Common use of Challenges Clause in Contracts

Challenges.  In order to meet audit criteria, student claims for funding support for students of Aboriginal ancestry were reduced. This has meant the reduction of the teacher in the department for the 2013-14 school year.  It is time for the Enhancement Agreement to be reviewed. This will be a challenge in our area, and Ministry support and guidance will be sought to assist with making the process and outcome meaningful and fruitful.  Ensuring success for students of Aboriginal ancestry in our secondary schools continues to be a challenge. The focus of the work of the Aboriginal Education Department was to solidify initiatives started in previous years, and to plan for reframing some existing practices in order to enhance current levels of program and support. Highlights of the year:  The expansion of the Aboriginal Support Worker team, with the addition of one more full-time worker added to support students enrolled in alternate programs.  The District’s continued focus on Aboriginal Education and on the achievement of students of Aboriginal ancestry.  A focus on supporting the academic and cultural needs of students of Aboriginal ancestry was continued.  All Aboriginal Support Workers received an iPad to support their learning of how technology can support their work.  The annual Aboriginal Week event, held at the Mir Centre for Peace on the Selkirk College campus, was another massively successful event, with over 1200 students from our schools attending (grades K-9).  Plans for a Welcome Back potluck/meeting for parents of students of Aboriginal Ancestry have been made. This event will take place towards the end of September in the new school year.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our school continued.  Two Aboriginal Support Worker replacements were hired, marking the first time in several years that a replacement worker was able to be called in due to the absence of a regular worker.  The teachers’ job action during most of the year distracted the work of the department. As well, district data typically collected, and a relatively new process for our district, was not collected for students of Aboriginal ancestry.  All Kindergarten classrooms in the district received teachings from the locally developed Learning Journeys series.  A dance group, at one of the secondary schools, was started. The students involved in the group made their own regalia and danced on the first day of the Aboriginal Week program. A local Aboriginal organization purchased moccasins for the students to wear when dancing. Challenges:  Providing Aboriginal language experiences, as articulated in the Enhancement Agreement, continue to be problematic. Aboriginal Support Workers do not have the language skills necessary to deliver language to students, and there is a distinct lack of Aboriginal language speakers, of any nation, in our communities. This aspect of the Enhancement Agreement will need to be revisited when the Agreement is reviewed.  Ensuring success for students of Aboriginal ancestry in our secondary schools continues to be a challenge. Data indicates that there is an overrepresentation of students of Aboriginal ancestry in our alternate programs, and that the percentage of students of Aboriginal ancestry graduating with a Dogwood is decreasing. The focus of the work of the Aboriginal Education Department this year was to implement, nurture and support a new working model of student and school support. The Aboriginal Support Worker team was expanded, and these workers were deployed to work with students at assigned schools exclusively, a significant change from past practice. Highlights of the year:  Workshop on Aboriginal history and culture offered locally and attended by many educators in the District.  First Nations Studies 12 ran as a course at two largest secondary schools for first time.  Aboriginal education remained an agenda item on most principals meetings.  Regularly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department were held monthly.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules were changed in order to have workers spend maximum time in schools supporting students.  Regular monthly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department continued.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules spent maximum time in schools supporting students.  A focus on supporting the cultural and academic needs of Aboriginal students was emphasized.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our schools was continued.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance in the district was reviewed with Aboriginal Education Department staff.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance was collected systematically at the school and District level for the first time.  Continued understanding by the Department that we cannot continue to deliver the same services and programs and expect to get different results.  The attempt to engage local Aboriginal organizations did not produce the results for which the District was hoping for. As a result, a decision was made to connect directly with parents in an attempt to build relationships, hear stories, and discuss actions to support Aboriginal student success. Two events were held in the spring of 2011 to begin this important work.  The annual Aboriginal Week event, held at the Mir Centre for Peace on the Selkirk College campus, saw over 1500 District students attend. This is a significant increase in attendance, and is reflective of the focus on Aboriginal education in the District over the past few years. Challenges:  Providing Aboriginal language experiences, as articulated in the Enhancement Agreement, continue to be problematic. Aboriginal Support Workers do not have the language skills necessary to deliver language to students, and there is a distinct lack of Aboriginal language speakers, of any nation, in our communities. This aspect of the Enhancement Agreement will need to be revisited when the Agreement is reviewed.  Engaging the Aboriginal community (organizations, parents) in dialogue regarding the services and programs the District offers in support of Aboriginal student success has been challenging. June 2010 The focus of the work in the Aboriginal Education Department this school year was to put a District spot light on the department and its work, to analyze and interpret student achievement evidence, and to recommend a new model of connections to community Aboriginal organizations. Highlights of the year:  The school year started with a district wide event featuring Xx. Xxxxxx Brokenleg on a professional development day.  Aboriginal Education was an agenda item on most Principals meetings.  Regularly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department were held monthly.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules were changed in order to have workers spend maximum time in schools supporting students.  Two additional Aboriginal Support Workers have been added to the Department for the 2010/11 school year.  A focus on supporting the academic needs of Aboriginal students was emphasized.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our schools was initiated.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance in the district was reviewed with Aboriginal Education Department staff.  Recognition by the Department that we cannot continue to deliver the same services and programs and expect to get different results.  The Board of Education endorsed a new model to engage the local Aboriginal community with Aboriginal student success planning. Based on an ‘outreach’ model, Aboriginal community engagement will have the Director of Instruction (and, when appropriate, the Aboriginal Culture Integration Teacher and/or the Aboriginal Cultural Coordinator) attend meetings of key local Aboriginal organizations. This will allow for relationships to be developed, perspectives on the work of the District to be explored, and opinions and input regarding the Enhancement Agreement to be shared in a safe and intimate model.  The academic success of Aboriginal students is now a formal goal of the District, and exists in the District’s Achievement Plan.

Challenges.  In order to meet audit criteria, student claims for funding support for students of Aboriginal ancestry were reduced. This has meant the reduction of the teacher in the department Work on creating a shared understanding and responsibility for the 2013-14 school year.  It is time for the Enhancement Agreement to be reviewed. This will be a challenge in our area, and Ministry support and guidance will be sought to assist with making the process and outcome meaningful and fruitful.  Ensuring success for students of Aboriginal ancestry in our secondary schools continues to be a challenge. The focus of the work of the Aboriginal Education Department was to solidify initiatives started in previous years, and to plan for reframing some existing practices in order to enhance current levels of program and support. Highlights of the year:  The expansion of the Aboriginal Support Worker team, with the addition of one more full-time worker added to support students enrolled in alternate programs.  The District’s continued focus on Aboriginal Education and on the achievement of students of Aboriginal ancestry.  A focus on supporting the academic and cultural needs of students of Aboriginal ancestry was continued.  All Aboriginal Support Workers received an iPad to support their learning of how technology can support their work.  The annual Aboriginal Week event, held at the Mir Centre for Peace on the Selkirk College campus, was another massively successful event, with over 1200 students from our schools attending (grades K-9).  Plans for a Welcome Back potluck/meeting for parents of students of Aboriginal Ancestry have been made. This event will take place towards the end of September in the new school year.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our school continued.  Two Aboriginal Support Worker replacements were hired, marking the first time in several years that a replacement worker was able continue to be called in due to developed within the absence of a regular workerdistrict.  The teachers’ job action during most of the year distracted the work of the department. As well, district data typically collected, and a relatively new process for our district, was not collected for students of Aboriginal ancestry.  All Kindergarten classrooms in the district received teachings from the locally developed Learning Journeys series.  A dance group, at one of the secondary schools, was started. The students involved in the group made their own regalia and danced on the first day of the Aboriginal Week program. A local Aboriginal organization purchased moccasins for the students to wear when dancing. Challenges:  Providing Aboriginal language experiences, as articulated in the Enhancement Agreement, continue to be problematic. Aboriginal Support Workers do not have the language skills necessary to deliver language to students, and there is a distinct lack of Aboriginal language speakers, of any nation, in our communities. This aspect of the Enhancement Agreement will need to be revisited when the Agreement is reviewed.  Ensuring success June, 2009 The 2008/09 school year was a busy one for students of Aboriginal ancestry in our secondary schools continues to be a challenge. Data indicates that there is an overrepresentation of students of Aboriginal ancestry in our alternate programs, both the school district and that the percentage of students of Aboriginal ancestry graduating with a Dogwood is decreasing. The focus of the work of the its Aboriginal Education Department this year was to implement, nurture and support a new working model of student and school support. The Aboriginal Support Worker team was expanded, and these workers were deployed to work with students at assigned schools exclusively, a significant change from past practiceDepartment. Highlights of the year, as they pertain to our Aboriginal student population and communities, include:  Workshop on Aboriginal history and culture offered locally and attended by many educators in the District.  First Nations Studies 12 ran as a course at two largest secondary schools for first time.  Aboriginal education remained an agenda item on most principals meetings.  Regularly scheduled meetings of  Over 600 students attending the Aboriginal Education Department were held monthly.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules were changed in order to have workers spend maximum time in schools supporting students.  Regular monthly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department continued.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules spent maximum time in schools supporting students.  A focus on supporting the cultural and academic needs of Aboriginal students was emphasized.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our schools was continued.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance in the district was reviewed with Aboriginal Education Department staff.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance was collected systematically at the school and District level for the first time.  Continued understanding by the Department that we cannot continue to deliver the same services and programs and expect to get different results.  The attempt to engage local Aboriginal organizations did not produce the results for which the District was hoping for. As a result, a decision was made to connect directly with parents in an attempt to build relationships, hear stories, and discuss actions to support Aboriginal student success. Two events were held in the spring of 2011 to begin this important work.  The annual Aboriginal Week event, event held at the Mir Centre for Peace on in May. Students of all ages from our school district as well as neighbouring school districts attended sessions such as pine needle basket making, the Selkirk College campus, saw over 1500 District students attend. This is a significant increase in attendancemaking of raw hide, and is reflective bear aware.  The Aboriginal Committee on Education was disbanded by the Board of Education, with the focus intent being that a new structure be formed for the 2010/11 school year focused on improving student achievement results for Aboriginal education in the District over the past few yearsstudents. Challenges:  Providing Aboriginal language experiences, as articulated in the Enhancement Agreement, continue to be problematic. Aboriginal Support Workers do not have the language skills necessary to deliver language to students, and there is a distinct lack of Aboriginal language speakers, of any nation, in our communities. This aspect of the Enhancement Agreement will need to be revisited when the Agreement is reviewed.  Engaging the Aboriginal community (organizations, parents) in dialogue regarding the services and programs the District offers in support of Aboriginal student success has been challenging. June 2010  The focus of the work in the Aboriginal Education Department this school year was to put a District spot light on honoured when they received notice that some of the material developed by the department and its work, was selected to analyze and interpret student achievement evidence, and be used as a resource for a course offered by the University of Victoria.  Curriculum development continued to recommend a new model of connections to community Aboriginal organizations. Highlights of the year:  The school year started with a district wide event featuring Xx. Xxxxxx Brokenleg on a professional development day.  Aboriginal Education was an agenda item on most Principals meetings.  Regularly scheduled meetings be major focus of the Aboriginal Education Department were held monthlyduring the year.  The success of this work was evidenced by a professional development session offered to teachers during a district professional development day, and by the increased numbers of teachers asking for programs to be delivered in their classrooms. Specifically, the following curriculum was supported with Aboriginal Support Workers schedules were changed in order content developed and used this year: Home Ec (grade 9), Grade 2 Science, Grades 5, 6 and 7 Social Studies and Language Arts, and grades 8-12 Drama.  The academic success for our Aboriginal students (goal 1) continued to have workers spend maximum time in schools supporting students.  Two additional Aboriginal Support Workers have been added to the Department be a focus for the 2010/11 district this school year.  To this end, the Achievement Review Committee, a new structure in our district with representatives from all stakeholder groups, analyzed provincial and district achievement data for Aboriginal students. A focus on supporting the academic needs broad, summative statement of their findings would be that although district Aboriginal students was emphasized.  A focus perform at or above provincial averages on developing shared understanding most if not all achievement indicators, the gap between Aboriginal and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our schools was initiated.  Data pertaining to non-Aboriginal student performance in the district was reviewed is wide, with Aboriginal students performing lower than non-Aboriginal students. (For more detailed summaries of the ARC, please see Appendix A of the District Achievement Contract.)  The Aboriginal Education Department staffspent time this school year creating the language and culture and history booklets that will be used for the goal focused on improving Aboriginal students’ knowledge of Aboriginal languages (goal 2) and for the goal focused on improving all students’ knowledge of culture and history of Aboriginal peoples (goal 3).  Recognition by These booklets will be used with students in the Department that we cannot continue to deliver the same services 2009/10 school year and programs and expect to get different resultsdata will be collected as noted for each goal.   The Board number of Education endorsed a new model to engage the local Aboriginal community self-identified students with Aboriginal student success planning. Based on an ‘outreach’ modelancestry continued to rise this school year, Aboriginal community engagement will have the Director of Instruction (and, when appropriate, the Aboriginal Culture Integration Teacher and/or the Aboriginal Cultural Coordinator) attend meetings of key local Aboriginal organizations. This will allow for relationships to be developed, perspectives on the work and currently sits at approximately 10% of the District to be explored, and opinions and input regarding the Enhancement Agreement to be shared in a safe and intimate model.  The academic success of Aboriginal students is now a formal goal of the District, and exists in the District’s Achievement Planstudent enrolment.

Challenges.  In order to meet audit criteria, student claims Work on creating a shared understanding and responsibility for funding support for the success of students of Aboriginal ancestry were reducedwill continue to be developed within the district.  Providing Aboriginal language experiences, as articulated in the Enhancement Agreement, continue to be problematic. Aboriginal Support Workers do not have the language skills necessary to deliver language to students, and there is a distinct lack of Aboriginal language speakers, of any nation, in our communities. This has meant the reduction aspect of the teacher in the department for the 2013-14 school year.  It is time for the Enhancement Agreement will need to be revisited when the Agreement is reviewed. This will be The focus of the work of the Aboriginal Education Department this year was to implement, nurture and support a challenge new working model of student and school support. The Aboriginal Support Worker team was expanded, and these workers were deployed to work with students at assigned schools exclusively, a significant change from past practice. Highlights of the year:  Workshop on Aboriginal history and culture offered locally and attended by many educators in the District.  First Nations Studies 12 ran as a course at two largest secondary schools for first time.  Aboriginal education remained an agenda item on most principals meetings.  Regularly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department were held monthly.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules were changed in order to have workers spend maximum time in schools supporting students.  Regular monthly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department continued.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules spent maximum time in schools supporting students.  A focus on supporting the cultural and academic needs of Aboriginal students was emphasized.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our areaschools was continued.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance in the district was reviewed with Aboriginal Education Department staff.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance was collected systematically at the school and District level for the first time.  Continued understanding by the Department that we cannot continue to deliver the same services and programs and expect to get different results.  The attempt to engage local Aboriginal organizations did not produce the results for which the District was hoping for. As a result, a decision was made to connect directly with parents in an attempt to build relationships, hear stories, and Ministry discuss actions to support and guidance will be sought Aboriginal student success. Two events were held in the spring of 2011 to assist with making the process and outcome meaningful and fruitfulbegin this important work.  Ensuring success The annual Aboriginal Week event, held at the Mir Centre for Peace on the Selkirk College campus, saw over 1500 District students attend. This is a significant increase in attendance, and is reflective of the focus on Aboriginal education in the District over the past few years. Challenges:  Providing Aboriginal language experiences, as articulated in the Enhancement Agreement, continue to be problematic. Aboriginal Support Workers do not have the language skills necessary to deliver language to students, and there is a distinct lack of Aboriginal ancestry language speakers, of any nation, in our secondary schools continues communities. This aspect of the Enhancement Agreement will need to be a challengerevisited when the Agreement is reviewed.  Engaging the Aboriginal community (organizations, parents) in dialogue regarding the services and programs the District offers in support of Aboriginal student success has been challenging. The focus of the work of the Aboriginal Education Department was to solidify initiatives started in previous years, and to plan for reframing some existing practices in order to enhance current levels of program and support. Highlights of the year:  The expansion of the Aboriginal Support Worker team, with the addition of one more full-time worker added to support students enrolled in alternate programs.  The District’s continued focus on Aboriginal Education and on the achievement of students of Aboriginal ancestry.  A focus on supporting the academic and cultural needs of students of Aboriginal ancestry was continued.  All Aboriginal Support Workers received an iPad to support their learning of how technology can support their work.  The annual Aboriginal Week event, held at the Mir Centre for Peace on the Selkirk College campus, was another massively successful event, with over 1200 students from our schools attending (grades K-9).  Plans for a Welcome Back potluck/meeting for parents of students of Aboriginal Ancestry have been made. This event will take place towards the end of September in the new school year.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our school continued.  Two Aboriginal Support Worker replacements were hired, marking the first time in several years that a replacement worker was able to be called in due to the absence of a regular worker.  The teachers’ job action during most of the year distracted the work of the department. As well, district data typically collected, and a relatively new process for our district, was not collected for students of Aboriginal ancestry.  All Kindergarten classrooms in the district received teachings from the locally developed Learning Journeys series.  A dance group, at one of the secondary schools, was started. The students involved in the group made their own regalia and danced on the first day of the Aboriginal Week program. A local Aboriginal organization purchased moccasins for the students to wear when dancing. Challenges:  Providing Aboriginal language experiences, as articulated in the Enhancement Agreement, continue to be problematic. Aboriginal Support Workers do not have the language skills necessary to deliver language to students, and there is a distinct lack of Aboriginal language speakers, of any nation, in our communities. This aspect of the Enhancement Agreement will need to be revisited when the Agreement is reviewed.  Ensuring success for students of Aboriginal ancestry in our secondary schools continues to be a challenge. Data indicates that there is an overrepresentation of students of Aboriginal ancestry in our alternate programs, and that the percentage of students of Aboriginal ancestry graduating with a Dogwood is decreasing. The focus of the work of the Aboriginal Education Department this year was to implement, nurture and support a new working model of student and school support. The Aboriginal Support Worker team was expanded, and these workers were deployed to work with students at assigned schools exclusively, a significant change from past practice. Highlights of the year:  Workshop on Aboriginal history and culture offered locally and attended by many educators in the District.  First Nations Studies 12 ran as a course at two largest secondary schools for first time.  Aboriginal education remained an agenda item on most principals meetings.  Regularly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department were held monthly.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules were changed in order to have workers spend maximum time in schools supporting students.  Regular monthly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department continued.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules spent maximum time in schools supporting students.  A focus on supporting the cultural and academic needs of Aboriginal students was emphasized.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our schools was continued.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance in the district was reviewed with Aboriginal Education Department staff.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance was collected systematically at the school and District level for the first time.  Continued understanding by the Department that we cannot continue to deliver the same services and programs and expect to get different results.  The attempt to engage local Aboriginal organizations did not produce the results for which the District was hoping for. As a result, a decision was made to connect directly with parents in an attempt to build relationships, hear stories, and discuss actions to support Aboriginal student success. Two events were held in the spring of 2011 to begin this important work.  The annual Aboriginal Week event, held at the Mir Centre for Peace on the Selkirk College campus, saw over 1500 District students attend. This is a significant increase in attendance, and is reflective of the focus on Aboriginal education in the District over the past few years. Challenges:  Providing Aboriginal language experiences, as articulated in the Enhancement Agreement, continue to be problematic. Aboriginal Support Workers do not have the language skills necessary to deliver language to students, and there is a distinct lack of Aboriginal language speakers, of any nation, in our communities. This aspect of the Enhancement Agreement will need to be revisited when the Agreement is reviewed.  Engaging the Aboriginal community (organizations, parents) in dialogue regarding the services and programs the District offers in support of Aboriginal student success has been challenging. June 2010 The focus of the work in the Aboriginal Education Department this school year was to put a District spot light on the department and its work, to analyze and interpret student achievement evidence, and to recommend a new model of connections to community Aboriginal organizations. Highlights of the year:  The school year started with a district wide event featuring Xx. Xxxxxx Brokenleg on a professional development day.  Aboriginal Education was an agenda item on most Principals meetings.  Regularly scheduled meetings of the Aboriginal Education Department were held monthly.  Aboriginal Support Workers schedules were changed in order to have workers spend maximum time in schools supporting students.  Two additional Aboriginal Support Workers have been added to the Department for the 2010/11 school year.  A focus on supporting the academic needs of Aboriginal students was emphasized.  A focus on developing shared understanding and shared responsibility for the success of Aboriginal students in our schools was initiated.  Data pertaining to Aboriginal student performance in the district was reviewed with Aboriginal Education Department staff.  Recognition by the Department that we cannot continue to deliver the same services and programs and expect to get different results.  The Board of Education endorsed a new model to engage the local Aboriginal community with Aboriginal student success planning. Based on an ‘outreach’ model, Aboriginal community engagement will have the Director of Instruction (and, when appropriate, the Aboriginal Culture Integration Teacher and/or the Aboriginal Cultural Coordinator) attend meetings of key local Aboriginal organizations. This will allow for relationships to be developed, perspectives on the work of the District to be explored, and opinions and input regarding the Enhancement Agreement to be shared in a safe and intimate model.  The academic success of Aboriginal students is now a formal goal of the District, and exists in the District’s Achievement Plan.