Acronyms Like them or not, acronyms are everywhere, and they can be bewildering if you aren’t “in the know.” Below is a list of common acronyms that you may come across as you become better informed about our district. AP Advanced Placement. BCC PAC British Columbia Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils. BCPSEA British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association. BCPSEA is the representative body and official bargaining agent for all school boards and authorities established under the School Act. BCPVPA British Columbia Principals’ and Vice-Principals’ Association. BCSTA British Columbia School Trustees Association. BCTF British Columbia Teachers’ Federation. The BCTF is a union of professionals that advocates for the social, economic and professional goals of teachers, as well as promoting a quality pluralistic public school system. BICS Basic Interpersonal Communications Skills. CA Classroom Assistant (See EA). CALP Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. CAPP Career and Personal Planning. This is a mandatory K-9 course. CAPP consists of three segments: Personal Development (child abuse prevention, family life, healthy living, mental well-being, safety and injury prevention, substance abuse prevention); Career Development; and Career Planning. It is taught in different ways, depending on what works best for each school. Some schools integrate it into other courses; others offer it as a stand-alone course. At the elementary level, it is called Personal Planning; at the grades 8 & 9 level, it is called Career and Personal Planning. CUPE Canadian Union of Public Employees. DLS DISCOVER: Learner Strengths. EA Educational Assistant. EFI Early French Immersion. ESL English as a Second Language. FSA Foundation Skills Assessment. IB International Baccalaureate. IEP Individual Education Plan. IRP Integrated Resource Package. LA Learning Assistance. This program consists of individual or small group support for students who may be having difficulty in a curriculum area. This support is provided by a teacher who is not assigned to regular classroom instruction. LFI Late French Immersion. PAC Parent Advisory Council. RAS Richmond Addiction Services. RAS provides community support for substance abuse issues. Occasionally they do presentations in schools, but generally they are a resource to which students are referred. RAS will work with the whole family if necessary. RASA Richmond Association of School Administrators. RDPA Richmond District Parents Association. RTA Richmond Teachers’ Association. SCC Staff Collegial Council. This is a school-based committee that makes recommendations to the staff on a variety of school/education-related issues. These recommendations may be implemented based on a democratic staff vote. The size and membership of the committee is determined by the school staff, but includes both teachers and administrative officers. SLP Student Learning Plan. This is an “awareness document” for Career and Personal Planning. CAPP students are asked yearly to record their present marks, past marks, and future intentions. The goal is to make students aware of the work and education required to achieve their goals. SPC School Planning Council. An SPC consists of the Principal, one teacher representative, three parent representatives and, at the secondary level, one student representative. Other staff, students and parents may also participate. Its role is to prepare an annual school plan for improving student achievement in the school. TOC Teacher on Call. This is a substitute teacher who takes over a class when the regular classroom teacher is absent.