Wednesday, May 2, 2012 NewsLeader A11
B.C. pushes school calendar change Tom Fletcher tÁetcher@blackpress.ca
VICTORIA – School districts will be able to determine their own calendar and offer online classes to students in any grade under amendments to the School Act presented Thursday. Education Minister George Abbott said the changes are designed to increase Àexibility for schools and students. The ministry will continue to require a minimum number of instructional hours, but school boards will be able to design their own calendars. Abbott said the standard school calendar is a relic of an agrarian society where children did farm work in summer. A
ONGOING Paper Tole: Come out and learn the art of creating three dimensional pictures by cutting, shaping and gluing paper. The group welcomes new members. When: Mondays, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Where: Confederation Seniors Centre, 4585 Albert St., Burnaby. Info: 604-2974816. Heritage Uke Club: Organized by Gord Smithers (Guitarist for Deadcats, Swank, ReBeat Generation & Wichita Trip), learn to play the ukulele, beginners welcome. When: Mondays, 6-8 p.m. Where: Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St., New Westminster. Cost: suggested $5 donation. Info: http://tinyurl. com/6uy9h4h. Plus-Size Swimming: Join a small group of plus-size women who rent a Burnaby public pool on Saturday mornings to paddle around, swim lengths, float and relax in private. Info: Gertie, 604-737-7830 or Lynne,604-526-9488.
Burnaby International Folk Dancers: Learn folk dances from around the world in a friendly club environment. New dances taught every night, all levels welcome, no partner needed. Cost: $4 dropin, first night free. When: every Tuesday, 7- 9:30 p.m. Where:
two-month summer break can result in setbacks for student learning, especially those who are struggling to keep up, he said. Abbott cited Kanaka Creek elementary school in Maple Ridge, which uses a modi¿ed calendar with shorter breaks through the year instead of the standard September-to-June model. That has been popular with students, parents and teachers, and academic results have been encouraging, Abbott said. “What we now have is a pretty strong case that children learn better when they don’t have a long summer break, that a shorter period when they’re away from school is better,” Abbott said.
Charles Rummel Centre, 3630 Lozells, Burnaby Info: 604-4369475. Burnaby Historical Society: Guests s p e a k e r s . Vi s i t o r s welcome. When: Meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7:30
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Online courses are currently only allowed for grades nine and up. The amendments allow the option for any course in elementary or middle school. Abbott said that change is not designed to encourage home schooling, but rather to offer options to students that aren’t available in smaller schools. Online learning has taken off in B.C., from 5,000 students using it ¿ve years ago to about 30,000 today, he said. School districts will have to holds consultations with the public and staff before changing the school calendar, and the ministry has to approve changes before they can take effect.
p.m. Where: Carousel B u i l d i n g , B u r n aby Village Museum, 6501 Deer lake Ave. Info: 604-297-4565. British Columbia Boys Choir: The 100-member choir is now a resident c o m p a ny at the Shadbolt Centre for the
Arts. Open to boys aged 7 to 24 with five choirs in Burnaby, Vancouver, N o r t h S h o re a n d Nanaimo. Register now – no audition required for town choirs. When: Wednesday nights. Where: Shadbolt Centre, Burnaby. Info: www.bcboyschoir.org or 1-888-909-8282.
24th Annual Burnaby Rhododendron Festival
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