A pair of familiar faces are returning to the helm of a local school district.
The North Okanagan-Shuswap School District held its annual election of chairperson and vice-chairperson Tuesday.
Bobbi Johnson, of Salmon Arm, and Enderby’s Chris Coers were returned as chair person and vice-chairperson.
There will be one more round of information gathering before the district’s goals and mission statement are updated and brought to the board for discussion.
Trustees will be going out to visit the parent advisory council, for each of the schools in their area, to solicit feedback from parents on the suggested revisions of the school district’s goals, mission statement and values.
“The goal is not to blow it up and start over,” said superintendent Glenn Borthistle.
“The goal is to modernize it and make it relevant as we look forward.”
This process started several years ago when then Superintendent Dave Witt held a series of forums to ask parents, students and staff for feedback on how to better engage students in their learning.
This feedback was used to renew the current goals, mission and values statements, which are now being taken out for feedback.
While trustees are seeking feedback on the proposed changes through the PACs, principals will also be going through the same activity with their school staff.
Director of Instruction Wendy Woodhurst, who is overseeing the project, will be meeting with the District Me to We Leadership group and possibly several other student groups to gather student input as well.
She asked trustees to gather and have the feedback to her by Jan. 23, so she can collate the information and bring it to the Jan. 28 in-camera meeting.
“By that time we should have a really good indication if we are on the right track with the changes we are suggesting.”
Borthistle noted that the value of the feedback doesn’t just end with creating the goals document.
“We then use this information to help guide us in many areas, for example in updating our student achievement and district literacy plans.”
