Blog Posts

Bennett Grant of Salmo Elementary is a published artist! Great job Bennett for your winning calendar submission for Kootenay Savings Credit Union. The calendars are now hot off the press, so remember to check out the month of September. Thank you teachers for creating these opportunities to celebrate our creative kids. 

We are very thankful for our successful grant application totally $7000 to support our students food and coats/boots needs. Thank you to the Vancouver Sun's Adopt a School grant. When the funds arrive in the new year, the plan for the funds will be shared. 

Due to the amounts of food being provided from the BC Fruits and Vegetable program, we have been finding it best to supply each class with a full tray of veggies, fruits, cheese strings, milk, yogurt, apple sauce, fruit leather, and sandwich/wraps. Each Tuesday we have parent volunteers who support hot lunch, in which families can pre-pay PAC to assist in this convenience program for families.

This year 1300 pounds of food was given by the community as well as $625. This was always one of my favorite days when I worked in Salmo before, so my heart was full to be able to be back and participate in this new role. Some great helpers delivered a little Halloween gift to each child in the school – so fun!

This month, I want to share my gratitude for some unexpected gifts we have received in our district and in our schools through the month of October. 

School wide, kindergarten to Grade 6 staff has been working with their teacher partners (primary/intermediate/support triads) to determine skill development/needs to improve overall literacy results.

Staff have concluded their initial assessments and are now beginning upon an action plan (inclusive of holistic approaches).

We will do another mid-point, and winter check to see if the interventions / actions have made a difference in each child’s literacy.

Welcome to the fall. You’ll notice that like the leaves on the trees in late-September and early October, this issue of the Superintendent’s Report looks a bit different than it did a few months ago. The stories in this report are now organized under our five strategic learning priorities from our Strategic Plan 2024-2029. These priorities are lifelong learners, connected learners, a caring and inclusive learning culture, culture and identity development and career development.

A warm welcome to September and to the 2023-2024 school year. I am pleased to welcome every one of our more than 4700 students and each family whose child or children have embarked on what may be a first or a next chapter of their educational journey within School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake).

This is an incredibly exciting month for students who may be entering a classroom for the very first time, or entering a new grade, a new program or a new school. “New” is a key word for so much that happens throughout September across our district.  

Another school year is coming to completion - June is one of the most exciting months of the year for everyone in SD8.

In June, we see students showcase their efforts and accomplishments throughout the school year - in capstone projects, in school theatre productions, in school-wide projects to protect the oceans or mark the Seven Sacred Teachings or in outdoor sports during and after school, including in the annual wuqanqankimik run/walk/wheel for Reconciliation.

Thursday, May 11th we had our monthly Sacred Teaching assembly.  Our final teaching was on Truth, represented by Turtle.  We learned how Truth can be unlocked by understanding all of the Seven Sacred Teachings: Bison/Respect, Bear/Courage, Wolf/Humility, Beaver/Wisdom, Sabe & Raven/Honesty, Eagle/Love, and Turtle/Truth.  We also observed Red Dress Day and The Moosehide Project.  Our Drum Circle students performed Nibi Water Song, Wichita Water Song, and The Eagle Song.  Ms. MacInnis’ Gr.