Healthy Community Partnerships
Schools are so much more than buildings where students learn during the day - they are places that bring communities together. Green trustees will seek out and leverage external partnerships to better support students, their families and communities.
We will:
Explore all opportunities to expand childcare spaces on school sites, for both before-and-after school and 0-5 childcare. Closely monitor the current Seamless Day childcare pilot and push for the Ministry of Education and Child
Care to provide additional support and funding to align with the Ministry's name change.
Nurture current partnerships with the many non-profit/community organizations and explore new opportunities. Partnerships open students' eyes to new possibilities and enrich their lives, for example Artists in Residence (AIRS) and Fresh Roots.
Support and seek to expand arts and music programs in our schools, including showcasing students’ art and performances, as for many students this is key to their identity. Collaborate with the City and Park Board with the intent to improve community access to VSB space for arts, music and cultural activities. Continue to reach out to arts organizations for cross pollination and mentorship opportunities.
Develop partnerships for housing, with a focus on student housing. Explore student housing collaborations that could be advanced through use of VSB land, seeking data and information on underhoused teens’ needs. With new schools and seismic upgrades we will consider the example set with the new elementary school at Coal Harbour where the school, social housing and childcare are in one development.
Ensure full roll out of Living Wage Employer certification, working in collaboration with the program’s organizer.
Advocate for city council to increase family-oriented density specifically around schools that have more spaces for students. For the Jericho Lands development, advocate for an elementary school site to create a complete neighbourhood.
Support the use of school spaces outside school hours by local non-profits to provide more opportunities for students in their neighbourhoods.
Seek to increase opportunities for students to enhance their skills and experience, such as swimming, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work experience, through community partnerships.
Continue to ensure our district accesses the Jordan’s Principle enhanced services as needed to serve Indigenous students.
Explore a new framework with local police (Vancouver Police Department and RCMP) which identifies clear responsibilities and expectations as the role of critical responders in schools evolves. We have heard directly from students in the March 2021 School Liaison Officer (SLO) Engagement Report and need to develop a new relationship that does not include the return of embedded SLOs in schools.
Consider the impact of the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act on school districts and the recommendation for an independent civilian-led oversight body.