As parents scramble for last-minute school supplies and children prepare for the new school year, staff at Saanich Schools (SD 63) have been hard at work over the past few weeks, ensuring everything is ready for the students’ return.
For Superintendent Dave Eberwein, things are looking good as schools are scheduled to welcome kids on Sept. 3
“We are gearing up for what we anticipate to be a very successful school year,” said Eberwein. “There is a good feeling in Saanich schools as we head into this next year.”
Already halfway through their strategic plan, Eberwein mentioned the school district is on the right track to tick off all the boxes set three years prior. The four core goals include literacy improvement, mental health and wellness, Indigenous learning success, and global citizenship. Eberwein explained he and his team are working continually to make schools a more inclusive environment.
“As a school district, we continue to put emphasis on building things around mental wellness and inclusivity, not only with the language that we use but with the support we provide to our teachers and others in the district,” said Eberwein.
“We are continuing to build staff capacity around mental wellness and destigmatizing neurodiversity, which can sometimes have negative connotations for students and staff who are neurodiverse. We're working to break down the stigma around mental health and wellness.”
In that same vein, Eberwein emphasized the importance of taking a strong stance against racism.
“There is and continues to be racism in our community and schools are a reflection of their community. We feel a strong obligation to help dispel myths and misunderstandings about others,” he said.
While the school district doesn’t expect a surge in enrolment, Eberwein noted his team is still actively recruiting teachers. When asked about upcoming challenges, he pointed to rising living costs as the district's main concern.
“There is always a challenge around inflationary cost pressures,” Eberwein said. “We continue to work with our budget to ensure as many resources are available as possible, but it is a financial struggle for us."
“Inflation has not been mild over the last number of years and it continues to be a challenge not only for Saanich, but for all the other school districts.”
