As May turns into June, there has been a lot of discussion about some touchy topics in town.
From health care to the concept of middle schools, there have been supporters and detractors.
Though health care is indeed a large issue, my focus was primarily on the concerns of some parents about the changes to the school district and the possibility of a middle school.
Growing up in Surrey, B.C., when I attended school, the only concept I was aware of was elementary school from Grades 1 to 7, then high school Grades 8 to 12 – you know, where the big kids went.
There was no in between.
In Grade 3, I remember being in a Grade 3/4 split class.
In my then seven-year-old mind, I recall thinking it was “cool” that we had older students in the same class as me, albeit by one year.
Looking back, while there isn’t a big difference in the criteria for younger students, there were downsides to having two supposedly different grades in the same classroom.
When I moved to Mississauga, Ont. at the tender age of 10, I entered Grade 6 and learned high school didn’t start until Grade 9.
For whatever reason, I was thinking at the time, I was grateful for that extra year away from the big kids’ school.
My support for middle school is primarily based on the fundamental needs of a student. Academics are important, but for all that I was a Grade A student, the integration and societal interactions between students was what I remember best.
My closest friends were made in middle school.
No matter how many years have passed, or how far away we are, those bonds will remain.
They were developed in between classes during recess and nourished through group projects.
There are parents who are concerned about the lengthened day and the re-arrangement of timetables, amongst other items, and that’s understandable. But for me, that extra 30 minutes of school was full of knowledge and fun.
That extra time added to the school day is also great in helping students transition from elementary/middle school to high school
Children are resilient, curious and given the right environment, can become engaging citizens interested in the community and the people in it.
– Cassandra Chin is reporter for the Grand Forks Gazette