PRINCE GEORGE – Libraries across B.C. are celebrating Family Literacy Day with events that promote the importance of reading as a family, announced Education Minister Shirley Bond.

OKANAGAN FALLS – Penticton-Okanagan Valley MLA Bill Barisoff joined parents, preschoolers and school district officials to celebrate Family Literacy Week by officially opening a new StrongStart early learning centre at Okanagan Falls elementary school.

VICTORIA – Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Ida Chong will join the Victoria school board, district staff and community leaders this evening for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open Gordon Head middle school to the students and community.

VANCOUVER – More B.C. students will be able to use online tutoring services in math, science and social studies through the Province’s LearnNow BC virtual school, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.

VANCOUVER – Education Minister Shirley Bond got a firsthand look at $37 million in seismic upgrades underway at Vancouver Technical secondary school during a visit to the school.

POWELL RIVER – A $7.2-million expansion and renovation of Brooks secondary school was unveiled at the grand opening of the school’s Max Cameron Theatre, which is hosting the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour.

DELTA – The Province has approved $3.1 million in seismic upgrades to Devon Gardens elementary school to help make students and staff safer in the event of an earthquake, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.

NANAIMO – Nanaimo-Parksville MLA Ron Cantelon joined Aboriginal leaders and officials from the Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district to sign the district’s second Aboriginal enhancement agreement to improve Aboriginal student performance.

PRINCE GEORGE – Education Minister Shirley Bond officially opened the new StrongStart early learning centre at Spruceland elementary school, which will help preschool children develop reading skills and prepare for kindergarten.

VICTORIA – B.C. school districts will receive a funding increase of nearly half a billion dollars this year while student enrolment continues to decline, Education Minister Shirley Bond said.

VICTORIA – The annual report on Aboriginal student performance shows Aboriginal students are improving in many areas but more work needs to be done, Education Minister Shirley Bond said.

VICTORIA – The percentage of B.C. students completing high school remained unchanged at 79 per cent last year, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.

COQUITLAM – The Province will open 16 early learning centres as the first phase of a new program to help preschool-age children develop reading skills and get ready for kindergarten, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.

WILLIAMS LAKE – The Province joined Aboriginal leaders and Cariboo-Chilcotin school district officials to sign an Aboriginal enhancement agreement to help improve Aboriginal student achievement, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.

VICTORIA – For the third year in a row, the Province will provide $5 million to support innovative teaching practices to improve reading in B.C. schools, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.

KELOWNA – The Province joined Aboriginal leaders and Central Okanagan school district officials today to sign B.C.’s 30th Aboriginal enhancement agreement to improve Aboriginal student achievement, Okanagan MLAs Sindi Hawkins, Al Horning and Rick Thorpe announced.

VANCOUVER – The Province and First Nations educators are teaming up to develop a new English 12 course and exam that will feature Aboriginal perspectives and literature to inspire students around B.C., Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.

VANCOUVER – For the first time ever, school districts from across B.C. are meeting to showcase state-of-the-art teaching practices and display their best ideas for improving student achievement.

VICTORIA – Grade 12 students performed well on provincial science and math exams last year, and Aboriginal students continued to improve overall, Education Minister Shirley Bond said today.

VICTORIA – Twenty-seven B.C. schools will share over $730,000 in new trades equipment to help boost trades training and skills development in the classroom, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.

COLWOOD – With $5 million in provincial funding and additional contributions from community partners, Sooke school district has purchased a site for West Shore secondary school at Royal Bay.

VANCOUVER – The Province will provide $2.7 million under its ActNow BC strategy for a new program to increase healthy living and literacy skills in preschool children.

KELOWNA – More than 80 parents from around the province are gathering today at B.C.’s first-ever Parent Congress, where they will have the opportunity to share their vision for the future of education with Education Minister Shirley Bond.

SURREY – Education Minister Shirley Bond officially opened the new $7.7-million Pacific Heights elementary school, providing students with a better place to learn and the only elementary school saltwater aquarium in the Lower Mainland.

VICTORIA – B.C. students are doing better in math but could improve their reading and writing skills, according to the results of this year’s Foundation Skills Assessment, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced.