Strategic Focus - March 2026
WELCOME TO THE MARCH STRATEGIC FOCUS
Welcome to the March edition of Strategic Focus – Connecting Our Priorities. This month highlights the engaging learning experiences, collaboration, and strong community partnerships occurring across our District, reflecting the priorities outlined in our Strategic Plan. Throughout this edition, you will find stories and updates that highlight how students, staff, families, and community partners are contributing to meaningful learning across all priority areas.
Inside this issue, we spotlight a wide range of initiatives connected to our District’s priorities:
- Intellectual Development – Written Learning updates, upcoming Environmental Expo
- Human & Social Development – Floor Curling at M.V. Beattie
- Career Development – Career Fair at Highland Park Elementary, scholarship opportunities
- Community Partnership Development – March Ready, Set, Learn events
- Organizational Development – Parkview Elementary School upgrade, 2026–2027 school registration information
- Effective Governance & Leadership – Early Learning initiatives, 2026-2027 School Year Calendar
Stay connected by visiting our District website (www.sd83.bc.ca) for important dates, news, and resources.
REMINDERS
April 3 Good Friday (no school)
April 6 Easter Monday (no school)
April 7 Scholarship submission deadline
April 20 Pro-D Day (no school for students)
April 21 Regular Board Meeting
April 29 Little Mountain Stomp Cross Country Event
April 30 K-12 Environmental Expo, SAS
May 8 Indigenous Day of Learning (no school for students)
May 18 Victoria Day (no school)
May 19 Regular Board Meeting
June 16 Regular Board Meeting
June 25 Last Day of School Before Summer Break
June 26 Administration Day (no school for students)
Stay up to date with important dates including holidays, professional development days, and school events (2025-2026 School District Calendar / 2025-2026 School Year Calendar).
SECOND WRITTEN LEARNING UPDATE - MARCH 10, 2026
Students in Elementary and Middle Schools received their second Written Learning Update for the 2025-26 school year.
This second Learning Update provides information about your child’s engagement in learning, relationships with others, and social-emotional well-being. It also includes their proficiency levels and descriptive feedback, organized around your child’s strengths, areas of growth, and next steps at school or home.
Also included in your child’s Learning Update is a self-reflection of the Core Competencies they focused on this term. The Core Competencies are sets of intellectual, personal, and social-emotional proficiencies that all students need in order to engage in deep, lifelong learning. Specific goal(s) are also included in all Learning Updates, as goal setting is a curricular requirement and also an important lifelong skill.
We encourage you to review the Learning Update with your child and celebrate their accomplishments to date. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s learning journey, please contact their teacher.
You may access the Learning Update in the MyEd BC Family Portal after March 10, 2026: MyEd BC Family Portal Information.
UPCOMING ANNUAL K-12 ENVIRONMENTAL EXPO
We are excited to announce the upcoming 2nd Annual K‑12 Environmental Expo on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Salmon Arm Secondary. The first expo brought together more than 150 students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. You can watch a short video from last year's Expo to get a sense of the energy, creativity, and hands-on learning students brought to their projects.
This year, mentors will support students exploring self‑selected environmental topics in categories such as Nature & Biodiversity, Agriculture & Food, Waste Reduction, Eco‑Friendly Transportation, Human Health & Culture, Economy & Entrepreneurship, and Create Your Own Adventure. The mentor group includes electricians, woodworkers, foresters, biologists, organic farmers, firefighters, beekeepers, former teachers, healthy‑food advocates, watershed specialists, and many others—an inspiring range of talents and passions.
Families and the public are invited to attend and celebrate the innovative ways SD83 students are engaging with real‑world environmental issues.
FLOOR CURLING AT M.V. BEATTIE ELEMENTARY
SD83’s newest physical literacy kit is officially in action! The Floor Curling Kit, designed to support movement skills, teamwork, and fun, can now be signed out by elementary schools for three‑week periods. M.V. Beattie Elementary is the first school to try it out, kicking off the rollout with energy, curiosity, and plenty of friendly competition.
Floor curling is a no‑ice adaptation of the traditional sport, allowing students to experience the strategy and skill of curling right inside the gym. The kit includes lightweight stones that glide across the floor, along with target mats and equipment that make the game easy to learn for all ages.
M.V. Beattie students practiced sliding stones, planning shots, and working together in small teams. The setup encouraged cooperation, turn‑taking, and movement skills which are all core components of physical literacy.
The Floor Curling Kit is available for sign‑out through the District Resource Centre for three weeks at a time, giving schools across the District the chance to bring this engaging and accessible sport into their school. Learn the basics by reading the Floor Curl Quick Guide: https://floorcurl.com/how-to-play/.
SECOND ANNUAL CAREER FAIR – HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY
The day began with a sense of excitement and curiosity at Highland Park Elementary. As students rushed to their classrooms and community volunteers arrived at the school doors, the Second Annual Career Fair was about to begin. This supports students and staff in their engagement with the school learning plan and District Strategic Plan goals of increasing students’ awareness and engagement in careers and a curiosity about their futures and the possible opportunities that await them.
With much gratitude they welcomed 18 volunteers who were eager to share what they do, the tools of their trade, and the education needed to be successful in their career. Many even shared the challenges they faced as students during their elementary and high school years. Careers presented were varied and all very interesting, including (but not limited to), Forest Technician, Metal Fest Organizer, Fire Fighter (complete with truck), RCMP, Civil Engineer, Alzheimer's Society, Canadian Mental Health, Early Childhood Educator, Midwifery, Robotics Engineer, Financial Planner, Brown Derby Restaurant Owner, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, and Plumbing/HVAC/Gas.
These presentations created a sense of curiosity and wonder amongst students and staff as presenters shared their passions. What really stood out amongst the presentations was the idea that all the presenters felt that what made them successful in their careers was a sense of curiosity, a willingness to make mistakes, and a determination to continue learning. The students of Highland Park not only learned about the huge variety of career opportunities in their community but also the valuable skills they can begin to build that will make them successful. These skills are also a part of being Husky Strong!
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Graduating students across SD83 may apply for a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, and endowments to support their post‑secondary goals. Whether students are planning for university, trades programs, college, or other specialized training, there are numerous local awards made possible through the generosity of community donors and organizations.
SD83’s District Scholarships, Bursaries, and Endowments page provides a listing of district‑wide awards and eligibility criteria. Graduates are encouraged to begin reviewing opportunities early to ensure they gather all required documents and meet the submission deadline of April 7, 2026.
District Scholarship Information:
https://www.sd83.bc.ca/District-Scholarships-Bursaries-and-Endowments
In addition to district‑level awards, each secondary school in SD83 maintains its own regularly updated scholarship information page. Students should visit their school’s site to view school‑specific awards and instructions for applying:
- A.L. Fortune Secondary – Scholarship Opportunities: https://alf.sd83.bc.ca/scholarship-opportunities
- Eagle River Secondary – Graduation & Scholarships: https://ers.sd83.bc.ca/graduation
- Pleasant Valley Secondary – Scholarship Information: https://pvs.sd83.bc.ca/scholarship-information
- Salmon Arm Secondary – Scholarships: https://sas.sd83.bc.ca/scholarships
School counsellors are also available to support students with questions about applications, deadlines, and required documentation.
READY, SET, LEARN
Ready, Set, Learn is a provincial early learning initiative designed to:
- Foster positive connections between families, schools, and community agencies;
- Support smooth transitions into Kindergarten;
- Offer hands‑on, play‑based activities for preschool‑aged children; and,
- Provide families with information about local early learning resources and services.
March has been an exciting month for early learners and their families, with Ready, Set, Learn events hosted at schools across the District, including M.V. Beattie, North Shuswap, Sorrento, Silver Creek, Armstrong, Salmon Arm West, and Grindrod. Each event welcomed children ages three to five to explore fun, developmentally rich stations designed to spark creativity, sensory engagement, early literacy, and active play. Families enjoyed opportunities to learn and play together, and every child left with free books and a bag of early learning resources to support continued exploration at home.
In addition to the hands-on fun, families were able to meet educators and connect with local early learning and health professionals such as Public Health Nurses, Child Care Resource & Referral, and Shuswap Children’s Association. These meaningful interactions help families build confidence, learn about community supports, and access information in a welcoming, relaxed environment, which strengthens the bridge between home, school, and community.
Check out highlights from the events held during the month of March:
M.V. Beattie: https://www.sd83.bc.ca/news/Ready-Set-Learn-at-MVBeattie
North Shuswap: https://www.sd83.bc.ca/news/Ready-Set-Learn-at-North-Shuswap-Elementary
Sorrento: https://www.sd83.bc.ca/news/Ready-Set-Learn-at-Sorrento-Elementary
Silver Creek: https://www.sd83.bc.ca/news/Ready-Set-Learn-at-Silver-Creek-Elementary
Armstrong Elementary: https://www.sd83.bc.ca/news/Ready-Set-Learn-at-Armstrong-Elementary
Salmon Arm West: https://www.sd83.bc.ca/news/Ready-Set-Learn-at-Salmon-Arm-West
Grindrod: https://www.sd83.bc.ca/news/Ready-Set-Learn-at-Grindrod-Elementary
A COOL UPGRADE AT PARKVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, Parkview Elementary had some excitement as new air conditioning units were carefully lifted onto the school roof. Thanks to the skilled coordination of the Operations Department, the transfer went off smoothly, and the crane itself became a source of fascination for students who gathered at a safe distance to watch the equipment rise into the sky.
The HVAC upgrade at Parkview is part of a broader District effort to enhance building comfort, air quality, and energy efficiency. South Canoe and Sorrento are next on the list, with similar improvements scheduled in the coming months. These upgrades support the District’s commitment to maintaining safe, welcoming, and sustainable learning spaces—an essential part of SD83’s mission to empower students to become confident, curious, and caring individuals and its vision of preparing learners to thrive in a dynamic and sustainable world.
A big thank you to the Operations Department for their professionalism and for giving Parkview students an unexpected real‑world peek at engineering in action!
2026-2027 SCHOOL REGISTRATION
Registration for the 2026-2027 school year is open for students entering Kindergarten and for new students joining SD83 in Grades 1-12.
Registration must be completed at your child’s catchment school, which is determined by your physical address, or at a Program of Choice school such as South Canoe for Outdoor Learning.
To access our catchment School Locator tool or learn more about our Program of Choice schools, visit the District Registration webpage.
If you have a child starting Kindergarten in September 2026, watch our Kindergarten Information Session video to learn more.
MARCH REGULAR BOARD MEETING EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT
At the March 10, 2026, Regular Board Meeting, Director of Instruction Jen Findlay and District Vice Principal Allison de Boer provided the Board with an overview of the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) initiatives underway across SD83. Their presentation highlighted the range of programs designed to support children and families from birth to Kindergarten, strengthen community partnerships, and enhance school readiness.
The early learning programs currently offered include StrongStart, Early Childhood Educators (ECE) in Kindergarten, Transitions to Kindergarten, Roots of Empathy, Community Early Years Partnerships, Seamless Day Pilot, Just B4 Pilot, and ECE Dual credit Program.
To learn more about our Early Learning Programs and the priorities for the 2026-27 school year, read Educational Component - Early Learning (From The Board Report).
2026-2027 School Year Calendar
The 2026-2027 school year calendar has been approved by the Board of Education and is available for families to view and download. The calendar provides a full overview of the upcoming school year, including start and end dates, statutory holidays, non-instructional days, and school breaks.
The calendar can be accessed directly through the District’s website: SD83-2026-2027-School-Calendar.pdf.
