Report to Community 2018 - Jens Draft January

“Each learner is an active
We work together in SJASD to create a culture of caring towards each other, our local surroundings
and a shared, sustainable future. Our students and staff labour year-round to take action in our local
and global communities to inspire positive change for a better tomorrow. As students learn the importance
of giving back to communities near and far, they gain a better understanding of the world
around them and begin to see themselves as contributing members of our society. Helping students
discover the many links between their learning and the real world also encourages them to pursue
their own paths towards being responsible citizens, leading healthy and inspired lives and helping
others do the same.
Coming Together for a Sustainable Tomorrow
In the 2017-18 school year, a diverse group of representatives came together to form a Sustainable
Development Committee for SJASD. The team’s mission is to plan, monitor and report on sustainable
development matters within the Division on annual basis to build a more sustainable future for
our students. This includes providing staff and students with the tools they need to be advocates for
the environment and help them lead sustainable lives. The committee meets on a monthly basis to
address emerging issues and trends, and find solutions to improve practices across the Division.
Uniting Forces to Ensure our Promise
In SJASD, we stand by the motto “Great Schools for Growing and Learning.” We connect with and
form alliances with all stakeholders in our Division to meet this end. In the 2017-18 school year, our
administration and school board sat down with students from all senior years schools in our Division
at our annual Student-Trustee Forum to reflect on their educational experiences. We asked students
to speak their minds to seek a positive change. We also met with families at our annual Parent-Trustee
Forum to discuss topics such as class sizes, bussing, experiential learning/ field trips, budget
expenditures, communication and more to hear their concerns, ask questions and rely important
information to parents/guardians. Lastly, we hosted a youth forum at the Canadian Museum for Human
Rights to explore inclusivity and social justice topics with students representation from all of our
schools. Together, these forums allow us to stay connected to student experiences, prioritize student
voice within our Division and help us plan our next steps as a united educational community.
2018 Report to the Community: Page 9