Cowichan Valley School District

Cowichan Valley School District Telling the stories of our 8000 + K-12 learners who live, learn, and play on the ancestral, traditio

We respectfully acknowledge that we are learning on the traditional and ancestral lands of the Malahat, Lake Cowichan, Quw’utsun, Halalt, Penelakut, Stz’uminus, and Lyackson people.

We're hiring for a Director of Operations, a key member of the Senior Leadership Team! The Director of Operations provid...
09/02/2026

We're hiring for a Director of Operations, a key member of the Senior Leadership Team!

The Director of Operations provides leadership and operational oversight in areas of administration of district properties, facilities planning, maintenance and repair, construction and renovations, student transportation, custodial services, grounds maintenance and management of energy conservation programs. Responsibilities include providing strategic and technical guidance to senior staff in the development of long-range planning and budget planning for all operations departments.

The Director works collaboratively with a wide range of internal and external constituents to develop long and short-range plans prioritizing facilities projects and infrastructure upgrades to ensure a safe, efficient environment for students, district personnel and administrators.

See the full job description at sd79.bc.ca/employment under Management and Excluded

Position open until filled.

‘Uy’ skweyul, Bonjour, Good day, Families and Caregivers, On behalf of the Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley Sc...
09/02/2026

‘Uy’ skweyul, Bonjour, Good day, Families and Caregivers,

On behalf of the Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District, it is my pleasure to welcome students and families to the 2026/27 school year in the Cowichan Valley School District.

This time of year is always exciting. For some, this new school year will be the one that ends with a graduation celebration. For others, it will be the first time parents and caregivers say goodbye in the morning as their little ones head to kindergarten. Whether you’re at one end of this journey or the other, or somewhere in between, please know that we are committed to helping every student find success during their time in our schools.

While school sites have been a little quieter in the summer, our Operations staff and the district staff that support them continued to be hard at work. There are so many things that happen behind the scenes to make sure schools are ready to welcome everyone in September and we a grateful to our staff who work hard at this. As we have come closer to the first days of school, Principals, Vice-Principals, teachers and all the other school staff have been preparing for students’ return and are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to a new school year.

There is much to celebrate as we start the new school year. There are several new programs that we are rolling out this year including place-based learning, technology certificate program and trades training in partnership with VIU. Our trades training program keeps local students learning in our own community and benefits our own businesses. We are excited to support students in these new ways.

We hope that all students and families are as excited about the new year as we are, and we wish you the very best in the 2026/27 school year.

Huy ch q’u, Merci, Thank you,

Cathy Schmidt,
Chair of the Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District

Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District
Elizabeth Croft, Vice-Chair
Randy Doman, Trustee
Cindy Lise, Trustee
Eduardo Sousa, Trustee
Jen Strachan, Trustee
Joe Thorne, Trustee

The Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District is celebrating with students and staff after district lit...
09/01/2026

The Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District is celebrating with students and staff after district literacy rates showed a double-digit jump last year.

A change in teaching and assessment approaches over the last number of years has resulted inGrade 4 literacy rates improving 12.6% and Grade 7 rates increasing by 10.5% within the district. In BC, literacy means a student’s ability to understand, critically analyze, and create a variety of forms of communication, including oral, written, visual, digital, and multimedia, to accomplish one’s goals. Literacy applies to reading, writing, speaking and listening skills across a variety of subject areas.

Cowichan’s literacy team, led by a group of literacy support teachers, classroom teachers, education assistants and school-based administrators brought together by Acting Superintendent Darlene Reynolds and resourced by the Board of Education have spent the last number of years analyzing student data and identifying tools and teaching practice to improve both to benefit students.

“The Board is tremendously proud of these results and so grateful to our staff for the hard work it takes to make these changes. We know that every time these literacy rates increase, it means another student being able to go home and read to their parents or understand materials in their classes. Literacy is the foundation to a strong education, and a strong education is the foundation to student’s future success,” said Cathy Schmidt, Chair of the Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District.

“Our educators have shown an incredible commitment to reflect, learn and work to continuously improve what we do to benefit our students; I want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our staff. These results are a celebration for our district and for school communities. These results are life-changing,” said Acting Superintendent Darlene Reynolds.

While staff are celebrating, they are also looking to the upcoming school year to continue improving support for student learning, including beginning focused work for numeracy.

The Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District is happy to announce the sale of Koksilah Elementary Scho...
08/31/2026

The Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District is happy to announce the sale of Koksilah Elementary School to Duncan Pentecostal Church and Living Stones Landscaping Inc.

Koksilah Elementary opened its doors as an elementary school in 1964 replacing the Old Koksilah school. Over the years, Koksilah Elementary School grew to include 14 classrooms, a library and a gymnasium. It served the community from its construction until its closing in 2013. After the school’s closing, the Board partnered with Vancouver Island University (VIU) to provide local trades training for Cowichan Valley students, keeping local students training in local schools and with local businesses. With the conclusion of VIU’s lease in 2026 the trades training centre moved from Koksilah and the Board finalized their consultation under the provincial disposal process before listing the property for public sale.

The sale of the property is a high priority for the Board as the funds generated will be directed towards repairs and maintenance to schools across the district. These projects could include addressing playground needs, heating and cooling system upgrades, and/or accessibility improvements.

“The sale of Koksilah Elementary School to Duncan Pentecostal Church and Living Stones Landscaping Inc. is a celebration for our community and district, that’s why the board unanimously supported this offer. Our students have told us that it’s important for them to have pride in their place of learning, and this sale helps deliver on that by generating needed funds for important renovations and improvement,” stated Cathy Schmidt, chair of the Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District.

The sale was finalized on August 28, 2026, and Duncan Pentecostal Church and Living Stones Landscaping Inc. will take possession of the property on September 15, 2026.

Cowichan Valley School District transportation registration is now closed for the 2026/27 school year. We will be proces...
08/26/2026

Cowichan Valley School District transportation registration is now closed for the 2026/27 school year. We will be processing all registrations up to August 19. Late registrations will be reviewed on a first-come-first-served basis and approval based on available space on our buses. Please check your email for an email from [email protected]. If you have not received an email, be sure to check your spam folder as well. If you have not received a confirmation email, you will need to arrange for alternate transportation.

You can also reference ‘My Ride’ app for your student's busing information, which will be live on August 26. You may need to log out, and log back in to your ‘My Ride’ app in order to get the most up to date routing information.

Changes to your student's route may occur until September 4, 2026, as routing efficiencies are still in progress. Routing times will not be confirmed until that date.

Check www.sd79.bc.ca/services/transportation for any transportation-related questions or to find contact information for our transportation department.

Welcome to the 2026/27 School Year!You can find information on the first day of school, info for new students, returning...
08/20/2026

Welcome to the 2026/27 School Year!

You can find information on the first day of school, info for new students, returning students, bus registration and schedules and more through the information below or at sd79.bc.ca We're excited to welcome our students back!

We’re Hosting a Trustee Candidate Information Session on Aug 26The Cowichan Valley School District is inviting all inter...
08/14/2026

We’re Hosting a Trustee Candidate Information Session on Aug 26

The Cowichan Valley School District is inviting all interested school trustee candidates to join us on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 6pm – 7pm for a Trustee Candidate Information Session. District staff will review the roles and responsibilities of trustees and be available to answer questions on the role or nomination process.

When: Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 6pm – 7pm
Where: Cowichan Valley School District Board Office at 2557 Beverly Street, North Cowichan, BC

Nomination Packages Now Available for School Trustee Elections!Democratically and locally elected school trustees are th...
08/11/2026

Nomination Packages Now Available for School Trustee Elections!

Democratically and locally elected school trustees are the community’s voice in public education, setting direction for the district and shaping the lives of students and families in the Cowichan Valley. Every student deserves a strong, accountable school system that ensures their success and trustees make that happen.

This October, 17 communities in the Cowichan Valley will elect seven trustees to represent our community. If you are considering running in the October 17, 2026, School Trustee Elections, nominations packages are now available for download on our website at https://sd79.bc.ca/board-of-education/trustee-elections/

If you prefer to pick up your nomination package in person, please arrange a time by emailing [email protected]

Nomination packages may be submitted between September 1 and September 11, 2026.

Visit our District Website at: https://sd79.bc.ca/employment/ -postings for the full job description #05.Applications s...
07/28/2026

Visit our District Website at: https://sd79.bc.ca/employment/ -postings for the full job description #05.
Applications should include a cover letter, resume, transcripts, and copies of required certificates. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until filled and can be emailed to [email protected] or dropped off at:
Attention: Manager of Facilities
Cowichan Valley School District 79
2557 Beverly street, North Cowichan, BC V9L 2X3

Please visit our website https://sd79.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/CV-Mental-Health-Resources.pdf for information / ...
07/17/2026

Please visit our websitehttps://sd79.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/CV-Mental-Health-Resources.pdf for information / resources regarding mental health and digital safety.

Address

2557 Beverley Street
Duncan, BC
V9L2X3

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

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