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 The nuisance of smoking and the advantages of a new report card were discussed as the Flin Flon School Board met last week. Queen's Park had become a smoking area for a number of students from nearby Hapnot Collegiate and Many Faces Education Centre. But since the school division now owns the park, that is no longer an option as lighting up is banned on all school property. The situation is creating problems in the neighbourhood, something trustees discussed at their Nov. 13 meeting. 'On the street, across the road, on the sidewalk,' said Trustee Glenn Smith when asked where students are smoking. Unsurprisingly, Trustee Murray Skeavington, board chair, said there have been complaints from nearby residents. Those complaints, he said, have been 'pushing the kids towards the highway (10A)' away from the houses and further from the schools. Trustee Skeavington said the schools are now 'trying to work with the kids to find a solution.' Trustee Trish Sattelberger added that the Northern RHA has been working to reduce smoking rates among the students. On a positive note, high school students are taking a more detailed report card home to their parents. Effective this year, the province requires high schools produce report cards that gauge students both academically and in terms of behaviour. 'It kind of stresses more the social development of students than it used to in the past,' said Trustee Smith, a former Hapnot principal. The report card still gives students a traditional, percentage-based academic grade. But it also measures them on behaviours such as punctuality and evaluates both their strengths and weaknesses. See 'Hapnot...' on pg. 7 Continued from pg. 3 Hapnot was a pilot school for the report card last year. Now that it is mandatory, Many Faces has now also converted to the new card. 'It's a little more descriptive for each student,' said Superintendent of Schools Blaine Veitch. Veitch said a new report card will also be required at the elementary level effective next year. Other highlights from last week's meeting: Trustees signed teachers Erin Jamieson and Raymond Biberdorf to contracts, and added Chelsey Veitch to the substitute teacher list subject to her successful application for a limited substitute teaching permit. Trustee Skeavington urged parents and guardians to attend the upcoming Christmas concerts at the schools. Parents can contact the schools for the dates. Trustee Skeavington congratulated organizers of the recent Jazz Festival at Hapnot, saying it illustrated the high quality of the local band program. Veitch announced that Ruth Betts Community School would be hosting a clothing depot on Nov. 20 and 21 in the mini gymnasium. Families will be invited to come in and pick up gently-used clothing, donations of which are appreciated.
