Dual credit programs get grant

The Rainy River District School Board has received a grant of more than $80,000, through the School College Work Initiative, to support the creation and continuation of dual credit programs for 2007-08 school year.
Dual credit programs, which allow high school students to study courses that count toward both their high school diploma and a college or apprenticeship program, recently were introduced by the provincial government in an effort to help cut in half the 30 percent dropout rate at Ontario’s high schools.
For 2007-08, the Rainy River District School Board will have three dual credit programs.
At Fort Frances High School, the “Cooking Up Success” program will have students enrolled in both a high school and a college hospitality program, within the high school’s new industrial kitchen.
The dual credit program, initiated last year, was very successful as seen by the doubling of program enrolment for the upcoming school year.
Atikokan High School received the main share of the funding, with two dual credit programs planned for 2007-08.
The “Voyageur Travel and Tourism” program will have Grade 12 students enrolled in both a high school and a college tourism course.
As well, the Outers Dual Credit Program will allow students in the school’s highly-successful experiential “Outers” program a chance to gain both a high school and a college credit while earning certification such as wilderness first aid.
“Dual credit programs present an amazing opportunity for our students,” noted Superintendent of Education Heather Campbell.
“These programs allow students to experience pathways that they are interested in while helping them to make decisions about their future career goals,” she noted.