The recent 琉璃神社 Civic Awards student winners were saluted at the Central Okanagan Board of Education meeting last Wednesday.
Receiving acknowledgement from the trustees were:
鈥� Female Athlete of the Year, Kanani Coon, (脡cole Okanagan Mission Secondary)
鈥� Augie Ciancone Memorial Awards 鈥� Young Female Athlete of the Year, Brooklyn Widdess (脡cole 琉璃神社 Secondary)
鈥� Augie Ciancone Memorial Awards 鈥� Young Male Athlete of the Year, Walker Sodaro (脡cole 琉璃神社 Secondary)
鈥� Young Citizen of the Year, Liam Sisson, (脡cole Okanagan Mission Secondary)
鈥� Teen Honour in the Arts, Riegar Marks (脡cole Okanagan Mission Secondary)
Kevin Kaardal, Central Okanagan Public Schools superintendent/CEO, said all the award winners are 鈥済reat kids supported by great teachers who have created conditions where (those students) could thrive.鈥�
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Two events were held to mark the end of the school year for French Immersion students across the school district.
The inaugural Diner en Blanc was held for graduating FI students, who dressed in white and carried out a promenade stroll along the downtown 琉璃神社 boardwalk before meeting at a surprise location to enjoy a delicious French food meal and be toasted by their teachers.
More than 130 FI grads from Ecole 琉璃神社 Secondary received their dual dogwood graduation certificates.
Another event called Faisons un Boeuf for more than 600 students and teachers from French Immersion middle schools - 脡cole Dr. Knox Middle, 脡cole Glenrosa Middle, 脡cole H.S. Grenda Middle and 脡cole KLO Middle - came together to celebrate their appreciation of French music and culture.
The students also created original music videos as part of the evening鈥檚 entertainment.
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The board of education adopted an increase to per diem meal rates following an informal survey of comparable school districts and a review of rates from the Ministry of Education and Child Care, Canada Revenue Agency and the B.C. School Trustees Association.
The amended meal allowance rates are for breakfast, from $15 to $17; lunch, from $20 to $22; and dinner, from $30 to $38.
A rate change was also approved for a travel allowance for district staff: to Fraser Valley, from $275 to $400; to Vancouver Island from $420 to $600; and to the Lower Mainland/Vancouver, from $325 to $450.
In both cases, the changes are meant to reflect more accurately the actual costs being incurred.
Also being increased is the maximum transportation assistance allowance for eligible families, from $625 a year to $745.
The transportation assistance payment is based on mileage from the home address to the school where there are less than 14 eligible students required for a bus school route.
The payments are calculated at the rate of 60 per cent of the rate paid to staff for personal use of vehicles for school board business, based on one round trip per day, up to a maximum level per family.
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Central Okanagan Public Schools has received $1,287,249 from the provincial CommunityLINK (learning includes nutrition and knowledge) for the 2023-24 school year.
The funding will be focused on supporting mental health initiatives including group counselling for drug, alcohol and anger management, and mental health support for all schools.
The school district has also been able to impact students through elementary, middle and secondary mental health initiatives and the Young Parent program from CommunityLINK funding.
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The school board signed off on the Five Year Capital Plan to be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Childcare by the June 30 deadline.
Wilden Middle School is the top priority for New Schools; UBC Okanagan area school site for Site Acquisition; Rutland Middle School for School Addition; and Ecole Glenmore Elementary for School Replacement.
School district superintendent/CEO Kevin Kaardal noted in response to some disappointment expressed over RMS being moved from the school replacement to school addition category, that in the fall the general affairs committee will prioritize the pursuit of funding options and input from various stakeholders to help push the middle school upgrade forward.
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The school board has approved amended protocols for flying district school site flags at half-mast.
From a national perspective, flags at all schools and worksites will be flown at half-mast for the death of the Sovereign or an immediate member of the Royal Family; the death of the governor general or the prime minister; Remembrance Day; and National Day of Mourning.
Provincially, it occurs on the death of the lieutenant governor or the premier.
Locally, it occurs on the death of a current school trustee or current superintendent, and at schools on the death of a current student or staff member.
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For the 2022-23 school year, the International Education Program will collect $6,684,620 in revenue, against an estimated cost of $2,855,256 required to operate the program.
The program鈥檚 net profit of $3,829,363 was utilized to add teachers to reduce class size, additional teaching time for support in middle and secondary schools, and some discretionary funding for schools.
The remaining profit collected was also able to fund 10 full-time certified education assistants and 28 full-time teachers in the school system.
READ MORE: 鈥業nclusion is key鈥�: Central Okanagan school board after track meet incident
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