Pro-D Grant applications now available

The Pro-D Grant applications for the 2009/2010 school year are now available. Grants are provided to assist Chapter to provide quality professional development activites for members, to encourage Chapters to come together in their Pro-D activities, and to support members' action-research. Download an application.

Call for Proposals for Connecting Leaders 2010

Does your district have an innovative new approach which makes schools a better place for students and staff? Would you like to reach out and share the good work with principals and vice-principals from around the province? The BCPVPA will host its first provincial conference in more than a decade on October 21–22, 2010. The conference is Connecting Leaders: Schools for the Future and the program committee is now soliciting proposals for presenters at the break-out sessions. If possible, breakouts should showcase programs and initiatives that highlight some aspect of one of the following areas:

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving;
• Collaboration and Leading by Influence;
• Agility and Adaptability;
• Initiative and Entrepreneurialism;
• Effective Communication;
• Accessing and Analyzing Information; or
• Curiosity and Imagination.

Proposals must be received by November 30th. Download a Call for Proposals.

Upcoming Professional Learning

BCPVPA is hosting/co-hosting a variety of professional learning opportunities throughout the 2009-2010 school year. Upcoming are:

• BCPVPA Learning Fair is a one-day event, January 15, designed to support professional growth plans (PGP) and career-long development. Participants will  select one of nine all-day workshops in areas such as Moral Stewardship, Professional Growth Plans, Community Building, Systems Thinking, Difficult Conversations and Legal Issues. Download a complete list of workshops and a registration form.

• SDCBC/BCPVPA Symposium is scheduled for April 16 in Richmond and will feature Dennis Sparks and Bruce Beairsto who will present on Bridging the Knowing/Doing Gap in Supporting Professional Growth, with a focus on how to act on what you know. Registration is $225 or $200 each for teams of four. Registration opens next week. A no-host social will be held for those arriving on Thursday evening and great rates will be provided at the Executive Airport Plaza in Richmond. Download a registration form.

BCPVPA videos

BCPVPA videos are posted in three areas on this website (see the menu bar on the left side of the screen).

Professional learning videos feature

1. key concepts in teaching an learning (estimation strategies for calculation and problem solving, number strand, grade 4/5);
2. Janet Mort on early learning; and
3. the kindergartern learning project showing how teachers use assement criteria to better understand each learner and to plan lessons based on assessment data.

Aboriginal education videos feature

1. Gayle Bedard and Colleen Hannah on Building Bridges with Aboriginal Communities; and
2. Willie Pierre offering a Coast Salish Traditional Opening.

Olympic/Paralympic videos feature

1. Carla Qualtrough on teachable moments;,
2. Rosa Fazio on the Adopt a County program; and
3. Laurel Crosby on the Paralympic program.
4. Don Black on online resources.
5. Two principals on the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and their school communities.

BCPVPA Benefits Plan

The British Columbia Principals' & Vice-Principals' Association (BCPVPA) offers a comprehensive benefits package to participating eligible employees. For information about the benefits provided by this plan click to visit an external website, which is operated by Morneau Sobeco.

The Standards for BC's Principals and Vice-Principals

The BCPVPA has now published the Leadership Standards for BC Principals and Vice-Principals. The intended purpose of the leadership standards is to provide a framework for professional preparation and growth of aspiring and practicing principals and vice-principals. The structure of the leadership standards describe effective, observable leadership actions which can be used for self-assessment, self-reflection and as the basis for personal professional growth planning. The complete document (final revision) is available as a pdf here.

Educator the listserve

The BCPVPA’s listserve, Educator, now more than 10 years old, continues to provide a valuable service to members – allowing any member of the Association to connect instantly via email with the expertise, wisdom, practice and opinions of fellow principals and vice-principals around the province. Membership is limited to active members of the Association. BCPVPA members can  request membership on the list by emailing Richard Williams with their name and preferred email address for listserve membership.