Suwilaawks Community School

At the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, the Ministry of Education and Child Care announced a one-time grant to school districts to help make life more affordable for families who are facing financial challenges. Coast Mountains School District received a grant of $510,045 to be used primarily to support healthy food programming and expenses related to school fees and supplies.  Through a consultative process, priorities and allocations have been identified and the grant is being actioned with the support of schools and partners.

In Coast Mountains Schools District, approximately 75% of the fund will be used to support existing food programming both during and outside of the school day.  School food, including breakfast, lunch, snack and pantry programs, will receive support, ensuring all learners have access to healthy, nourishing options every day.  Funds have also been committed for local community partners and First Nations to support feeding learners and their families through other channels.  Additionally, approximately 5% of the grant will be used to support school concerts and cultural events, while the remaining 20% will help offset costs related to school fees and other expenses for children to fully participate in their schooling experience.  Examples of expenses that may be submitted include school based extra-curricular activities, athletics fees, school supplies, or clothing for winter.

School staff members, parents, or caregivers can make a request for financial support of a learner’s fee or expense by completing a Student & Family Affordability Fund form.  The form is available in every school office in Coast Mountains School District and is also available for download at: CMSD82 Student & Family Affordability Fund 2022 (fillable)

Completed forms must be submitted to the child’s school, where they will be received by the Principal.

Any inquiries about the Student & Family Affordability Fund should be directed to the school Principal.

Coast Mountains School District 82 is accepting applications for the following positions currently available in its Hazelton, Kitimat, Kitwanga, Terrace and Stewart school communities.

The school district provides educational support for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students in nineteen schools with a teaching, professional and support staff of more than 650 employees.  Learn more about an interesting career in education and about our team by viewing the school district’s recruitment video (click on link to open) via YouTube. 

• Certified Teachers Teaching on Call
• Non-Certified Teachers Teaching on Call
• Certified Education Assistants
• Non-Certified Education Assistants
• Summer Student Labourers
• Casual Support Staff

Hours of work are generally 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

All of our employment opportunities are posted on our school district website at www.cmsd.bc.ca under the Quicklinks section of the website’s home page.

To view or download the CMSD82 Recruitment Poster in PDF format, please access the following link.  Please feel free to share this link with family, friends and/or acquaintances for their interest.

We are Hiring! Join our Team!- February 17, 2023

APPLY TODAY!  Please email your resume with references to our Human Resources Department at HR@cmsd.bc.ca.  Short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Should you have questions, or you require more information, please contact:

Penny DeJong – Human Resources Officer, Teachers & Exempt Staff
Tel: (250) 638-4403

Kyla Magnusson – Human Resources Officer, Support Staff
Tel: (250) 638-4440

For more information or to participate in the survey, visit the Ministry of Education’s website at 2022/2023 Student Learning Survey or contact your School Principal.

In preparation for the 2023-2024 school year, the Board of Education is seeking the cooperation of parents/caregivers in registering new students for the StrongStart Early Learning Program, Kindergarten and Grade 1 to 12 for the upcoming school year (2023-2024) in Coast Mountains School District.

It is important that parents/caregivers take note of the specific registration deadlines and procedures.

Please visit the following pages (click on the links below to view) for the specific registration details, deadlines and options on how to register your child for the StrongStart Program and Kindergarten to Grade 12.  These pages can also be viewed on the main page of the School District’s website located under the Parent Resources tab.

2023-2024 New Student Registration & Cross Boundary Application

2023-2024 Kindergarten Registration Procedures

2023-2024 StrongStart Early Learning Program Registration Procedure

A general overview for the information of parents/caregivers:

• The StrongStart Program provides parent/caregiver participation and a learning program for children 0 to 5 years of age.
• All School District 82 elementary schools offer full day Kindergarten for our youngest learners.  To register, children must turn five years of age by December 31 in the same calendar year that they begin school.  Registration for Kindergarten takes place from January 16 to February 24, 2023.
• The Cross Boundary procedure for Kindergarten to Grade 12 is detailed for parents/caregivers interested in an out-of-catchment area school for their child to attend.
• Students who opt for French Immersion usually enter the program in Kindergarten and continue their French studies through to grade twelve.  In Grade 12, students receive a ‘Double Dogwood’ (a bilingual graduation certificate).  Students may also begin the program in Grade 1.  Please visit the Kindergarten Registration Procedures page for details.

Should you require further assistance, please contact Carole Gagnon, Executive Assistant at the Coast Mountains Board of Education Office at (250) 638-4401 or via email at carole.gagnon@cmsd.bc.ca.

In Coast Mountains School District 82, we are proud of our successes and the positive impact we have on students’ lives.  Our Board of Education remains committed to putting students at the centre of everything we do with special thanks to the hard work and commitment of our staff who are highly skilled, motivated and committed to the well-being, inclusion and success of our students in every one of our schools.  We are always challenging ourselves to be even better for our students.

As School District 82 continues to grow and evolve, our Board of Education has developed a Strategic Plan through the culmination of extensive consultation with students, staff, parents/guardians, and community members.  The commitment and enthusiasm shown in developing this plan has demonstrated how deeply passionate our communities are about the education and well-being of our children, our youth, and our communities.

The Board of Education is pleased to present a clear, strong, collective vision and plan to guide us as we move forward over the next five years (2022-2027).  To view the CMSD82 Strategic Poster & Plan 2022-2027, please access the link provided below.  The development and implementation of the Strategic Plan provides a collective focus for the school district to pursue the Board’s significant priorities and goals.

CMSD82 Strategic Poster & Plan 2022-2027

Guided by the Mission, Values and Vision statements, the Strategic Plan identifies our strategic priorities and goals.  These priorities reflect our commitment to:

 All Students Realizing their Full Potential
Honouring and Respecting Culture and Diversity
Well-Being within the Educational Community

Our five-year Strategic Plan offers a framework to guide administration, staff, parents/guardians and students towards more relevant and engaging learning experiences.  Now that the Board of Education has finalized the priorities, the school district’s senior leadership will create the Framework for Enhancing Student Learning (FESL).  The goals outlined in the operational plan (FESL) will be clearly outlined, with measurable and achievable goals, providing the next steps for our school district.  There is a commitment from the school district to use our plan for continuous quality improvements, being reflective, accountable and innovative in our focus on excellence in achieving learning outcomes.

Thank you for taking the time to read our Strategic Plan.  The Board of Education recognizes that we cannot achieve our goals alone – your engagement and involvement in this process is highly valued and very gratefully received.  We invite staff, students, families, educational partner groups and community members to learn more and support us in achieving our Goals, living our Values and achieving our Vision.

Please continue to engage in the conversations about the future of our school district community by attending Public Board Meetings, DPAC and PAC Meetings or emailing our Superintendent Janet Meyer at janet.meyer@cmsd.bc.ca with feedback or questions.

Learning Together, Realizing Success for All – Engage, Ignite, Empower!

In follow up to Dr. Bonnie Henry’s announcement of earlier this afternoon, the Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings have been updated to reflect changes to Provincial Health Officer orders announced today and updated public health guidance from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).

Recognizing schools and districts start Spring Break on different dates, this update is effective the first day of a school’s Spring Break to enable schools to finish the winter term with existing prevention measures in place.  The first day of Spring Break in Coast Mountains School District 82 is Monday, March 21, 2022.

Please access the following links to view Dr. Henry’s announcement, an overview summary of key changes in March 2022 and the updated K-12 Guidelines/Guidance:

Dr. Bonnie Henry’s Announcement – March 10, 2022
Changes – Prov. COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines K-12 Settings
Updated Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines K-12 Settings
Updated Public Health Communicable Disease Guidance for K-12 Schools

Everyone in schools continues to be encouraged to do a daily health check, stay home when sick, and to practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.

Masks and Face Coverings Update:

• From March 11 to 20, 2022 inclusive – students, staff and visitors in all CMSD82 schools and facilities will still be required to wear a mask or face covering.  Exceptions will continue to be made for students and staff who cannot wear masks for medical reasons.
• March 21, 2022 onwards – masks and face coverings will no longer be required to be worn by students, staff and visitors in all CMSD82 schools and facilities.  The decision to wear a mask or face covering is a personal choice for staff, students and visitors.  A person’s choice should be supported and respected.

This update marks a step forward in the transition towards sustainable communicable disease management, with another update to the guidelines expected mid-April to more fully align with the updated public health guidance.  This two-step transition allows schools, staff, students and families time to prepare for the planned easing of measures.

Parents/Caregivers are asked to contact their School Principal if they have any questions or concerns.

Each student in Public, Independent and First Nations K-12 schools, is being provided with a box of five Artron rapid antigen at-home tests distributed through their school.  Shipments from the Ministry began arriving on February 18 to CMSD82 schools c/o the School Principal for distribution to parents/caregivers.

To further clarify information in the recent  bulletin from Health Canada, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has updated information for parents/caregivers about the safety and proper use of the test kits they received or will be receiving.  Please see the BCCDC’s Rapid Testing At Home web page for this up-to-date information.

Test instructions are included in the box of five Artron rapid antigen at-home tests and also available here.  Reference the following BCCDC “Guidance for Parents on How to Use the Tests” with parents/caregivers, which provides information for when to use the test, instructions for administering the test and direction on what to do in the case of a positive or negative result:

Guidance for Parents on How to Use the Tests

These tests are being provided to support at-home testing of symptomatic students and are an additional tool to support the continuity of learning in our schools.  Rapid tests should be used by students when they are experiencing mild COVID-19 symptoms.

The rapid antigen tests being provided are in addition to existing testing pathways.  Testing continues to be available for individuals when recommended by public health and for use by Medical Health Officers when determined necessary as part of cluster and outbreak investigation.  All existing safety protocols and practices in schools should also be maintained.

Parents/Caregivers should contact their School Principal should they have any questions or concerns.

CMSD82 Letter to Parents-Caregivers, Welcome Back to All Our Students, Jan. 10, 2022  (PDF format)

Dear CMSD82 Parents & Caregivers,

We look forward to welcoming your child back to school on January 10.  We are all waiting to see how the Omicron variant will impact the day-to-day operation of school.

From the information provided by the Provincial Health Office and the BC Centre for Disease Control, we know that Omicron is a more transmissible virus with reduced symptoms for those who are vaccinated.  While we hope that you, your child and the staff of Coast Mountains School District are not impacted by the virus, we need to be prepared when there may be high staff absenteeism.

A functional closure is when a school is not able to operate in a safe manner.  There are two ways that a school could be functionally closed:

1. The Northern Health Authority could recommend a functional closure of a school due to the COVID-19 case count in or related to a school.
2. The school district may close a school due to a shortage of staff to be able to provide a required level of student safety. This would likely be due to a high absenteeism of all staff or certain employees required for a school to function and the inability to replace those absences.

Another way in which you could be impacted is if a transportation route is closed due to a shortage of staff to be able to provide the required level of service and safety for students.  This would likely be due to the absenteeism of bus drivers and/or mechanics and the inability to replace those absences.

Coast Mountains School District has established a process where each morning the status of absenteeism for transportation and schools will be reviewed.  If a bus route or school is required to be closed, we commit to inform you, if possible, by 7:00 a.m. that morning.  Please contact your school to ensure we have the communication method you would want the school to use to share this information with you.  These closures will also be posted to the school district website at www.cmsd.bc.ca and to the respective school website and social media (if applicable) by 7:00 a.m.

This is a new reality and complexity for all of us and while we want this to go well for you, your child and staff, we know that the next several weeks will be challenging.  We thank you, in advance, for your patience in these extremely challenging times.

Yours sincerely,

Janet Meyer, Superintendent of Schools

COVID-19 vaccination is now authorized by Health Canada for children five and older.  Getting young people vaccinated helps protect them and the people around them.

Coast Mountains School District 82 (CMSD82) supports families to receive trusted information about vaccines for children ages 5-11 by sharing the following resource information provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC):

BCCDC COVID-19 Vaccination for children 5-11 years old resource

Please note that at this time vaccination clinics will not be held in CMSD82 schools during instructional hours.

Consent is required for children ages 5-11 to be vaccinated and consent for a child can be provided by a:

• Parent, legal guardian or foster parent
• Custodial caregiver like a grandparent or relative
• Only 1 parent, legal guardian or foster parent is required to give consent.  You will be asked to provide consent at the clinic location.

For information on COVID-19 vaccination for children and young people ages 5 to 17, including how to register your child, please visit the following trusted websites:

BC Centre for Disease Control  /  ImmunizeBC

Please contact your School Principal, should you have questions or you require further information.

The Advisory Committee established by the Ministry of Education on October 5, 2021, has completed a final draft version of a set of guidelines to support boards and independent school authorities who may be considering implementing a vaccine mandate for staff.

For clarity, these guidelines are for policies being contemplated for employees only, which should be interpreted broadly to include any employee of the board or authority, including contracted employees, regardless of classification or location.  The Ministry of Education fully respects the authority of individual First Nations to make decisions about the operation of First Nations schools in the best interests of their students, schools, and communities.

To view and/or familiarize yourself with these guidelines in advance of the final copy being distributed as soon as possible, please access the following link:

K-12 Sector Guidelines for Vaccination Policies