Westview move
School District 47 officials are expecting construction of the new Westview Elementary School to be completed in early February 2013. Despite being complete by the February 11 Family Day long weekend, Steve Hopkins, secretary treasurer for the district,said the plans are for Grief Point Elementary School to move into the new school during the two weeks of spring break. Spring break is scheduled for March 18 to 28.
Hopkins believes there may be opportunities to use the school for after school sports before the move. “We’ll have the month before [spring break] to get all the new furniture in and start packing the stuff out of the [old] school.”
Trades pilot program
A pilot program designed to give high school students trades experience at a younger age is set to start in February 2013 at Oceanview Education Centre. School administrators hope the program, Introduction to Trades 10/11, will keep at-risk students in school.
Students will work through seven units that touch on various basics in trades from career planning and personal safety to trade math and communications. Students will have the opportunity to participate in various labs and tutorials which include: plumbing, electrical, glazier, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and heavy duty machinery maintenance and operation. The program also includes a three-week period of hands-on work experience.
“This would give them significant work experience and also a very good understanding of the trades that are out there,” said Troy Marshall, principal at Oceanview Education Centre. “We can’t touch on them all, but for Powell River we think that’s a pretty good start.”
Brooks Secondary School administrators and teachers will hand-pick grade 10 students for the pilot. If the program proves to be successful the school district plans to offer it as an elective class next year.
Jay Yule, superintendent of schools, said he thinks this program is “ahead of the curve,” with regard to BC Education Plan’s educational philosophy of “moving toward personalized learning and individual choice for students.”
