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SD8 announces completion of Five-Year Strategic Plan, 2023-2024 Budget

The Nelson Daily Staff
By The Nelson Daily Staff
May 19th, 2023

Following months of consultation, School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) has completed its new strategic plan which is a high-level roadmap for the district for the next five years.

In a media release, SD8 staff said the Kootenay Lake Board of Education approved the plan on May 9 along with the 2023-2024 school budget that focuses on funding the priorities established in the plan.

“I am very appreciative of the nearly 700 people who took the time to attend community meetings, participate online and show their commitment to educating children,” said Board Chair Lenora Trenaman in the media release.

“What we heard is pivotal to our board understanding the priorities of each person with a stake in K-12 education in our district. I’m humbled by the participation I witnessed and proud to share our new plan publicly this week.”

School District No. 8 said the priorities in the strategic plan include developing lifelong and connected learners, a caring and inclusive learning culture, and supporting each student’s culture and identity and career options.

School District No. 8 said the plan reflects the Ministry of Education and Child Care curriculum requirements of literacy, numeracy, and human and social development and calls to action in the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People that apply to each school district in B.C.  

“Over the past four months we received 1882 ideas that formed the basis for our five strategic priorities,” said Superintendent Trish Smillie.  

“We heard from our trustees, staff, students, families, our Indigenous partners, education partners as well as from the broader community.”

Smillie said School District No. 8 received a raft of ideas about our budget, facilities, buses, staffing and educational initiatives that we applied to our new budget and will apply to operational plans going forward.

“All I can say is thank you – I’m grateful to those who participated in the process and took the time to share their thoughts and hopes for our school district,” Smillie said.

The new strategic plan comes into effect on July 1, the same day as the district’s $81.6 million annual budget for the 2023-2024 school year.

School districts are required by law to deliver a balanced budget each year.  

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