Dear Parents / Guardians,

Thank you for your continued support. As a school system, the success of our students is a direct reflection of the outstanding work being done by our staff as well as the important partnership between school and home.  On behalf of the school district, thank you for being a part of our team’s commitment to providing an inclusive, respectful, innovative, and engaging place of learning. As we close out another calendar year, I wanted to share with you a few of my thoughts on our progress:

2024 Enhancing Student Learning Report

This annual Report outlines the progress we are making within the Board’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. We are seeing some solid growth in areas such as student literacy levels, grade transition and graduation rates, and overall student feelings of school connectedness. While we still have more work to do on our journey of providing even better opportunities and success for all learners, it is also important to celebrate the efforts from our dedicated staff which are meeting with success in some key focus areas.

Ministry of Education and Child Care

With a new government and new Minister of Education, we are waiting to hear more about what is in store for the K-12 education system. We can likely anticipate a continued provincial focus on the important work of Reconciliation, Anti-racism, and Literacy. These anticipated provincial priorities line up very well with our own Strategic Plan initiatives and help to reinforce the important work we are doing in Saanich. I anticipate more information on provincial priorities once the Minister receives their mandate letter from the premier.

Artificial Intelligence

I am excited to share with you our new Framework for Generative AI in Saanich Schools, a document that will help shape ongoing conversations and collaborative efforts within our schools and district. We look forward to hosting a parent/guardian information session in the spring to share additional information about how we are using this new tool, its opportunities, and challenges, as well as how it can bring a greater sense of equity and access to your child’s educational experiences.  Stay tuned for more information in early 2025.

My hope for everyone is that this upcoming holiday season brings a sense of peace and joy -- a time to connect with those who are important to you and your family. Wishing you a wonderful upcoming Winter Break and a successful beginning to 2025.

Sincerely,

Dave Eberwein, Superintendent of Schools