Heart starters
School District 47 has received a grant to purchase four automated external defibrillators (AEDs) through Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC and Yukon.
The portable devices check heart rhythm and are used to treat adults and children who have suffered sudden cardiac arrest.
"Seconds matter when someone goes into cardiac arrest," said Brooks Secondary School safety officer Chris Young, who is coordinating the purchase of the additional four devices. "The faster you get someone's heart beating, the more likely it is they will recover."
According to Young, the four defibrillators, expected to arrive in the spring, will be placed at Brooks Secondary School, Henderson Elementary School, Westview Elementary School and Kelly Creek Community School. Before being installed, Young said volunteers must receive training from BC Public Access to Defibrillation Program.
"I am hoping each school's administrator will get in touch with parent advisory councils and user groups," said Young. "We want people who are volunteering in schools and are going to be in schools to know this training will be available."
Young said the school board is actively pursuing the option of purchasing four additional AEDs so each school in the district will have access to one of the devices.
Logging feedback
Powell River Board of Education received feedback from a letter sent to Island Timberlands (IT) in late November regarding the board's concerns about potential logging activity near School District 47 property at Henderson Elementary School and Brooks Secondary School.
"We received feedback and we met with them," said superintendent of schools Jay Yule. "We are happy to report the concerns brought forward to us from citizens who were concerned about logging at Henderson, that it isn't an area that will be logged or touched."
Yule went on to say IT promised to work with the school board to create a safe plan prior to logging land adjacent to Brooks.
"They said they would work with us," said Yule, "and would try to work around school hours, and would look at times like spring break or summer break."
Tubing trip
Following approval of a request by Henderson Elementary School teacher Corey Gordon to take grade six and seven students tubing at Mount Washington, the board agreed to revisit its policy on the Brooks Secondary School ski program.
Superintendent of schools Jay Yule said with the proper forms signed, and when teachers have had proper training, they have been able to make similar trips in the past.
"This is acceptable," said Yule. "There have been concerns in place in the past around tubing and skiing, and through the school-protection grant, to make sure we have all the correct waivers and liability forms required."
Terrorism concerns
The board of education have again tabled discussion of a proposed Brooks Secondary School overseas trip to Europe.
Although discussion about the European trip was postponed before Christmas over concerns it would cut into instructional time, at the meeting on Tuesday, January 19, the board deferred making a decision about the trip due to safety concerns in the wake of terrorist attacks in Europe.
The board expressed concerns about whether its policies or procedures required review for overseas travel.
"We should bring this back [for discussion]," said board chair Doug Skinner. "We need to talk about this more, considering what is happening right now in Europe and that part of the world."
For the proposed trip, Brooks teacher Jason Rae would take grade 10 through 12 students to Normandy, France, for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and to museums in Amsterdam, Paris and London.
