By Lyonel Doherty
School District No. 53 is celebrating some good news.
The 2018/19 completion rates for Indigenous students have improved significantly.
Superintendent of Schools Bev Young reported that the six-year completion rates for Indigenous learners is 65.4 per cent, up from the previous year of 56.3 per cent.
“This is the highest rate of completion in the past five years,” she pointed out.
New program offered
The school district will be offering a new program starting in February 2020.
The “Gateway to Technology” program will be a partnership with Okanagan College. This program will run two evenings per week from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Okanagan College campus in Oliver. Students will get exposure to computer coding, web development and other aspects of computer technology.
The program is limited to 16 seats and applications are available at all secondary schools and YouLearn. Tuition for the program will be paid for students through the Dual Credit funding, so there is no cost for them.
Chef program
Once again, the district will be hosting a professional cook program at SOSS in partnership with Camosun College.
“It looks as though we will have a full class,” said Superintendent of Schools Bev Young.
Young paramedic
Another student in the district has completed the introductory paramedic course through the Justice Institute of B.C. this past summer.
Grade 12 student Dayton Hayes from SOSS did a great job and was the youngest person to complete the course. The dedicated student will be enrolling in the Primary Care Paramedic course through the Justice Institute during the second semester.
Kids in the Know
Is your kid in the know?
The school district is offering a program called Kids in the Know, an interactive Canadian Centre for Child Protection program designed for kindergarten to Grade 9 students.
The purpose of the program is to help educators teach children and youth effective personal safety strategies that build resiliency and reduces their likelihood of victimization in the online and offline world.
