Video highlights successful grads
Prince Rupert School District (SD52) had its promotional video receive the star treatment, as unveiled this past week during the latest trustee board meeting.
CBC’s Gloria Macarenko provided an intro and conclusion to a 10-minute promotional video, created by teachers and students, designed to showcase SD52’s strengths.
The main highlight was the repeated message of diversity throughout the district, as many walks of life have grown up and learned in the classrooms of Prince Rupert schools.
“Whether it’s economic, or social, or cultural, the students of School District 52 gain real-world experience with the social dynamics of a multicultural Canada,” Macarenko, the 1979 graduate, said in the video.
Among the showcased graduates were Roberta Edzerza, Maynard Angus, Dr. Nicole Jamieson, Kevin Sawka, Stefan Delloch, Toni Carlson, Kris Scott and many more familiar faces.
Students Joshua Rouse and Bailey Barton spoke of their experience helping to make the video with Jeremy Janz’s media arts class at the high school.
“We learned not to speak when the interviewee is talking, but to engage ourselves in eye contact and body language. We learned how to angle a camera using the rule of thirds and have the interviewee look across the camera,” Rouse said.
School calendar options presented
The school district may approve a second straight school calendar with a two-week spring break without experiencing its first just yet.
Two calendars have been created, one reflecting a two-week break, and one with a one-week stoppage of classes, to be presented to stakeholders and the community. Parents and interested residents can find the calendars on the SD52 website and vote for their preferred break duration through an online survey until Feb. 8 on the website. The board will then approve the 2017-18 school calendar at its Feb. 14 board meeting.
Superintendent Sandy Jones noted that 57 of 60 B.C. school districts opted for two week breaks this year.
Graduation rates still below average
SD52’s graduation rates saw a modest increase in the six year completion rate for the district, with a 67 per cent graduation rate, a three per cent rise over the previous year, but still below the provincial average of 83.6 per cent.
“Ninety-four per cent of students who began their Grade 12 year eligible to graduate, did, which is good because the provincial rate there is 95 per cent, so we’re very much on target with that. So, it seems to take our students a little bit longer sometimes,” said Jones.
SD52 awaits word on teacher boost
Staff with SD52 await word from the Ministry of Education on how much money it will receive to boost its teacher and specialty teacher numbers starting in February.
After a Supreme Court of Canada ruling on classroom conditions restored more funding for class size and composition and specialty teaching, $50 million was added on an interim deal to hire more teachers in the province for the remainder of 2016-17.
SD52 secretary-treasurer Cam McIntyre stated that the district was still waiting for the ministry to inform them of how much money they will receive from the deal, and that all the money will be spent, not affecting the original budget’s bottom line.
First budget meeting coming up
A ‘world cafe’ is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at the Charles Hays Secondary School’s multi-purpose room for preliminary discussions on the upcoming year’s annual budget. Consultation allows participants to share their thoughts in small groups. The public is welcome to attend.
