Saanich Schools

Putting a Wrap on 2023-2024

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

Wrapping Up The Year

I look forward to this time of year because of the events that celebrate our time together and personal milestones. I also become reflective on some of the other events that have made a difference. For my year-end post I’ve organized a short list of things that have made us better. Each of these has personally resonated with me as a significant step forward in our district. I hope that you enjoy them and that they might also resonate with you.

My 2023-24 list of noteworthy events:

  • Year #2 of our Strategic Plan
  • Revitalized School Plans
  • A Commitment to a Better Future
  • Stelly’s Indigenous Cultural Room
  • 84 New Childcare Spaces
  • A Disruptive Technology

Year #2 of our Strategic Plan

We are concluding Year #2 of our five-year strategic plan and we’ve learned a lot. With a crisp focus on 4 key areas (Literacy, Indigenous Learner Success, Mental Health & Wellness, Global Citizenship) we continue to use the Plan to steer priorities, conversations and actions:

  • Meeting agendas, professional development opportunities, presentations to the Board, School Plans, Professional Growth Plans, budget priorities — they are all being shaped by Strategic Plan 2022-2027.

It is exciting to see alignment between so many facets within our district — areas such as Facilities (e.g. Stelly’s Cultural Room), our learning agenda (e.g. Literacy, Indigenous Learner Success, Mental Health & Wellness) as well as budget and staffing priorities — all laser focused on the goal of improving student success.

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Reflections from 2021-2022 – HOPE Paves the Path to Success

/ Dave Eberwein / 2 Comments

As we enter the month of June we also enter the end of another school year — a year that for me was a bit of a paradox. I am feeling both exhausted but also inspired by where we’ve come and where we are heading.

As I thought about what I should include in my year-end post, I wanted to focus on big things — those things that made a positive difference.

By focusing on the events that show a way forward, we see the HOPE that is needed to climb the mountains in front of us. And we climbed quite a few mountains this past year. We should be proud of the extraordinary work that has happened and also excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.

I’m going to talk about a few of them. So, let’s get started …

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‘Tis the Season for Hope

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

There’s a certain peacefulness to the holiday season. I love this time of year.

For me, it’s one where I slow my pulse rate enough so I can see and hear the beauty that surrounds us — the twinkling lights that adorn our homes and offices, the peaceful music that fills our main streets, and perhaps even a gentle snowfall that blankets our landscape creating a certain stillness.

I have fond memories of all of these things from my childhood to the present. The holiday season rejuvenates me.

But, this year feels different. Very different.

The sense in our community is one of angst — of heightened anxiety instead of peacefulness. COVID-19 has a way of doing that. It certainly makes sense. We are living in an unpredictable world. Despite all of the prognostications and charts, tomorrow is uncertain and brings a sense of apprehension.

And yet, I continue to believe in our future. I believe in the power of HOPE — the importance of looking towards a brighter tomorrow. Our collective future is built on hope.

It’s what drives us in education — the belief that our efforts will result in a better tomorrow — where our students are taught to be solution finders, creators and innovators. Every meeting we have, every decision we make is focused on building capacity and resilience in our students. What we’re really instilling in them is HOPE. Hope builds belief in oneself and others. It builds character, self-worth and inspiration.

Hope is critical. Hope is essential.

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