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Sd73

Students will continue to enjoy longer spring break in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS – The two-week spring break is likely here to stay. Of the parents surveyed, 59 per cent were in favour of the two-week break while teachers reported no “backward slide” after the two weeks and thought students were healthier physically and enthusiastic. School board chair Denise Harper admits the original idea was met with...

Upgrading your high school courses will now cost you

KAMLOOPS – Graduated adults looking to upgrade their high school courses, often to boost the GPA before applying to university, will now have to pay for those upgrades. Yesterday, July 6, the board of education agreed to start charging graduated adults to take courses, effective immediately. A standard 110-hour class will cost $570. The only...

The rise of technology in Kamloops schools

KAMLOOPS - If you've been in a school lately you might notice things look a little different than when you were a student. You will find SMART Boards in many classrooms as well as computer labs and mobile iPad labs in most schools. School trustee Gerald Watson came to Kamloops in 1977, when he started...

Teachers’ union to make last ditch effort to avoid job cuts

KAMLOOPS – The Kamloops-Thompson School Board meets Monday to vote on the district's job slashing budget and the teachers' union will be there to argue against the cuts. The local Teachers' Association will present a report from its provincial body in an effort to prevent the board's plan to layoff 17 teachers and three educational...

Fraser Institute report offers ‘no value’ for Kamloops students

KAMLOOPS – The Fraser Institute has released its report on the top primary and secondary schools in the province, and according to Karl deBrujin, superintendent of the Kamloops-Thompson School District, it is a predictable list of no added value to him or schools in his district. Kamloops’ top elementary school was once again a private...

Budget cuts not best for students: Kamloops teachers’ association

KAMLOOPS – The Kamloops teachers' union is frustrated with the proposed cuts that would see 17 teachers and three educational assistants lose their jobs heading into the next school year, but if others join them in their frustration they did not officially bring up their concerns with the school district. In a letter submitted to...

Kamloops superintendent salary remains ‘status quo’

KAMLOOPS – As school districts across the province deal with budget shortfalls some boards are also offering up raises to administration. The Kamloops-Thompson School District has faced cuts of nearly $3 million and is looking at laying off as many as 17 teachers and three educational assistants this year. Many other districts are facing similar...

School board will continue to have challenging budgets for the foreseeable future

KAMLOOPS – It looks like it’s going to be a lean school year. The Kamloops-Thompson School District was charged with trimming roughly $3 million from their operating budget at the expense of 20 full-time teacher and teacher assistant positions and yet to be determined administration costs. Last year the district saw a modest increase in...

Kamloops schools put in lockdown after ‘swatting’ prank

KAMLOOPS - A week after a Sahali school was shut down due to a suspected prank call, two Westsyde schools were locked down after an anonymous call made reference to weapons and bombs, police say. Cpl. Wayne Chung with the Kamloops RCMP says the police were made aware of the phone threat shortly after 2:30...

Westsyde schools put in lockdown after ‘swatting’ prank

KAMLOOPS - A week after a Sahali school was shut down due to a suspected prank call, two Westsyde schools were locked down after an anonymous call made reference to weapons and bombs, police say. Cpl. Wayne Chung with the Kamloops RCMP says the police were made aware of the phone threat shortly after 2:30...

Kamloops school district to cut 20 positions

KAMLOOPS - A total of 20 teachers and educational assistants are set to lose their jobs this summer as the school district struggles to cut nearly $800,000 in administrative costs amid a drop in student registration. Kamloops-Thompson School District 73 presented their proposed budget to the public last night, April 21, and while trimming nearly...

Regional Science Fair underway at TRU

KAMLOOPS - This week more than 160 science-loving students from around the Kamloops-Thompson School District and the Cariboo region are competing for a spot in the national fair. Students in Grades 4 to 12 will have their projects on display in the Thompson Rivers University gymnasium Thursday and Friday. They are competing for cash prizes,...

Day of Secwentwecw brings city kids closer to the land

KAMLOOPS - When you are learning about nature it doesn't really make sense to be holed up in a school gymnasium, so Stuart Wood Elementary students spent part of the day at Riverside Park learning about the Secwepemc and Nlaka’Pamux First Nations and what their beliefs and traditions can teach us today. Tuesday, April 7,...

Automated defibrillators could be coming to a high school near you

KAMLOOPS - The foundation that brought first aid training to Kamloops secondary students could soon be bringing the automated defibrillators to local schools. The Advance Coronary Treatment Foundation is offering to help establish an automated external defibrillator program. It would be an expansion of the CPR training already in place and students at participating schools would...

School board getting creative with budget cuts

KAMLOOPS - Another year, another round of budget cuts for the Kamloops-Thompson School District, which means staff will be forced to get even more creative with the budget. School district secretary-treasurer Kelvin Stretch says not only is the district facing a potential decline in enrolment to the tune of 300 students, the Ministry of Education...

How the school district plans to handle snow days

KAMLOOPS - After Kamloops students received unprecedented snow days at the beginning of January some parents and staff were left frustrated with a lack of clear policy, but with an emergency procedure policy set to be adopted next week expectations on future snow days should be a little more clear cut. School District 73 is...

NorKam Trades Centre finally open

KAMLOOPS - After months of delays the new trades centre at NorKam Secondary School is finally open and so far the programs are surpassing expectations. School District 73 district principal Sheryl Lindquist says the 18 students who made the cut — more than 100 initially applied — are working hard and loving the course. “Students...

Legal case against school closure comes to abrupt end

KAMLOOPS - The Downtown and West End Residents’ Association is dropping out of a legal battle with the school district over the planned closure of Stuart Wood School. Chair Bruce Thomson says the decision was made official today, Friday, Feb. 6, because the cost is too prohibitive and the likelihood of getting any meaningful change...

Policy change meant to address homophobia concerns

KAMLOOPS - Nearly two years after teacher Don Wilson asked the school district to consider an anti-homophobic harassment policy the district appears ready to act, but not exactly what Wilson was looking for. The district is preparing to replace a section of the policy entitled ‘Race Relations’ with ‘Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights.’ The policy, while...

How one school is trying to tighten up its dress code

"HAIR COLOUR, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTS, MUST BE WITHIN THE FOLLOWING SPECTRUM..." KAMLOOPS — If you think your school is strict, have a look at this draft dress code for a private school in Kamloops which explicitly says: No tie dye, no ‘bling’ on belts, no multiple pockets, solid colour socks only and no "whacky" hair. This...

District to look at fresh adult education options

PROVINCIAL FUNDING CUT KAMLOOPS - Adults looking to upgrade their schooling through the Kamloops Thompson School District may soon need to look at other options. In December the Ministry of Education announced it will not be funding graduated adults enrolling in ministry courses as of May 1. They will still fund the 26 foundation courses...