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Sea, land, river

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Community

 

 

 


For earlier materials see
Table of Contents

Dec 15th

‘In best interest of children’

School debates – in need of more discussion

Thursdays SD 52 Board meeting

 

While everyone wants what is best for children – not clear what that might be

 

I suggest more discussion but also ‘testing’ proposed solutions

 

Here Port Ed and Alternative Schools

 

Present school layout

We have seen closures on East side so presently tilted to west side with the 2 high schools centrally located ---- But declining enrolment and little prospect that town will grow dramatically in near future

 

Matrix projections and present use

 

Testing the hypothesis

Do Port Edward kids do better or worse when finally come into PR schools in grade 8?

 

And what about the costs? Do Port Ed taxpayers pay for the school or is the rest of the school district subsidizing Port Ed?

If all the funding is coming from Port Ed, then I would suggest it is up to them to decide --- but if others are subsidizing Port Ed – then must ‘prove’ worth the subsidy (in my opinion)

The Case of Port Ed school

School has capacity of 186 but presently only 51 or 27% capacity utilization (see Matrix Planning slide above) --- While Port Ed wishes to maintain the school etc not clear if that is really in the students’ best interest – note the school goes to grade 7 – if it were only catering to grades K to 3 then perhaps a good case could be made for it – but suspect wasting money and students’ potential by going to grade 7

 

 

Testing the hypothesis

 

Lothar at the December 8th Council meeting spoke how he had been an intelligent student that just did not fit inside the boxes of school system in his younger days --- He further suggested the Alternative School should be given a trial period – say 3-5 years to ‘prove’ if it was an effective teaching instrument

Alternative School – thinking outside the box

While it might not be true – the Alternative School when on Fraser s was blamed for being the source of much of the downtown vandalism – kids hanging around at all hours of day during summer and fall etc

How effective was the Alternative School? – I am told many (most?) the students would not even show up for classes – the implication being that ‘everyone’ was just going through the motions of ‘education’ --- but again these are all testable – what were the grades? What were the completion rates? The Attendance?

 

See my previous links

Vandalism looked at in 2007 article

PR as worst schools in Province

But Poverty is main explanation

That and EDI as ‘cause’ low marks etc

Crime Stats in July 2006

Other BC stats Indicators from 2006

And Geography as destiny – Skeena R and race etc

 

Created by LG on 14/12/2008

Last updated on Monday, December 15, 2008