RDPC Parent Advisory Council

January 11, 2010

Minutes

 

Present: Danny Morris(Chair), ,  Ryan Land (Principal) Lynn Watkins (Recorder), Betty Landego, Esther Latchman, Anne Lindsay,  Kristin Heis, Madeline Ponask

 

Regrets/Absent: Jim Mason, Debbie Mason, Sandra Goran, Esther, J Dyke, Karen Hillier, Dan Murphy

 

  1. Approval of Minutes- motioned by Anne, seconded by Madelaine. Passed

 

  1.  Mr Land’s report

·         Grade 9 program- outline circulated.  0.5 credit  elective tasters versus 1.0 credit electives . Includes Career Education for every student and a developing career portfolio that would grow with the student to Gr 12.  Starting with Grade 9s either this year or next.  Increase English credit time and .5 credit in Info and Communication technology (ICT). Students currently in grade 10-12 will not participate, but in future will.  There are a number of benefits for students including trying more options of what they like and compulsory portfolio to help them explore Life/work options.

·         Newsletter- coming out Jan 18th

·         Mineral Science Program 2010-2011. Costs sponsored by Vale Inco. Start projected for Sept 2010

·         Cyberbullying workshops

o   Jan 21st Westwood school parents

o   Jan 27th 7 pm RDPC

o   The bullying awareness week was well attended by students . Chad Yuriks- RCMP spoke to student

 

  1. Youth Aboriginal Council Conference YAC will be held Feb 5-7th at the High school
  2. School Start and Finish Times- considerable discussion occurred about options for changing school start time at 9am versus 8:45.

 

Students late due to bus schedule and possibly b/c of the earlier start time which may causing confusion for grade 9 parents.

 

 With an earlier start time, lunch would also be 15 minutes later.  Currently it is already later than elementary 12:10 to 1:10. 

Pros and cons discussed.   Basically changing schedule may cause other problems like offsetting lunch for parents who pick up kids, or for kids caring for  elementary siblings and shifting the school time may create problems with the bus schedule at home time. It affects more than grade 9s.  Later end time, may affect teachers and kids who have to pick up kids at elementary after school.

Action: Check if bus schedule can be altered to accommodate high school- Danny will obtain local transit schedule for Mr Land and find out if the city will continue to run the bus service. No other suggestions at this time.

 

  1. University level competence for writing English Papers- a few parents brought concerns forward to Danny about their child’s lack of preparedness after graduating from RDPC, for writing English papers at the University Level. 

 

Response – Writing papers is being taught, RDPC teachers do make connections to University during their classes. But it is thought that this is more related to not knowing APA referencing style.  RDPC does not teach this extensively and students may have to learn this at the University level. Writing a paper only affects a small portion of students. It’s common to see these struggles.  Transfer to University level isn’t quite natural. 

Suggestion- University boot camp to help prepare students.

 

 

  1. Budget- Question on Province cutting dollars and how this will affect SDML. Thompson always manages to maintain their program funding due pleading case to consider northern needs.  But are trying to sustain dollars as “regular” program dollars, rather than always having to plead a special case.

 

  1. Grad Account- Action: Danny to check

 

  1. Grad Scholarship- tabled till next meeting   

 

 

 

      9.  Next Meeting: Monday Feb 8th 7:00 pm School Library