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Counselling gives parents chance to let off steam Page A11
COMMUNITY: Volunteer goes the extra mile /A3 DRIVEWAY: Magnificent mustang regains shine /A16 HOMEFINDER: Balanced market helps everyone /A24
GOLDSTREAM
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Friday, June 13, 2014
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Walking the line together Parents, teachers and students walk the picket line in front of Spencer middle school Wednesday. The Sooke School District took its turn on the rotating strike schedule the night after the B.C. Teachers’ Federation voted 86 per cent in favour of a full walkout. See story, Page A3. Arnold Lim/News staff
Safegrad sees Grade 12s party safely Belmont grads roll into exam season with fun time at City Centre Park Arnold Lim News staff
Belmont secondary graduates are here for a good grad, and a Safegrad. An initiative spearheaded by the school, alongside parent volunteers, promises a safer after-prom party for graduating Grade
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12 students than the alternative, says principal Ray Miller. “We are trying to curb behaviour and negative tradition by hosting this event,” he says. “We spend thousands of dollars keeping kids safe and not going out for what has sometimes been an unhealthy tradition at proms, going out drinking and carrying on and sometimes ending up in tragedy.” Miller says he’s proud that the student buy-in for the three-year-old program has climbed steadily, starting with approximately 150 students in 2012, to 230 in 2013,
to more than 300 of 400 graduating students this year. “We are happy to announce we have over 75 per cent staying for safe grad. This trend has gone up over time and we can only thank the community. It is the community who we lobby for resources so we can buy safe grad fun events at City Centre Park.” The regular school prom happens tomorrow (June 14) from 5 to 11:30 p.m. and includes a dinner and a dance. Safegrad picks up from there, running through until 5 a.m. the next morning. Activities for this year’s Hollywood-themed
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event include bowling at Langford Lanes, limo rides, DJ music, a casino, hamster balls to run in, laser tag, sumo wresting, mini golf, bingo and more. “The West Shore and Belmont probably have the most (parent) volunteers putting on the prom event,” Miller said. “It is an unbelievable spectacle. We transform City Centre Park … You wouldn’t even recognize the place after (decorators) are finished with it.” PlEASE SEE: Grad party, Page A4
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