YORKTON — A recent advocacy session brought valuable collaboration and conversation between the board and school administrators, according to a report from the Oct. 9 meeting of the Good Spirit School Division board.
The report for the board meeting says highlights included:
- Students come first in action: A Melville Comprehensive School admin greets students daily and offers dedicated classroom supports. At Invermay School, staff members know each student and family personally, creating a strong sense of community through school-wide events. At Yorkdale Central School, staff made welcome cards for a new family to help them feel at home. And at Saltcoats School, the Mustang Leadership Group is taking initiative this year by transforming the community hockey rink into a haunted mansion and planning student engagement events.
- Listening and acting on feedback: Columbia School updated cell phone expectations after staff and family input, resulting in increased engagement. Macdonald School partnered with Grayson School to offer more practical applied arts (PAA) options, such as sewing, carpentry, cosmetology, outdoor education and more, and added new extracurricular opportunities like golf and community outings.
- Student voice and innovation: Grayson School students helped design a new wheelchair-accessible playground. After just six months of fundraising, $146,000 has been raised to go towards the new playground. Kamsack Comprehensive School tested a fewer bells schedule to create calmer afternoons and fewer interruptions; staff and students both support the change. Kamsack Comp. also offers 14 different PAA classes for Grades 7-9, including archery and tourism.
During the session, administrators joined their respective trustees in table discussions to share questions, comments and insights. These conversations offered valuable perspectives on each other’s roles and encouraged dialogue on how to strengthen support.
Trustees expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to listen and learn from their administrators.
