As the summer break ends and students get back to classes, so too do the members of the Rainy River District School Board return to business as usual.
The first of board meeting of the 2003-04 school year will be held tonight at 7 p.m. at Robert Moore School.
Though the agenda includes a full docket of program updates from activities over the summer, there will be two presentations at the beginning of the meeting to highlight two programs that begun last year and will continue in the upcoming school year.
The first, called the “Grassroots Project,” is a national program designed to integrate and use information and communication technologies in the classroom. Six schools in the district participated in the program, with $9,900 being spent in the schools to purchase computers and other high-tech equipment such as digital cameras, scanners, printers and other hardware and software.
By participating in the projects, students learned ICT skills while completing projects designed to meet Ontario curriculum expectations.
During the upcoming school year, it is planned that other schools will be brought into the program resulting in many more projects, which the board hopes will help the Rainy River District School Board secure more grant money from the province.
The second program receiving recognition tonight is the “Learning Through the Arts” program.
Robert Moore School and North Star Community School in Atikokan joined forces with the Royal Conservatory of Music in this project designed to provide enhanced arts-infused curricular programs.
The program gave teachers access to local artists in five disciplines (drama, dance, language arts, music and visual art) allowing them to integrate the artists into their curriculum.
In its first year, the program saw local artist Rodney Brown use music in the form of an addition/ multiplication rap to enhance mathematics learning, and Linda Lovisa use visual art to help with scientific learning through rock art and other nature creations.
Last year was the first year of the three-year program, and was introduced to Grade 1 and Grade 4 students at both schools.
This year, the program will be expanded to Grade 2 and Grade 5, as well as Grade 1 and Grade 4, students in all schools across the district. Next year, will see the inclusion of Grade 3 and 6 students.
Also on the agenda for tonight will be reports on criminal background checks; the summer school and Summer Institutes; as well as an update on the progress of the J.W. Walker School project and other summer renovations at area schools.
Trustees will also hear from the Occupational Health and Safety Committee, the Special Education Advisory Committee and the Transportation Committee.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
