The Vancouver School Board unanimously approved a trial of a student trustee for the 2013-14 school year Monday night.
The Vancouver District Student Council will choose a member of its council as trustee in September.
The student trustee wont be able to vote, attend private or closed trustees meetings or move a motion but he or she could suggest a motion at a board or committee meeting.
Dog daze
Parents in the West End want their elementary school grounds to be a dog-free zone.
Representatives of Lord Robertss parent advisory council are to voice their concerns to the Vancouver School Boards Planning and Facilities committee Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Parents say their children face the risk of dog bites and disease when dogs are allowed on their school field. They say dog owners arent cleaning up after their dogs and are allowing their pets to run off-leash during school hours.
The VSB could continue to allow on-leash dogs on Lord Robertss grounds and provide plastic bag dispensers with additional signs about the importance of owners cleaning up after their dogs and information about the off-leash dog area at nearby Nelson Park. The board could also highlight city and school board rules and provide information about who to call at the citys bylaw department. School board rules say dogs arent permitted within 15 metres of childrens playgrounds.
A second options sees the VSB implement a temporary six-month ban, with the exception of guide dogs, on Lord Robertss grounds. The report on the topic acknowledges enforcement of this policy would be a challenge.
Fraser Institute
Five of the top six secondary schools in the province are in Vancouver, according to the Fraser Institute. Private schools York House, Crofton House, St. Georges, West Point Grey and Little Flower Academy topped the list released June 17. The private Vancouver College ranked 15th out of 284 schools, public school University Hill and private King David ranked 18th.
The Report Card on British Columbias Secondary Schools 2013 rates schools based on seven indicators, using data from provincial exams, graduation and grade-to-grade transition rates. The Report Card includes information about the percentage of English as a second language and special needs students in each school and parents average income. York and Crofton house are listed as having no ESL students. Parents average income was roughly $118,000. The lowest ranked Vancouver school was private school Century International at 1788 West Broadway, which is reported to have no ESL students. Parents average income was $61,000.
The Fraser Institute reported 26 schools across the province have seen their academic performance improve over the past five years, including King David and Crofton House.
"Of the 26 B.C. secondary schools showing significant academic improvement, 16 are public schools where the parental income is below average," reads the Fraser Institutes press release. "At two of those schools, special needs students account for nearly 20 per cent of school enrolment."
crossi@vancourier.com
twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi
