November 2 , 2007 EdInfo is a bi-weekly electronic digest of education news and information distributed by the BC Ministry of Education to all those with an interest in the K-12 community. To add or remove your name from the EdInfo distribution list, please use the subscribe page.
New Funding Opportunity for Accessible PlaygroundsLet’s Play is a new program to contribute to the construction and renovation of accessible play spaces in British Columbia. A joint initiative of the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Province of British Columbia, Let’s Play offers grants for the creation of accessible, public play spaces for children ages 0-6 in B.C., and builds awareness about accessible play and related best practices. Grants of up to $50,000 are available for accessible play space projects that focus primarily on accommodating children 0-6 years old and caregivers with mobility-related disabilities. Funds may be applied to new construction, renovation of an existing space, and/or the purchase of equipment. The application deadline for the first cycle will be Tuesday January 15, 2008. Successful applicants will be announced in March 2008 and grants distributed in May 2008. Let’s Play is made possible with the support of the Province and its $2.5 million investment. Accessible play spaces complement ActNow BC, the Province’s health and wellness initiative that promotes healthy living choices to improve the quality of life for all British Columbians. For the past year, the Rick Hansen Foundation has been working together with the Ministry of Education to bring the Rick Hansen School Program to B.C.’s schools. This program provides educational resources that foster a sense of social responsibility in youth, helping them to develop life skills and make a difference in their communities. Let’s Play links directly with the Rick Hansen Foundation’s Schools In Motion and Wheels In Motion programs to make a difference in communities throughout British Columbia. Rick Hansen Schools In Motion was developed to celebrate the spirit of the Rick Hansen Man In Motion World Tour and provide students with the understanding that they can play a role in improving access and inclusion in the world around them. For more information on Let’s Play, please visit the website at www.rickhansen.com/play or call the Let’s Play Coordinator at 604.709.6320. Call for Proposals: Aboriginal Arts Development Awards (AADA) Application Deadline: November 30, 2007Since 1996 the First Peoples’ Heritage, Language & Culture Council (FPHLCC) has delivered the Aboriginal Arts Development Awards program through a partnership with the BC Arts Council. More recently 2010 Legacies Now has made a strategic investment in the program, specifically to support the development of Aboriginal art organizations. First Nations and Aboriginal artists, arts and culture organizations and established unincorporated collectives can submit proposals for projects that support the creative or professional development of emerging Aboriginal artists or build their capacity through activities such as:
Last year, 70 proposals were submitted and 23 individuals and 17 groups or organizations received a total of $298,620. The annual application deadline for the AADA is November 30. For more information, including applications forms and guidelines for individuals and organizations, please visit the FPHLCC’s Aboriginal Arts Development Awards webpage Or feel free to call 250-652-5952 and speak with either Cathi Charles Wherry or Lou-ann Neel. Canada Association for Learning & Preserving the History of WW II in Asia (ALPHA) – Resources and Study Tour 2008While most Canadians are familiar with the rise of fascism in Germany and the history of the holocaust, many are unaware of the history of WWII in Asia. Japanese militarism and aggression in China, Korea and beyond was responsible for less widely-known wartime atrocities including the deaths of up to 300,000 in the Chinese city of Nanjing. Canada ALPHA is an organization that works in cooperation with people who pursue peace and justice all over the world to preserve the truthfulness of the historical records of the Second World War in Asia. In 2001 the Ministry of Education in association with Canada ALPHA as well as BC teachers, academics, and other organizations such as the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association human rights committee and Canadian veterans and prisoners of war, developed a resource guide for teachers on the war in Asia: Human Rights in the Asia Pacific 1931-1945: Social Responsibility and Global Citizenship. The guide is intended for teachers of senior social studies courses. The guide may be ordered in English or French. To get an idea of what the guide contains, the table of contents As part of their mission Canada ALPHA has been conducting subsidized Peace and Reconciliation Study Tours for BC educators since 2004. This year, from June 28 – July 11, 2008, study tour participants will meet survivors and historians as well as visit museums and other sites in and around Shanghai ( China), Nanjing ( China), Harbin ( China) and Seoul ( Korea). The deadline for application to the Study Tour is March 1, 2008. Finally, Canada ALPHA can also help arrange speakers, survivors and eyewitnesses for classroom visits. ALPHA also loans reference and video materials to teachers. For more details, visit Canada ALPHA. HeartSmart Kids™ Workshops – Free Programs and ResourceHeartSmart Kids™ are the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon's curriculum programs. The HeartSmart Kids™ K-3 bc.tobaccofacts , the HeartSmart Kids™ 4-6 and the HeartSmart Kids™ Aboriginal 4-6 programs focus on encouraging children to make heart-healthy lifestyle choices in a fun and engaging way within the main areas of heart facts, healthy eating, active living and being smoke-free. These three programs link with the IRPs in the new Health and Career Education and Physical Education curricula. The free programs include an Educator's Guide containing lesson plans, a class set of student magazines and classroom posters. Educators receive these free resources by attending free 1 hour workshops offered by the Heart and Stroke Foundation throughout the school year. The Heart and Stroke Foundation also caters to professional days, district wide conferences and school requests depending on the presenter's availability and geographic locations. If you have any questions regarding these programs, please call 1-888-473-4636 ext. 364 or fax (604)-736-8732 or email: healthpromotion@hsf.bc.ca. As well, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon is looking for volunteers to facilitate the HeartSmart Kids™ workshops to educators across the province. A background in education or health as well as excellent group facilitation skills is required. The time commitment runs throughout the school year with a primary focus on September to June. If you are interested, please email healthpromotion@hsf.bc.ca. Special Talents Award ScholarshipsThe 4th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) Canada Founding and Development Society is offering scholarships of $1000 to $3000 to B.C. students. Students in Grades 8-12 can apply for the Special Talents Award. Students at post-secondary institutions can apply for the Academic and Community Service and Leadership Award and the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award. As part of their application, students write a paragraph explaining how they can enhance the constructive bridging between their community and the Chinese community or vice versa. More information and the application form are available at the World Chinese Entrepreneurs website. Look on the left side of the webpage and scroll down until you see the “World Chinese Entrepreneur Scholarship” box. The deadline for applications is November 15, 2007. Autism Website Offers YouTube-Style Video SharingFounded in 2005, Autism Key is a site run by parents for parents of children with autism and autism spectrum disorders. The site believes that the most difficult part of receiving an autism diagnosis is the lack of support and readily available information. Autism Key’s Autism Videos and Autism News sections keep people informed and educated on the latest trends and news stories. Additionally, the Autism Message Boards allow people to share valuable information about different forms of treatment, physicians, specific disorders, and overall experiences. Now Autism Key has announced the addition of a video sharing feature. The online video community will allow users to upload, watch and exchange videos addressing the subject of autism. |
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