Greetings Pinawa!
On behalf of the Board of Trustees I am excited to give you all an update on the work being done to support our students and staff at the School District of Whiteshell.
Policy Updates:
The Board has diligently been working on a complete policy manual update. To date, we have completely revamped and replaced more than half of policies, including updating our Vision, Mission and Core Values and Beliefs. Our work remains ongoing to complete the remainder of the policy manual and will include new additions to address recent directives from the Department of Education on school security, accessibility, and Indigenous education. These are all areas where our staff are well ahead of the game, and our policy development will look to capture current best practices and learned experience from our team.
Strategic Plan 2025-2029:
The Board approved our 5-year Strategic Plan this past summer, with a key focus related to student achievement and excellence in education. We have also placed a renewed focus on the community’s passion for outdoor education, and land-based learning experiences. Please check out our website to learn more about our Strategic Plan!
Community Centre and Recreation Facilities:
The School District has been busy supporting several exciting initiatives in the community, including expanded Pickleball at FW Gilbert, supporting Grant applications, supporting the Arena Scoreboard replacement, and working cooperatively with the Public Library to both the benefit of our students and the community. If you have ideas for where the school and community can continue to find ways to support each other, we’d love to hear from you.
Student Services:
We have been steadily improving our Student Services Programs, with innovative staffing investments, and the Board accepting the Student Services Guidebook, developed by our Student Services team. It outlines the goals, responsibilities, and processes for the delivery of student services in our district, and ensures all students have the resources they need to succeed. If you have specific questions about the services available, or how to access support for your student, please reach out to your Principal.
Hail to the Bus Driver!:
Keen eyes may have noticed a new addition to the landscape behind Pinawa Secondary School. Over the past year our District has seen increasing challenges in procuring rental buses for student activities. This has come with increased costs and uncertainty in availability and reliability. I myself spent several hours on a broken-down school bus one winter (would not recommend). In reviewing our risk, liability and responsibility to our student’s safety, the District has approved the purchase of our own District buses. We are now the proud owners of a Yellow School Bus, with a second bus purchase planned for the new year! These new assets will ensure we are providing cost-effective, reliable and safe transportation for our students going forward.
Upcoming Elections:
Local School Boards need passionate and diverse people from varying backgrounds to make decisions that reflect the priorities and values of our Community.
Pinawa's greatest asset, from an educational, recreational, economic, and community development standpoint, is our Schools. Quality Education benefits all of us, and we need passionate leaders to help ensure the financial stability of our schools well into the future.
If you have an interest in being a leader in your community, and being part of building the future of Pinawa, we invite you to attend our regular public meetings, speak to any of us in person or by email, or visit the Manitoba School Board Association (MSBA) website, to get more information on what being a Trustee is all about.
On behalf of the Board, we wish you all the best this holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you all happy and healthy in the new year!
Jeff Miller
Chairman, Board of Trustees
School District of Whiteshell