Rallies to Support Education

Many Dickens parents/guardians have approached us asking how we can support our teachers during the strike.

Here are two rallies that we can attend in support of our teachers:

Friday, August 29 2014
8:00 to 10:00 a.m. - Sponsored by Vancouver Teachers; Rally at the Olympic Village Skytrain Station to support a fair negotiated agreement for teachers.

Tuesday, September 2 2014
5:00 p.m. - Sponsored by the BCTIF; Defend and Celebrate Public Education! Gather at the Vancouver School Board at 1580 West Broadway.

Thank you,

Dickens PAC

Lobbying your MLA

Dear Dickens Parents/Guardians,

In addition to writing letters to the BC Government, see sample letter: http://dickenspac.blogspot.ca/2014/08/school-start-day-and-teachers-strike.html here is another opportunity to lobby government in support of our children and teachers:

VESTA [Vancouver Elementary School Teachers' Association] is encouraging parents to lobby their local MLA. 

A lobbying session will be held at Adrian Dix's office at 5022 Joyce Street in Vancouver on Thursday, August 28 from 8 to 11a.m. [MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway]

Parents are encouraged to attend to support getting our children back into the classroom!

-Dickens PAC

School Start Day and Teachers Strike

We all remain hopeful that school will begin on time, however, at this point, here's what we can do:

Below is the copy of a letter sent by the Laura Secord PAC to its parent community plus its two corresponding attachments (see the links below). 

I've included it here for your information and hope that you as a Dickens parent/guardian can participate too. 

There is a belief that "snail mail" letters to government members might be more effective than email, and it's certainly worth a try.

Thank you,

Andrea Sinclair

PAC Chair (Main School)

From Secord PAC to their Parents:

As we reach what should have been the end-point in the Summer break for our children, there has been no movement in the bargaining process between the BCTF and the Liberal Government. As a result, we now face the possibility of the school year not resuming on September 2nd, 2014, which hurts our children and their access to quality education first and foremost.

A fellow parent and concerned citizen has put together the two attached documents. The first provides more details regarding the circumstances of the teacher’s strike. See: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YHr27waZfukYvsDx1jW7lkbYM3O3QWxXwpM8p88b3kY/edit

The second is a letter to the government in support of public education. Click here for the template: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pSf3bya6CcR8_acSPL2XLWnPpjJfXtNNJ5kd6aaj6VU/edit#

Please take a moment to read through the info. Sign off, print and mail the letter to the eight Liberal Government Executive addresses below.

Alternately, you can copy and paste the letter so that you can edit it as you see fit, and add in your information and concerns as needed.

It is our goal as a school community to support access to quality Public Education for our children. Regardless of where you stand on this issue, it is imperative that we put pressure on the Liberal Government and the BCTF to resume talks and for teachers and staff to return to the classroom in September, for the sake of our children and their future.

Addresses:

Christy Clark, Premier and President of the Executive Council

Box 9041

Station PROV GOVT

Victoria, BC  V8W 9E1

Peter Fassbender, BC Minister of Education

301 A – 15930 Fraser Highway

Surrey, BC  V4N 0X8

Suzanne Anton, Minister of Justice

112-2609 E. 49th Avenue

Vancouver, BC

V5S 1J9

Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Children and Family Development

101 – 5658 176th Street

Surrey, BC

V3S 4C6

Andrew Wilkinson, Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services

5640 Dunbar Street

Vancouver, BC

V6N 1W7

Coralee Oaks, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

644A Front Street

Quesnel, BC

V2J 2K8

Michael de Jong, Minister of Finance

103 – 32660 George Ferguson Way

Abbotsford, BC

V2T 4V6

Don McRae, Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation

437 5th Street

Courtenay, BC

V9N 1J7