High school principals on the Coast will decide whether to proceed with grad portfolios with a decision expected this spring.
"We're going to talk about this at Thursday's principals' meeting," super-intendent of schools Stewart Hercus said Wed-nesday. "I would say we will let the individual schools make the decision as to what they want to do. I think the principals will have to talk to kids about it and talk to parent advisory councils and school planning councils, etc. After that consultation, I think something will be decided."
A recent news release from the Ministry of Education says that individual districts will have the power to decide whether to proceed with grad portfolios, which have been complex and time-consuming for grads to compile. The portfolios were introduced in 2004 as a mandatory requirement for graduation. In response to concerns, they were made optional for those graduating this year. Now the ministry has decided to leave the issue of grad portfolios up to individual school districts, saying students must simply complete three standards to graduate. Those standards include demonstrating 80 hours of physical activity and 30 hours of work experience or community service and creating a grad transition plan.
"I think we tried to capture what was best about the portfolio and also not see the end of it completely because it really is an important tool for students and for educators," Shirley Bond said in an interview with Coast Reporter. Bond is the minister of education and minister responsible for early learning and literacy who was on a tour this week of School District No. 46 (SD46).
"I think the question is, is it perfect for every student? The answer we've come to is it shouldn't be mandatory. So what we've done is concentrated on what the student should learn. It's a much more streamlined set of expectations."
Sunshine Coast Teachers' Association president Denis Fafard feels the idea of a graduation portfolio is a good one; however, he said completing the portfolios proved impractical.
"For kids who were capable it was a great thing those students who had the financial resources could make wonderful portfolios with binders and slip covers and photos all done up nicely on the computer," Fafard said. "They were the kids who had the finances and the support at home to get the portfolios finished. But there were a significant number of kids who did not possess the support or the funds to do that."
Fafard said the portfolios were instituted without proper funding or teacher support to make them a reality.
"They were just added into an already hectic timetable, squeezed in between provincial exams and work schedules. They tried to shoehorn it in, and it created all sorts of problems," he said.
Fafard would like to see adequate teacher time dedicated to the portfolios and funding from the government for the program if it is to continue in SD46.
Another option may be to set up a class dedicated to helping students reach each of the graduation expectations.
"We could include a class, but we will look at how we want to handle that when speaking with school communities," Hercus said.
