rower fe tly = ~=e a 2 Pe a ee a eee le eee 8 ee eee ee ee eee wR ee a Fm Hee ree - eee ry oe aye A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 9, 2003 Elementary schools here get bad grades In report By JENNIFER LANG SOME TERRACE schools should go to the back of the class for academic performance, a controver- sial new “report card” on elementary schools sug- gests. The Fraser Institute — known for its annual report card on B.C, high schools - recently released its first-ever teport card rank- ing 800 B.C. elementary schools. Of five Terrace area public elementary schools, Clarence Michiel Elemen- tary is rated the lowest, at 2.6 out of a possible 10 marks for overall acade- mic performance. It's ranked 786 out of 813 elementary schools. Cassie Hall is next, with 2.8 out of 10 and a rank of 784, according to the Fraser Institute. The report is based on Foundation Skills Assess- ment (FSA) results from 2000 to 2002, assigning each school an overall ra- ting out of 10. That explains why Cop- per Mountain Elementary is rated, even though it was closed last year due to budget cuts. Copper Moun- tain got a 2.9 rating, put- ting it at number 780, Thornhill Elementary fared better. It's ranked at 745 out of 813, earning a 3.6 rating overall for aca- demic performance. Uplands Elementary scored the best out of Ter- tace’s public: schools: on the report card, earning a rank of 502 out of 813 B.C. elementary schools. Uplands was assigned a 5.6 rating out of 10 over all for academic performance over the past three years, Terrace’s two indepen- dent schools scored much higher on the report card, with Veritas Catholic School earning a 7.2 rating overall. The K-7 private school is ranked 228 out of 813 elementary schools, putting it in the same company as .Sir James Douglas, a public school in Victoria. Terrace’s Centennial Christian school also fared well, earning a 6.3 rating for academic performance and a rank of 386 — about the middle of the pack. The Fraser Institute’s report cards have been cri- ticized by teachers and others for the narrow scope of the data used. This re- port used FSA scores, par- ents’ average education in years, and looked at the gap in academic perfor- ‘mance between boys and girls on the FSA tests. Critics say the reports don’t measure’ the full spectrum of student achie- vement. The FSA is an Educa- tion Ministry exam testing the basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills of students in Grades 4, 7 and 10. The ministry says the FSA is a snapshot that should be used to establish a benchmark of compari- son year-to-year. The report’s authors Peter Cowley and Stephen Easton say socio-economic factors aren’t the only rea- son schools rate well or poorly. Statutory shopping decision deadline looms for city council CITY COUNCIL, not the chamber of commerce, must make a decision on how Terrace will regulate holiday shopping, council- lor David Hull says. He was responding to the suggestion by mayor . Jack Talstra that the city would follow the cham- ber’s lead on the issue — if the business group is itself able to make a decision. Terrace was one of the only towns that relied on provincial laws to control holiday shopping. And the province's de- cision this year to rescind that legislation means there will be wide open shopping on statutory holi- days after mid-August un- less Terrace creates its own bylaw. ‘Council has to do something,” Hull said last week. He leans toward main- taining some sort of regu- lation of holiday shopping. Chamber officials have conducted a series of sur- veys of members with in- conclusive results. The most recent survey found most would support open- ing on just the summer ho- . lidays to sell to tourists. Hull isn’t sure that would work, HISTORY. AT A GLANC a final time. i Shelley Heynen. system,” proposal. 5 YEARS AGO ! IT WAS a tearful farewell for Co-op employees last Tuesday, as the doors closed on the store for the § 7 Staff got together to say their goodbyes at the istore before heading to a farewell barbecue. “It’s really going to hil us in a few days when we J have to shop and we head here by accident,” said § Unsold goods were picked up by a liquidation | J company earlier in the day and shelving and other | # equipment will go to local businesses. Customer re- : Isponse ranged from sadness to disappointment to . I bitterness over the closing. — July 8 1998 10 YEARS AGO MORE THAN 70 outraged homeowners are vowing | to beycott a $1.9 million sewer system approved for § the Queesnway area in a June 12 referendum. ® Opponents of the sewer plan brought their con- i cerns and a 72-name petition to the Kitimat Stikine Regional District board meeting June 27. “We are firm in our stand,” the petition states. J “Under no circumstances will we hook up to this § The referendum passed with 168 residents in fa- vour and 124 opposed. The low-pressure system will cost each homeowner $350 a year over 20 years or fan upfront $2,770. There will also be an annual § maintenance cost of $150 and a $1,000 hookup fee. § y © Opponents say the referendum passed because a renters were allowed to vote but will not pay the ca- pital costs incurred by homeowners, — 15 YEARS AGO 7 SHAMES Mountain Ski Corporation wants the pay- J w ment schedule to the regional district for the Kit- #sumkalum ski hill equipment pushed back by one year and has asked Terrace council to support the The corporation "purchased the equipment fram A the Kitimat-Stikine Regional District to install on Shames Mountain and has already negotiated sev- cral payment deferrals. — July 6, 1988 From the archives of the Terrace Standard — your B facal newspaper of record since 1988. Construction, Terrace Your Local Highway & Bridge Maintenance Contractor Ph: (250) 633-188] July 7, 1993 He said it might set up the perception that the city is selectively choosing to bar shopping on religious holidays like Christmas and Easter -— something that could prompt a legal or human rights challenge. “I don’t think we can declare Christian holidays to be non-shopping days,” said Hull, who will ask ad- * Ministrators to examine the legal issues. ta Correction THE historic provincial police building on the cor- ner of Lakelse Ave. and’ Kalum St. has not in fact been bought. by Harriet Howell and Sherrie Milne .as reported in the July 2, 2003 issue of the Terrace Standard. The mother and daugh- ter are leasing the building and opening a women’s clothing store there. Washers & Dryers f Fridges & Stoves eTV’s, Vacuums & Electronics or The Sweet Scent Of Fragrance SELECTION OF CANDLES! Wide variety of the floating, scented, decorative, iar condles, pillars & aromatherapy as well as Oil Lamps ond Aroma Sachets _ OPEN 6 DAYS A AWEEK oe *Eorly registration: $20. 00 (10 days'in ‘advance).: . _ Late registration: $25. 00. - ¢Includes 2003: ‘Adventure Challenge t-shirts - a different one for each event, collect them all events. $1.5 one-tima charge for insurance purposes. Coverage for entire 2003 biking sea: www.terracestandard.com/pages/adventurechallenge For information, call Sarah at 638-7283 IN-VILTAT- LON: TO. Telephone: (604) 528-2577 local 2560 “.www.behydra.com — | Sunday, July 20° Sund duly 27 ‘King of the Mountai anning Race ‘Start finish ot) errace Arena Sign-in 8:30 a.m." ‘Race at 10; 00 a, Me. * Saturday, Ugust 2.” . Climbing Competition. - Chist Creek Forest Recreation Si y* Must a o Terraca Off Road Cydling Association {TORCA} member Io porticipoto in biking f . - Sunday ly 13° Open ater Swim KinKamp at Lakelse Lake, — Blgmin 8:00 am.’ ~- Race ot &: 40 a.m, Downhill Mountain Bike Race Shames Mountain Sign-in 10;00.a.m Race at 12 noon “Sign-in 9:00 a.m. . Competition at-10 - Sunday, hugs 3 “Advance registration “only. a ‘2p.m.start-10 p.m finish : 8-Hrs of onion, ake e- TENDER Description Reference | Closing Date Electricity Meter Reading and Associated | A3-0010 16 July 2003 Services in Bella Coola, B.C. Electricity Meter Reading and Associated | A3-0011 16 July 2003 Services in Dease Lake, B.C. Electricity Meter Reading and Associated =| A3-0012 16 July 2003 Services in Eddontenajon, B.C. Electricity Meter Reading and Associated | A3-0013 16 July 2003 Services in Queen Charlette Island — Northem area, B.C. Details available from the office of BC Hydro Purchasing Manager, 6911 Southpoint Drive, 13th Floor, Burnaby, BC V3N 4X8. Sealed Tenders clearly marked with reference number will be received at the above address until 11:00am on the above closing date, BGhydro Authorized xX Sales Ageut z 75th Anniversary Ho T hh, ALCAN Terrace Arena 2003 Join Us For A Walk Down Memory Lane Photos, Refreshments, Entertainment MEMORY LANE SOCIAL Friday, August 1, 2003 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. mecoming ALCAN Ko * Kinsmen # ‘aer® Saturday, Aug. 2nd ¢ Starts at 8:00 p.m. Dance $10.00 per event Tickets for both events are available a City Hall, Ev’s Mens Wear, Misty River Books Admittance restricted to age | arid over ~~ ESS REN SS te nepey