News Insights: Education on the West Side of Vancouver Island
Including news of: Sooke School District 62 (SD62) | Royal Roads University | BC Ministry of Education | BC Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training
August 31 ~ BC. Back to School in public education across BC, starts on Tuesday, September 4, 2018.The new curriculum in BC gives students a better chance of success, says the BC Ministry of Education.
All K-9 students in BC are benefiting from a new curriculum that provides a hands-on learning approach that encourages collaboration, critical thinking and communication.
This year, the new curriculum will be in place for Grade 10. Grades 11 and 12 will be added next year.
The government’s website at https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca has information on graduation literacy and numeracy assessment and the new finalized Grade 10 curriculum.
Curriculum details are now online, by subject area: Applied Design, Skills and Technologies; Arts Education; Career Education; English Language Arts; French as first language; French Immersion Language Arts; Mathematics; Physical and Health Education; Science; Languages; Social Studies; and Additional Offerings.
New resources and training for students, parents, education and community partner regarding keeping children free from discrimination, bullying, harassment, intimidation and violence, including an updated safety-reporting tool, being launched this September: http://www.gov.bc.ca/erase
Foundry centres provide a one-stop-shop for young people to access mental health care, substance-use services, primary care, social services and youth and family peer supports: http://www.foundrybc.ca
Academic courses are free of charge for all BC adult learners, including for upgrading and making a career change. http://ow.ly/pMEf30ezu6n
A $1,200 grant is available for elementary students born between 2006 and 2010. No additional fees or financial contributions are needed to sign up for the $1,200 BC Training and Education Savings Grant, to help plan for your child’s future: http://ow.ly/pMEf30ezu6n
Preparation for emergencies: learn how to put together an emergency kit and create an emergency response plan: http://ow.ly/pMEf30ezu6n
First SD62 Board Meeting of the 2018-2019 academic year, August 28 2018 [West Shore Voice News photo]August 28 ~ WEST SHORE. The first Sooke School District 62 (SD62) Board meeting of 2018-2019 and the first under new SD62 Superintendent Scott Stinson was held Tuesday evening, August 28. Student enrollment is projected as 10,209 FTE’s (10,806 head count) for the start of the 2018-2019 academic year (up from 9,853 FTE’s at the start of 2017-2018). Most of the student population growth is in Langford (mostly in K to Grade 3), with some modest increase in secondary-school level registrations at EMCS in Sooke. Some of the tightest fit for students is at Spencer Middle School in Grade 7 and about 25-30 more students have registered at Dunsmuir Middle School over the summer. Most teacher hiring is now done with a total of 149 new teachers (95 full time, 56 part time); about 40 to 50 smaller pieces of work are still open. About 3,600 riders have registered for school bus routes in SD62; about 400 to 600 more riders are expected to register as the school year unfolds. There are 32 bus routes (28 standard buses and 4 accessible); nine routes are in the Milne’s Landing Zone (Sooke area) and 23 are in the Belmont Zone (Langford/Colwood/Highland/Metchosin/East Sooke). The top set of priorities for facilities expansion is still to build a middle school and elementary school on the land that SD62 acquired in the Westhills area in December 2017.
August 24 ~ BC. OPINION-EDITORIAL by Rob Fleming, BC Minister of Education: “As we get our kids ready for the school year ahead – adjusting to changing schedules and new routines – I am filled with incredible optimism. After years of underfunding by the previous government, Premier John Horgan made it a priority to quickly make a number of positive changes in BC schools, recognizing no investment is more important than a quality education – it’s the key to a better future and a prosperous economy.” Read the full Op-Ed
August 2 ~ LANGFORD. The first SD62 Board meeting of 2018-2019 and the first under new SD62 Superintendent Scott Stinson will be held on Tuesday, August 28 in the SD62 board room, 7pm. The new board room in the SD62 administration building at 3143 Jacklin Road has been recently equipped with an upgraded sound system including microphones for each trustee and executive staff person to use. Skylights nicely brighten the room during daylight hours. There is a table for stakeholders (including Principals, Teachers, CUPE, and parent leadership) at the back of the room, facing the board table.
July 20, 2018. SD62 makes presentation to City of Langford about building new schools on the west shore. See page 3 in the July 20 issue of West Shore Voice News]
August 31 ~ BC. Back to School in public education across BC, starts on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. The new curriculum in BC gives students a better chance of success, says the BC Ministry of Education.
