Western School Division Board of Trustees has revealed their board priority plan for the next four years, which will guide the work of the division. It's based on the feedback received from staff, students and the community.
Vice Chair David Guenther said they narrowed down the list to four. The first priority is 'Elevate and Deepen Student Learning.'
"We discussed a little bit about; 'Is the school division inherently about improving student learning and is this a priority?' And of course, it is a priority, but is it worth expressing that because it seems so apparent?"
He explained what this means and how it can impact student learning.
"Ensure best practices and teaching, learning, and assessment are done, emphasize mastery learning that is transformed, transferable, and transformative, and then stimulate critical, innovative, entrepreneurial, and creative thinking."
This goes beyond the idea of just passing or obtaining a skill, but fostering relevance and critical thinking, incorporating passions, and future goals into learning.
The second priority is 'Promoting a Healthy and Thriving Culture.' Guenther said the board's vision for this is to make school a place everyone wants to be.
"We've captured a lot of different thoughts in our principles here, but some of the items are nurture mental health and well-being, embrace the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation and the principles of the Mamàhtawisiwin; The wonder we're born with. Within the promoting a healthy and thriving culture, we have 'Encourage Adventurous Achievers,' (a priority from the last plan) embracing and celebrating our diversity. We see this as a really nice steppingstone for when kids are outside of school, to have that welcoming spirit about them."
Guenther noted with many students coming from various backgrounds, cultures and beliefs, this priority fosters understanding within the division to celebrate everyone.
Third, 'Fostering Student Ownership' was described as students advocating for authentic learning through their voice and their choice.
"For a student to be able to have some say in the direction and the teacher being able to lead them into even larger discussions of what they're having ownership of those projects. So, I think it encapsulates Project-Based-Learning and a real 'doing aspect.' I think a successful marker of classroom/student ownership would be having kids create and build and come away with something they're really pleased with or alternatively, know how to improve."
The fourth and final board priority is 'Forge Meaningful Community Relationships.'
"We have that as encourage 'Invitational schools', facilitate authentic educational experiences within the community. Especially the word 'Authentic' in there, was important to us. Knowing that we're not bringing in someone for the sake of having a different face or a different voice in the school, although that can be tremendously helpful. We really wanted to bring more into the idea of authentic educational experiences.”
Based on his first term, Guenther stressed the importance this document has on the work of the division through a genuine engagement with the priorities. This is meant for each person in the division to take the document and apply it to the work they do. Guenther noted this document also guides the budget where resources and supports are placed.
He added the whole board is proud of this easy-to-read document, that will be monitored throughout the coming years at board meetings as an agenda item, measuring the decisions made at the board table.