Pearl Lorentzen
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Northland School Division board passed minor changes to the 2025-2028 Education Plan at its May 24 meeting. The basics of the education plan remain the same, but with a few changes.
“It must be reviewed and best revised each year,” Scott Meunier, deputy superintendent told the trustees at the meeting.
The division had a second round of community engagement on the education plan earlier this year and a board subcommittee met to go over that and all of the other data relating to school performance and satisfaction from students, parents, and staff.
The word ‘truth’ was added to the first priority, which now reads ‘Connections Supporting Truth and Reconciliation,’ which is a reference to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s investigation into the Indian residential school system.
During the engagement, said Meunier, the division heard from many places that ‘truth’ needs to be included in the first priority.
Under Priority 1, he added, the outcomes for that haven’t changed, with some strategies moving from ‘establish’ (in the 2024-25 school year) to ‘maintain.’
The other three priorities remain the same – Priority 2 – Holistic Learning, Priority 3 – Excellent People Supporting Students, and Priority 4 – Responsible Resourcing.
Under Priority 2, a new outcome was added, said Meunier. It includes the term “breadth of experience.”
Northland communities are remote and youth want to connect with youth from other communities and try different things, said Meunier. “We heard that from adults. We heard that from kids.”
Other outcomes under this include maintaining dual-credit courses and adding a collegiate program.
Trustee Lorraine McGillivray mentioned that the division should encourage eligible students to apply for the Rutherford Scholarship. The division had 37 per cent eligible, she said, but no one applied.
There were a few minor changes to the other two priorities as well.
“This is a first-rate piece of work,” said Robin Guild, vice-chair and Wabasca and Chipewyan Lake trustee.
“I really like the idea that ‘Northland students thrive,’” he added, would it be possible for that to be the Northland vision?
The board would have to change the vision, mission statement, values, etc., said Meunier.
The vision and values are a longer conversation, agreed Wally Rude, trustee for Calling Lake.
Rude mentioned that the student surveys had included a lower sense of belonging that the provincial average.
“Those numbers are quite alarming,” he said.
Meunier agreed.
“That’s something we need to zoom in on,” he said.
Krista Veitch, associate superintendent of HR, agreed.
The division is working on a good solid plan to address this, she said, including mental health resources.
Every decision the division makes going forward is going to be data-driven, said Northland Superintendent Cal Johnson. This low sense of belonging was one of five key areas of concern discussed at a recent leadership meeting. Other areas of concern included literacy, numeracy (math skills), and connection.
Council passed a motion to approve the changes to education plan.
Northland has schools in communities in Northern Alberta, which have a majority Indigenous population, including Métis settlements, First Nations reserves, and municipalities.