This month I would like to talk about two things which are new to our school district. One of them, the new secondary school graduation requirements, has been introduced by the provincial government as a requirement for all B.C. school districts. The other, discussion of a regular two week spring break, is a local School Board initiative. In September 2004 the new grad requirements came into effect.
They impact all students currently in Grade 10 and lower grades. Students currently in grades 11 or 12 are not effected. The purpose of the new requirements is to make secondary graduation more practical and meaningful to all students.
Under the old system, students only wrote provincial exams at the grade 12 level. Now students begin writing government exams in grade 10. English 10, Socials 10, Science 10 and Socials 11 are all provincially examinable subjects now.
This gives students experience in writing exams so that it becomes a process that they are more familiar and comfortable with. In grade 12 students must successfully complete English 12 or Communications 12 (4 credits) as well as 3 other grade 12 courses for a minimum total of 16 credits from grade 12 courses.
Students will also have the option of completing other examinable courses and receiving credit for them without writing the provincial exam. This option will limit the post secondary choices available to students, so they should make this choice with an eye to their future ambitions and the advice of their school guidance counselor.
The other significant change to the graduation requirements is that completion of a "graduation portfolio" is now mandatory for graduation. The portfolio has been introduced to recognize all aspects of a student's learning, not just the academic component. It also serves to promote successful transitions beyond grade 12.
Students take a course in grade 10 (Planning 10) which introduces them to the portfolio framework and helps them begin the planning and collection of evidence that will continue throughout grades 11 and 12.
After that the portfolio functions as a process rather than a course in the conventional sense. Six core areas exist within the portfolio: arts and design, education and career program planning, information technology, community involvement and social responsibility, employability skills and personal health.
Our school district staff, at all levels, are working diligently to ensure that our students can meet these new requirements as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Locally the School Board will be collecting feedback on the feasibility of a two week spring break (as opposed to the one week we normally have). We did have a two-week spring break this year for the first time.
This occurred because spring break and Easter were very close together this year, so our schools were closed for an additional three days, resulting in a two-week break.
This longer break seemed to be a positive experience for many of our staff, students and parents. Many seemed to come back to school feeling very renewed and ready to tackle the remaining part of the school year with that extra bit of vigour. So, our principals have been instructed to consult with their staff members and Parent Advisory Councils (PACS) and report their findings back to the Board.
If you want further information about this, please contact your school principal or attend your next PAC meeting.
The Board will consider these reports from our principals at a special meeting on May 25. If, after receiving this feedback, the Board decides to pursue a two-week spring break in 2005/06, principals will distribute a revised calendar to staff and parents. The Board will then consider revised calendars at a `special Board meeting in June.
