Northland School Division

Northland School Division is pleased to release additional information on its “Continuing Student Learning Plan”. The plan aligns with Alberta Education’s guide for continuing student learning which outlines content delivery expectations and average work assignment times for Kindergarten - Grade 3 (five hours per week), Grades 4-6 (five hours per week), Grades 7-9 (10 hours per week) and Grades 10-12 (three hours per course, per week). 

“This has been a challenging time for all our students, staff, parents and communities,” said Dr. Nancy Spencer-Poitras, Superintendent of Schools, Northland School Division. “We are excited to re-launch the learning journey for students during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. NSD’s “Continuing Student Learning Plan” will see schools deliver content through the use of technology and hard copy work packages. Teachers have been contacting families to see what they have or need to support student learning through the use of technology. Students who don’t have access to technology will work from hard copy work packages and have regular telephone communication, with a teacher.”  

“During this difficult time, I have heard countless stories of resilience taking place in Northland school communities,” said Robin Guild, Board Chair. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank the staff for their efforts in developing a plan for continued student learning and supporting families when they need a helping hand. It shows that a global pandemic will not stop student learning from happening.”

Prior to launching the division’s “Continuing Student Learning Plan”, staff have been focusing on how to effectively continue the student learning journey while the students are no longer attending school. This approach aligns well with NSD’s goal of enhancing and leveraging the use of technology, as well as engaging students in meaningful learning experiences.  The “Continuing Student Learning Plan” will engage students learning through a variety of means, such as:

• Online learning platforms for sharing lessons and resources and collecting completed work such as Google Classroom and Google Sites.
• Paper and pencil learning tasks and hands-on learning.
• Online tools for communication and collaboration such as Zoom video conferencing and Google Hangouts/Meet.
• Google tools for both independent and collaborative work along with feedback, and assessment such as Google docs and Google slides. 
• Access to additional online learning tools to enhance both student engagement and learning such as Flipgrid and Kahoot.
• Access to additional learning supports such as Alberta Distance Learning (ADLC) resources, course or subjects’ specific resources. 

“In the past couple of years, NSD students have lost instructional time due to wildfires and severe winter weather conditions,” said Spencer-Poitras. “When in-person classes were cancelled, we were initially concerned about additional learning loss for students. When the Minister of Education announced she expects teachers and staff to continue educating students in an alternative way, we got excited. As educators, with support from parents, guardians and the community, we have a responsibility to ensure students have the foundational knowledge needed to advance to the next grade and to be successful in life. Continuing the learning journey using the strategies we developed instills a daily routine and some level of normalcy for the students.”

During this time of high anxiety, Northland School Division also compiled mental health information from several sources to support students, parents, guardians and the community. Please visit the NSD website for more information https://www.nsd61.ca/about-us/division-news/post/covid-19-mental-health-resources. 

Programming will be available to all students on Monday, March 30, 2020. Schools have been communicating with parents and guardians regarding information to prepare students for Monday. If you have any questions please contact your local school.