Surrey North Delta Leader, September 06, 2012

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The fairest of self-portraits

Eagles season takes flight

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Thursday September 6, 2012

Serving Surrey and North Delta

32 per cent of kids considered ‘vulnerable’

Musical return Celtic fiddler Kierah Raymond entertains the students at Surrey’s William Watson Elementary Tuesday morning during a back-to-school celebration. Last year the school had a group of African drummers welcoming students. Surrey has about 70,207 students in its elementary and secondary schools this September, an increase of about 460 from last year.

Surrey children struggling to learn, says report by Kevin Diakiw THE NUMBER OF young people

struggling with learning in Surrey is high and growing by the year, according to a recent report. The study, conducted by Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) examined kindergarten children over two school years from 2009-2011. Factors examined include physical health and wellbeing, social competence, emotional maturity, language, and Melanie cognitive ability Houlden and communication. Provincewide, the rate of “vulnerable learners” was 30.9 per cent, while the average in Surrey was 32 per cent – up from 28 per cent in 2007-2009. The greatest vulnerability in Surrey was that of communication skills, which was worse in communities such as Newton and Whalley, where there are typically more ESL students, according to the report. Crescent Beach had the lowest overall learning vulnerability, at

EVAN SEAL / THE LEADER

Shark fin activists set their sights on Surrey More city councils to mull ban on fin soup in restaurants

by Jeff Nagel SURREY IS THE NEXT CITY in the crosshairs of activists who want to

ban shark fin soup from all of Metro Vancouver’s Chinese restaurants to reduce fishing pressure on threatened sharks. Vancouver Animal Defence League spokesman Anthony Marr said his group will address council in Surrey on Monday (Sept. 10) and in Langley City on Sept. 17, while Maple Ridge’s council is expected to discuss the issue Sept. 11 ahead of a presentation at a later date. Activists have focused on Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby – home to most Chinese seafood restaurants that use shark fin – and

See LIBRARIES / Page 5

Marr said he believes those councils are close to agreeing on a coordinated ban to take effect in six months. A simultaneous regional ban would ensure shark-serving restaurants and the clientele that want them don’t just shift to unregulated cities, he said. “My prediction is it’s going to work,” Marr said. “The municipalities are just coming on board one after another.” He said Surrey, Langley and Maple Ridge all invited him to make presentations – Marr didn’t approach them – so he’s optimistic those See SHARKS / Page 3

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