Rural Students: What are your issues?

From Mr. Dan Kenkel in School District 57:

I am a principal of a small rural secondary school in Valemount. I also sit on a new rural schools council that is looking at ways to improve rural education, and celebrate the successes. As students in rural BC, you have a spot at the table too. Please contact me if you have any feedback or comments I can bring back to the council. If you are interested in attending the council in Vancouver, contact me too! I am eager to listen and represent your views.  

dkenkel@sd57.bc.ca

NVSD Forum Modernizes Data Collection

When you think of forums and roundtable discussions, what materials come to mind? Perhaps chart paper, sticky notes, and Sharpies? At the North Vancouver School District Annual Student Forum, these archaic tools of yesteryear are being replaced with laptops and Twitter.

During the planning stages of the forum, District Student Leadership Council members were enthusiastic about the radical shift in the way data will be collected. “I am excited to see the engaging dialogue which will take place in dual-platform: face-to-face and using Twitter throughout the Student Forum,” says Ms. Brenda Gilby, a DSLC advisor.

Not only are digital services more environmentally friendly than pen and paper, they allow faster input of information, suitable for fast-paced discussions.  These services also offer easier collation and analysis of data after the forum.

Another major benefit of using a social network is, of course, its social aspect. Tweets can be projected to the front of the conference room, allowing interaction between previously isolated table groups. Additionally, students can continue to participate in the discussion after the forum is adjourned. Because the tweets are publicly available, those who cannot make it to the forum can easily join in the conversation.

The NVSD forum will be held on April 24 at Windsor Secondary.

-Willie C.

Personalized Learning: Student Perspectives on the BC Education Plan

Students Frustrated with Lack of Opportunities

  A huge problem in public education in British Columbia right now is the lack of opportunities for students to challenge themselves.

  The current curriculum supports students who are not up to par with others, by offering courses like Communications and different levels of math. However, students striving for challenges have found that there is a lack of honours, accelerated, advanced, and Advanced Placement courses offered for their needs.

  This lack of challenge has proven to be a hinderance when it comes to earning college and university admissions, scholarships, and major international awards.

  Students at Elgin Park Secondary who want to see change spoke out by registering for many Advanced Placement exams that the corresponding courses are NOT offered at Elgin(For example, students registered for the AP Macroeconomics exam, while Elgin does not offer the AP Macroeconomics course). These students, me included, hope that school administration sees the demand for such challenges.

  The students of Elgin Park Secondary would like to urge the Ministry of Education to encourage schools across British Columbia to create more honours, accelerated, advanced, and Advanced Placement courses so that our ambitions are not hindered by the lack of opportunities.

- Jerry L.

Anti-Bullying

Further to today’s presentation on bullying, people should be aware of a project completed in the Comox Valley by students at our three Secondary Schools with Shane Koyczan.  The first link is the actual video that was done (about 5 minutes long) and the other is the documentary about the making of the video (about an hour long).  If you find it appropriate, please feel free to pass these along.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lI38nGmurs  the music video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS5wXWMEshE  the documentary

- Gerald F.

BC Student Voice - The Real Day

So it’s day two and we’re all here and pumped. Incredibly exhausted, but pumped. I mean, how could you not be? We have the opportunity to be part of something so new and innovative! The minister came by yesterday, it was nice seeing him! He answered some of our questions, and I remember one specifically. Someone asked how students were supposed to create an “even playing field” with things like provincials gone? I mean, what is the replacement or equivalent to those exams? Before yesterday.. I couldn’t tell you the point of those exams. I know I had it them..and they sucked.. But they had a point.

- Darya A.

Spring Meeting Agenda

Friday, March 30

7:30 am - Breakfast

8:15 am - Meeting Opener and Icebreaker

9:00 am - David Jang (CBC)

10:00 am - Break

10:15 am - Main Topic: Student Response to BC Education Plan

12:00 pm - Group Photo & Lunch

1:00 pm - Guest Speaker, Writing Exercise, BCPVPA Scholarship Information

4:00 pm - Free Time

6:00 pm - Dinner

6:45 pm - Activity

9:00 pm - Hospitality

10:15 pm - Advisors Check Rooms

Saturday, March 31

7:30 am - Breakfast

8:15 am - Overview of the Day & Icebreaker

9:00 am - BC Student Voice Website

10:00 am - Break

10:15 am - Anti-Bullying Presentation

11:45 am - Lunch (check out of rooms)

1:00 pm - Reports on Forums: “Voice on Student Success”, Provincial Scene

2:30 pm - Graduation Certificates

3:00 pm - Adjourned