The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Literacy and words of kudos were on the agenda as the Flin Flon School Board met last week. Highlights from the Apr. 10 meeting include: Simeon Priddle, the school division's literacy consultant, delivered a presentation on the division's literacy plan. He noted that for the past several years, the division has been placing heavy emphasis on preparing students in the area of literacy. With this in mind, the division has adopted a goal to have 95 per cent of students achieve one year's growth in literacy as well as numeracy in a given school year. To that end, a number of projects have been undertaken, including assessments for learning, testing to determine reading and writing levels, and early intervention programs. Trustee Murray Skeavington congratulated the 1950-1956 Hapnot Kweens basketball team on their upcoming induction into the Manitoba High School Sports Hall of Fame. The Kweens are the only team among a group of inductees that includes six individual athletes and three builders. The inductees will be honoured at an April 21 reception in Winnipeg. Superintendent Blaine Veitch commended long-time phys-ed teacher Doug Gawiak, who has been nominated for a Years of Service Award. On behalf of Sport Manitoba, Gawiak has been invited to attend the 25th Annual Coaching Manitoba Excellence Awards Breakfast. Veitch said the awards program recognizes the achievements and contributions Manitoba coaches have made to their communities. Gawiak presently teaches phys-ed at Ecole McIsaac School. Veitch applauded McIsaac student Louisa Morin, who will represent Flin Flon at the Canada-Wide Science Fair to be held next month in Charlottetown, PEI. See 'Stude...' on pg. 11 Continued from pg. 7 Louisa was chosen to attend the national fair at last month's Northern Manitoba Regional Science Fair, held at Ruth Betts Community School. Her project is entitled 'What You Don't Know About Your Hand Cleansers.' Joining her in representing northern Manitoba in Charlottetown will be Sage Chervaty and Dane Wanke, both of Thompson. Secretary-treasurer Heather Fleming noted the division has been given the okay to proceed with an upgrade to the biology lab at Hapnot. She said the division is working with the province's Public Schools Finance Board in hiring a consultant for the project. It is not clear whether the work will proceed this spring or next year, Fleming added. In an effort to spark students' interest in scientific fields, the provincial government announced last year it would renovate the lab. Hapnot was among the Manitoba schools selected to benefit from the province's Science Education Action Plan (SEAP). At the time of the announcement, then-MLA Gerard Jennissen said the project would 'ensure that our students have access to the best labs and equipment, helping them to become the doctors, engineers, scientists and technologists of the future.' The final cost of the renovation was not known at the time of the announcement, as cost estimates still had to be completed. Trustee Skeavington encouraged parents to visit their children's schools, if possible, to commemorate April 16-20 as Education Week. The theme of the week is 'public schools are my schools,' he noted. Trustee Skeavington wished students and staff, recently returned from spring break, good luck for the remainder of the academic year.
