The Chilliwack Progress Wednesday, February 19, 2014
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Distance learning interest remains strong, says principal Katie Bartel The Progress In a time when distributed learning schools should be growing in student enrollment, they’re not. But according to David Manuel, principal of Fraser Valley Distance Education, don’t start ringing the alarm bells yet. Earlier this week, while preparing for a presentation at Tuesday’s board of education meeting, Manuel expected to be grilled on the school’s enrollment, which, last month, was reported to trustees as declining. At the Jan. 21 board meeting, the school was highlighted as having experienced enrollment decline for the past two to three years, despite continuing to be the second largest distance learning (DL) school in
the province. This year, the district is projecting 814 full-time equivalent students – down 87 students from last year. “All DL schools have slowed down [with enrollment],” said Manuel. For several reasons. In 2006, when the B.C. Education Ministry changed policy to allow high school students to cross enroll, taking courses at both brick-and-mortar schools and DL schools, DL enrollment skyrocketed across the province. “The numbers went massive,” said Manuel. But in 2010, changes were made. Students enrolled in DL schools are now required to complete five per cent of their course before the school can claim them and
receive ministry funding for them. Previously, DL schools were able to claim students as soon as they registered for a course. At FVDES, students have one full year to complete a course. “At any given time I have about 100 or close to 200 full-time equivalents sitting there, waiting to get active,” said Manuel. “We need to figure out how to get them going.” In 2011, the Ministry of Education also stopped funding DL support blocks. Previously, high schools received funding for providing designated classrooms, with teacher supervision, where students could work on DL courses. “That was the biggest one where we saw decline,” said Manuel. “When the ministry took that
away, it made it harder for those kids to take the regular school program and take our program. It had a huge impact on enrollment.” Last year, the government also limited course availability for adult students. For years, graduated adults have been able to take any DL course for free with funding provided by the ministry. But last year, that was changed to only essentials – English, math, science, etc. “That was another big reduction,” said Manuel. The changes conflict with the ministry’s push for 21st Century Learning, and an education model that features K-12 blended learning where students can take courses at both brick-and-mortar and DL schools. But there are also positive
changes on the horizon, said Manuel. This year, the ministry changed policy to allow Grade 8 and 9 students to now access DL courses while enrolled in regular middle school. “We’ve got two more grade levels now – that’s a big positive,” said Manuel. “I think the Grade 8 and 9 change is going to have an interesting effect. I don’t know if it will reach that high again [from a few years ago], but it will have an impact.” There’s also references for K-12 cross enrollment in the school act, which Manuel believes could give DL schools even more grades to work with in the future. “DL is alive and well,” he said. kbartel@theprogress.com twitter.com/schoolscribe33
‘GP For Me’ initiative gathers steam Cross-border
shopping takes hit as loonie falls: Poll
GP from Front She sees about 30 patients a day, and the limit for physicians to treat patients is 52 a day. Madill said there are inefficiencies built into the daily life of a physician, including tasks that could be delegated to other health care staff, such as nurse practitioners. If their day were streamlined, each doctor could potential fit in more patients and decrease wait times. The trickle down effect could be that people would end up in emergency or at walk in clinics, alleviating congestion there. But more importantly, patients would be seeing their own doctor more consistently, she said. Having a family doctor “improves health outcomes,” she said. “We are partnering to provide better health care for all of us.” They are slowly increasing the number of nurse practitioners in the hospital, and they are running an active recruitment campaign to encourage more doctors to come to the Chilliwack, Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs and Hope communities. “We have a vital strategy to not abandon our patients,” Madill said, and to fill in gaps left when doctors retire.
10-cent drop in dollar weakens pull of U.S. prices Jeff Nagel Black Press
Dr. John Hamilton; a physician and the Primary Care Program Director with Fraser Health; speaks during a press conference at UFV Chilliwack explaining the GP For Me program. A recent survey of the communities of Chilliwack; Agassiz; Seabird; Harrison Hot Springs and Hope garnered 3, 095 reponses from patients and caregivers. The results will help the Chilliwack Division of Family Practice put together a proposal for more “attached” care between patients and family physicians. JESSICA PETERS/ BLACK PRESS
Madill acknowledged that the current wait times are not ideal, and that it can frustrating for people moving to town when seeking out a family doctor. She asked that people first contact the Primary Care Clinic in CGH, where the staff can assess their needs and put them in contact with a family doctor. “That should be their first contact,” she said, adding that pregnant woman and people with complex care issues will be placed in higher priority. “We can help them,”
she said. Dr. John Hamilton, a physician and the Primary Care Program Director for Fraser Health, underlined that attachment to a physician is of the utmost importance in communities across the province. “We’ve had physicians working very hard in this specific way for the last four years,” he said, and some people may have already noticed improvements in how their GP’s office operates. In B.C., 14 per cent of residents do not have a
family physician. While the last survey has wrapped up, the chance to weigh in on your health care needs is still available. A community forum will be held on Feb. 26, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Squiala Community Centre. Registration opens at 5 p.m., with a dinner served at 5:30 p.m. The Chilliwack Division of Family Practice will be putting forth a proposal to the General Practices Ser vices Committee about the community’s needs in mid-May, said
Ken Becotte, the division’s executive director. The whole process has opened up discussion among local doctors, he said, and has already resulted in changes. “We’ve got them thinking about what’s working,” he said. Following the presentation to the GPSC, they hope to implement some new strategies. For more information about the Primary Care Clinic at CGH, call 604-702-2850.
Want to Improve your Business Image?
A new poll shows cross-border shoppers still nip across the line for deals but they’re doing it less often because of the slide in the value of the loonie. The online survey by Insights West found 61 per cent of Metro Vancouver residents drove across the border at least once in the past 12 months, down from 74 per cent reported in a similar poll a year ago. Insights West president Steve Mossop said the findings also show the 10-cent slide in the Canadian dollar against the U.S. greenback – from US $1.01 a year ago to about 91 cents – is starting to have some impact. The poll found 37 per cent of respondents expect they will drive to the U.S. less often due to the less favourable exchange rate, while 60 per cent said their cross-border shopping patterns won’t change. “The shine has worn off a little bit because of the dollar’s impact,” Mossop said, adding Lower Mainland residents are very aware of the exchange rate and its impact. “The majority of people in Metro Vancouver are still taking trips across the border. It’s still a massive number.” The B.C. Business Council has previously estimated about $1.3 billion a year is being drained from the Lower Mainland’s retail economy by short-term cross-border spending. Mossop thinks that outflow may be reduced by 15 to 20 per cent if the dollar holds at its current level. The poll didn’t try to gauge what currency exchange rate would prompt a halt to most Continued: SHOPPING/ p12
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