Inter-A
Encyclopedia
Inter-A is one of the many options available to high school students in British Columbia
, Canada
. The program is based on leadership and is available to students in grades 7-12. Inter-A is situated within Kwantlen Park Secondary School
which is part of School District 36 Surrey
.
The program was originally located at Len Shepherd Secondary School. There it remained for many years, and the school was separated into Inter-A and the mainstream students evenly.
Inter-A started off small, with thirty or less students ranging from grades 7-12, as opposed to the regular 8-12 found in most British Columbia
high schools.
Inter-A moved to Kwantlen Park Secondary School in 2002, opening the door to many more students. Victor Vollrath and John Harper retired as teachers a year later, but their roots are passed off onto the new teachers. The ideas of teamwork, self-motivation, community service and leadership and creativity that started the program still run strong today, and the program is looked favourably upon by the school district, for it has fallen into its guidelines without jeopardizing its intents.
or College
in British Columbia
or in Canada
. The main differences are that Physical Education
is demanded of the students until graduation, Fine Arts programs are chosen by the students, and the Inter-A Component.
The students are broken off into two categories: Intermediate (grades 7-9) and Grad (10-12). There are six blocks in the day, as opposed to the standard four. There are also six units per school year, with a report card at the end of each one, as opposed to the two-semester system. Students who are academic thrive in the at-your-own-pace math and language
programs, while those without motivation are asked how they can be helped.
PE is divided between Grads and Intermediates on various days. Fine Arts occurs over the course of three blocks one day a week. Students wishing to attend a Post Secondary Art School are recommended to attend a specialized high school whose focus is more art-based. That is not to say that Inter-A children cannot participate in other school events; sports, theater and clubs are open to all members of Inter-A, French Immersion and BCIT at Kwantlen.
All marks are out of 100%, but are then scaled down to 75%. The remaining 25% goes to the Inter-A Component, which is based on three criteria.
program. Many students go above and beyond, completing up to 20 hours of Community Service a unit. There are no "roll-over" hours.
The other 5% can be gained from completing service around the community. Since most of the students are from the Greater Vancouver Area, there are plenty of service opportunities available to them.
is taught at Inter-A. However, if a student is taking a language class outside of Inter-A for extra credit, they can use that as their language credit and have the designated Language block as a spare. A record must be kept of the student's involvement, and the language must be one that makes the student eligible for graduation.
French in Inter-A used to be a work-at-your-own-pace program. However, after the departures of Volrath and Harper it has gone back to group classes. Grades 7-12 each have a different teacher taking them through different stages of French. A student can skip ahead if they show vast knowledge of the subject matter or finish the stages early.
Grades eleven and twelve work with a teacher, as opposed to the self-taught younger grades, for the subject matter is more difficult to grasp. However, once a week the younger students attend a Math Seminar led by a teacher or a more experienced student. No Calculus is offered in Inter-A at this time.
A Reach for the Top
team has been started. The team placed well in their first year of competition. However, this program has currently been suspended.
A school play is often run annually. This year's play, "The Grounding of Donnie Greener", was fabulously written by Roger Blenman, and was a tremendous success.
Inter-A have high-ranking Destination Imagination
teams. The teams often place second or better in Provincial
Tournaments, and several have gone on to score highly at the World Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee
.
Math Club is available after school some days for students who struggle, need service, or just love math and need somewhere to do it.
Inter-A has an Executive Team, much like its own Student Council. They make important monetary and educational decisions about Inter-A and its future, as well as plan future field trips. It is led by students.
A "Herd" is when the Inter-A students come together for an information session in one of the three rooms. "Apple Awards" are given at the end-of-the-year barbecue
. They are given out during an outdoor herd to each student in a lighthearted manner. The awards are usually inside jokes suggested by friends or playful pokes at students given by the teachers.
are also available.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The program is based on leadership and is available to students in grades 7-12. Inter-A is situated within Kwantlen Park Secondary School
Kwantlen Park Secondary School
École Kwantlen Park Secondary School is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. Kwantlen Park Secondary was named after the park it sits beside. Approval was required from the Kwantlen First Nation in order to use their name...
which is part of School District 36 Surrey
School District 36 Surrey
School District 36 Surrey operates schools in Surrey, White Rock, and Barnston Island, British Columbia. It is the largest school district in British Columbia with 66,100 students during the 2005/2006 school year. District 36 includes 99 elementary schools, 20 secondary schools, and 6 learning...
.
History
The Inter-A program was devised by Victor Vollrath and John Harper. The two teachers were sharing a classroom and teaching at opposite sides, when they came to the realization that this way of teaching was highly productive for students (individual students with the skills and motivation to excel maintain this level of productivity to this day). So, Inter-A was born.The program was originally located at Len Shepherd Secondary School. There it remained for many years, and the school was separated into Inter-A and the mainstream students evenly.
Inter-A started off small, with thirty or less students ranging from grades 7-12, as opposed to the regular 8-12 found in most British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
high schools.
Inter-A moved to Kwantlen Park Secondary School in 2002, opening the door to many more students. Victor Vollrath and John Harper retired as teachers a year later, but their roots are passed off onto the new teachers. The ideas of teamwork, self-motivation, community service and leadership and creativity that started the program still run strong today, and the program is looked favourably upon by the school district, for it has fallen into its guidelines without jeopardizing its intents.
Academics
Inter-A students can be found in the hallways at different times of the day, which suggests that Inter-A has more freedom than its mainstream counterpart. It offers all the electives necessary for graduation and a place at any UniversityUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
or College
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
or in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The main differences are that Physical Education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
is demanded of the students until graduation, Fine Arts programs are chosen by the students, and the Inter-A Component.
The students are broken off into two categories: Intermediate (grades 7-9) and Grad (10-12). There are six blocks in the day, as opposed to the standard four. There are also six units per school year, with a report card at the end of each one, as opposed to the two-semester system. Students who are academic thrive in the at-your-own-pace math and language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
programs, while those without motivation are asked how they can be helped.
PE is divided between Grads and Intermediates on various days. Fine Arts occurs over the course of three blocks one day a week. Students wishing to attend a Post Secondary Art School are recommended to attend a specialized high school whose focus is more art-based. That is not to say that Inter-A children cannot participate in other school events; sports, theater and clubs are open to all members of Inter-A, French Immersion and BCIT at Kwantlen.
All marks are out of 100%, but are then scaled down to 75%. The remaining 25% goes to the Inter-A Component, which is based on three criteria.
Community Service
Students earn credit by participating in community service. Ten hours of work is required every unit, 1% given every hour. A log must be kept by the students and signed by an appropriate overseer. Community Service can be completed within the school; 10% (the full service amount) may be gained that way. This can be as simple as tutoring a fellow peer, or as complex as running the school's recyclingRecycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
program. Many students go above and beyond, completing up to 20 hours of Community Service a unit. There are no "roll-over" hours.
The other 5% can be gained from completing service around the community. Since most of the students are from the Greater Vancouver Area, there are plenty of service opportunities available to them.
CPP
Career and Personal Planning is similar to CSL in the fact that students set goals for themselves. However, these goals are checked bi-annually and must be signed by the pupil's legal guardian for the 5% to go into the student's marks. A portfolio of the student's work is also gathered in this class.Extra Languages
FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
is taught at Inter-A. However, if a student is taking a language class outside of Inter-A for extra credit, they can use that as their language credit and have the designated Language block as a spare. A record must be kept of the student's involvement, and the language must be one that makes the student eligible for graduation.
French in Inter-A used to be a work-at-your-own-pace program. However, after the departures of Volrath and Harper it has gone back to group classes. Grades 7-12 each have a different teacher taking them through different stages of French. A student can skip ahead if they show vast knowledge of the subject matter or finish the stages early.
Math
For students in grades seven through ten, Math is self paced. At the end of every chapter they must get their Math Trackers signed to signify they understand the concepts, then take the test. If they pass, they may go on to the next chapter. This age bracket works in groups at tables, called Inter-A groups. The Inter-A group was made to teach diversity and problem-solving. An Inter-A group should include even members of each gender, students of different ages/grades when possible, students of different skill levels and students who often do not work with each other.Grades eleven and twelve work with a teacher, as opposed to the self-taught younger grades, for the subject matter is more difficult to grasp. However, once a week the younger students attend a Math Seminar led by a teacher or a more experienced student. No Calculus is offered in Inter-A at this time.
Extracurricular Activities
Inter-A has an Ultimate team called "The Kwantlen Park Spartans", based on the movie "300". This year (07/08 season) the Inter-A ultimate start to the regular season currently with a 6-0 record for both the senior and junior teams. The Junior team is currently ranked 1st throughout British Columbia and the Senior team is ranked second in their division. Hopefully Inter-A can have 2 provincial championships this year as the senior and junior teams are both striving for nothing less than being the best. The new jersey for the ultimate team is a very stylish black with burgundy on the shoulders. It also has the logo of its parent school (Kwantlen Park secondary) on the front which shows a timberwolf. Show your support for the Inter-a team by going to watch the Provincials!A Reach for the Top
Reach for the Top
Reach for the Top is a Canadian game show in which teams of high school students participate in local, provincial and eventually national trivia tournaments...
team has been started. The team placed well in their first year of competition. However, this program has currently been suspended.
A school play is often run annually. This year's play, "The Grounding of Donnie Greener", was fabulously written by Roger Blenman, and was a tremendous success.
Inter-A have high-ranking Destination Imagination
Destination ImagiNation
Destination ImagiNation Inc. or DI is a creative problem solving organization for youth and adults. Destination ImagiNation's educational goals are to foster creative and critical thinking, to develop teamwork, collaboration and leadership skills, and to nurture research and inquiry skills...
teams. The teams often place second or better in Provincial
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
Tournaments, and several have gone on to score highly at the World Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
.
Math Club is available after school some days for students who struggle, need service, or just love math and need somewhere to do it.
Inter-A has an Executive Team, much like its own Student Council. They make important monetary and educational decisions about Inter-A and its future, as well as plan future field trips. It is led by students.
A "Herd" is when the Inter-A students come together for an information session in one of the three rooms. "Apple Awards" are given at the end-of-the-year barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
. They are given out during an outdoor herd to each student in a lighthearted manner. The awards are usually inside jokes suggested by friends or playful pokes at students given by the teachers.
Day Trips
The small field trip in Inter-A is what could be considered a "through Kwantlen Park."Overnight
A field trip that lasts overnight. A great example is the annual Inter-A Retreat at the beginning of every year.Overseas
Inter-A is unique, as every second year the program offers a trip overseas for two to three weeks. The trip is expensive, but the response is excellent. Trips to Italy, Paris, England and other European countries have been a tremendous success in integrating different cultures and ideals into the minds of the youth. Through Kwantlen Park, exchange programs with QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
are also available.