A committee has been established to ensure students in the Souris area will have access to provincial programs and curriculum that best suits their educational needs, said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Doug Currie.
“Government is committed to offering all students educational programs that enable them to reach their potential,” said Minister Currie. “We want to ensure the most appropriate educational programming for students in the Souris area be taken into consideration in the future construction plan for their school.”
The fundamental goal of this school program committee is to provide opportunities for representatives from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the Eastern School District, Souris Consolidated School, Souris Regional High School, and the PEI Home and School Federation to meet, discuss and develop a report that will outline the best program offerings for the new school.
This consultative approach to planning will help ensure students have access to a variety of programming relevant to their interests and their community. The committee has been asked to take an in-depth look at programming possibilities such as the Skilled Trades, Computer Robotics, Culinary Arts, Intensive French and Distance Education. When it is determined which programs would be offered to students in the Souris area, recommendations will be given to the construction planning committee to guide them in their work.
“This is a great way to actively engage students, parents and community in learning and preparing for the future,” said Sharon McIntosh, committee co-chair. “We will begin the consultative process early in order to have the time for necessary discussion in the community about programming at various levels, K-6, 7-9 and 10-12.”
“This is exactly the kind of community partnership that will help strengthen our public education system and help prepare our students for the future,” said Minister Currie. “I look forward to a report that identifies creative, relevant program offerings that can be incorporated into future plans to meet the interests and needs of the children, families and community of Souris.”
Government’s five-year capital plan includes funding for the planning and construction of a new Souris school to be complete by December 2014. The program and curriculum planning committee will submit its final report in March 2011.