Thursday, December 30, 2010

Updating Your PAC Constitution

Are you ready for a show-down? If you're not sure, take a look at your PAC Constitution. Many challenges for PACs are about improving meetings and processes that will inform and involve parents. NVPAC is often asked:

· In what ways can parents give input at PAC meetings and to the Executive?

· Do SPC elections have to be by secret ballot?

· Can a school’s code of conduct be enforced on parents at our PAC meetings?

· How do we update a Secretary to a Communication’s role on the executive?

Many answers should be found in your Constitution and By-laws. Join NVPAC on Thursday January 20th (6:30-9pm) for an interactive workshop on PAC constitutions. We'll review, clarify and reform to get your constitution ready for the next few years!

Please be sure to bring a copy of your PAC's own Constitution & Bylaws and your queries to NVPAC’s Constitutional Reform Workshop on January 20 to the Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre. More details to come in the new year.


For planning please pre-register at: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1130594639

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Public board meeting Dec 14th

A reminder that there is a public board meeting this evening at 7pm, in the boardroom of the school board office. Details, location, and the agenda are available at:

http://www.nvsd44.bc.ca/sitecore/content/Updates/PublicBoardMeeting.aspx

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Letter to Parents About North Van District's Official Community Plan

Hello friends of NVPAC,

I am a Learning Support Teacher in the district as well as the parent of a kindergarten student at Braemar. For the past 18 months I have been sitting as a volunteer on a community committee overseeing the development of the District of North Vancouver's Official Community Plan (OCP). The OCP looks at goals and targets for our communities in the areas of land use, economic development, housing, transportation, recreation, social supports and environmental issues. The plan currently under development has a 20 year outlook. What do we want our community to look like in 2030? I joined the committee because I was concerned that at District of NV meetings and events, I wasn't seeing many people who look like me - the parent of a young child, and the member of a family who would like to raise the children in the District. For me, like many other families, this plan will inform the District's directions and choices for the duration of my child's childhood.

During the process of developing the OCP draft to date, there have been numerous public events to engage the community. So far, about 3000 of the District 80,000 residents have participated in some form. I have been at most of these events, Despite the District's efforts at advertising and creative engagements strategies, I have still not seen significant representation from families in the development of this plan. A draft of the new OCP is now available for public review http://identity.dnv.org/ and in January there will be public open houses where residents can meet with planners and District staff to ask questions and provide feedback. There will also be an online feedback form in January.

During this same time, period, I like many of you, have attended countless NVSD meeting around issues of school closures, program changes and budget challenges. The parent turnout at many of those meetings has been strong. NV parents are passionate about what they want for their children and have been strong voices for the needs of the community. This OCP will have a significant impact on many issues that relate to schools - development of new housing areas, transportation hubs, jobs closer to home, etc.

I am writing to ask NVPAC to encourage every PAC to share this information with individual school PACs and to encourage every school to find three or four parents who will attend upcoming OCP meetings and speak on behalf of families. The plan is currently a draft; public feedback will inform the final document. District staff need to hear clear voices from the community about our vision for our neighbourhood. Please help get the message out so those voices can be heard.

I am happy to speak with anyone from NVPAC or any school PAC about this process and how the plan relates to our school. I have one page summary sheets that could be posted in schools for parents to view. Please let me know the best way to get these to individual PACs. I can be reached at ktulloch@nvsd44.bc.ca

Sincerely,
Krista Tulloch
Learning Support Teacher, Boundary Elementary


Thursday, December 9, 2010

Community Information for North Van Parents

Information from Translink Regarding North Shore Area Transit Plan

Planning and consultation to update and define a 30-year vision for transit service for the North Shore—the North Shore Area Transit Plan—are just getting underway. Your organization has been identified as a key stakeholder group, and I invite you to be part of the process and help shape this plan.

What is the North Shore Area Transit Plan?

The North Shore Area Transit Plan is a planning process that includes the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, the District of West Vancouver, Bowen Island and the Village of Lions Bay. Building on the 2000 North Shore Area Transit Plan and on-going improvements made since then, the updated plan will not only define a 30-year vision, it will also identify priorities that can be implemented in the near and medium terms.

This phased planning process began in early September 2010 with early technical work, and will continue through to July 2011. Feedback from local stakeholders and the general public, in addition to factors such as land use and population density projections, will help us better plan for the future.

Your participation and input is invaluable

As a local stakeholder, your input will be invaluable to this planning process. In early December, you will be invited to answer an electronic questionnaire, asking you to describe the role transit plays for your members and constituents. This information will help us prepare for “visioning” workshops that are being planned for late January 2011, where you and other stakeholders will be invited to help shape the North Shore transit vision.

We have already started working with a Public Advisory Committee, and together with this committee, you will give TransLink the guidance it needs to plan for a transit future that best meets the needs of North Shore residents and businesses.

Visit us online for more information

Learn more about the North Shore Area Transit Plan goals, timeline and answers to frequently asked questions on our website. This site will be continually updated to provide you with the information you need to participate in this planning process.

Update:

Mark your calendars for the first workshops coming up in January!

Learn more about the North Shore Area Transit Plan, and help shape the future transit vision for the North Shore at our upcoming workshops. Two workshops are planned, and you are invited to attend the one that best suits your schedule.

Tuesday, January 25, Pinnacle Hotel, North Vancouver

Thursday, January 27, Gleneagles Club House, West Vancouver

Please email me directly at Andrew.Brooke@translink.ca or call me at 604.216.3210 to confirm if you or a representative from your organization will be part of this process, or if you have any questions.

Grants For Playground Surfacing

Grant Available for Playground Surfacing

If your school is looking to renovate your existing playground or construct a new one, this information may be of interest to you. Our provincial parent organization BCCPAC had the following links which provide details regarding a grant available to schools interested in resurfacing their playground:

http://www.tirestewardshipbc.ca/index.php

http://www.tirestewardshipbc.ca/pdf/2010BCDemonstrationGrantProgramFactSheet.pdf
http://www.tirestewardshipbc.ca/pdf/BCDemonstrationGrantApplication_2010.pdf