Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) is investing $2.4 million in their schools, awarding funding for projects that will enhance learning opportunities for students.
Literacy and numeracy, communication, engagement and partnerships, and health and wellness are the foundation of the NLPS three-year education plan priorities.
These priorities were taken into consideration when determining which submissions the school board would fund. Of the $2.4 million, $735,000 was allocated from the division's reserves for the various programs.
“We listened to all of our stakeholders when we developed our three-year education plan, and our priorities reflect the input we received,” explained Mandi Skogen, NLPS board of trustees chair. “When the board committed to those priorities, we recognized that our support had to go beyond simply setting a focus for our division; we needed to make a financial investment that would ensure the resources were in place to support those priorities and ensure consistency in schools throughout the division.”
Some of the projects being funded for NLPS schools include robotics, Lego Mindstorms, a growing dome greenhouse for Aurora Middle School, outdoor education equipment, wellness equipment, a therapy dog, exploratory enhancement projects, canoe certification for H.E. Bourgoin Middle School, and a hockey program, among others.
“The board was impressed with the innovation shown by our schools and the quality of their proposals,” noted Skogen. “These initiatives will engage our students in some amazing learning opportunities, as well as supporting health and wellness.”
Of the 42 programs approved was Cold Lake Elementary School's (CLES) Literacy for All initiative. This project will incorporate the Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention Kits, which will be purchased for all grade levels.
Using these kits, students will achieve grade level literacy skills through small group supplementary intervention. The program is over 14 to 18 week period, and has been utilized in other schools within the NLPS system.
“Our staff are excited and have arranged visits to other schools where this program is an effective support for students. We're working with our director of learning, lead literacy teachers, and mentor staff from other schools where this program has been supporting students to arrange for professional development for our staff and the creation of a timely implementation program,” said Kathy McKale, principal of CLES.
McKale continued, they're excited to start offering the program to their students, but are first discussing the most suitable resources with Fountas and Pinnell suppliers to ensure they purchase the best resources for their school.
Also approved was Cold Lake High School's (CLHS) wellness dog, to be used in the school with all of the students who are experiencing social or mental health issues. The trained therapy dog is utilized in the classroom to increase students' psychological development, improve social skills and increase self-esteem.
They have also been used to calm fears and relieve anxiety.
Other schools within Cold Lake such as North Star Elementary, Art Smith Aviation Academy (ASAA), CLES, Cold Lake Middle School (CLMS) and Nelson Heights Middle School, were all awarded new teacher literacy support. This program will be used to bring teachers together in similar grade groups to learn how to use comprehensive, strategy-based resources supporting reading, writing, oral language and word study.
The Lego Mindstorms program was also granted to ASAA and Northern Lights outreach schools. Both will be using their funding to allow their students to evaluate, assess and quantify speed, distance, time, and weight using robotics.
The outreach schools will also be adding outdoor education equipment in the form of GPS units, so the schools can add geocaching and orienteering to their current outdoor education program.
Skogen noted, “We want to make sure that the money we are spending will impact as many students as possible, support the goal of our three-year education plan, and reaffirm our board's commitment to supporting innovation to engage students and provide them with enhanced learning opportunities.”
