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
about 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.
George Orwellabout 1 year agoProper funding management and consideration of all parties when making educational directions, and proper spending of money for all schools.
In my opinion, proper management of money and funding is vitally important and vital in the goals of the district. Throughout my short time within the school district as a student I have seen the problems of shortages of money and funding issues. Items have been restricted, gym equipment, building upgrades long overdue, student technology, lack of proper learning tools distributed, etc. Funding distributed solely to schools the higher ups consider most important and improperly distributed to non mainstream schools. It is vitally important to consider all schools and areas of education such as Reach, etc.
3Salmoabout 1 year agoPrimary student students are at an all time academic low. Engage parents to support learning from home
0Lanaabout 1 year agoMiddle school needed in creston bc
Creston has sold off many schools to help support nelsons development. To ensure students in creston get a proper education (by limiting excess social issues) creating safe environments like a middle school is needed.
5Anonymous Educatorabout 1 year agoBetter CUPE Compensation
CUPE staff are the heart of our schools. Better pay for CUPE staff and more CUPE staff will make our schools better places for students and all staff. We really need more EAs in the schools. Neighbouring districts pay and treat CUPE workers better and I would love to see SD8 be a workplace of choice instead of losing EAs and custodians, etc. to nearby districts.
22Serendipityabout 1 year agoKeep up the great discussions about 2SLGBTQ+ topics
It's so important to engage in dialogue that includes the voices of all students. Open, respectful and inquisitive discussions are healthy and helpful.
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Teaching and Learning
about 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.
Lisaabout 1 year agoReading Instruction that reaches all learners
As was clearly outlined in the Ontario Human Rights Commission's Inquiry Report "Right to Read" last year, reading instruction is predominantly taught in a way that is not inclusive to all learners. The BC curriculum and 99.9% of teachers are stuck to this notion that "whole language" or "balanced literacy" is the way to teach reading. When in fact, for several decades now there has been sufficient evidence that actually structured literacy or "science of reading" based instruction methods can reach all learners while whole language/balanced literacy only reaches about 50-60% or learners. Stop telling kids to guess. Stop telling parents if they just read to their kids more they will learn to read. You are perpetuating trauma to these parents and students.
3Lindaabout 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....
4Janeover 1 year agoAllow more outdoor, community and environmental learning.
What better way to increase students' sense of well being and self-worth than by bringing them OUT of the classroom to experience themselves in the context of their environment and their communities? This needs to be fostered and made simple for staff and teachers, rather than discouraged through hyper risk-management policies and paperwork.
13Shelleyabout 1 year agoTeachers as learning consultants
In secondary grades, work on transitioning from a classroom teacher delivering information to students to having teachers function more as advisors and learning consultants or facilitators who guide students who direct their own learning journey
1Patover 1 year agoEnable more self-directed learning to occur. I would love to see more opportunities to celebrate personal initiatives.
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Reconciliation
about 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.
Carolover 1 year agoLead by example. Less hierarchy in Sd8 would be a start.
Create opportunities for administrators to learn from teachers how needs in their schools could be met. This would require open, authentic communication.
11studentabout 1 year agoimplement more classes for learning to kids
we get around one class a year of indigenous learning, and that just tends to be sitting in a circle and talking. not actually learning anything new
1lynneabout 1 year agoteach the medicine wheel to all students (Mental, emotional, physical, spiritual)
community member
1gnailabout 1 year agocontinue to teach indigenous ways
0Lindaabout 1 year agoTo further Reconciliation, acknowledge the history of the Sinixt People.
The evidence is in their traditional territory, in the Slocan Valley, in SD8. Why is the history being ignored? Why are the People being ignored?
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Budget and Operations
about 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.
SD8 Employeeabout 1 year agoNo Trickle Down
Increase the amount of money reaching schools. Too much money is being spent at the district level while school infrastructure and furnishings are crumbling. The number of senior administrative positions (Directors and District PVP) continues to expand and student success is dropping.
20Lisaover 1 year agoLess management more staff to actually carry out the plans. So much management doing so much planning that doing never seems to happen.
33SD8 Employeeabout 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.
18Mindful Mattersabout 1 year agolengthen four day on 3 day off schedule to allow adequate time for self-care and family while reducing operational needs.
Lengthen 4-day Schedule
20SD8 Employeeabout 1 year agoDirection of the District
Trustees are the employer. If the district is not functioning properly or is not going in a positive direction, difficult and courageous decisions need to be made. SD8 is known province wide as a place NOT to apply for work. In fact, we lose more teachers and CUPE support staff to neighbouring districts every year. This is not okay. Perhaps it is time to look at the contracts of those running things.
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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
- StratPlanInput_EmpoweredLifelongLearners_StudentSuccess_final.pdf (282 KB) (pdf)
- StratPlanInput_EmpoweredLifelongLearners_TeachingLearning_final.pdf (262 KB) (pdf)
- StratPlanInput_EmpoweredLifelongLearners_Reconciliation_final.pdf (221 KB) (pdf)
- StratPlanInput_EmpoweredLifelongLearners_BudgetOperations_final.pdf (250 KB) (pdf)
- Strategic Priority: Connected Learners
- Strategic Priority Caring and Inclusive Learning Culture
- Strategic Priority: Cultural and Identity Development
- Strategic Priority: Career Development