Staff
A team of Mine Centre School students, who competed in the Regional Elementary Cardboard Boat Race event hosted by Skills Canada-Ontario this past fall, will be recognized at the Rainy River District’s School Board’s regular meeting tonight.
Under the direction of teacher Barbe Dennis, students Prudence Kabatay, Ziggy Skead, Reed Dennis, and Ryan Stewart attended the event in Dryden and ended up with a third-place finish out of 18 teams.
“This event provides Grade 7 and 8 students with an opportunity to test their math, science, problem-solving, and teamwork skills in a real-world context,” noted a report to the board.
It stated the Mine Centre team worked together prior to the competition to plan their boat construction by drafting a detailed blueprint and building a prototype.
At the event, each team was provided with two 4’ x 8’ sheets of cardboard, a roll of duct tape, and contact cement, with the goal of designing and constructing a boat within a two-hour time frame to compete in both a speed and a weight challenge in a pool.
“All decision-making, task assignments, and activities were the responsibility of the students,” the report said,
It added the Mine Centre School team took second place in the maximum weight challenge, and they recognized ways to enhance their design for improved results in the speed challenge.
“The students were thrilled with the experience and the fun that they had while learning about math, science, and teamwork skills in a competitive environment,” the reported stressed.
As one of the top three regional teams, Mine Centre School has been invited to compete in the elementary provincial championships March 5.
Also at tonight’s meeting, which will take place at the board office starting at 7 p.m., trustees will:
•hear a presentation about “Reading Recovery”;
•look to approve a number of policies for stakeholder consultation;
•vote to endorse the Charter of Commitment on First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education, which was adopted unanimously by the board of directors of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association at its meeting Nov. 30;
•look to approve the 2014-15 Regular School Year Calendar; and
•look to approve Bylaw #170 for the approval to issue 2014 education taxes within the board’s jurisdiction in the unorganized areas as indicated in section 257.7 of the Education Act.
