sew ece

Sed en

By CRIS LEYKAUF LAST YEAR'S crop of graduating sludents in the northwest had trouble with math and English, indicate provincial lest results.

Bul some students did very well in history and French.

The results fram the 1995 province-wide ‘exams are used by any number of people to prove or disprove their theories,

“Tt doesn’t: mean a heck of.a lot,” said Harold Cox, director: of ‘instruction for School District 88 of the exam results.

“There's a million things that can affect how kids per- form on provincial exams. My personal tveling is yeah, I wanl to do better, but there are other considerations.”

And there are many ways

- lo interpret the results, he

pointed out,

For example, in math it tended to be students in the lower mainland in large schools which did well. On the other end of the scale were Inuch’ smaller schools in smaller communities.

There may be many rea- sons’ for this split: It could be linked ta the high num- ber of Asian’ students in lower mainland schools, Asian cultures have tradi- tionally placed high empha- sis on math,

[’s also important to. re- member that while the aver- age may be low, there could also be a number of students who did very well on the exam, said Cox,

“Over the years Terrace has got some really shining examples of students who have done well,” he said.

That doesn’t mean the school district will be ignor- ing these results and Ter- race’s rating,

*"We will be working wilh principals, the schools and the staff to try and = im- prove,’’ said Cox. ‘We all take il very seriously.’’

As for what the schools can do, Cox isn’t sure. In

sone cases, the teacher who-

laugh a course that students may tot have done well in may have moved on. Other-

NW Exam results vary widely

GRADE 12 students around thé northwest are already getting ready to write pravincial exeims later this year, such as this Caledonia English 12 class. Thare are many factors that can influence a student's performance in

exams, If parents are concerned about how their children mi support and encouragement, says one school board official.

ght fare, the best thing they can do is offer their

wise, some of the schools nly concentrate on offering more tutorials, or putting more resources towards a cerlain course.

“Its up to the princi- pals,’’ said Cox.

But the ones who can

“make the most difference in

a child’s education are his or hier parents, stressed Cox.

“The = most impertant thing is for parents to en- courage and ‘support their child,’ said) Cox.) ‘Kids here can do just as well as kids anywhere else in the province.”? ..

History: wiis“the Capship: “subject for Schaol : District:

88, which Slewart and

encompasses Hazelton.

Hazelton Secondary was 7th

in the” province” with an average score of 73.57 per com, Students at Caledonia also fared well in that sub- ject, just slightly lower at 69.8 per cent. Kitimat ranked in the imiddle of the

In- geography the results weren’t quite as good. Stu- denls at Caledonia averaged 63.13 per cent; in Hazelton approximalely 50 per cent, while students in Kitimat scared 65,28 per cent.

When it came to chemistry Caledonia students Ied the norlhwest with 70.63 per cel. Kitimat trailed with 62.25-per cent-and: Hazelton

-caveraged 60 per cent:

Physics was a tougher subject’ for Cal students. They were in the lower

A New Season of Unique Clothing & Footwear.

Come in and brouse at

wa 1771

problems?

: a (eel the difference-

| gam “Xperience a session with our Bema touch for health and reflexology practitioner.

4652 Lazelle Ave. Terrace

Ne you have any of these

fm ...stress, backache, neck or 3 shoulder tension, ankle and ee foot problems, knee pain... @ or just need to relax??

im Then, take a healttiy step and

IMAGES BY KARLENE

INTRODUCES

VIRGINIA HYSTAD

Certified TF. Practitioner

OPEN WEEKDAYS UNTIL 7PM.

Open Weekdays until 7:00 p.m.

My DPOF

635-4997

range with’ 61.69 per cent. Kilimat students scored: an average of 68,97 per cent.

Math was a weak spot for many students in the north- west. Caledonia studeuts scored 61,12 per cent; Kitimat averaged 58.29 per cent; Hazellon was lower with 46.73 per cent while the Nisga’a Elementary Secondary School was at the bottom of the list with an average of 32.28 per cent,

In biology, Kitimat slu- dents scored 65,82 per cent; Caledonia averaged 56,63 per cent; Hazelton . was

lower with. 52.90° per cent - and Nisga’a students were al

the bottom of the list with an average of 47.55 per cent. ,

English was not a strong

“point for inany northwest

students, Nispa’a school stu- dents were second lowest in the provitice with 44.42 per cen; Hazelton fared slighily better with 57.83 per cent; Stewart Secondary students scored an average of 6U,62 percent; Caledonia students averaged 62.39 per cent. Kitimat students fared better with an average of 68,52 per cent.

Only one school in the northwest wrote English Literature exams. Students at Caledonia averaged 60.1 percent on thal exam.

And:-in- French just: two schools in the wrole exams. Terrace stu. dents averaged 71.6 per cenl and Kitimat scored 68.1 per cent.

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 28, 1996 - A3

northwest?

Nass school buckles down

IT’S A hard thing to face. Grade 12 students at Nisga’a Elementary Secondary School in the Nass Valley had the worst average in the province on provincial exams in two subjects, and the second-worst average in anoth- er subject,

But the school’s principal Art Tindill bas already made changes in the school to bring those averages up. He took up the job of principal this September.

‘We'll get better,” he says confidently. The school has approximately 95 per cent Nisga’a students, aud is unique among other schools in the province.

Province-wide, only eight per cent of First Nations students who start school graduate from grade 12. In the Nass Valley those numbers are 60-65 per cent, points out Tindill. But he'd like to see them pet higher.

Before he can concentrate on raising the grades of the students, he has to work on gelting them to come to school. ‘‘Our attendance pattern with students falls off dramatically beginning in grade 10,’? says Tindill,

“Our exam scores and success rates aren't going to increase until allendance improves, and we can’t do that alone”?

To get his point across Tindill has talked to the band administration, school board, parents, students and more. ‘T talk about the importance of attendance everywhere I go,” he says,

Many students at the school used to think nothing of leaving school at lunch on Friday, to join their parents ona shopping lip to Terrace. Now Tindilf is trying to convince parents to make their children put in a full day on Friday.

Oue way he’s secured the support of the parents is by helping to form a parents advisory council, the first the valley has ever had.

But i’s not enough to make sure the students are at

school. Tindill wants to make sure they’re working while they're in school. ‘The kids here have got to learn about work ethic and better work habits,’” says Tindill. “With that in mind Tindill has added a special category to the honour roll this year which rewards kids who may not be getting As and Bs, but are still setting passing grades.

“Tt recognizes that they’re daing the work and that they "re experiencing success,’’ says Tindill.

“The elders and chiefs prize education but it comes through effort and hard work,” says Tindili. ‘“They know thal no one is going to get a job simply because Ahey are Nisga’a and have been to school,’

Another change Tindill is making is to ensure only students who bave a reasonable chance of passing grade 12 participate in the graduation ceremony.

In the past some staff has even boycotted the grad ceremony because students were being allowed to par- ticipate who definitely wouldn’t be graduating.

‘Tf we reward bogusly the lack of attendance than we're fooling ourseives,”’ says Tindill, He has the full support of the graduating class, parents and staff in this inilialive.

Tindili knows the school isn’t going to accomplish its goals overnight, but the communily and school have agreed these steps — developing a better attendance — record and a better work ethic — must be taken.

He expects there will be some flak from parents whose children have been suspended under the strict. new guidelines, but says that isn’t going to deter him.

years,

“At Northern Savings, we’ll help you make the right RRSP choices.”

9

Ken Earl, Manager Terrace Comuanity Branch

Introducing The Primer

Northern Savings takes the worry out of rate fluctuations with the Primer. The rate paid on The Primer is set at prime minus 1% and if the prime rate increases, so will the rate you earn. Plus, the rate is guaranteed to never fall below 6.5%. The Primer is available for terms of three to five

Enjoy flexibility and rate protection with The Primer.

~ Gail your local branch today for full details.

4

NORTHERN. SAVINGS

‘Terrace Community Branch . Phone: 638-7822 .