A very special graduation ceremony was held in Hume Park last month.
Surrounded by family, friends and teachers, nearly 30 students from the Sigma alternative program, based at New Westminster Secondary School, received their high school diplomas and course certificates.
The event included a watermelon eating contest and egg races, as well as a ceremony in full grad regalia.
“Truthfully, this has been a good year for our students,” said youth care worker Sara Weatherby in a press release. “And this is one of life’s biggest accomplishments.”
Have your say
Want to share your thoughts on the school district’s mission, vision and values? Now’s your chance.
New Westminster school trustees have been working on a new mission and vision statement and list of values, and they are looking for comments from the community on the proposed statements and values.
Residents have until Aug. 25 to complete a brief survey on the draft statements the board has come up with (available at tinyurl.com/sd40statementsurvey).
“Your feedback, advice and recommendations will help clarify our overarching purpose, establish priorities, and guide decisions for our schools,” reads a writeup. “Your responses will be shared with the board of education in September and will guide us as we create a strategic plan and direction for New Westminster schools.”
Questions or concerns about this survey, can be sent to Holly Nathan, district communications coordinator, at [email protected].
Coming this September
New Westminster’s board of education will be on the road come September – first stop École Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary School.
In May, trustees approved the district parent advisory council’s recommendation to hold school board committee meetings at different schools in the district. The meetings will be hosted by the respective school’s parent advisory council as a way to improve communication and engagement between parents and the district.
The board’s first meeting after the summer break is the education policy and planning committee meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. Lord Tweedsmuir is at 1714 Eighth Ave.
Tiny library is ready
Don’t let its size fool you, the little free library at Richard McBride Elementary School is full of vast wonders.
Located at the front of the school at the garden, the tiny library came to fruition thanks to the school’s parent advisory council and a New Westminster neighbourhood small grant. McBride parent Craig Johnston designed and built the library and installed it with help from Ross Arbo, another parent.
So how does it work? Well, it’s open to anyone in the community. You can take a book or leave a book, and don’t forget to share the books so be sure to return the book when you’re done. Oh, and it’s all free.
No more classes, no more books
School’s out for the summer, so my Class Act column will be going on hiatus for a month or so. In the meantime, feel free to contact me directly with any education-related news. I can be reached by email at [email protected].
Have a great summer!
