In a notice sent to all Trustees, Superintendents, and Secretary-Treasurers the BCSTA provided an update in regards to the notice of liability letters that were received by many school districts and boards of education. 

The BCSTA consulted with Harris & Co. to provide the update. The update concluded that "there is very little risk that school districts would be generally liable for having vaccination clinics in schools or for requiring students to wear masks". This was in response to legal threats that stated "it is unlawful for the district to 'practice medicine' by having vaccine clinics at schools and requiring students to get vaccinated" and "it is unlawful to require students to wear masks in school". 

Any law or legal action quoted in the notice of liability letters were deemed either not applicable to the jurisdiction of British Columbia or represent an inaccurate legal summary of the laws cited.

Please read the entire update here.

The Indigenous Youth Mental Health Literacy Curriculum Project is looking for BC Youth Ambassadors and Elder Mentors to participate in the project from October to December. Indigenous youth and elders will connect through sharing circles and collect wellbeing approaches from community members that participate. 

Meetings will take place over Zoom, so access to a computer and comfort with technology are needed.

Please see the project posters below for more information:

Youth | Elders

The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund Society (VSCF) was established in 1981 as the newspaper's in-house charity, with a mandate to raise funds to help children in need throughout the province. The purpose of the charity is to: 

• Relieve poverty by providing funding for food, snacks, clothing and other basic necessities, as well as for mentorship programs, sports programs, and arts programs, to needy students in British Columbia.
• Advance education by providing funding for books, equipment, and educational / technological aids to students in British Columbia.

Information | Application

BC Retired Teachers’ Association (BCRTA) is pleased to offer the Golden Star Awards Program again this year. Adjudicated by the Excellence in Public Education Committee, the awards acknowledge outstanding intergenerational programs in BC’s public schools.  This year, due to the restrictions of COVID-19 measures, established programs will proceed differently but we are hopeful that some teachers will find safe ways to facilitate communication between students and seniors. One of last year’s winners is developing the use of technology and letter writing, for example, to continue their program.  Although in-person activities are not permitted at this time, students and seniors can still learn much from one another.  If teachers are able to continue intergenerational programs during these difficult times, we want to acknowledge their efforts.

Information | Application

A series from Take Me Outside, and our Canadian Outdoor Learning Partners!

Outdoor Learning in the Early Years
Thursday, October 14 at 4pm PST | 7pm EST

Play is the best way children learn in the early years and the best place for play is outdoors! Following the lead of the children and supporting them with the time, space, materials and permission is our role as adults. What does that really look like? We will explore this together and you will come away with practical ideas and resources to support outdoor play in the early years.

Christina Pickles has been connecting people of all ages with the natural world for 20 years in the badlands, forests, streams and streets. For the past 7 years she has focused on outdoor play in the early years and now believes that it is the best way children connect with nature, their communities, their bodies and each other.

Register

With the ongoing need for continuity of learning in our system, the BCPVPA has opened up free access to BetterEducate for all BC K-12 educators. Develop a BetterEducate Profile | Collaborate with Colleagues | Browse and Share Resources | Develop your Plans – All on one platform! 

Learn more here

If you haven’t yet signed up for BetterEducate, visit the site and sign up for your free membership
with the promo code BCPVPA123.  View Sign-Up Instructions

The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is a province wide professional support service provided by the BCPVPA at no cost to you and is completely voluntary and confidential. The program supports BCPVPA Benefits Plan members experiencing health-related personal and/or professional challenges. Find out more