A Slice of PIE
Where Life and Learning Meet
qathet Principals and Vice Principals: Oct 23rd
The principals and vice principals, along with qSD senior admin, spent the day learning about Navigating Challenging Conversations with Angela Millar from the Justice Institute of BC. The intended learning from this course, as stated in the description, is:
Challenging interpersonal interactions with colleagues and with interested and affected parties can consume significant amounts of energy. In this course, you will learn how to prepare to invite others into a collaborative conflict conversation and how to conduct a structured conflict resolution dialogue. In addition to reflecting on your own patterns of engaging in conflict, you will acquire conflict analysis skills and assess barriers to resolving conflict.
Allan, Ian and I were able to spend time together, in-person, for this session which allowed us to discuss the ways this information might be applicable in our work as PIE principals.
qathet Teachers and CUPE staff: Oct 23rd
Professional Specialist Association Day, or PSA Day, is always held towards the end of October and it is designed to give teachers a chance to attend conferences focused on their practice. A number of PIE teachers attended the BC Educators for Digital Learning (BCEDL) conference where they had the opportunity to learn from Ryan Fahey about how "energy, habits, boundaries, workload, connection, recovery, and productivity all interact to influences how professionals show up each day." They also had the opportunity to learn from our own Trevor Armstrong, who facilitated a roundtable discussion on "Elementary Literacy Benchmarks, Assessment and Intervention". Other options included "Building Community in Brightspace", "Building Smarter Course Documents for an AI Reality", and a session on WCLN updates in "Sciences, English, and Math."
qSD CUPE staff had the opportunity to learn about common medical concerns, understanding behaviour, key district practices, joint information on services, and our clerical staff worked on student information gathering and other MyED processes.
For both BCTF and CUPE members, there is also the ability for personalized professional development on a range of topics related to their practice. ðŠī
Yay! They're Back! ðĨģ
It is always exciting to have students back in the buildings each new school year. In qathet and the Comox Valley, that happens in early October, once the bustle of getting new families up and running in September has settled down. On the first day back in October, I noticed the rise and fall of sounds and energy as students came together to learn with Rob in the morning and then went out on their walk around the airpark. Even though it was much quieter in the building when they headed out for the walk, the evidence of them having been in the building, and the promise of their soon return, left me feeling grateful for our PIE staff who put so much effort into making the In-person Opportunities safe, meaningful, and an essential community-building opportunity for our students, their families and our staff. I am also grateful to the qathet School District for supporting PIE in providing these opportunities in the communities in which our students live, as much as possible.
Safety Drills ðĶš
This month, we participated in The Great Shakeout on October 15th and Fire Drills in the week of October 26-30th.
It was estimated that 60 million people, worldwide, would participate in the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills this year. In BC, more than 500,000 people registered to practise how to âDrop, Cover and Hold On.â
It was a particularly wet day on October 29th when students and staff braved the elements to meet at our designated meeting location while Marnie took attendance! ð
Ava - Grade 10
One of our PIE students had an unforgettable adventure this summer, sailing along the west coast of Vancouver Island with SALTS (Sail and Life Training Society)! Read on to hear about their 10-day journey aboard a traditional tall ship, filled with hands-on learning, coastal exploration, and memories that will last a lifetime.
"This August I went on a sailing trip around the west coast of Vancouver Island on a SALTS trip! We got aboard the Pacific Grace, a 108ft wooden tall ship in Port Hardy and took 10 days to get to Victoria Harbour, motoring and sailing in the day, anchoring at night and taking the tender or dories to shore to explore Brooks Peninsula and some beautiful freshwater pools in Barkley Sound.
We would have watches in the day where we would get to steer by compass, listen for distress calls on the radio or be up at the bow watching for logs, whales and other boats. Each watch takes turns with night watch. You have one hour a night up on deck on night watch, listening for the anchor if it drags or watching for distress lights from other boats. When we werenât on watch we could climb out on the whisker shrouds or up the mast, play cards, help in the galley, or help the bosun sand and varnish parts of the ship.
There would be a class once a day where we learned rules of the water, names of the shipâs parts and sails, and how to navigate on a paper chart.
It is hard to imagine what this experience was like if you have never done it yourself. After the seasickness wears off, by the third day, and you learn to walk like Jack Sparrow when you are up on deck, the rock of the ship is calming. They were some of the best days of my life!" - Ava
About Us
Email: stephanie.hall@sd47.bc.ca
Website: https://www.sd47.bc.ca/pol
Location: 7105 Nootka Street, Powell River, BC, Canada
Phone: 604-485-2756
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/16157794226