to have some fun!
4Parentover 1 year agoMore LGBTQ inclusivity
Ensure emotional well being and acceptance of all kids, regardless of how they identify in terms of gender or sexual orientation. South Nelson Elementary school is doing a wonderful job of this, hopefully it will continue through Trafalgar and LVR.
2Aprilover 1 year agoApril
Dedicated lessons for students to learn how to navigate social hardships. Consider Non Violent Communication strategies/ All older classes have access to multiple copies - Habits of Highly Effective Teens.
4Teacherover 1 year agoFoster and promote a culture of kind but at the same time clear and firm behavioural expectations.
Clear, firm behavioural expectations create a classroom climate that is more conducive to learning, easier for students to navigate and safer for all involved. Although being firm and being kind may look to be mutually exclusive paradoxically the opposite is true. All students, including troubled ones, feel safer in an environment with clear boundaries. In the current educational climate behavioural expectations are becoming increasingly varied and vague which imposes a great deal of stress on staff and students alike.
10Lindaover 1 year agoFor the significance of physical well being
It's time for Climate Action: A four day workweek has many clean air benefits and allows for more rest, more health....
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Reconciliation
over 1 year agoCLOSED: Ideas gathering has concluded.The District’s role is to support success for Indigenous students and further Reconciliation.
How could SD8 demonstrate support for Indigenous student success and foster Reconciliation?
Submit your ideas. You can include photos in your submissions if you wish. You can post as many ideas as you like and/or contribute by voting on other people's ideas.
Please indicate which partner group you are member of (KLTF, Indigenous partner, LKB, DPAC, teacher, student, school leader, community member, parent, support staff, etc.) and which family of schools you belong to (Creston, Salmo, Nelson, Kaslo, Crawford Bay, Slocan Valley). This is completely optional but will help us understand the level of participation from partner groups and from our families of schools.
Ideaover 1 year agoTruth and reconciliation incorporated into the curriculum
I think sd8 does a pretty good job of acknowledging the indigenous heritage of the area we live, but I think that being able to acknowledge what has happened and how we can reconcile should be a part of the curriculum.
2Gooberover 1 year agoSd8 is already doing a pretty good job, but we need more education of more indigenous tribes and some of there culture.
1lynneover 1 year agoteach the medicine wheel to all students (Mental, emotional, physical, spiritual)
community member
1gnailover 1 year agocontinue to teach indigenous ways
0Lisaover 1 year agoDo we need to do more?
On the west side of the school district I have only met students and families that identify as indigenous that have moved here from other areas (predominantly Cree and Metis). My children are 5th generation Nelsonites, but are considered less indigenous than people who have relocated here from other parts of Canada in the last 3-5 years. Of course the indigenous people of Canada were treated horribly, but it seems that the Education system has swung so far towards reconciliation at the expense of many other more relevant to today and the future issues. Mental Health, access to education supports for those who don't express need with volume/violence/disturbances, inclusive classrooms for all, outdoor and blended learning options, evidence-based reading instruction, climate informed learning, among many other issues are all of much greater significance in building successful children of the future.
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Budget and Operations
over 1 year agoCLOSED: Ideas gathering has concluded.The District must ensure that it is operationally sound and fiscally responsible while ensuring excellence for all students.
How could SD8 ensure this?
Submit your ideas. You can include photos in your submissions if you wish. You can post as many ideas as you like and/or contribute by voting on other people's ideas.
Please indicate which partner group you are member of (KLTF, Indigenous partner, LKB, DPAC, teacher, student, school leader, community member, parent, support staff, etc.) and which family of schools you belong to (Creston, Salmo, Nelson, Kaslo, Crawford Bay, Slocan Valley). This is completely optional but will help us understand the level of participation from partner groups and from our families of schools.
Lisaover 1 year agoQuestion why enrolment is declining...Are there less kids or just more options not in SD8?
Maybe SD8 needs to examine their offerings to adjust to what parents and students are demanding and finding elsewhere. There are at least 6 ) that I know of, blended learning programs in the Nelson/Kaslo/Slocan Valley areas, mostly outdoor based class days and home based non-class days all administered by other school districts (Heartwood and IDLC). Ask yourselves why all these families have chosen not to enrol in any of the programs offered at SD8. My experience has been the needs of these children are not being met in any of the existing options at sd8. Additionally the former AI Collison School is now a Francophone school so that is another ~100 FTE no longer in SD8.
2SD8 Employeeover 1 year agoStaff Morale
Reduce costs associated with medical leaves and attrition/retraining by dealing with the deplorable worker (teachers and CUPE) morale in SD8. The district has a province-wide reputation. More and more staff are leaving for better treatment and working conditions in neighbouring districts resulting in critical staff shortages in schools.
18Emersonover 1 year agoBring back the belt
More belts
3SD8 Employeeover 1 year agoReturn To Transparency
The Board and Committee meetings have become sanitized and it is very frustrating. What is the district hiding? It's become very hard to see where the money is being spent and why when the meetings have been reduced to reports on decisions that have already been made. I have not seen ANY enrolment numbers this year and the School Board Meeting agenda is now a few uninformative pages where it used to be over 100 pages. Correspondence to trustees is now buried by the agenda setting committee (chair and vice-chair). This all used to be public information. I ask again, what is being hidden?
8Farrahover 1 year agoStick to the basics
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Follow Project
Final Strategic Plan and One-Pager
Lifecycle
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Phase 1 - Inquire - Pre-engagement Quick Polls - December 2022
SD8 Strategic Plan has finished this stageTwo quick polls to gather preliminary information before consultation begins.
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Phase 2 - Imagine and Inspire - Strategic Plan Public Engagement Open - January 2023
SD8 Strategic Plan has finished this stageThis consultation is open for contributions.
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Phase 2 - Public Engagement Results Under Review - Late February 2023
SD8 Strategic Plan has finished this stageContributions to this consultation are closed for evaluation and review. The project team will report back on key outcomes.
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Phase 2 - Strategic Plan Public Engagement Report - April 2023
SD8 Strategic Plan has finished this stageThe final outcomes of the engagement process are documented and shared on this project page.
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Phase 2 - Draft Strategic Plan Review- April 2023
SD8 Strategic Plan has finished this stageThe draft strategic plan is shared with partners and adjusted based on feedback. The public comment period is open until May 8, 2023.
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Phase 3 - Initiate and Celebrate - Strategic Plan Presentation - May 2023
SD8 Strategic Plan has finished this stageFinal strategic plan presented at a meeting of the Board held in public.
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Plan Implementation Underway
SD8 Strategic Plan is currently at this stageOur new strategic plan is incorporated into our enhancing student learning objectives, our school plans, our budget process, our operational plans and revisited each year to gauge our success in following our strategic priorities.
Who's Listening
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School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake)
Phone 2503526681 Email board.education@sd8.bc.ca
Public and Partner Input
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Strategic Priority: Empowered, Lifelong Learners
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StratPlanInput_EmpoweredLifelongLearners_StudentSuccess_final.pdf (282 KB) (pdf)
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StratPlanInput_EmpoweredLifelongLearners_TeachingLearning_final.pdf (262 KB) (pdf)
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StratPlanInput_EmpoweredLifelongLearners_Reconciliation_final.pdf (221 KB) (pdf)
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StratPlanInput_EmpoweredLifelongLearners_BudgetOperations_final.pdf (250 KB) (pdf)
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Strategic Priority: Connected Learners
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Strategic Priority Caring and Inclusive Learning Culture
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Strategic Priority: Cultural and Identity Development
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Strategic Priority: Career Development
Videos
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Click here to play video SD8 Strategic Plan 2024-2029 An overview of our strategic plan and the journey to develop it.
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Click here to play video Strategic Plan Public Engagement Presentation with Audio A video version of our Strategic Plan Public Engagement presentation, with audio. This outlines the purpose of our engagement process and reviews important student learning information.