& - Sunday, February 21, 1993 - North Shore News ; School program ad ds Japanese Language part of International Baccalaureate studies {| WEST VANCOUVER secondary school (WVSS)_ will * become one of only 15 schools in the world to teach Jap- anese as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) pro- gram. The 1B is an advanced academic program in which study abroad, within the program's curricula, is recognized at most English-speak- ing. universities throughout (he world. . The 1B involves the participa- tion of 469 schools in 66 coun- tries. WVSS’s IB coordinator Hilary Matts said that because Japanese is already taught at WYSS and because the school is already in- volved in the IB program, it was only natucal that the school apply to be recognized. _ By Kevin Gillies Contributing Writer She said the IB program covers six exams: English, history and chemistry at an advanced level; and French, physics and math, usually as subsidiaries. Program participants are re- quired to take a foreign language and will now have the option of Japanese or French. Students interested in languages can take both and one less science if they wish. WEST VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD “We offer a selection of sub- jects from the list-that is available within our school,’’ Matts said. “We will maybe have 15° stu- dents in Grade 12 right now who are taking the whole package of these six subjects.”” The students also have to write a ‘mini-thesis’? and take a phi- fosophy course. There are about another 60 stu- dents who are taking some of those subjects for enrichment. “Last year two of our diploma students were in the top 100 (of these students writing the exams) in the world,”’ Matts said. Voice mail big success at West Bay WEST BAY elementary school’s involvement with BC -Tel’s voice mail service has been so successful that the _ school’s principal, Dave Bouchard, says many parents in ‘the area are willing to pay to keep it. _ “The community is so pleased with this that they are prepared to pay some money if they thought we were going to lose it. That's _ how excited the parents are."* _ West Bay got involved in the pilot project when BC Tel offered the service to West Vancouver School District 45 (WVSB). West Bay's voice mail provides a central phone number that prompts calicts to enter codes, which are reference aumbers for certain teachers. Teachers leave daily messages for parents abou what is happen- ing in their classroom, as well as ' what was assigned for homework. By Kevin Gillies Contributing Writer Parents can leave messages for teachers if a child is sick, can’t participate in gym class, etc. Bouchard said the school staff originally thought voice mail would be a line for discussing homework and classroom . philos- , ophy. “When we started to use: the system, we found that we were us- ing it for internal communications in a real big way. “We, as a staff, communicate back and forth about children and by Bie their problems that we would not have done normally.” He said voice mail has become a ‘functional tool’? that has streamlined the school’s operation for the betterment of the kids. The voice mail system has also significantly reduced the school’s paper consumption. Newsletters are now obsolete because the service updates callers on sports functions, class projects and other school-related informa- tion. “Ivs been outstanding, It's just been phenomenal. We've had people contacting us from all over,’’ Bouchard said. : “I'd be shocked if the whole province isn’t on the system within two or three years.” : To find out what's going on at West Bay, the voice mail service tuumber is 432-5777. i It takes over 55 years to truly "appreciate an offer lilee this one. . . - Seniors Special ASS? 5 aged "63 RIGS es Serving the North Shore for over 20 years Specializing in: « Sunrooms: * Balcony Enclosures . RIAL * Skylights Oo. * Mirrors EZ * Windows . + Residential & Commercial Repair & Service . Enieray & Solar Control! * Auto Glass FREE ESTIMATES - ALL WORK GUARANTEED q . Gy Wada Glass Ltd, NORTH SHORE AUTO GLASS 407 Mountain Highway Quality Installations since 1971. Northi Vancouver 7 980-75 11. NZS tees Mette October25 to April 16,1993. _ Atradition of service since 1886. 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