May 2021 Newsletter

Greetings Parents and Guardians

Here we are in the last quarter of the school year and the last PAC meeting of the year approaching as well.

It’s your current PAC Executive's intention to continue next year but we are looking for someone to join us in the Treasurer’s role

We’d like to collectively thank Donna Chao for her contributions to PAC over the years and leave her to enjoy her family’s last year at Hamber unencumbered.

Seismic:  If you’ve driven by the school recently, you will have noticed that demolition and site preparation is gathering momentum. We are hoping on an update soon on the Development Permit that still remains unapproved while VSB and Bird Construction address issues brought up by the Planning Department at the City of Vancouver.

Windowless classrooms. This issue that was brought up at our last PAC meeting has been escalated to the Director of Facilities. I had a meeting with the Director and have information to share on the issue for parents and Guardians who can join us in the next virtual PAC meeting.

PAC has recently learned that Honours Science 8 has suddenly been pulled from next year's schedule. As this is a shared course between Challenge Studio and regular school, reductions in learning opportunities can  be concerning when no reason is clearly given. I want to note that this type of erosion of courses is becoming more commonplace. There was a struggle to get the Foundations Math courses into the course offerings handbook and I wonder if other Choice Programs are next to get axed to fulfil some kind of strategic agenda.  

How can you help? 
Please sign this petition asking Hamber’s administration to keep Science Honours 8 for this fall, and to support our Science and Math Honours Program for future years. We need to move quickly. The timetable for the fall is being built now, so our window to get this decision reversed is very small.

You are invited our next Hamber Pac Zoom meeting - Last meeting of the school year

When: Tuesday, May 18th, 2021 07:00 PM

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lcu-ppjIsGtJINF-YZ7Q1rlI_8PQczlFF

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Should you have questions about the agenda or you wish to add items for discussion, you must email those to us in advance to chair@hamberpac.ca so that we can try to adjust the agenda to accommodate the requested changes within the scheduled meeting time. 

Eric Hamber PAC Agenda May 18th, 2021 

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

AGENDA ITEM

SPEAKER

Time Slot

1.

Welcome 

Approval of Agenda and April 20/21 minutes (last virtual Pac Meeting)

Peter Couch

7:00pm -7:05pm

2.

Chair Report

-Seismic Update

-DPAC

-Course Selection/Elimination

Peter Couch

7:05pm - 7:20pm

3.

Treasurer Report

Peter Couch for Donna Chao

7:20pm -7:25pm

4.

Teacher Rep Report

Nick Francis

7:25pm -7:35pm

5.

Principal Report

Marea Jensen

7:35pm -8:05pm

6.

Other Business

Peter Couch

8:05pm -8:15pm 

7.

Adjournment

Next meeting:  September AGM

Eric Hamber PAC Minutes April 20, 2021 - Draft

Virtual Meeting via Zoom Recorded by Leslie Louie

AGENDA ITEM

SPEAKER

Details

1.

Welcome 


Peter Couch

7:05pm start

-By unanimous consensus approval of Feb 16/21 minutes and April 20, 2021 Agenda

2.

Chair Report

Peter Couch

-Seismic Update:  Site demo has started, development permit still not approved by COV as there were design changes

-Fundraising Update: No report, we try to resume 2021-22

-DPAC: Hamber still needs a rep, please contact Peter if interested

-Our PAC looking for a Treasurer as Donna is not continuing next year.  Please contact Peter for more details

-Thank you to Donna Chao for your years of service to the PAC executive and school community

3.

Treasurer Report

Donna Chao

-Continuing virtuAll amounts rounded to nearest thousand

-Report covers the period to March 31, 2021

-For this school year, Gaming funds of $20k were spent on athletic uniforms / equipment (helmets), drums, saxophone, cello, dance workshops, manga collection for library, t-shirts for the Gender and sexuality alliance club, math contests, book prizes for Poetry in Voice contest and 3D printer for the robotics club. 

-Cash balance as at March 31, 2021 = $30k. Balance consists mainly of gaming funds of $17k.

-Lastly, the Gaming application for the next school year has been filed.

4.

Teacher Rep Report

Nick Francis

-Virtual small group band continues

-Thank you to parents for support

5.

Principal Report

Marea Jensen

See attached PowerPoint

6.

Other Business

Peter Couch

None

7.

Adjournment

8:05pm Adjournment

Next meeting:  May 18, 2021 last PAC meeting of the year

Principal Jensen' Report

BCCPAC

Asian Heritage Month

From District Parent Advisory Committee (DPAC)

Parents and Caregivers:

Some noteworthy items from the VSB last month:

  • After reviewing some one-time savings, the proposed VSB Budget for 2021-2022 no longer projects a shortfall.  Given that other districts are still grappling with shortfalls, DPAC is grateful that no reductions need to be considered this year.  This is an important reminder of the need for stable, equitable funding for BC education 

  • On April 26th, VSB trustees voted to discontinue the school liaison officer program.  Our executive has spoken at multiple meetings in favour of discontinuing this program and is pleased by the decision.

This month, DPAC has parent education sessions focusing on parent advocacy (Understanding the appeals process: May 20th) and Asian Heritage Month (May 27th).  Links below.

We would like to congratulate our vice-chair, Amanda Hillis for her election to the BCCPAC board of directors.  She will bring a great deal of knowledge and experience to her role at the provincial level. 

Our volunteer executive routinely turns over.  Having volunteers join DPAC is important for capacity and resilience.  We have a number of exec positions to be filled at our AGM in June.  Parents interested in helping us in our work with the VSB, please contact chair@vancouverdpac.org.  

Stay safe

Gord Lau, 2020/21 DPAC Chair

Upcoming DPAC Events

DPAC Committees and Working Groups

Childcare Committee

  • The committee is focused on encouraging increased access and wider options for school-age care.  Interested parents please contact committee lead Alan at alan.patola.moosmann@vancouverdpac.org

Facilities Planning Committee

  • The committee just did a lot of work going through the VSB LRFP and will be creating a detailed Seismic Toolkit. Interested parents please contact DPAC chair at vik.khanna@vancouverdpac.org

Anti-Racism Working Group

  • DPAC has struck a working group that is laying the groundwork to create an anti-racism committee to shadow the VSB Anti-Racism Committee, as well as advise DPAC and work in concert with executives in anti-oppression work. Interested parents place contact Karen at karen.tsang@vancouverdpac.org

BCCPAC Annual Parent Education Conference – May 28-29, 2021

Join us virtually for our annual parent education conference on Friday May 28 and Saturday May 29, 2021. Our theme and content focus over the two day event is "Empowerment through Knowledge and Sharing". We strongly believe parents/guardians become more empowered for themselves and their children through a better understanding of all that encompasses “schooling and parenting” (during and post-pandemic) and by sharing what they learn and their experiences with their peers.

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Written by Hamber PAC On