INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / OCTOBER 3, 1989

 

 

 

Jericho School for the Deaf Moves to Burnaby

Education Minister Tony Brum-
met and Burnaby School Board
Chairperson Dorothy Caddell an-
nounced that the Jericho Hill
Provincial School for the Deaf will
be moving to Burnaby.

Brummet noted that recent
changes in technology have
revolutionized the teaching of hear-
ing impaired students and that this
has prompted a review of current
practices in British Columbia.
Studies of educational programs
and facilities for deaf students were
undertaken throughout Canada,
the United States and several other
countries. At the same time a
series of meetings were held with
the deaf community, parents and
professionals before arriving at a
decision to move the school. These
studies and meetings concluded

NOON AT NEW WEST
PRESENTS

UBC
Symphony
Orchestra

Thurs., October 5
— 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. —

 

Featuring music of
Tchaikovsky and Beethoven.
Conductor: Gerald Stanick.
Guest Artist:
Angelique Toews, violin.

Free Admission.

 

 

that: “The transfer of the students
from Jericho Hill Provincial School
for the Deaf into elementary and
secondary school settings will
present an opportunity to sig-
nificantly improve the educational
opportunities for each child. We
will be able to keep the identity and
integrity of the Provincial School
for the Deaf while linking it to the
exciting new developments in the
Burnaby School District, thus ensur-
ing that deaf students can receive
their education with as much
segregation or integration as they
require or can benefit from.”

“We are excited at the prospect
of having the elementary and secon-
dary students from Jericho Hill
coming to Burnaby. We believe we
can enhance their educational and
social development tremendously,”
stated Caddell. She noted that the
Burnaby School District had been
selected by the Education Ministry
as a possible relocation site for a
variety of reasons. “Technology
and location are two key ones. In
the use of advanced technology
Burnaby is recognized as an educa-
tional leader. Since students attend
the Provincial School for the Deaf
from all over British Columbia,
Burnaby’s centralized location,
with easy access to major transpor-
tation systems including the Van-
couver International Airport, is
another plus.”

“Our plans to construct an en-
tirely new facility for Burnaby
South Secondary School was also a
major factor.” She said, “The fact
that we are just now commencing
the detailed planning phase allows
us, together with the Ministry,
parents, teachers and the deaf com-
munity, to build in the finest teach-
ing environment possible.”

“We have always had a good
working relationship with Bur-

 

naby,” noted Brummet. “They are
a well managed District and suc-
cessfully manage other provincial
programs at our request. I look for-
ward to working with them and
with Burnaby Municipality in
making the Provincial School for
the Deaf the best anywhere.”

The move to Burnaby will
enable secondary students at the
School for the Deaf to become an in-
tegral part of the new Burnaby
South 2000 project while the
elementary students will join an
elementary school within the catch-
ment area to the new Burnaby
South Secondary School. Addition-
ally, residences for the students
who come from out of town will be
required. The ability to plan the
transfer of the deaf program will
mean that the very best social and
learning environment can be
provided for all students.

Jericho will continue to be a
fully funded provincial program
and the Province will pay 100%
of the cost of the transfer to
Burnaby and the ongoing costs
of operation. m