THE DRAGON'S PEN
/by Henry MacDougall
(click images to enlarge)
COUNTING THE DAYS ‘TIL SUMMER BREAK!
Welcome to May at King George! As the weather becomes increasingly summer-like, so does the general attitude at school, with anticipation for summer growing by the day.
This May issue of “The Dragon’s Pen” will go over some recent changes to the curriculum, as well as fundraisers put on by the KG Dragons, and some important notes about graduation and year-end dates.
KG Basketball players raising funds on Denman on a sunny Saturday afternoon (Henry MacDougall Photos)
KING GEORGE DRAGONS FUNDRAISING
The KG Boys Basketball team is at it again! The Dragons have returned to their annual fundraising, washing cars and selling snacks and cold drinks by donation. If you would like to support boys basketball at King George, stop by and leave a donation. Check by the school on weekends and sunny days after school if you’d like to support local students playing sports.
Pink tape covering the walls of a VANDALIZED King George washroom.
VANDALISM IN THE BATHROOMS
Recently, King George has seen an uptick in vandalism in bathrooms. Graffiti and some general unsanitary acts have led to posters being put up outside washrooms, asking students not to vandalize them.
Vandalizing the washrooms is unwise, as KG’s already meager funds would need to be spent on repairs rather than upgrades. KG’s bathrooms are already in a weak state, with feeble, lukewarm taps and — often — a noticeable odour. Most students avoid school washrooms already, and would rather hold it in, opting to use the facilities elsewhere.
CHANGES TO CURRICULUM - REMOVAL OF IB
After this school year, King George, Elsie Roy, and the nearby Lord Roberts will depart from the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP).
This decision was made after MYP was found to be not in compliance with IB standards, with significantly large investments into staff training and program resources necessary to reach the standards outlined by IB. These upgrades to the program would add up to as much as $1 million, as stated by the VSB in a bulletin post from November of 2024.
At KG, students from grades 8-10 will see a difference in their marks, as they will no longer be presented with the infamous IB “1-8 Scale”. Instead, students will receive marks in the eerily similar "Proficiency Scale” system, in which grades range from “Emerging” (around a 50 per cent, the minimum to pass) to “Extending” (Around 90 per cent, the highest mark possible).
One of the most notable impacts of the change at KG will be the removal of the grade 10 MYP personal project, which gives students credit for the 12th Grade capstone project that would otherwise be a graduation requirement. Students who have already done their MYP personal project will not need to complete the capstone project, as the credit has already been secured.
A NEW GRAD REQUIREMENT - SPACES.EDU
This year, a new requirement for graduation has been introduced. It’s a goal setting activity on the mobile app Spaces.EDU. Students are required to have the app and set two goals, once per semester, as well as a reflection for each of those goals. As some students have already noticed, the Spaces.EDU app does not work on some older devices, leading to some technological inequalities. However, students can also use a school laptop.
In the first semester, students were asked to write an academic-based goal, and in the second semester they were instructed to focus on personal and communication goals. Students in grades 11 and 12 were held in for FIT (Flexible Instruction Time) to receive instructions on how to work with the app in early April.
GRAD FEES
Time Is Running Out!
Time is running out if you’re a 12th grader who hasn’t paid their grad fees yet!
Grad events will be happening on Friday, June 13 (Dinner and Dance) and Thursday, June 19 (Grad Ceremony). The Dinner and Dance costs $150, and the Grad Ceremony costs $110. These fees can be paid on School Cash Online (see Related Links below).
Voters lined up outside the West End Community Centre. Some KG Students worked as information officers during the voting process at nearby polling stations.
STUDENTS HELPED AT FEDERAL ELECTION
On Microsoft Teams, students were alerted of a possible opportunity to work as an Information Officer for the 2025 federal election on Monday, April 28.
Students also received paid training for this work assignment.
IMPORTANT DATES IN MAY
Collab Day - May 2: There will be a collab on the morning of May 2nd. This means that class will begin at 10:10a.m.
School Play – May 6 – 9: The school play will be performed live from Tuesday, May 6 until Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m. every night. Tickets will be available at the door and in the foyer during lunch, priced at $5 for students and $10 for adults.
Pro-D – May 16: There will be a Professional Development day on May 16th. School will not be in session.
Victoria Day - May 19: There will be no school on Victoria Day, Monday, May 19.
Thanks for reading, and have a great month, KG!
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