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COMMUNITY
INDEX
Amy Chwojka has been part of the Sooke Fall Fair for more than 50 years from participant to judge Page 3
SPORTS
News Opinion Arts
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Sooke Minor Hockey hopes to shut out harassment with new programs for parents and players Page 27
Black Press
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
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Sooke is Selling! 2015 Sooke Home Sales: 290 2014 Sooke Home Sales: 300 TAMMI DIMOCK
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STUDENTS FACE YEAR OF CHANGE
Programs emphasizing ‘hands on’ learning just a number of changes coming to class Octavian Lacatusu Sooke News Mirror
As public school begins this week, parents and students alike are scrambling to get everything ready for a new academic year. Only, this year things are going to be different as the Sooke School District embarks on several new programs emphasizing “hands on” learning. The new school year in B.C. is the start of a three-year transition to a new curriculum that allows more flexibility and individual learning. The basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic will remain, but students will also be taught life skills, communication, collaboration and critical thinking.
Two areas of emphasis for the new curriculum are environmental education and an aboriginal perspective. Local schools are encouraged to work with aboriginal communities across the province to represent the full diversity of aboriginal experience. Next up is widening the updated grade configuration across all schools, which is kindergarten to Grade 5 in elementary, grades 6 to 8 in middle school and grades 9 to 12 in secondary school. The idea is to allow things such as having students from multiple schools be part of the same sports team or compete in the same league. Octavian Lacatusu/Sooke News Mirror
SEE SCHOOLS • PAGE 6
Edward Milne Community School teacher Ian McKenzie prepares his classroom for this week’s new academic year, which began yesterday.
BY THE NUMBERS A snapshot of Sooke School District’s public education system
$8,902
The average per pupil funding from the provincial government – a 42% increase since 2001-01
500
The number of full-time teachers employed in the Sooke School District this year
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Police urge caution in school zones
9,200
Slow down. That’s the message Sooke Mounties are urging drivers as school returns this week. Speed limits in school zones during school hours is 30 km/h, which starts
Estimated number of students expected to be enrolled in Sooke district schools in September
at 8 a.m. and remains in effect until 5 p.m. Another reminder, in or out of school times, is there is no texting or use of mobile devices while driving. Story Page 7
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