THE DRAGON'S PEN
/by Henry MacDougall
(click images to enlarge)
NOTES FROM KING GEORGE HIGH
Cops Back in Schools for September … The future of the School Liaison Officer (SLO) Program has been decided, and officers will be back in schools next September. Bringing the program back was a campaign promise of Mayor Ken Sim’s ABC party. While some school board trustees have argued that police in schools will foster a safe and caring environment for students, there are others who are concerned about the negative impacts of the program.
Vancouver City Police return to local schools next fall.
Students, particularly those who identify as Black or Indigenous, may feel unsafe or anxious with officers in schools, according to a study commissioned by the Vancouver School Board in 2021.
Four school board trustees did not support the program’s return but were outvoted. In an early look at the “reimagined” SLO program, the Vancouver Police Department said it will feature smaller guns and batons for officers, different uniforms, and unmarked cars. They also said there would be cultural awareness training for officers, as well as more diverse hiring practices.
Personally, I don’t believe that firearms are necessary for helpful involvement in a school. However, since the decision has been made to put officers back in schools, we now need to balance helping students feel safe with officers around, while keeping students safe from other possible threats.
School Dance …The student council organized a spring dance for King George students this year, and it took place on Thursday, April 13. Many students attended the $2 event, which was hosted in the gymnasium.
For more information on what the student council is up to, check out their Instagram account @kgstuco.
Days Off in April … As usual, students were given days off for Good Friday and Easter Monday (April 7 & 10). There was also a Pro-D day on Monday, April 24.
Upcoming School Play … Ms. Init’s drama department is currently working on their own production of a play called The Laramie Project. The show is a collection of interviews that followed a homophobia-driven murder, which took place on the outskirts of a town in Wyoming in 1998. The play is an emotional experience that the drama class is working hard to present. The play will be shown on May 9 to 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $5 for students and $10 for adults.
KG Rocks Coming Up … Ms. Pearce’s music department is preparing for the fourth-ever King George Rocks concert! There will be two separate performances, one for each class. The dates for these shows will be Wednesday, June 7, and Thursday, June 8.
If you are interested in buying tickets for the show, any student currently taking a music class that are not in Grade 8 can sell them to you. Tickets for this event will be going on sale shortly.
Pizza Lunch … The King George PAC is running a monthly pizza lunch fundraiser! Students can sign up for their pizza lunch here. Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up here.
Report Cards … Semester II midterm report cards were published on April 21. You can get access to your or your child’s report card here.
Special Dates In May … There will be a Pro-D day on Friday, May 4 and a day off for Victoria Day on Monday, May 22. In addition, there will also be a collab day on Wednesday, May 10. The collab takes place in first period, meaning that students are only required to be in class starting at 10:01 a.m.
Gordon Neighbourhood house hosts a Youth Lounge every tuesday afternoon.
Gordon Neighbourhood House Youth Lounge … Gordon Neighbourhood House is hosting a Youth Lounge after school on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. All students are welcome to hang out and enjoy free snacks and games. Gordon Neighbourhood House is located at 1019 Broughton Street.
Lunch Snack Lounge … The King George Interact Club has partnered with the Lunchtime Snack Lounge in the Denman Room of the West End Community Centre (program running Wednesdays to Fridays at lunchtime).
This April, Interact asked students for their opinions on the program with a survey. This survey asked for what kind of things people wanted to see in the program. The surveys have been counted and decisions are being made on improvements that can be made to the program.
