Superintendent’s Update

Dear Parents and Caregivers:

It is hard to believe that we are near the end of February and very close to Spring Break. Thank you for continuing to invest in learning and extracurricular activities including team sports, all of which enrich students’ lives by enacting our core values of Relationships/Connections and Well-being in the 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan.

Continuing Education: Street School – February 26, 2025

On Wednesday, I visited the Street School staff who are part of Continuing Education. Street School is located at Northills Mall.

This programming is for adults (18 years or older) who are out of secondary school and who require upgrading or courses to complete the Adult Dogwood Diploma.

When I walked into the school, there were four students working on various projects, and while I was there, I learned about the best aspects of this programming from the staff: school principal Mike Johnson, teachers Erika Dabner and Jason Karpuk, and Literacy Outreach Worker Jennifer Miller.

I met Mr. Karpuk at First Steps last year where he taught mathematics (fractions, proportions, how to calculate the best deals) through a food program that required the life skills of planning, shopping, cooking, and preparing meals for themselves and small groups. Mr. Karpuk said, “What I enjoyed most about programming at First Steps was supporting students to develop skills that applied in everyday life.” I asked Mr. Karpuk what he teaches at Street School, and he shared, “Sciences and Math, but in reality, I teach anything students need. I ensure that they can graduate because that is why they come here.”

Mr. Johnson explained how Continuing Education is about supporting individuals at different points in their learning journey with choices including Street School (in person learning at Northhills Mall), First Steps (for young mothers), Kamloops Regional Corrections Centre (for those who are incarcerated), Vision Quest (Treatment Centre), Mustard Seed and Maverick (recovery housing)

Mr. Johnson shared, “It is often the case that we see students in different locations for different reasons, and the goal is to find the right pathway for personal success.”

He explained the importance of the outreach worker position to enable personalized support for some students. Amy Hilton is the Outreach Programs teacher and she works at the Mustard Seed and Maverick to provide schooling to students in their recovery journey.

I met with Ms. Jennifer Miller, Literacy Outreach Worker, who works as part of the Outreach team. She has only been in her role for two weeks, and she emphasized, “Already, I feel like I am making a difference, and I love my work.” Jennifer can bring students their assignments, and connect these students to services such as counseling, housing, and food security. She shared a story of one student who walked into the Street School campus near closing time. She was a student who teacher Erika Dabner had known years ago, and now, at the age of sixty-five, this student was ready to commit to graduation. This is a student who had struggled with addictions, who had lost her mother at a young age, who was searching for meaning, and chose to come back to Street School, a place of “care and safety for her.”

Erika Dabner, who has been at Street School for more than a decade, confirmed that it is “stories like these where students come back because they feel connected and safe at Street School that make the job so rewarding.” She said, “It is a combination of the supportive and logistical things that we do for students to help them to see a way to graduate.” She stated how outlining what they can get credit for and how this would get them a certain distance to their goal of having a certain job makes all of the difference to them.

Erika reinforced, “The first conversation is so important because not only can we provide the logistical support, we can also connect them to community services through Jennifer.” These services range from counselling, housing, food security, and activities to develop friendships. This is the support side of what we can provide, and it gives students hope.

Mr. Johnson added, “It is also the fact that once students register, we check in and expect them to attend in person. We are not an online school and this surprises some students.” Street School students are expected to learn at the centre, in person, and by paper. After learning about students’ stories who have attended Street School, most students confirmed that they need these clear boundaries to succeed. Erika added, “We use phone, text, and email contact, too, but we prefer when they connect with us in person. It is the connection with adults who care and other students that increases resilience and ultimately, their success.”

Pink Shirt Day – February 26, 2025

On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, students and staff across the District celebrated Pink Shirt Day with school assemblies, displays promoting kindness, healthy relationships lessons, and by wearing pink shirts.

This year’s SD73 Pink Shirt was designed by KSA student Sylas Pretula (in picture). Sylas’ love of art, nature, and bees inspired the design centered around the message “When You Can Be Anything Bee Kind.” After designing the pink shirt artwork using a sketchbook drawing app, Sylas commented, “I never thought I would see any of my digital art on something real, especially out in the school district, I think that's really cool and I’m excited to see it around.” Read more.

Parent Engagement Session: TRU Education and Skills Training Program

Next week’s Parent Engagement Session is about the Education and Skills Training (ESTR) program and Thompson Rivers University (TRU) – a program that provides knowledge about future employment opportunities and training in a specific area for people who are neurodivergent. Join us on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Zoom to learn more. Read more.

I wish you a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

Rhonda Nixon, PhD
Superintendent