West Vancouver school praised for integrated learning programs SOME OF the unsung educa- tors on the North Shore are get- ting recognition for their efforts from the North Shore Association for the Mentally Handicapped. By Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter Seven teachers and teachers’ aides will be picking up 1994 Apple Awards on Tuesday, June 21. Sentinel high school’s Lois Muraro is one of the teachers being honored. She has worked with mentally and physicatly handicapped students for 10 of the {1 years of Sentinel's Resource program. “I’m very honored. 1 guess I feel that one bite of the apple belongs to me, the rest belongs to teacher assis- tants, students in the schools and teachers,” said Muraro. The West Vancouver resident said the hope, if possible, for most students in Sentinel’s program is to gain self-confidence, become inde- pendent and function to the best of their abilities. “The goals are the same as that of regular kids,” said Muraro, who is married and has a 24-year-old son who recently graduated from the University of Victoria. Sentinel’s program for mentally handicapped kids involves integra- tion in regular classroom studies. The handicapped kids go into class- es at their age group and follow their peers along the years of high school. The handicapped students are not graded for their school work. The usual classes that mentally A learning commitment NEWS photo Mike Wakeflotd SENTINEL SECONDARY school teacher Lois Muraro works with student Robin Ketchum. Muraro is one of seven educators being honored at next week's 1994 Apple Awards ceremony. handicapped students attend include art, drama. physical educa- tion, photography, home economics and woodworking. Some students attend regular academic classes as well. Muraro said another component of the program involves life-skills education. Practical applications such as reading slreet signs, teach- ing students how to fill out forms and using math skills to shop for food (for cooking classes) is empha- sized. A third component of the pro- gram involves work experience which begins in the school and. depending on the student, can lead to a job in the community. At first, students become ‘Hillside grad earns class honors GLENN PARKER, a 1982 graduate of Hillside secondary school,-has completed his Bachelor of Architecture — graduating with First Class Honors, from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Parker ieft Canada after a year 66 In his ongoing journey to travel the world, Parker landed a job in Bali.. 99 at Capilano College to visit his native country of New Zealand and subsequently moved to Australia where he began his study of Architecture. Travelling back and forth from Australia to Canada on a regular basis, he spent time working on his practicum at Vancouver's Thompson, Berwick Pratt under West Vancouver resident Brian Hemingway (who now runs the firm under the name Hemingway Nelson Architects Lid.) and also with Kuwabara Payne MeKenna Blumberg in Toronto. In his final year of study, Parker and four other students were cho- sen to design a Solar Research Centre for the University of New South Wales. Fine Indian Cuisine Special Opening Offer S 15% By with this advertisement (fond only) F Expires June 30, 1994 Open for Lunch & Dinner 7 days a week The students were then hired by the university to oversee the devel- opment of the project, which now accommodates four of the univérsi- ty’s leading research groups work- ing in the area of solar energy. “The overall composition of the building acknowledges the cardinal points and endeavours to give expression to our dependence on the sun,” says Parker. “The entry gate, which | designed, is itself a large sundial.” Parker. in his ongoing journey to travel the world, has now landed a job in Bali. Indonesia, working with Grounds Kent Architects who designed the Four Seasons Hotel in Bali. He is working on numerous pro- jects, including the re-schematic design for the additions to a Hotel in Malang, East Java, and the mas- ter planning and design of villas for two sites in the Highlands of Bali. BENEFITS BEYOND WORDS... 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Handicapped students are not shut out of extra-curricular events at Sentinel. “The students participate fully in all school activities,” said Muraro. Muraro said integrating mentally and physically handicapped students into schools is not an issue as the initiative has been fully mandated and supported by educators and government. “The difficulties experienced (by teachers) depend on the degree of the handicap,” said Muraro She admits that sometimes there are small problems with students accepting students from the Resource program, But overall, she said, “I think there is good acceptance at Sentinel.” Testanient to that ure the 35 stu- dents who signed up this year to be a peer tutor or peer buddy for the four mentally handicapped students in the program. The participation of students hus negated the need to have parent volunteers in the pro- gram, said Muraro. A peer buddy assists by taking notes ina class for a mentally hand- icapped student or in the example of a woodworking class, a peer buddy does the cutting while the handi- capped student does the painting and sanding of a project. Up to 14 mentally and physically handicapped students have been part of the Resource program on a yearly basis, said Muraro. She said teaching was conducted na one-to-one basis. In regular classes, either a teacher assistant or a peer buddy helps the student. The students in the Resource program have been diagnosed as mentally handicapped. The physical conditions afftict- ing some of the students include spina bifida, cerebral palsy, visual and hearing impairments. The expectation for each mental- ly handicapped student is high in the school. Muraro sees changes in maturity levels which give her job satisfac- tion. “I've been doing this for a very long time. I enjoy the tittle success- es you sez along the way,” said Muraro. . : The other educators to be hon- ored by the North Shore Association for the Mentally Handicapped include Martin Andrews, Caulfeild _ Elementary; Kevin Davies, Sutherland secondary; Fiona Farquarson, Ridgeview elementary; Mary Kay Fox, Highlands commu- nity school; Judi Langley, Playcare (North Vancouver support agency); . and Treva Stanley, Monteray ele- mentary. The awards ceremony will be held at St. Martin’s Anglican Church, 195 East Windsor Rd. at 7:30 p.m. Summer School at Sylvan When you want them to play this summer ... and pass next fall. With Sylvan‘s positive, caring, individualized instruction, students find their grades soaring - along with their self-confidence. Instead of dreading school, students actually look forward to it. We've already helped more than a million children turn their grades around, Let's talk about. how we Flexible schedules, morning or afternoon classes. 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