Hello SD61 Community,
PAC representatives from across SD61 have identified concerns regarding class room resources that are available to students. There are two primary concerns, and the VCPAC would like to reach out to you to get more information about what students are experiencing across the district.
The first concern is around fees or deposits that families are asked for to cover the cost associated with text books and other resources that support learning in the classroom. Some families have expressed concern that they have been unable to have their deposit returned to them, and other families have indicated that it appeared that the deposit was asked for every year, and not just of new students.
The second concern is about outdated resources (text books or other documents) being used in classrooms. One example that was given was a Law 12 text book that is at least 10 years (if not 20 years) out of date, and the content does not reflect changes made to family law and current language around legal rights. Recognizing that teachers have autonomy with regards to the resources that they use in their classrooms, VCPAC wants to look into if there is a SD61 policy or guidelines around the use of outdated classroom resources. There is also an associated concern around the use of online resources, as there may be accessibility challenges for some families.