New Westminster school district superintendent John Woudzia posted a welcome back message for students and families on the district's website last week.
Woudzia wrote about the number of "choices" students have in the city, including programs of choice, apprenticeship training and alternate programs, in the district.
He also touched on the plans to build three new schools in New Westminster.
"We are also very excited about our new elementary school currently under construction, which is located on the former St. Mary's Hospital site and is scheduled to open its doors to students in September 2014. In addition, plans are well underway for construction of our third middle school in New Westminster, which will be located on the current John Robson school site.
"We are also anticipating project agreement approval for our replacement secondary school sometime during the 2013/14 school year. Once completed, these three schools will provide beautiful, stateof-the-art facilities for nearly half the student population of our school district."
This is exciting news for the many families who have waited years for the new schools.
Hitting their goal
The provincewide Imagine ... No Bullying campaign met its goal and raised more than $200,000 to bring Red Cross bullying prevention programs to more schools across B.C.
Thanks to generous supporters, the donations will allow Red Cross to reach more than 16,000 youth in B.C. with tools to prevent bullying in schools.
"The Imagine... No Bullying campaign was incredibly successful, and we're very grateful to everyone who participated," Sofia Joensuu, education associate for the Red Cross violence and abuse prevention program, said in a press release. "As kids prepare to go back to school, they can rest assured that Red Cross is working hard to put an end to all types of violence, abuse and harassment in B.C. schools."
The Red Cross bullying prevention program trains youth and adults on how to prevent bullying, how to safely intervene in bullying situations and how to create healthy environments in schools and communities. Red Cross youth facilitators, who are high school students, deliver the bullying prevention workshops to elementary school students.
"As a victim of bullying myself, when the opportunity to become a youth facilitator came forth, I felt empowered to have the chance to approach bullying from an insider's point of view," Hannah Block, a senior student at New Westminster Secondary and Red Cross youth facilitator, said in the release.
This unique peer-facilitation model is very effective because younger students look up to the older students as role models and are positively influenced to change or prevent bullying behaviour, the release says. The campaign launched in September 2012 and concluded at the end of the 2012/13 school year.
For more information on the Red Cross RespectED: Violence & Abuse Prevention program, visit www.redcross.ca.
twitter.com/nikimhope
