The Esso Cup and the Carlton Band were among the items of interest mentioned during the board member’s forum at the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division board of education’s regular meeting on Monday.
Director of education Robert Bratvold said trustees appreciate the efforts of student athletes, artists, and supporters.
The Esso Cup was highlighted because students in the division participated as athletes on two teams including the host Prince Albert Northern Bears and bronze medal winning Regina Rebels.
“Our students attended lots of games and really had some really positive experiences. One was our French Immersion students watched one or two games of the Quebec team,” Bratvold said. “Lots of the French parents in the stands connected with our kids from French Immersion schools and it was just a fantastic community event.”
School student interest helped improve attendance for some early afternoon games, Bratvold added.
The board also held a pipe ceremony Monday morning, which Bratvold highlighted.
“We had the pipe ceremony in Birch Hills in one of our rural schools followed with an Elder’s Council meeting. The board talked quite a bit about that and reflected on the strength and value of ceremony and of the connection with Elder’s,” he said.
The board also formalized changes to the Sask Rivers Distance Learning Centre with the coming of the Sask DLC crown corporation next school year.
“We had to changes in terms of how we provide distance learning support,” Bratvold said. “(It’s) not radical differences but being clear that it’s no longer our own. When it’s internal we have got lots of different mechanisms to make those connections and do that work, but when it’s external like the Sask DLC, there must be a little more rigor in the process. We made some changes there, but also to make it clear about what options are available to students and how the process works.”
The administrative changes were part of the consent items and were not formally discussed during the meeting.
“A couple of key messages is providing students with opportunities to fill those graduations requirements in the ways that they need and some processes around that,” Bratvold said. “It’s clearly supportive of students in graduation plans.”
As well, earlier in the day ahead of the meeting, the board had policy committee meetings. During the open session they discussed self-evaluations, which have to be completed by June 6.
“That’s within board policy so it’s not a new kind of thing but it’s just a refresher and reminder that the board takes a look at its own performance and where its strengths and challenges lie,” Bratvold said. “They will be doing that over the next month or so.”
Bratvold acknowledged that board evaluation might not be the most interesting thing to the public.
“It’s just nice for the people to know that the trustees that they have elected are paying careful attention to good governance,” Bratvold said. “They are learning, they are sharing and understanding from other trustees around the province and across the country.”
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
