At our October 14 PAC meeting, Patti Bacchus, Vancouver Board of Education (VBE) Chair and liaison trustee for Kitsilano Secondary, outlined the proposed Project Charter for the second phase of Kitsilano's school renewal. CitySpaces Consulting, the same firm that helped facilitate last February's Visioning Event, has been engaged as Project Managers of this process.

In brief, there are three committees that will liaise with each other: the Kitsilano Concept Planning Steering Committee (KCPSC) as the Project Authority, comprising VBE senior management, Kitsilano Principal Chris Atkinson, and Earl Strueby, Planning Officer, Ministry of Education; the Kitsilano School Planning Team (KSPT) as Project Advisors, formed by Chris Atkinson, two PAC representatives, two Teachers, two Students, one Support Staff representative, and one member of the Planning Steering Committee; and the Project Consultant Team with CitySpaces and an architect, structural, electrical, mechanical and geotechnical engineers and a quantity surveyor. CitySpaces will also facilitate KSPT meetings.

A motion was passed that KitsPAC welcome the invitation to participate on the KSPT and recommend to the VBE that representatives from the Kitsilano community, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, and the City of Vancouver be included on the KSPT from the outset to ensure the efficiency of this second phase of Kitsilano's renewal.

To this end, KitsPAC has written to Mark Dale, Assistant Secretary of Treasurer - Facilities, as well as to Patti Bacchus and Allan Wong, Trustee and Chair of Committee II.

Two parent representatives were elected to the KSPT: James Burton, PAC Chair; and Jean Gordon, a parent of a Grade 8 student. The first meeting is on Thursday, October 29.

The committee will report on the year's activities at the PAC AGM on Wednesday, May 20 where there also will be discussion on a Next Steps proposal. This would include developing an information package, composed of the Vision Document and links to documents produced by the committee this year, to update and gather support from our multiple political, educational, and community stakeholders. The Committee II, Planning and Facilities meeting minutes of April 7, where both the Kits PAC and the staff made presentations on the Visioning process, are now available at http://www.vsb.bc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/852DFCA4-C3CB-489B-871D-F30FC70FBF16/0/09April07op.pdf

PAC Meeting Tuesday, April 21, 7:00 social; 7:30 business portion starts; 3rd floor staffroom

There's a lot happening, as we head into the homestretch of the school year.

Here is the proposed agenda:

1. Minutes of the last meeting
2. Principal's Report
3. Teacher's Report
4. Treasurer's Report
5. Dry Grad Update
6. Teacher Appreciation Lunch Organization
7. School Growth Plan / School Planning Council Update
8. Upcoming AGM
9. BCCPAC Election
10. New Technology Plan for Secondary Schools
11. Fundraising Goals for Next Year
12. School Renewal / Seismic update
13. Other Business

There is an addendum to the PAC Survey that includes comments on the survey and additional information, at http://members.shaw.ca/YHT99/Kits-PAC-SRSMC-2009-Feb-Initial-Survey-Info-Index.htm

If you have any comments on the survey that you wish to have included in the addendum, please forward them to kitspac@hotmail.com

The facilitator's report on the Open Houses and the Visioning Event, which includes the PAC survey results, is now on the main page of the Kits website and available in pdf form at http://kitsilano.vsb.bc.ca/downloads/SummaryofVisioningEvent.pdf Comments are also being collected on this report and can be forwarded to kitspac@hotmail.com. In addition, a copy of the facilitator's report has been placed in the library for reference.

Planning & Facilities
Committee Room # 110, Vancouver School Board,
1580 West Broadway
Tuesday, April 7, 5:30 p.m.

A Kits delegation of PAC Executive members, Principal Alex Grant, staff representatives Julie Bond and Karen Coflin, and student representative M. Jaworski will make a brief presentation on Tuesday, April 7 to the VSB's Planning & Facilities Committee (Committee II). The PAC presentation will cover a description of the Visioning process, a screening of a short video that gives a taste of the Workshop, and, finally, the main points of the Vision Statement as endorsed by the PAC. The staff will also make a brief presentation. This is a public VSB meeting and all are welcome to attend, so please join us if you are able.

The Kitsilano PAC and its School Renewal-Seismic Mitigation Committee have developed a survey to start the process of gathering as much data as possible into the views and ideas that the Kits community has regarding the options of school renewal and seismic mitigation for Kitsilano Secondary. This survey is being distributed to all Kits stakeholders; from our representatives at the federal, provincial, municipal, and school district levels to business and residential associations, alumni, and community groups, in addition to our Kits school community of staff, students, and parents.

Let your voice be heard! Follow this link and take this very brief survey at http://www .surveymonkey.com/s.aspx? sm=TYzjYPFb3d1VB7F_2fGrAAUQ_3d_3d

Please encourage every member of your family, including your student(s), to take this survey. Spread the word to your neighbours, family, friends, and business associates in Kits. The deadline for survey submissions is February 15.

CitySpaces Consulting will be meeting with the committee to discuss organizing the visioning workshop "What is your dream school?"