MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF EFMA
Doug Gorcak
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s a school district, we have just co-hosted the 2016 B.C. Winter Games with the City of Penticton. We welcomed 1,227 athletes, 329 coaches, 182 officials, and many more parents and visitors into our community for a massive four-day event. We turned 150 classrooms into dormitories for athletes in record time on Wednesday night before the
athletes arrived. Just when we thought we could take a breather, Sunday arrived and we then had to turn them back into classrooms before school started on Monday. I know that many of you have had the privilege of this undertaking over the years. Reflecting on the winter games and all that it has brought to our district made me think about education and all of the variables that go into the education of youth today. When we think about education, it’s easy to recognize the original three Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic, but education today is so much more. We all know of fine arts, trades, science, and advance placement courses, but we are also now hearing courses on coding and maker space projects helping youth think outside of the box. This is where we fit in, building and maintaining classrooms to suit the ever-changing environment of education. If we think back to the days of the little school house, it was easy, minor maintenance on desks, doors, floors, etc. and occasionally throwing a piece of wood in the wood stove to keep everyone warm. Now we are putting floor finishes on so floors shine bright, installing computer networks and projectors so teachers can project from a wireless tablet, using computerized central heating systems to monitor and control carbon dioxide levels and temperature, and we are even counting how many logs we figuratively burn to heat and light our schools so we can be green and replace the ones we burn with new forests (carbon neutrality). Education has the term “21st century learning”, reflecting on the changes that are happening in education, but in reality we are prepping for the “21st century classroom” with every imaginable gadget to help these ones get an education that is truly leading edge. So are you up to the challenge? Join us at the conference in June where we can take part in the educational programs being presented and help us “building capacity for a sustainable future”. I look forward to seeing you in June. p
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