Strongstart students trick or treating at the District Education Support Centre (DESC)

OUR MISSION: Empowering students to become confident, curious, and caring individuals who thrive in their learning, relationships, and community.

OUR VISION: Preparing students to become educated citizens who contribute positively to a dynamic, sustainable, and diverse world.

There is a lot going on behind the scenes, the time to get involved and take action is now, and politicians are human too, were some of the insights from two SD83 students who had the opportunity to attend the Union of B.C. Municipalities Conference (UBCM) in September.

Emily Armstrong, a grade 12 student at Salmon Arm Secondary, and McKenzie Gyorkos, a grade 11 student at Pleasant Valley Secondary learned a lot at the conference, including the steps and connections needed to create change.

Remembrance Day activities and ceremonies will be taking place throughout SD83 schools in early November.

Two schools, Bastion Elementary and Highland Park, will also be taking part in the No Stone Left Alone program .

This program was officially launched in 2011 to help ensure an enduring national respect and gratitude for the sacrifice of the Canadian men and women who have lost their lives in the service of peace, at home and abroad.

Want to help your child get a jump start on a career while they are still in high school? Interested in them earning post secondary credits while in high school - tuition free? The SD83 Careers Department will host Dual Credit information sessions for parents and students at two locations on Nov. 7-8.

Dual credit makes it possible for grades 10-12 students to take post-secondary courses and receive credit towards both high school graduation and post-secondary credentials – tuition free!

Parents and students can choose to attend the event either on Tuesday, November 7th at Salmon Arm Secondary or Wednesday, November 8th at Pleasant Valley Secondary in Armstrong. Both events run from 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Parents would you like to receive important messages via text from your child's school?

Using a program called School Messenger, schools now have the ability to send text messages.

This will be used to send information such as attendance, school events, school closures, safety alerts and more!

If you wish to participate in this service, please text YES to 978-338.

Movie inspired by Jenga-record holding local student!

An SD83 student who set and then re-set world record in Guinness Book of Records has now inspired a Hallmark movie which he has a cameo appearance in! Check out this article about Salmon Arm Secondary student Auldin Maxwell's accomplishments!

READ THIS ARTICLE IN THE SALMON ARM OBSERVER

Close to 50 students from all five district high schools participated in what is believed to be the 13th running of this event which showcases the different high-demand trades students can pursue careers in.

Students rotated through eight interactive stations in the full-day event. Seasoned Journeyman facilitators lead the stations which featured trades such as carpentry, millwright, heavy duty mechanic, electrical, power engineering, and machining. 

Salmon Arm Secondary's AAA senior girls' team claimed top spot and a berth to the provincials in the 2023 High School Cross Country Running Valley Championships which were held at Larch Hills on Oct. 24.

Also qualifying were Jackson's junior boys team, and several local individual runners!

SD83 swimmers did well and some qualified for provincials at the Okanagan Regional High School Swim Meet at Salmon Arm Recreation Centre on Sunday, Oct. 29.

Students in Grades 8-12 from Eagle River, Pleasant Valley, Shuswap Middle School, Len Wood Middle, Jackson, and Salmon Arm Secondary competed with swimmers from Merritt, Princeton, Kelowna, Penticton, Revelstoke, and Vernon at the event.

The provincial finals are in Nanaimo on Nov. 17-18.

The Grade 10-12 students taking the Gateway to Tech program (G2T) recently spent their evening class at the SD83 District Education Support Centre (DESC) to learn how wireless networks and servers work for a large organization.

G2T is a Workplace Training Certification course done in partnership between the District and Okanagan College. In this one semester evening course, students can get four high school credits and college-based credits. After taking this there are additional dual credit courses students can take, which can be used to ladder into and complete a portion of Okanagan College’s Infrastructure and Computing Technology Diploma.

Amanda Krebs was elected chairperson and Corryn Grayston was elected vice-chairperson when School District No. 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap) trustees held their annual Board elections at a special meeting on Tuesday, October 31 at the District Education Support Centre (DESC).

Tennile Lachmuth was elected as SD83’s B.C. School Trustees’ Association (BCSTA) Provincial Councillor and Grayston will be the alternate. Brent Gennings will be the B.C. Public Schools Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) representative and Marianne VanBuskirk will be the alternate.

The next regular meeting of the Board is on Tuesday, November 21 at 6 p.m. at the DESC.

SD83 Careers Department is teaming up with IG Wealth Management and a national non-profit organization to offer a free workshop on helping parents to help their kids to be more financially literate.

The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE) will be conducting the evening session for parents at the District Education Support Centre in Salmon Arm on Thursday, November 23 between 7-9 p.m. According to its website, CFEE’s mandate is to promote and assist enhanced career development, financial, economic, and enterprise capacity among all Canadians. 

Fri. Nov. 10 – In lieu of Remembrance Day stat

Sat. Nov. 11 – Remembrance Day

Tue. Nov. 21 - Board of Education meeting at the DESC at 6 p.m.

Fri. Nov. 24 - Non-instructional Day

Thur. Dec. 21 - Last day of school before Winter Break

Fri. Dec. 22 - Winter Break begins and runs until Fri. Jan. 5, 2024

Mon. Jan. 8 - Welcome Back! Schools re-open after Winter Break