Virtual Professional Learning Series for First Nation School Governing Authorities
First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) and First Nations Schools Association (FNSA) are hosting a series of information workshops designed specifically for First Nation School Governing Authorities in June 2025. Interested School Governing Authority members are welcome to register for one or more of the Zoom sessions. School principals are also welcome to join their Governing Authority representatives, if appropriate.
The leadership provided by School Governing Authorities is crucial for effective schools, and FNESC and FNSA are committed to supporting First Nation School Governing Authorities so that they can continue to effectively lead their schools with the goal of increasing student achievement.
We are now pleased to announce the following supports for First Nation School Governing Authorities, including a virtual Learning Series, an opportunity to request a virtual facilitated session for your Governing Authority, and a list of resources on topics of interest to school leaders.
We welcome your involvement and invite your feedback about what other opportunities would be beneficial.
Sessions and Registration
| Session | Date | Time | Registration |
| Overview of the Handbook for First Nation School Governing Authorities | June 10, 2025 | 3:30–5:00 pm | Register |
| The Importance of Family Involvement: What Schools Can Do | June 11, 2025 | 9:00-10:00 am | Register |
| The Importance of Student Attendance: What Schools Can Do | June 11, 2025 | 3:30-4:30 pm | Register |
| NEW: What to Know About Privacy and Information Security | June 12, 2025 | 9:00-10:00 am | Register |
| What School Governing Authorities Should Know About Funding for First Nation Schools | June 12, 2025 | 3:30-4:30 pm | Register |
| NEW: What Schools Can Do to Promote Language and Culture Learning | June 13, 2025 | 9:00-10:00 am | Register |
Workshop Descriptions
Overview of the Handbook for First Nation School Governing Authorities
This workshop will review the FNESC and FNSA Handbook for First Nation School Governing Authorities. That Handbook reviews information related to the importance of school governance, as well as the role of School Governing Authorities in setting the school’s mission and vision, and in budgeting, program planning, and policy development. This workshop has been offered annually. It is being presented again for people who were unable to attend in the past. People who attended previously are welcome to attend, understanding that the information presented is largely unchanged.
June 10, 2025 3:30 – 5:00 pm
The Importance of Family Involvement: What Schools Can Do
Parental and family involvement in education is fundamental to the success of students and schools, and it is a key priority for First Nation education. This workshop will present research findings about the importance of family support for their children’s learning in school and at home, and it will include a discussion of what schools can do to promote greater family engagement. This workshop has been offered annually. It is being presented again for people who were unable to attend in the past. People who attended previously are welcome to attend, understanding that the information presented is largely unchanged.
June 11, 2025 9:00 – 10:00 am
The Importance of Student Attendance: What Schools Can Do
The evidence is clear: student attendance is critical for student and school success. Data also shows that this issue is a serious challenge for First Nation schools in BC – and attendance difficulties were heightened by the COVID pandemic. This workshop will provide an overview of what research shows about the importance of student attendance, and what schools can do to help encourage students to attend school more regularly. This workshop has been offered annually. It is being presented again for people who were unable to attend in the past. People who attended previously are welcome to attend, understanding that the information presented is largely unchanged.
June 11, 2025 3:30 – 4:30 pm
NEW: What to Know About Privacy and Information Security
With increasing ways to collect, store, disseminate, analyze and manipulate information, there has been increasing recognition that schools need to pay close attention to how they manage personal information. This session will provide an overview of resources available to help school leaders consider these issues, including an Information Technology Toolkit and a Privacy Toolkit for First Nation Schools.
June 12, 2025 9:00 – 10:00 am
What School Governing Authorities Should Know About Funding for First Nation Schools
This session will provide a detailed overview of the British Columbia Tripartite Education Agreement (BCTEA) funding for First Nation schools, as well as tips for creating and monitoring the school budget. This workshop has been offered annually. It is being presented again for people who were unable to attend in the past. People who attended previously are welcome to attend, understanding that the information presented is largely unchanged.
June 12, 2025 3:30 – 4:30 pm
NEW: What Schools Can Do to Promote Language and Culture Learning
To support First Nation schools with Language and Culture programming, a First Nations Language and Culture Program (FNLCP) provides funding and services for First Nation schools. FNESC and FNSA have also created two guides to help: a new A Field Guide to Empowering Students Through Learning on the Land and Water and A Guide to Language Revitalization: Promising Education Practices for Consideration by First Nations Schools in BC. This session will facilitate discussion about these supports and how First Nation school leaders can plan engaging language and culture opportunities for students.
June 13, 2025 9:00 – 10:00 am
Facilitated Sessions for Individual School Governing Authorities
Is your School Governing Authority interested in joining a Zoom meeting together, to participate in a facilitated discussion of your Governing Authority’s operations and priorities?
FNESC staff are available to join School Governing Authorities in individual virtual sessions to review issues included in the Handbook for First Nation School Governing Authorities, with opportunities for the meeting participants to discuss issues in the context of their own circumstances. Each virtual session is expected to last approximately 3 hours.
Offered: On request – depending on time availability
Sessions will be scheduled on a first-come-first-served basis
Handbook for First Nation School Governing Authorities
This Handbook provides information related to a range of responsibilities of First Nations School Governing Authorities. The topics reviewed in the Handbook include: setting the school’s vision, purpose, and strategic direction, hiring and monitoring the performance of the school principal, advocating for the school community, approving the school’s policies and budget, and more.
Attendance Counts: An Information Guide for First Nation School Governing Authority Members
This Guide was written to share information with First Nation School Governing Authority members about the very important topic of student attendance. The Guide provides an overview of relevant research, as well as what First Nation schools in BC are doing to encourage students to come to school regularly and on time. This resource can be found on the Special Education Portal.
Policy and Procedures Resource Guide for First Nation Schools (a K-12 and an Adult Secondary edition)
This resource provides background information and sample policies for school and adult secondary centres to adapt as appropriate. This resource can be found on the FNESC/FNSA Portal.
Toolkit for First Nations Parents
Parents play a key role in the education of their children and parental rights are the foundation of First Nations control of First Nations education. Parents and families are central to promoting children’s access to relevant educational opportunities and to supporting children’s healthy growth and development. Being involved in the education process can be very rewarding for families, but it can also be challenging. That is why the Parents Toolkit was created. It includes a series of short, reproducible papers that can be adapted and shared with parents to provide information about topics in three general areas: appreciating the importance of parental involvement in education; understanding the structure of the school system, how to build positive relationships with school staff for the benefit of students, and what to do if difficulties arise; and thinking about how to create healthy and supportive learning environments at home.
Note: First Nations in BC vary in terms of their school governance structures. Some First Nation schools are under the direct authority of Chief and Council. In other cases, communities have decided to establish a formal school board, or a more informal education or school committee or board. Membership on these committees or boards may include elected members or volunteers, sometimes involving only parents / caregivers, or sometimes involving a combination of parents / caregivers, community members and Elders.
In this pamphlet, the term “School Governing Authority” is used to capture all of these models, recognizing that the choice of how to structure the school’s leadership body should be based on what works best given the circumstances of each community and school setting.
Also, some of the information may be relevant for First Nations adult education centres. Representatives of adult education centres are welcome to attend.
Contact
Cathy Zhang, Executive Assistant
executiveservicesadmin@fnesc.ca