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Thanks to all the people who attended the Annual General Meeting of the British Columbia Literacy Council online and in person at the Sylvia Hotel in Vancouver. The new updated bylaws were passed. Thanks to Karen Addie, Garth C. Brooks and Mike Bowden for their work on bringing this to completion. Thanks to Kathryn Ransdell for showing up to take minutes one last time.
We are please to welcome Susan Ruzic to the BCLCILA Executive Committee. She was a teacher in Coquitlam for many years and may be familiar from her social justice work with the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation. She is very interested in how literacy can become a pathway for Indigenous, Black, people of colour, LGBTQ2S+, neurodivergent and people with disabilities to break barriers and participate in our journey forward.
Thanks to the members willing to continue to serve on the BCLCILA Executive and their efforts to invite others in. See the Meet the Executive tab for pictures and bios.
Thank you to Garth C. Brooks for his long service and contributions to our provincial council. We wish you the best of luck as you focus your attention on the International Literacy Association Canadian Special Interest Group (CSIG) and local politics.
Thanks to Kelly Patrick for her work as Member at Large and Membership Coordinator. Your session on Literacy Through Cookbooks will go down as your piece de resistance!
Thanks to Kathryn Ransdell for her time as secretary. We appreciated your thoroughness with minutes, your perceptions as a parent and tutor of students who struggle with literacy acquisition. Your contribution on our Graphic Novel panel was inspired. We may have to invite you back for a repeat session. All the best in Omaha, Nebraska!
The newly elected executive met for a working meeting immediately after the AGM 22.
Our Vice-President, Larkyn Froese, will again be spearheading this very popular and successful event. Despite torrential rain, 400 kids showed up in Stanley Park and the BCLCILA Booth was one of the favourites. In 2023, BCLCILA booth will again include a scavenger hunt and a give-away of outdoor learning books. This year BCLCILA will also be sponsoring two B.C. authors to do book talks featuring their books in the covered picnic area at Second Beach at this Wild About Outdoor Learning Festival. Stay tuned for more details.
After our AGM and working meeting, we headed to the restaurant in the Sylvia Hotel for dinner and to enjoy the live musicians. Our place by the fire, looking out at the ocean and the snow added to the ambiance. The discussion meandered through the “Science of Reading”, “The Joy” required to created lifelong readers, Indigenous authors and our own reading. We’re hoping to be able to facilitate some of these rich discussion with BCLCILA members. Face to face is the best! Stay tuned.
COVID, inflation, and increased job stress have made it challenging for teachers to do their jobs let alone participate in meaningful professional development. We are looking for ways that we can support the literacy learning of educators in B.C. Remember that all International Literacy Association members living in British Columbia are automatically BCLCILA members. We have put aside money in the budget to implement new ideas this year. Please send suggestions to bcliteracyila@gmail.com Stay tuned for more opportunities.