The Operating Budget supports student enrolment and collective agreement provisions. It funds instructional programs, staffing, administration, school technology, school resources, and facilities operations, maintenance, and transportation. Approximately 90% of the Operating Budget is allocated to staffing, with the remainder allocated toward programs, supplies and services, and necessary expenses such as utilities and insurance.

Special Purpose Funds are targeted to specific programs and services, such as StrongStart or Ready, Set Learn, and cannot be used for purposes other than the targeted intended items.

The Capital Budget must be spent on capital, such as building maintenance, capital construction and capital equipment acquisition.

Provide equity-based education that supports the learning needs of all students.

We do this by

• Improving educational outcomes and promoting personal, social and academic excellence for all students through differentiated instruction.
• Teaching to the diversity of students and embracing all abilities.
• Supporting student goals, priorities and definitions of success.
• Providing opportunities for students to take control of their education and learning.
• Empowering educators to meet the diverse learning needs of students.

Our approach to advancing this district priority

• Identify resources to support continued educator professional development in key pedagogical areas, such as Universal Design for Learning, differentiation of instruction, assessment for learning, literacy and numeracy.
• Support a continuum of training opportunities for educational assistants, including trauma informed practices.
• Continue to consider universal and targeted investments to determine the optimal approach to support professional development of school-based administration (i.e., Principals and Vice Principals).
• Continue to support school teams and learning support teachers in the education of neuro-diverse students who exhibit complex behaviour and require a highly guided and coordinated home-school-and community program.

Enhance innovative and effective approaches and curriculum to develop educated citizens.

We do this by

• Promoting academic excellence, lifelong learning and the pursuit of diverse personal journeys.
• Supporting students to learn from the past, engage in the present and prepare for the future.
• Employing proven, innovative and adaptable teaching strategies.
• Preparing students to safely and responsibly engage in a digital world.
• Incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing.

Our approach to advancing this district priority

• Identify resources to support teacher collaborative inquiry, school rounds and teacher networks of practice. For teachers new to the profession, identify resources for continued support for the joint school district and North Vancouver Teachers’ Association mentorship initiative.
• Consider district-wide resources in areas such as literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking to augment emerging needs.
• Identify resources to continue the development of career development programs from K-12.

Enhance our welcoming, safe and inclusive culture and learning environment.

We do this by

• Celebrating the diverse cultures, skills and experiences of our community.
• Acknowledging, teaching and proactively working to address historical and present-day societal and systemic inequities experienced on the basis of race, physical, mental, or intellectual ability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and others.
• Championing respect, restorative practices and open dialogue among students and staff.
• Empowering educators with skills to enable a safe and harassment-free learning environment.
• Designing welcoming, engaging and accessible learning spaces.
• Recognizing the contributions of racialized persons in Canadian history.

Our approach to advancing this district priority

• Continue to support the understanding and application of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Identify resources to provide training for all employees in trauma informed practice, and that the leadership team develop their skills in managing traumatic events.
• Identify resources to support employee safety and well-being in the work place.

Promote mental health and well-being through social emotional learning and trauma-informed practices.

We do this by

• Teaching social emotional skills to support mental health, physical well-being and student success.
• Establishing a culture and physical environment that promotes mental health and resilience.
• Supporting staff and students to navigate the challenges they face at, and outside of schools.
• Building capacity and professional learning around evidence-based, trauma-informed practices.
• Supporting age-relevant learning around physical literacy, healthy relationships, sexual health, and drug and alcohol use.

Our approach to advancing this district priority

• Continue adding counselling staff as the school district continues to assess the impacts of COVID-19.
• Support student and staff well-being through universal strategies inclusive of physical literacy and outdoor education, to targeted strategies inclusive of trauma informed and restorative practices, as well as intensive strategies.
• Identify resources and strategies to support student and staff mental health and well-being that align with the school district’s Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Continuum, and with a particular focus on supporting neurodiverse learners.

Champion truth, healing and reconciliation, and embed Indigenous ways of knowing.

We do this by

• Celebrating the success of Indigenous students and Indigenous communities.
• Strengthening the relationship with Skwxwú7mesh and Tsleil-Waututh Host Nations, and seeking guidance from Indigenous partners.
• Including Indigenous worldviews, ways of knowing and protocols in our teaching and learning.
• Aligning with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls to action and the BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
• Teaching the full, authentic history of Canada's treatment of Indigenous peoples.

Our approach to advancing this district priority

• Keep in place targeted resources to support the review and update of Board Policy in concert with the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
• Identify resources to support the continued process of curriculum design and further development of Indigenous language instruction with the guidance of Skwxwú7mesh Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
• Identify resources for targeted instructional needs with a focus on the early years that focus on literacy and numeracy for Indigenous students.
• Use resources that support the acquisition of current, local and culturally appropriate materials for students as guided by Skwxwú7mesh Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation.

Lead on sustainable practices and nature-based learning to address environmental challenges.

We do this by

• Promoting learning in, with and about nature.
• Providing climate action education and leadership opportunities to students.
• Bringing an environmental lens to our decisions and our teaching practices.
• Supporting environmental initiatives that champion sustainability.
• Implementing building and organizational infrastructure that reflects the values of environmental stewardship.

Our approach to advancing this district priority

• Continue to support outdoor learning experiences, which enhance personal well-being, support learning about our environment and foster stewardship.
• Develop a cohesive strategy to build student, educator and community awareness of the necessity of environmental stewardship, inclusive of the impacts on the global climate crisis and the individual and shared actions needed.
• Identify resources to support a school district climate action plan, inclusive of minimizing our organization's carbon footprint.