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NEWS: CFB Esquimalt gives United Way a needed boost /A3 COMMUITY: 60 Minute Club is all about fitness and fun /A7 ARTS: Oscar Wilde’s Selfish Giant hits church stage /A11 SPORTS: Former Grizzlie chasing pro hockey career /A14
Friday, December 20, 2013
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Bear necessity Andy Briggs sits in his Stanley Avenue house with some of the teddy bears he has collected for children in need at Christmas. Briggs hosts concerts in his front room and has set the bears up in the seats usually reserved for music fans. Don Denton/News staff
School graduation rate hits new high Aggressive strategy in SD 61 to keep kids in school paying off Edward Hill News staff
Two years ago, Adam Johnson had a bad habit of skipping classes at Mount Douglas secondary. Hanging out with friends and procrasti-
nating on schoolwork lured the teen away a few hours per week, enough to raise red flags with school administration. “It wasn’t an everyday thing, but skipping one or two classes per week builds up,” said Johnson. “You don’t realize until the end how much you’ve missed.” Vice-principal Phil Pitre intervened and started asking questions to drill down to the core problems. “The administration, especially Mr. Pitre, keep a close eye on me. It’s a school of 1,200 kids and he dedicates a lot of time
keeping everyone on a straight path,” said Johnson, who is now on track to graduate next year. “He questioned why I was missing quite a few classes. It wasn’t hostile, there weren’t threats, but it was embarrassing. He helped me realize skipping isn’t the way ... to succeed.” The 17-year-old is one of many students in SD 61 who have shown “at risk” tendencies – poor grades or poor attendance – in terms of graduating on time, and who fell under an ongoing and aggressive strategy
to make sure they stay on track. SD 61 superintendent John Gaiptman calls it a “whatever-it-takes” mindset. “We make it very hard to withdraw from school,” Gaiptman said. “We track at-risk students involved in things not helpful to graduate, or who are absent a lot, or are failing courses or are in danger of failing. Anything that might trip up a student who might not graduate.” PLEASE SEE: Keeping track of students, Page A5
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