Crafting Compelling Messages that Resonate

Presented by Rich Overgaard

Winning campaigns is about organizing people—but also crafting and delivering messages that catch your audience’s attention and bring them over to your side of the “bell curve." This workshop will explore the strategies needed to create messages that resonate across different media and platforms to help parents and teachers with their advocacy.

Getting the Most Out of Lobbying Your Elected Official

Presented by Robin Tosczak

In the context of bargaining, managing education change, addressing the teacher shortage, responding to the climate crisis, combatting hate, and so much more, advocacy skills are crucial. We want our messages to get directly to the politicians so they can effectively support the public education system in meaningful ways. This workshop will provide key strategic, communication advice, and an opportunity to talk about lobbying politicians and communicating our messages.

Supporting Indigenous Language Learning

Presented by Karina Peters and Team

qaymɩχʷqɛnəmšt means we will speak our language in ʔayʔaǰuθəm—a language that has less than 20 fluent speakers left. qaymɩxʷqɛnəmšt is also a pilot program for primary students that is a collaboration between Tla’amin nation and SD47. This program teaches ʔayʔajuθəm to students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 two days a week in the village and was initiated by teachers and community members in order to revitalize and strengthen language acquisition in our students.

Come and join a team of Tla’amin women who are working in language revitalization in their community. Each team member brings to the table a unique set of skills that help this program continue to grow and thrive. We will present on the rapid growth, expansion, and importance of their language program in their community. We will share ways to integrate Indigenous ways of learning into the classroom as well as how to work collectively in service of students.

Stronger Together: Teachers and Parents for Better Schools

This presentation is designed to strengthen collaboration between teachers’ unions and parent advisory councils. Using real-world examples from Surrey, you’ll learn how to use a simple, actionable framework for effective partnership and joint advocacy. Hear how Surrey Teachers’ Association and Surrey DPAC approached challenges like overcrowding, resource shortages, and inclusion barriers. Learn strategies for building relationships, identifying shared priorities, and advocating effectively for public education improvements. Whether you're an educator, parent, or community member, you’ll leave with tools, resources, and connections to drive positive change in your school community.

Creating Campaigns Using Canva

Presented by Lynda Tierney

This workshop will provide an overview of how to use Canva to create political campaign materials, including websites, postcards, and other campaign ephemera. Learn the basics of developing campaign branding and tailoring it to different mediums. Whether online or in print, this platform is a simple and cost-effective way to get your messaging out.

Hopes and Dreams

Presented by the Institute for Public Education BC

What are your hopes and dreams for public education in BC? What do you think BC public schools need? What would an equitable, inclusive, and diverse public education system be like? We don’t often have the time or opportunity to discuss, debate, or engage with each other about the future of public schools and learning. But shouldn’t we be talking about these issues? This workshop will begin to engage participants in a hopeful and meaningful discussion about the future of public schools in BC.

Understanding and Utilizing the Exclusion Tracker

Presented by Angela Clancy and Tracy Humphreys

Exclusion from school has long been an issue for students with disabilities, yet systemic data collection has been lacking. In 2018, BCEdAccess launched the Exclusion Tracker to document and highlight instances where students were denied access to education. This tool was created in response to the growing number of families reporting school exclusions—whether through shortened days, lack of necessary supports, or outright denial of access.

This workshop will explore the history and purpose of the tracker, how it has evolved to help families, educators, and advocates recognize exclusion trends, the transition of the Exclusion Tracker to the Family Support Institute, and the benefits of using real-time data to drive change. Participants will learn how this tool supports equity in education, informs policy discussions, and empowers families to advocate for inclusive learning environments. Join us to explore how data can create meaningful impact and help build a more inclusive school system.

Uncovering How School Boards Work

Presented by Katie Hyslop

Interested in the workings of a school board? Unclear on the job description of a school trustee or who the superintendent of schools reports to? Katie Hyslop can help. In this workshop Katie will help uncover how it all works behind the scenes with information that will help strengthen your advocacy.