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Changes coming to Myrtle Philip

Parent Advisory Councils elected at both elementary schools School will look a little different next year at Myrtle Philip.

Parent Advisory Councils elected at both elementary schools

School will look a little different next year at Myrtle Philip.

Although plans aren’t finalized yet, said Principal Ron Albertin, students in Grades 5 and 6 will have a dedicated French teacher next year and it looks like there will be also be dedicated Physical Education and Music teachers too.

"We are still working out the details, but we are going to try this approach," Albertin told a quiet Myrtle Philip Parent Advisory Council meeting this week.

Currently every teacher teaches everything, and as can only be expected some teachers are stronger in some areas than they are in others.

By introducing this change Albertin hopes to offer a higher standard to students in these areas and help out teachers.

The school day will also be a little longer, said Albertin.

Seven minutes will be added to each day so that approximately one Wednesday afternoon a month teachers can get together to discuss goals and achieving them.

The same thing will be happening at Spring Creek when it opens this fall and also at Whistler Secondary so that all the kids will be out together.

"This is a time for teachers to meet to deal with educational issues," said Albertin.

"We create these goals then we are struggling to find the time to carry them out."

At Whistler Secondary 11 minutes will be added to the day and teachers at that school will have a couple more days for collaborative afternoons throughout the year.

Albertin also told the PAC that budget cuts are impacting the counselling service at Myrtle Philip.

While the school counsellor is still technically on staff, money for the program must still be found.

Albertin hopes the PAC will fund the Bully Proofing program and he will be taking over the peer counselling leadership program.

He has a degree in counselling psychology and was a full time school counsellor for years.

Both Myrtle Philip and Spring Creek PAC’s held their Annual General Meetings and elected officials for next year.

Cathy Jewett will once again serve as Myrtle Philip PAC chair, Manj Thind will be co-chair, Chris Veron-Jarvis will be treasurer and Sabine Bell will be secretary.

Both Jewett and Vernon-Jarvis gave everyone notice that this will be their last year in these posts and the treasurer asked that a parent volunteer to do the job with him next year so that he can show them the ropes.

Also needed are volunteers for next year’s Sushi days, as well as other duties. Get involved!

Barb Leigh will remain chair of the Spring Creek PAC, with Linda McGaw as co-chair, Teresa LaRose as treasurer, and Cindy Scullion as secretary.

Spring Creek is still scheduled to open on Oct 14 and as the school will be run as a school within a school at Myrtle Philip it’s hoped the transition will be fairly smooth.

Leigh said the playground plans at Spring Creek are being given a second look as parents have said they would like two separate play areas rather than one big playground.

Donations for all sorts of items for the school are still being sought.