Archives for March 3, 2020

Board of Education Report February 26, 2020

Following are some highlights from the Board of Education meeting held on February 26, 2020. District staff reported to the Board that information has been shared with schools to release to
their parent communities regarding kindergarten registration for the fall of 2020.

An advertisement will also be placed in the local on-line and print papers. Registration was opened in all schools Monday, January 13th for parents to register children who will be 5 years old by December 31, 2020. These will be children born in 2015. Parents must bring their child’s birth certificate and medical card.

The district has a variety of career education programs running through second semester on top of the regular career experience and Train in Trades programs. Namely, this year our Gateway to Trades program is being housed at SOSS with 14 students enrolled. This program is offered every other year in the district and moves between communities. Secondly, our new Gateway to Technology program began on February 4 and is housed at the Okanagan College campus in Oliver. The program has 12 students from the district and goes Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:00 – 8:30 pm with an Okanagan College instructor leading students through topics such as coding, web development and computer networking.

Finally, we are once again hosting our Professional Cook Level 1 program again this year in partnership with Camosun College. Students are working on the technical training of Professional Cook 1 online and attend 1 lab session in Oliver on Tuesday afternoons from 12:30 pm – 6:30 pm. Our foods lab instructor, Courtenay Welter, is back again from our last offering 2 years ago and is doing a magnificent job. We have 4 students in this program with students from SOSS and OSS as the participants.

Lastly, the Board passed the 2019/2020 Amended Annual Budget in the amount of $34,710,917.00. The Budget is balanced this year, as is required by law, without having to draw from reserves.

Rob Zandee, Chairperson

School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen)

12:30 pm EMS calls for backup of Local Fire department for incident at Desert Gems Motor Home park north of Southwind Mall

Police on scene, both EMS and FD told to hold back from the “incident”. ODN observed one female talking to officers in the mobile home park.

Police seen in several locations in Oliver at time of incident but arrived late to the scene in question.

Turned out to be a false alarm of unknown circumstances. All first responders retuned to base(s).

Osoyoos & District Museum: A presentation was made by Mat Hassen asking for financial assistance in the amount of $10,562 to offset the costs associated with the development and building permits for the renovations at the new museum location.

Potential sources of Funds:

• Increase taxes 0.39%

• Forward request for consideration of funding in full or in part from the Community Service Grant Program • services or programs and allocate funds Options:

. Council funds all or a portion of the funding request based on identifying revenues from one of the above noted sources of funds.

Council forwards this request to the Director of Community Services to be considered along with all the Community Services grant in aid requests for 2020.

Osoyoos Hardware –  donates  tools to replace stolen tools.

4-1 vote – Councillor Harvey opposed.