Curriculum And Instruction

 
NLSD#113 Curriculum Consultants work with teachers at all levels to build understanding about curriculum across all subjects and help them to use the new outcomes and indicators in unit planning. Consultants have developed a one page Curriculum Reference Guide for each grade to assist teachers and administrators with planning and monitoring of curriculum implementation. Curriculum support is also offered to teachers in how First Nations and Métis knowledge can be effectively embedded into all areas of the Saskatchewan Curriculum.

Leda Corrigal - [email protected]
 
Alexis McLeod - [email protected]
 
Lisa Larson - [email protected]

Cindy Young - [email protected]
 
Matt Koebernick - [email protected]
 
 
 
Literacy Camps:

Northern Lights School Division, through the support of the Ministry of Education, works to implement summer literacy camps which carries out the programs whereby students participate in fun activities that reinforce literacy. In addition, students who participate received books to take home for each day they attend the camp.

Building a Community of Learners (BCOL):

The Literacy-Numeracy Steering Committee is composed of all the Literacy/Numeracy Catalyst (LNC) teachers. The Steering committee provides direction for implementation and maintenance of the Response to Intervention initiatives in the school division. The committee proposes recommendations; develops action plans and strategies for implementation and maintenance of the programs; and facilitates PD at the school level. The Book-Leveling Team (a sub-committee of the Steering Committee) works to increase the leveled book list on the NLSD website to include over 14,000 titles. 


A timeline was created to show the BCOL progress and achievements in NLSD#113 from 2003 to 2014.
French Immersion:

The school division has a French immersion program in the community of La Ronge. These programs are at Pre-Cam Community School for students in grades K-6 and at Churchill Community High School for grades 7-12. All the NLSD #113 Common Numeracy Assessments, the Guided Reading Assessments and the Guided Reading Guidelines and Frequency Charts were translated into French.

Home Schooling:

For parents who choose to educate their children at home, the NLSD #113 provides support through approving applications and programs as well as providing financial assistance. Progress reviews are done annually by the superintendents of education for home school students who live in the areas of their assigned schools. All home school students have the opportunity to participate in extra curricular activities after school.

Room and Board:

This program has been offered to those students living in isolated locations or in very small communities within the NLSD #113 who must relocate to a larger community to meet their educational needs. These supports are provided by a room and board worker and a consultant.

EdCentre Online School: Edcentre Online

This distance learning program is a partnership between NLSD #113 and Northlands College. The partnership provides distance learning services to a wide range of learners. Students need access to computer and internet. A steering committee provides direction related to the needs within the region.

Summer School:

The career transitions consultant continues to provide assistance to students accessing summer school registration or Masinahikana On-Line Programs as well as providing Room and Board Program support.

Early Childhood:

Early Childhood Education refers to the educational programming for students who are three- and four-years of age. The Division has a partnership agreement with seven Aboriginal Headstart sites. The Division provides one certified teacher in each of the AHS partnership sites. In the larger communities, the Division offers pre-kindergarten. The Division is also trying various methods of delivering pre-kindergarten in very small communities.

Community Schools and Wellness Portfolio:

Community Schools and Wellness has been supported by all four senior administrators. Community Schools endeavour to provide children and youth with a learning environment and program that is culturally affirming and that respects and reflects their histories, experiences, and educational needs. As well, they provide innovative, caring, and effective responses to the learning needs of children and youth. There are three programs within this portfolio; Community Schools, Healthy Living and Nutrition.

Community Schools:

There are 4 key areas of Community Schools:
 
  • The Learning Program which addresses academic and other achievement in school, social functioning, reduction in barriers to learning, creating networks, and creating new learning opportunities
  • Family and Community Partnerships which address shared responsibility
  • Community Involvement which addresses community empowerment, equity and cultural harmony
  • Integrated Services which address comprehensive responsive services
  • Each school has its unique approach as to how to use the components of the program to achieve goals identified within its school and community. NLSD #113 has continued its exploration of the Community Schools Programming which was taking place in the division.
 
Ideas and strategies have been shared among the schools and in-school administrators have been working to identify which of the areas their programs fell within. The sharing of information, ideas and resources proved beneficial to the schools has continued with the consultant, Rosalena Smith, working to support administrators, community school coordinators, school staff and SCC’s to help strengthen Community School programming and support schools in making critical connections to communities.

A Community School Workshop was held in La Ronge in the fall of 2010 and resulted in much shared discussion and learning.

Healthy Living:

This program includes the components of intramurals and athletics, sport recreation and culture, and the Northern Lights School Division #113 Student Games and Cultural Festival. In intramurals and athletics a wide variety of player development clinics/ workshops and competitions as well as physical activity initiatives were implemented in the schools to provide activities for students after school.

The sport, recreation and culture area has offered a wide variety of coaching and officiating clinics throughout the year to build in capacity at the community level to improve sport. The focus area for recreation was the National Archery in the Schools Program and Ski Fit North. In culture the focus was on partnering with the Northern Sport, Culture and Recreation District on established programs and new initiatives in the areas of music, art and drama.

The emphasis in all areas has been to partner where possible with the Northern Sport, Culture and Recreation District to offer a more comprehensive program.

In the Northern Community and School Recreation Coordinator program, opportunities are made available in northern communities after school, evenings and on weekends. These activities occur at the school and are either administered by the school or the community. This program is funded by a grant from the Northern Sport, Culture and Recreation District and has been managed by Margaret Duncombe.

Nutrition:

NLSD schools have developed nutrition policies to govern what is available in our schools and when. Nutrition Programs in the schools include a variety of breakfast, lunch and snack programs, after school cooking and nutrition programs, as well as nutrition education support in the classrooms. Community based programs such as cooking and nutrition classes, community kitchens and Elders’ programming also take place.