WHEREAS an all around education includes opportunities to explore interests through elective courses and students that are able to do this would be better equipped to make informed choices for post-secondary education, and
WHEREAS the number of mandated classes was increased in 2015 to include a grade 10 physical education class as well as a career exploration class and a creativity and innovation class, and
WHEREAS the current high school programming is a semestered system with four 75 minute classes per day for 2 semesters to give a total of 24 credits over 3 years, 20 of which are needed for graduation with 12 that are mandatory, and students pursuing certain programs like advanced sciences and French immersion have little room for elective courses over the three years, and
WHEREAS it is felt that 75 minute periods are too long to keep students engaged and productive, and
WHEREAS the French School Board has already implemented a 5 period/day semestered system and have adjusted curriculum and graduation requirements accordingly, and
WHEREAS the Department of Education is stressing career planning by making the Career Explorations course mandatory for high school students, it has decreased the opportunity for students to explore through other elective courses i.e. music, foods, computer science;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the PEIHSF request that the Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture review its current semestered system and consider switching to a five period day of 60 minute classes and adjust curriculum and graduation requirements accordingly.