Students across Prairie Land Regional Division #25 (PLRD) will be heading back to school tomorrow.
In a conversation withThe Drumheller Mail, PLRD superintendent Wes Neumeier highlighted what’s in store for the division this year and offered a glimpse into the future of the school division.
Focus on student
achievement
The division will be working this year to improve student performance across the division after the results last year were not as high as hoped.
“We are looking at our achievement results and will focus our discussions on improving them in all areas to an excellent or acceptable standard level,” said Neumeier.
The achievement results are derived from the diploma exam and provincial achievement test results from students. Diploma exams are taken by Grade 12, or sometimes 11, students, while the provincial tests are administered each year to Grade 3 and 6 students.
On top of improving the academic performance of its students, PLRD is entering a new phase of the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement cycle. The division is focusing on improving student achievement.
“Those projects are focused on improving student achievement and this year we’re asking schools to individually select a learning focus based on the 21st century learning competencies,” said Neumeier.
For example, Neumeier listed teaching students digital or global literacy.
Parental involvement
Last year’s satisfaction surveys highlighted were less than what the division had wanted. The surveys are completed by parents and the results showed a need to get them more involved in their child’s education.
“One key focus this year will be including parents in school and district governance and improving our approaches for inclusion of parents. Also, we want to include parents in their children’s education. We’re looking at that as an area of focus so we can improve parent satisfaction,” said Neumeier.
“We know when parents and schools partner, the children do better. The parent-school partnership is a fundamental part of education.”
Reaching out
There aren’t any new programs on the table for PLRD. The school division is instead focusing on continuing the success of programs already underway.
Project Reach, which was introduced last year is moving into its second year. The program supports youth and families to develop healthy relationships. The program also offers after school activities for parents and children.
“It went very well last year. There were a lot of contact hours with families and children and a lot of support programs initiated in schools under Project Reach,” said Neumeier.
Project reach workers are present in Delia, Hanna, and Morrin schools.
Balanced Budget
PLRD is running a balanced central budget this year after stabilizing staffing to levels prior to cuts made in the past few years.
“We did increase staffing overall this year. We had no increase in numbers really, but we felt a need to make some corrections from the cuts we had made in the past,” said Neumeier.
Schools in the division are making withdrawals from reserves, though Neumeier assures these are planned.
However, next year’s budget may be tougher for the PLRD to balance. The school division is staring down a huge cut in funding for the 2013/2014 school year.
“Next year we are facing a $475,000 cut in our funding, because of the removal of the rural stabilization funding. That’s going to create a challenge for us in terms of staffing and meeting our needs here,” said Neumeier. “We’re going to be advocating for a reconsideration of that cut.”
School starts tomorrow for PLRD students.
