Minister of education and minister responsible for early learning and literacy Shirley Bond was on the Coast Tuesday for a whirlwind tour of School District No. 46 (SD46). Bond met with teachers, students, union representatives, district staff and trustees during a nine-hour tour of SD46.
School fees, portfolios, the future of school planning councils, curriculum and healthy initiatives were issues raised with the minister.
During a Tuesday morning interview Bond told Coast Reporter she was particularly impressed with the questions posed by students.
"Actually the kids were great this morning," Bond said. "Very thoughtful questions about issues that are so important to us. Questions about healthy lifestyles and physical activity in schools and how we should do that. Questions about curriculum and how relevant our curriculum is and should there be a more global perspective to things like history so that we're learning about our world and not just our province. Questions about the portfolio - of course those are never a surprise to me. It was a very articulate group of students who asked some very thoughtful questions."
Superintendent of schools Stewart Hercus said SD46 had the opportunity to show off some of their early learning and special education programs to the minister who was pleased with what she saw.
"We talked about the SPARK program and what the alternative schools are doing as well as special education. There are some really great programs running in our district. We also talked about the need for more vocational training locally," Hercus said.
Bond was on the Coast as part of a commitment the provincial government made during the throne speech saying either Premier Gordon Campbell or Bond would visit every school district in the province.
Bond started her tour at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast with the board of school trustees and SD46 administrators. She then went to Elphinstone Secondary School to meet students and staff and take a tour of the school, then proceeded to Roberts Creek Elementary School to do the same, stopping for lunch at Pebbles Restaurant in Sechelt where she ate with union representatives, students, trustees and SD46 staff. She then went on to Chatelech Secondary School and Pender Harbour Secondary School before leaving on the 4:25 p.m. ferry from Earls Cove.
Students, teachers, union representatives, trustees and SD46 said they were impressed with the minister and were grateful she took time to meet with the various groups.
"It was great to have her here and to have the chance to show her that we really are the best school district in the province," Hercus said.
