The superintendent’s community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) combined with working groups from the District Education Council (DEC) in 2022 resulted in a convergence of viewpoints and a sense of urgency to focus on key priorities, with carefully selected strategies and a commitment to results for long term student achievement. 

Council chose to target student achievement as the priority, given existing results in Literacy, Numeracy, ILE and the importance of reading, mathematics (numeracy) and language growth (ILE) for success in school and in later life. Social responsibility is the other Council priority that overlaps these initiatives. The design of this strategic plan & vision complements the Council’s foundational policies, namely BDDEC policy A 02 Vision & Mission 

Specific academic indicators in Literacy, Indigenous Languages & Culture (ILE), Numeracy and Social Responsibility were indicated over the next five years in 2026-27 to measure the success of the vision and the inquiry initiatives. Vision Targets 26-27

The fundamental purpose of the new district vision is to work collaboratively with each other and with our partners to provide the best possible education for all Beaufort Delta students. Accordingly, building and maintaining effective working relations with each other, and caring relationships with parents/guardians and students, is essential to our success.

The research base for this initiative was and continues to be inclusive of what is already working here (Indigenized Education) within the Beaufort Delta region combined with what the literature says is working out there (Inquiry learning).

Inquiry-based learning was identified as a pedagogical foundation for the district vision that would complement the existing Indigenized education efforts of the Beaufort Delta Divisional Education Council (BDDEC). Working groups of teachers and principals were formed for professional learning to help increase student engagement and achievement.

Inquiry-Based Learning is defined as students actively involved in solving authentic (real-life) problems within the context of the curriculum and/or community – formulating questions, investigating to find answers, building new understandings, meanings and knowledge, and then communicating their learnings to others; play-based at the Junior/Kindergarten level; powerful learning experiences engaging students deeply, increasing student critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, independence, emotional intelligence/self-regulation, and problem-solving skills. This is essential for students to take on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

BC-based Consultants Trevor Mackenzie, Shelley Moore and Leyton Schnellert were brought to advise BDDEC’s work with Inquiry, Inclusive Schooling and pursuit of student achievement. A new partnership with the University of British Columbia (UBC) was formed helping recruit new teachers to the district that come trained in Indigenous Education and Inquiry. Current BDDEC staff are being trained in inquiry and are working towards a decolonized model of education for our students. BDDEC consultants work with school staff and leadership teams to support all student growth indicators of the five-year vision. BDDEC principals develop school improvement plans (SIPs) at the school level based on the vision goals of the district. In 2022 BDDEC started a collaboration with Excellence Canada utilizing their Organizational Excellence Essentials standards as a guide to facilitate action research with employees and stakeholders. The goal being for employees and stakeholders to provide feedback for long-term improvement.  

Traditional knowledge keepers and Elders will be utilized as much as possible to ensure learning is authentic, culturally relevant and Indigenized at the local level across BDDEC. All schools will follow a cultural calendar that is developed uniquely for their community. BDDEC is now designing student surveys along with the traditional parent/guardian surveys to launch in 2022-23 to actively engage students, parents and guardians. 

In order for the vision of the district to be a success, BDDEC will support our students from a system-wide approach. All employees and stakeholders working towards a common vision to ensure long-term sustainable growth for the students of the Beaufort Delta region. The progress of the vision will be monitored and reported to the council bi-annually and reported on publicly at council meetings and shared on the BDDEC website https://beaufortdeltadec.ca/dec