Literacy and Curriculum dominates School District 52 meeting for November

The SD52 Board hosted their monthly
meeting on Tuesday at the Schoold
District offices

Tuesday was meeting night in Prince Rupert, with School District 52 hosting their own monthly session, that one going up against the higher profile gathering at City Hall where housing themes dominated for much of the night.

Unlike the City Council session, the School District officials did not have MLA Jennifer Rice on hand to share any updates on issues related to education, leaving the progress on the Prince Rupert Middle School proposal perhaps the topic for another visit back to the constituency from the member of the Legislature.

Included in what they did tackle on Tuesday night at the School Board offices, were two notes of interest.

The first an update on the School District's work on Science Literacy, with the Board member receiving a presentation on the work of students as part of a recent School District event.

School Board Chair Tina Last took note of the presentation from the students and observed as to the upcoming Science Fair for the region.

 “The students who attended our meeting clearly enjoyed their participation in Science Literacy Week” ... “The Board looks forward to their participation in the upcoming Science Fair and the development of a new generation of scientists.”

The School Board members also reviewed the implementation plans for the new curriculum for Grades 11 and 12, with Superintendent Ken Minette noting that the program for those grades has been deferred for one more year.

The timeline for the introduction of the new curriculum will see Grade 10 students enjoying the new program beginning in September of 2018, with Grades 11 and 12 to follow them into the new curriculum in September of 2019.

Mr. Minette also advised that there is currently a trial use of the Grade 10-12 curriculum already underway in the District.

The Board also confirmed that Carlyle and Shepherd and Company have been re-appointed as the School District auditor for the year ending June 20th 2018, making for the fourth year of a five year term.

In a wrap up to their information release on the Tuesday November 14h session, the Board announced that they had approved 4 policies on the night, which will now be sent to partner groups for feedback.

The four policies include:

Travel and Subsistence Policy
Annual Budget Policy
Surplus Policy
Audit Services Policy

Not mentioned in the information release is any further background related to the current make up of the School District Board which has been operating one member short since the fall of 2015.

It's a topic that the Board has not publicly discussed the empty seat around their conference table in quite a while now.

You can review some of the history to that situation here.

Unless the Board Members plan to address the issue in the near term., with the next election cycle now looming for November of 2018, it would appear that the School District Board will continue on with their duties without the full complement of elected members until that time.

From around the schools of the District, Prince Rupert Middle School played host to the Find Your Fit Program this week, where students could learn more about the skills and training available as part of their career planning.

And one other note of interest on SD52 developments comes from Lax Kxeeen School, where a notice for parents has indicated that the renovation project for the elementary school building will continue just a little bit longer, with the completion date set for December 1st. The ongoing work at the east side school has provided for some parking and traffic concerns, particularly when school classes begin and end each day.

For more items of interest from SD52 see our archive page here.