WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5 2016
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BRIGHT LIGHTS 12
Pioneer skiers
Reunion celebrates early arly days on the mountainss TASTE 25
Browns Socialhouse use
604.839.30 00 Michelle V aughan is a North Sh ore News StandOut B usiness. See PAGE 9
New location lives up to reputation SPORTS28
Capilano soccer
Two Blues men lighting ng up PacWest scoreboard d
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Police nab teens after SeaBus prank
JANE SEYD jseyd@nsnews.com
Two would-be SeaBus surfers had some serious ’splaining to do after they were caught riding across Burrard Inlet on the outside rear deck of the vessel Friday night.
TROLLEY TROT Sequined performers from North Vancouver contemporary dance company Lamondance entertain during a stop on Sunday’s Trolley Dances tour presented by the North Vancouver Community Arts Council. Guests were taken to four secret spots across the North Shore, in replica San Franciscostyle trolleys, and entertained by uniquely choreographed performances. See a photo gallery from the event at nsnews.com. PHOTO CINDY GOODMAN
Two boys somehow managed to sneak past SeaBus staff as the vessel prepared to leave the dock at North Vancouver’s Lonsdale Quay just before 7 p.m. They then got on to the rear of the ship and stayed hidden until a few minutes into the crossing, when they were spotted on the vessel’s deck by terminal staff on shore. One passenger on board the SeaBus at the time said the stunt pulled by the two teens appeared to be filmed by a friend who was inside the vessel. Once the captain of the SeaBus was alerted, the vessel was stopped, said Corp. Richard DeJong of the North
See Pranksters page 5
Report flags ‘vulnerable’ preschoolers
JANE SEYD jseyd@nsnews.com
Students entering kindergarten in one of West Vancouver’s most affluent neighbourhoods face significant challenges – in part because many new immigrant families haven’t tapped into early childhood experiences most Canadian families take for granted.
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About 43 per cent of students entering kindergarten who live in the British Properties are now considered “vulnerable” – meaning they don’t meet certain developmental benchmarks that could put them at risk for struggling in the classroom. That figure is more than four times what it was 10 years ago, when just 10 per cent of kindergarten kids were considered vulnerable. Much of the change is connected to changing demographics,
#623
Keep ‘em Guessing
Trixie Turner
Many youngsters from new immigrant families struggle at school’s start, findings reveal
said Sandra-Lynn Shortall, district principal of early learning for the West Vancouver School District. Many families are moving to the British Properties from countries like China and Iran just before school starts and children often haven’t experienced preschool environments like library reading, parent-tot drop-ins or Strong Start programs that help get kids ready for school, said Shortall. Some have only socialized with older cousins or siblings and aren’t used to playing
with kids their own age. “On those rainy days when we say ‘go play in the woods’ … a lot of these children haven’t experienced that before and it’s extremely overwhelming,” she said. Some also have very limited experience of unstructured physical play, which can result in a lag in motor skills, she said. “Running, jumping, hopping on one foot, balancing…those are things that are new experiences for many children.” Fortunately, Shortall told a West Vancouver crowd Tuesday morning, play-based programs designed to help new children and families can make a crucial difference. That’s one of the reasons the school district spearheaded the development of the Properties Family Hub, a community centre that draws from a
See Family page 7
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