Jon Rever
Superintendent of Schools
Together We Learn to Co-Create an Irresistible Future
Colleagues,
As we consider the year ahead, I want to highlight an important opportunity for families, students, staff, partner groups, and community members to help shape what comes next for Central Okanagan Public Schools.
Over the next two months (late January through February 2026), we will be hosting Strategic Planning Community Engagement sessions across our family-of-schools communities. These gatherings are designed to do more than “collect feedback.” They are an invitation to co-create what education can and should look like in a rapidly changing world—what Will Richardson describes as building an “Irresistible Future” together.
Before we begin engaging broadly with our communities, we’ll have an important first opportunity to explore this work together at our COLT meeting on Tuesday. We will use that time to deepen our shared understanding of the engagement process and to collectively wrestle with the four future-focused questions from our Board of Education—so we are aligned, coherent, and ready to facilitate strong conversations in every family of schools.
At each engagement session, we will invite input on these questions:
- When you think about the world students are entering today, what do you believe students need most from their experiences in our schools to be successful?
- When you think about the future, what ideas do you have that would improve student learning for all students?
- What would help families feel more meaningfully involved in supporting student learning?
- What is one change that would make schools healthier and more supportive places for students, staff, and families?
The research is clear: when schools and families build authentic, two-way partnerships, students benefit academically and socially, and communities grow stronger. Just as importantly, strong relationships and relational trust are foundational conditions for meaningful improvement and well-being in schools.
Please note session dates and locations for your community—and consider joining so your voice can be heard, and we can design for the future of our students and School District together.
Have a great week.
Jon
For Your Action
Orange Shirt Day 2026 Official Design Contest
Please invite your students to help raise awareness about the lasting impacts of residential schools and support the healing journey of survivors and their families by submitting a design of their own for the 2026 Orange Shirt Every Child Matters T-shirt contest. Entries will be accepted until January 31 at 9:00 pm PST.
Upcoming School Bus Driver Training for CUPE Employees
Attention CUPE employees! Are you interested in becoming a school bus driver for Central Okanagan Public Schools? We are excited to announce that we will be offering another training program from March 16 - 27.This is a fantastic opportunity to gain the necessary qualifications, which will allow you to apply for bus driver positions.
To participate in the training, you will need to:
- Obtain your Class 2 license and air brake endorsement
- Sign up on Ebase
- Pay a fee of $1200.00, which is due upon completion of the training
For more information, please reach out to Gail Prokopchuk at gail.prokopchuk@sd23.bc.ca or Luke Campbell at luke.campbell@sd23.bc.ca.
We look forward to seeing you in training!
Enrollment Application Dates for 2026/2027 School Year
At the December 10, 2025 Public Board Meeting, the Board of Education approved the initial enrollment application dates for the 2026/2027 school year as February 2, 2026 at 7:00 am through to March 13, 2026. The closing date of enrollment applications, to apply the Board’s enrollment priorities as established in Board Regulations 405R – Student Placement (Regulations) was set as August 27, 2026. Enrollment application information will be advertised and distributed through local newspapers, District and school websites, newsletters, and at school PAC meetings.
For Your Information
School Profile Review and Staffing Allocations - For P/VP
On Friday, the Inclusion and Equity Team met with the Assistant Superintendents to revisit the Needs-Based School Profiles. Following this updated review, staffing allocations have been adjusted to better reflect the evolving needs across our schools. We will continue to monitor these profiles, with additional reviews planned for early April.
• CEA Staffing: Additional CEA support will be provided to some schools over the coming week. Principals of those schools will be contacted directly by Allison, followed by Derek, with further details.
• Indigenous Education Staffing: The Indigenous Education Department has updated its priority list and reviewed potential staffing enhancements.
• ELL staffing: Some ELL allocations will be adjusted based on the February 1701 data.
Please know that we have approached these decisions with care, using both data and context to guide equitable staffing allocations.
Writing Contest for Middle Secondary Students - For P/VP | Teachers
New York Times bestselling YA author June Hur will judge the 2026 First Page student writing challenge. Hur is a South Korean-born writer based in Toronto. Her novels include The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Silence of Bones and The Red Palace. Hur told CBC Books she is excited to judge this year's contest.
"I chose to be a judge this year because I know how talented young writers are. There is nothing more exciting than discovering fresh voices! I can’t wait to see what they've created," said Hur.
"I like to ask these questions: What about the first pages made me stay? What, exactly, made me want to read on? What about the first pages made me leave? What made me lose interest and set the book down?
The First Page student writing challenge asks students in Grades 7 to 12 from across Canada to write the first page of a speculative novel set 150 years in the future.
The CBC Books competition will be open from Feb. 1- 28, 2026.
Kelowna Museum Programs and Highlighting new "MUSEUM ON WHEELS " - For Directors of Instruction | P/VP | Teachers | CEAS
Message from Kelowna Museums:
Way'. Kelowna Museums is committed to a Journey of Reconciliation and aspires to include Indigenous perspectives and knowledge in our offerings. In this work, we practice the First Peoples Principles of Learning as we develop each learning experience.
lmmersive museum visits inspire curiosity, exploration, and musl's (nsyilxcan for hope). In-person field trips for the 2025-26 school year take place in downtown Kelowna at one of our three locations: the Okanagan Heritage Museum, Okanagan Military Museum, or Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum.
We understand the cost of transportation can make field trips inaccessible, so this year, we are introducing Museum on Wheels! Starting in October, select programs (identified with a school bus icon) can now be booked for school outreach every Thursday. Ask us for more details!
Also ask us about our language tours at the Okanagan Heritage Museum. We offer tours in French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
https://www.kelownamuseums.ca/school-programs/
CASLT Courses, Pro-D, and Webinars for FI Educators - For P/VP | Teachers
The Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT) is offering two high‑quality 6‑week courses, a virtual pro‑D day, and two webinars for French Second Language educators.
These learning opportunities provide practical, collaborative ways to strengthen both assessment and instructional strategies, with highly positive feedback from past participants who noted their relevance and real impact on classroom practice. For more information and sign-up see here: https://www.caslt.org/fr/coup-d-oeil-sur-le-pp/
2026/2027 Budget Presentation - For All Staff
The public presentation explaining how the District's budget is established will take place at the Central Okanagan Parent Advisory Council Meeting on Monday, February 2nd at 6:30 pm by Zoom. We encourage all those interested in learning more about the Central Okanagan Public Schools' budget and how to provide input to participate in this information meeting. The Zoom link for the meeting is:
https://sd23.zoom.us/meeting/register/eJQcH2MiR7Ovi7dlkjqwcA
As well, in early April, the Central Okanagan Public Schools Superintendent of Schools 2026/2027 Budget Proposal Report will be presented at the Finance and Planning Committee Meeting. This report will further discuss the 2026/2027 budget including significant changes, key assumptions, and a draft overview of the projected 2026/2027 Annual Budget.
Learning to be Anti-Racist - An Introductory Course - For All Staff
Looking for professional development?
Consider taking 'Learning to be Anti-Racist: An Introductory Course'.
This course was developed by the Ministry of Education and Child Care and is part of the K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan. It is designed to support everyone working in BC's education system.
Click the 'link to the course' to begin your learning journey.
Strategic Plan Regional Engagement Sessions
All meetings are 6:00 - 9:00 pm:
- Rutland Senior Secondary - Thursday, January 22, 2026
- Ecole George Elliot Secondary - Monday, January 26, 2026
- Mount Boucherie Secondary - Thursday, February 5, 2026
- Ecole Kelowna Secondary - Tuesday, February 10, 2026
- Ecole Okanagan Mission Secondary - Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Ministry of Education and Child Care Reminders
Upcoming Events
- January 21, 2026 - Finance and Planning Committee Meeting - 4:00 pm at Learning Centre
- January 27-30, 2026 - Primary Winter Gathering - Room 355 at Learning Centre
- January 28, 2026 - Public Board Meeting - 6:00 pm at Learning Centre
Important Dates in January
- January 25-February 1, 2026 - Family Literacy Week
Calendar Dates At A Glance for 2025/2026
DATE | EVENT |
|---|---|
January 25, 2026 to February 1, 2026 | Family Literacy Week |
February 2026 | Inclusive Education Month |
February 13, 2026 | Teacher Professional Day (Support Staff In-Service Day) |
February 16, 2026 | Family Day |
February 26, 2026 | Bullying Awareness/Pink Shirt Day |
March 16, 2026 to March 27, 2026 | Spring Vacation Period |
March 30, 2026 | Schools Reopen after Spring Vacation Period |
April 3, 2026 | Good Friday |
April 6, 2026 | Easter Monday |
April 19, 2026 to April 25, 2026 | National Volunteer Week |
April 28, 2026 | National Day of Mourning |
May 2026 | National Allergy Awareness Month |
May 4, 2026 to May 10, 2026 | Mental Health Week |
May 5, 2026 | National Day of Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women |
May 18, 2026 | Victoria Day |
May 24, 2026 to May 30, 2026 | National AccessAbility Week |
June 2026 | Pride Month |
June 2026 | National Indigenous History Month |
June 21, 2026 | National Indigenous People's Day |
June 25, 2026 | Last day of school for students |
June 26, 2026 | Administrative Day |