Feeding Community Spirit at Park Avenue - SD68 School District ...

A Magazine for the Families of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District
Winter 2011
395 Wakesiah Avenue
Nanaimo, British Columbia
V9R 3K6
www.sd68.bc.ca
ConnectED is published quarterly by
School District 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith),
in partnership with Sloan & Co.
Publishing. Approximately 10,000 copies
are distributed through all SD68
schools and several community locations
four times per year. SD68 is grateful
to all the advertising sponsors and
supporters who have made this issue
possible. Proceeds from advertising
have paid for the production and distribution
of this issue. Remaining profits
have gone to SD68.
Publishing Partner:
Sloan and Company
Editor:
Donna Reimer, dreimer@sd68.bc.ca
Layout/Design:
Sloan and Company
lotte@Sloanandco.ca
Advertising:
Andrew Sloan, andrew@Sloanandco.ca
604.889.6397
Special thanks to the following who
helped with this issue of ConnectED:
Pete Sabo, Erin O’Reilly, Karina Younk,
Anna Dodds, Dave Hutchinson, Shelley
Green, Tammy Reynolds, Val Martineau
Shelley Gvojich, Diane Goodman and
Shauna DeBodt.
EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING AND CONSULTING
604.889.6397
6603 Balaclava Street
Vancouver, BC V6N 1M1
www.sloanandco.ca
By Donna Reimer
SD68 Introduces
New Superintendent
This school year, the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District welcomes a new Superintendent
of Schools, Dave Hutchinson. He replaces Mike Munro, who retired in July
after 31 years in education.
Mr. Hutchinson comes to Nanaimo-Ladysmith from Regina Public Schools where
he was Superintendent of Instruction and School Services.
“As a newcomer to the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District and British Columbia’s
education community, I realize that I have much to learn,” he said. “Since arriving,
I have discovered excellent staff at all levels, both at the district office and in our
schools. Everyone has been welcoming and supportive.”
“I have also very much appreciated the encouragement I have received from the
trustees on the Board of Education. Overall, it is clear that our trustees and district
staff have a strong interest in pursuing goals that focus on the improvement of student
learning.”
One of his priorities this year is to establish strong connections with students, parents
and the general public. He has already launched a blog with a Twitter feed in an
effort to regularly communicate on educational matters. Parents are invited to check
in from time to time and to participate in the dialogue at http://daves-corner.com.
Mr. Hutchinson’s work in education has been broad-based and includes classroom
teaching, curriculum consulting and development, teacher education and secondary
school administration. Throughout his career he has been a strong advocate
for ensuring that all students have equal access to high quality learning and teaching
and he has been instrumental in the implementation of specialized programs that
meet students’ unique needs.
One area of particular interest for Mr. Hutchinson is the most recent research
in neuroscience and the things that we now know about human learning. Take, for
example, the topic of self-regulation, which Mr. Hutchinson has been discussing recently
on his blog. Neuroscientists who have studied the conditions that best lend
themselves to healthy brain growth and development have concluded that caregivers
who help infants and children self-regulate (i.e. calm themselves when they are
upset, focus on interesting experiences, explore ideas creatively, plan an activity etc.)
are helping children learn the skills that will provide a solid foundation for their educational
futures.
In the months ahead, Mr. Hutchinson looks forward to meeting the parents of
SD68 in a variety of ways, to discuss their hopes and aspirations for the education
system that is serving their children.
Grade 4 and 5 students from Georgia Avenue were happy to spend some time with
Superintendent Dave Hutchinson on a recent visit to the school. Students from left,
Jeffrey Ng, Josh Parkin, Codi Storch, Daisy Parks, and Kymberli Pindar.