The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division was busy even before school started.
Staff began learning before students arrived with the annual Saskatchewan Rivers
Ready-Set-Go conference, as well as the division Professional Development Day that
offered targeted sessions focused on instructional practice.
Director of Education Neil Finch updated the board on the Professional Development Day during their regular meeting on Sept. 8.
“There was lots of great professional development to make sure that we were off to a good start,” Finch said.
The Ready-Set-Go conference was hosted on Aug. 26 before teachers returned to classrooms. There were approximately 50 participants and presenters taking part in multiple Professional Development sessions.
The board also took part in their first Pipe Ceremony of the Year at John Diefenbaker School earlier on Sept. 8.
“We had the pipe ceremony which had 60 attendees, which was a large attendance, and we had over a third of our schools represented at the ceremony,” Finch said.
The Board of Education met with the Elder’s Council following the Pipe Ceremony.
In a press release, the board of education welcomed everyone back for the new school year.
“The Board wishes a warm welcome back to our staff, students and communities. The
back to school season is filled with so much excitement for the possibilities of the year
to come,” the release stated.
Board reviews Development Plan for new school year
During the meeting on Sept. 8. Vice-Chair Alan Nunn reviewed the focus of the Board Development Plan for 2025-2026.
The long-term plans include choosing two areas of the Strategic Plan to focus on each year for the learning development of the Board. This year the Board is focusing on Mental Health and Well-Being and Inclusion and Cultural Responsiveness.
“That aligns directly with the strategic plan and the two areas that we’re covering off this year are the inclusion and responsiveness,” Finch said.
The Board will meet with senior administration and other division staff to learn about the work being done in these areas to further understand the governance implications of their work.
The Board has also set time aside over the course of the year to review policy to ensure it aligns with the strategic vision.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
