Education

Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools’ education committee is recommending formation of a committee which will examine re-naming Coal Tyee Elementary School. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)

Officials consider renaming Nanaimo school named for ‘tragic’ Indigenous figure

Coal Tyee, once thought to celebrate collaboration, recalls colonization: school district report

Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools’ education committee is recommending formation of a committee which will examine re-naming Coal Tyee Elementary School. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)
File - Students attend the first day of school for the 2021-2022 year at Gounod Lavoisier Primary school, Lille, northern France, Thursday, Sept. 2 2021. Less than two weeks after the winter term started, French teachers are already exhausted by the pressures of surging COVID-19 cases and they are walking out in nationwide strike organized by their unions to protest virus-linked class disruptions and ever-changing isolation rules. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler, File)

Teachers in France go on strike over handling of pandemic

Teachers want clarifications on rules and more protection

File - Students attend the first day of school for the 2021-2022 year at Gounod Lavoisier Primary school, Lille, northern France, Thursday, Sept. 2 2021. Less than two weeks after the winter term started, French teachers are already exhausted by the pressures of surging COVID-19 cases and they are walking out in nationwide strike organized by their unions to protest virus-linked class disruptions and ever-changing isolation rules. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler, File)
School administration officials, including principals, make decisions about closing in-person classes. (pixabay photo)

Two B.C. schools move to ‘functional closure’ after holiday break, says ministry

Schools in Hazelton and Surrey have suspended in-person classes

School administration officials, including principals, make decisions about closing in-person classes. (pixabay photo)
Cowichan Tribes members voted yes on an education jurisdiction agreement and law-making protocol that will return the inherent right to govern education to the community. (File photo)

Vancouver Island’s largest First Nation votes to reclaim the right to educate its children

Cowichan Tribes one of 13 negotiating with the federal government since 2006

Cowichan Tribes members voted yes on an education jurisdiction agreement and law-making protocol that will return the inherent right to govern education to the community. (File photo)
Students were back to class in Alberta and B.C. Monday morning, Jan. 10. (Pixabay photo)

UPDATED: Reopened schools in Alberta and B.C. see slightly higher-than-usual absentee rates

BC School Trustees Association, says Interior schools have lower-than-average attendance levels

Students were back to class in Alberta and B.C. Monday morning, Jan. 10. (Pixabay photo)
Students walk through a corridor at the relocated New Westminster Secondary School, in New Westminster, B.C., on Thursday, October 14, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. schools to have a staggered re-start in January; essential workers’ kids return first

All K-12 students will be in class as of Jan. 10

Students walk through a corridor at the relocated New Westminster Secondary School, in New Westminster, B.C., on Thursday, October 14, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
An empty classroom is pictured at Eric Hamber Secondary school in Vancouver, B.C. Monday, March 23, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. Teachers Federation wants delay of school restart as COVID-19 cases surge

Union wants N95 masks, rapid testing among other safety measures

An empty classroom is pictured at Eric Hamber Secondary school in Vancouver, B.C. Monday, March 23, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
The BC School COVID Tracker website and Facebook page have nearly 60,000 followers, and has become a ‘go-to’ source for the latest information on COVID exposures within the BC School system. (Aman Parhar/Omineca Express)

B.C. COVID school tracker website continues to grow

Website authenticates all information before adding to database

The BC School COVID Tracker website and Facebook page have nearly 60,000 followers, and has become a ‘go-to’ source for the latest information on COVID exposures within the BC School system. (Aman Parhar/Omineca Express)
The Greater Victoria School District and Esquimalt Nation have signed a Local Education Agreement designed to better define success and improve educational outcomes for students. (Black Press Media file photo)

Education agreement aims to best meet needs of Esquimalt Nation students

Deal defines roles for SD61, First Nation in improving educational outcomes

The Greater Victoria School District and Esquimalt Nation have signed a Local Education Agreement designed to better define success and improve educational outcomes for students. (Black Press Media file photo)
Sooke School District board chair Ravi Parmar on Tuesday (Dec. 21) announces the board’s decision not to institute a vaccine mandate for staff, but that all new hires must be vaccinated. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

No vaccine mandate for Sooke School District staff, but new hires must be vaccinated

SD62 board asks superintendent to prepare for possible declaration of a mandate later

Sooke School District board chair Ravi Parmar on Tuesday (Dec. 21) announces the board’s decision not to institute a vaccine mandate for staff, but that all new hires must be vaccinated. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
(Pixabay photo)

Alberta teacher charged after allegations she sexually assaulted a student

Prairie Rose Public Schools says teacher is no longer actively working for the school division

(Pixabay photo)
As impact chair for Indigenous art practices at UVic, Carey Newman is jointly appointed to teach in the departments of visual arts, and art history and visual studies. (University of Victoria/Photo Services)

University of Victoria’s Indigenous art practices impact chair hopes to be catalyst for change

Carey Newman (Hayalthkin’geme) to impact a new generation of art students at UVic

As impact chair for Indigenous art practices at UVic, Carey Newman is jointly appointed to teach in the departments of visual arts, and art history and visual studies. (University of Victoria/Photo Services)
B.C. Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth and his ministry have committed $486,000 to aid 24 school districts to create programs to assist children at risk of entering gangs. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

B.C. public safety ministry commits $486K to combat gangs recruiting children

Money administered through School District Mentorship Program, says B.C. government

B.C. Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth and his ministry have committed $486,000 to aid 24 school districts to create programs to assist children at risk of entering gangs. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
Debbie Stroshein’s Christmas tree lot Happy Holidays Christmas Tree Co. serves as a training ground aimed at giving youth valuable life and employment skills as they head into the workforce. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

Langford Christmas tree lot offers young employees more than simply holiday cash

Happy Holidays Christmas Tree Co. lets youth learn while earning more than minimum wage

Debbie Stroshein’s Christmas tree lot Happy Holidays Christmas Tree Co. serves as a training ground aimed at giving youth valuable life and employment skills as they head into the workforce. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
Librarian Nathalie Jones, left, and Sooke Literacy Project outreach coordinator Kate Barton show storyboards that will be displayed in local business, from Dec. 11-18. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)

Winter version of StoryWalk lines Sooke storefront windows

Eleven businesses taking part in the project that runs Dec. 11-18

Librarian Nathalie Jones, left, and Sooke Literacy Project outreach coordinator Kate Barton show storyboards that will be displayed in local business, from Dec. 11-18. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)
Lawyer Jonathan Denis speaks to reporters in Calgary, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed by a former junior high school students alleging sexual misconduct of a Calgary teacher who died in February. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland

‘I definitely feel cheated’: Former students suing deceased Calgary teacher, board

Gregory was charged in February with 17 counts of sexual assault and sexual exploitation

Lawyer Jonathan Denis speaks to reporters in Calgary, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed by a former junior high school students alleging sexual misconduct of a Calgary teacher who died in February. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland
Students learned about conservation techniques as well as tree trimming. (Supplied by Cindy Moyer)

Local arborist hoping to fill gap by training next generation of tree trimmers

Saunders says there’s not enough people trained on the island who can do the work

Students learned about conservation techniques as well as tree trimming. (Supplied by Cindy Moyer)
Teri Mooring, B.C. Teachers’ Federation president, is in favour of holding vaccine clinics at schools. (Twitter/BCTF)

B.C. teachers’ union leader welcomes vaccination clinics at schools

Teri Mooring says schools a hub of the community, especially in smaller towns

Teri Mooring, B.C. Teachers’ Federation president, is in favour of holding vaccine clinics at schools. (Twitter/BCTF)
Nine young African refugees recently completed two months of hospitality industry training at Camosun College and have been guaranteed job placements in Tofino, as part of the new HIRES program. (Photo courtesy Camosun College)

Camosun College trains nine refugees for work in Tofino

Education-based immigration program aims to help reduce labour shortages

Nine young African refugees recently completed two months of hospitality industry training at Camosun College and have been guaranteed job placements in Tofino, as part of the new HIRES program. (Photo courtesy Camosun College)
Saanich board of education chair Tim Dunford said the Children’s Development Centre upgrade project came together well thanks to strong relationships between the associations and people involved. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

VIDEO: Children’s Development Centre offers neighbourhood learning in Saanich

Saanich School District special education school now seismically safe

Saanich board of education chair Tim Dunford said the Children’s Development Centre upgrade project came together well thanks to strong relationships between the associations and people involved. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)