Absence of school librarian generates heated debate
Students will be starting and finishing school at new times when Spring Creek Elementary School opens in November.
For Whistler Secondary students, Principal Ken Davies told the first Parent Advisory Council meeting of the year, that means dropping them off for an 8:35 a.m. start and picking them up at 3:05 p.m.
Students at Myrtle Philip will start at 8:45 a.m. and finish at 2:52 p.m. while Spring Creek students will begin at 8:30 a.m. and finish at 2:37 p.m.
Each of those times also incorporates an extra seven minutes into the day to allow for ‘Collaboration Days’ for teachers.
A new idea this year, it will allow teachers to get together with other teachers to talk about how to improve student outcomes and explore ideas about their profession.
"Teachers are pleased with the opportunity to work with other teachers on issues such as social responsibility… to help improve learning in the classroom," Davies told the PAC.
Social responsibility was outlined by Whistler Secondary’s School Panning Council last year as one of two goals the facility must work toward achieving.
The second goal was to improve math computation skills. The hope is that the school will work on creating a culture of success where no student is left behind or is allowed to drop out without every effort being made to prevent it.
Trustee Don Brett also reminded the PAC that the school district has adopted its own goals.
They are increasing achievement for all students and developing socially responsible students.
As part of the move toward these goals a voluntary teacher evaluation is also being introduced this year, said Brett.
The aim of the evaluation is to support the teacher’s professional growth.
Several topics generated heated debate during the PAC meeting, including the fact that the school has no teacher-librarian.
Parents questioned this strategy, born out of the school’s need to work within its budget and the announcement in August that Whistler Secondary’s librarian was taking another posting.
Some wondered why the school district could not fund the position.
Brett pointed out that under the current organization it is up to each school to allocate its funds as it sees fit.
The reality, said Brett, is that the government has created this problem in part by granting teachers a pay rise but refusing to fund it.
He urged parents to write or e-mail MLA Ted Nebbeling and voice their concerns over how the tight budget is affecting their schools.
In a controversial suggestion Brett brought up the fact that other schools had actually used money raised by PACs to pay teachers’ salaries.
Standard pay for a teacher is $75,000 and one science block at the school costs $10,700.
One parent said following that route would simply "let the government off the hook" and soon parents would be expected to fundraise even greater amounts in order to keep schools open.
Brett did not disagree.
The library will be open for student use, said Davies, adding that finding a teacher librarian as qualified as the one who left at this time of the year was problematic.
PAC treasurer Paul Hendriks raised another thorny issue, with a long history in Whistler – school uniforms.
He plans to hold an information meeting on the topic at the next PAC meeting Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m.
(The next Myrtle Philip and Spring Creek PAC meetings are on Oct. 14)
However, many parents raised the point that uniform use could not be enforced at a public school as it was unconstitutional so the debate was futile.
However, Hendriks believes there is support for the idea and is looking for input.
Parent Debbie Smythe suggested that a committee be formed instead to get a grip on what the school dress code should be. The suggestion was greeted warmly by both parents and school administrators.
Smythe also put out a call for volunteers to revamp the school’s Web page and help with the running of the scholarship committee.
Trustee Brett told the PAC that the search for a replacement for school district superintendent Dr. Linda Rossler, who has moved to another school district, is underway and the hope is that the position will be offered to someone in early November.
Platooning and French
Plans are in place for the platooning of French, and Physical Education at Myrtle Philip. Grade 5 and 6 students will now receive education in these subjects from a specialized teacher with the hope of improving student achievement in these areas.
Parent Lily Antunes also told the PAC that the finishing touches were being put on plans to offer an after-school French program following the results of a survey on a second language last year at Myrtle Philip.
Classes for both primary and intermediary will be available two days a week, Monday and Thursday from 3 to 4 p.m. There will be three eight-week programs available for the fall, winter and spring.
Although details are still being worked out it looks like each session will cost about $80.
