Dear editor,
Unfortunately, my first semester of Grade 12 has been a mess. This is because of the way SD71 cheated its students out of 20 per cent of their instructional time. I attend Mark R. Isfeld, where senior students are expected to use our time on Friday to catch up on missed work, or take part in some sort of 鈥渆nrichment.鈥�
While I can see the benefit of this opportunity, the cut in instructional time outweighs the enrichment for me. Initially the concept was difficult for students and staff alike to grasp.
As the year progressed, more and more of us realized that this was purely for the purpose of saving money, creating a stressful environment for teachers and students. This first semester has been so bad that I have actually had teachers apologize that I have not been taught at the calibre that Isfeld students have come to expect. This is truly a shame.
I am writing this knowing full well that it is too late for me to achieve any change next semester, but hope that this alternate instructional week will be reviewed so that future students are not put in the same position that my classmates and I have been put through.
Ryan Longacre
Courtenay
