Horizon School Division Director of Education excited for start of school year

Garinger said the return of students in the division after the Labour Day long weekend is exciting for staff and children alike.

The division has also developed some new assessment administrative procedures, and Garinger said that will help Horizon develop their path forward “from good to great.” Garinger added the division will continue to help support teachers and others wherever possible so they can be provided with the best opportunity to work together and continue their excellent work.

Horizon, like all school divisions in the province, implemented a cellphone policy last fall after the provincial government developed a policy that banned cellphones during classroom time in K-12 schools, with exemptions for specific learning purposes.

“[Students] handled the cellphone policy extremely well,” Garinger said. “There was little to no negative feedback.”

He said follow-up surveys with staff and families showed that the ban was a positive move for students and schools alike.

Changes this year will include a change room policy as ordered by the provincial government. Garinger sees the change as a good thing as it lets families know that if their child wants to change in a private location they can do so, and it’s another support for students.

The division is also developing an accessibility administrative procedure to ensure that all future changes or developments at schools, including playgrounds, are accessible to all students. Garinger said the division will also begin a process to see how they can retrofit schools and playgrounds that aren’t currently up to an accessibility standard. That administrative procedure is expected to be completed in December.

Garinger said Horizon wants to continue to move the needle in a positive direction as it comes to graduation rates.

“We’ve seen continued growth every year, but we want to make sure that that growth continues,” explained Garinger. He said the division will continue to work hard to support students as they work their way from pre-K to Grade 12.

“Making sure that they’re ready for that next step, whatever that next step needs to look like.”

Horizon has also redeveloped the professional standards for teachers, and Garinger said they are busy giving those new standards to the teachers’ association and ultimately the staff for feedback.

“Making that part of the work that teachers know, and when they know what their role is it makes it a lot easier for them to do their job,” Garinger said.

Garinger also wants to continue their work with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), building on their partnership with BHP.

In an interview with northeastNOW, North East School Division Director of Education Stacy Lair said one of their goals was to reverse a dropping student attendance rate that began at the outset of the pandemic. Garinger said attendance at Horizon is also at a level that can be better.

“We know the impact of attendance on our students and their success.”

He said they will continue their work to keep students engaged, which he believes will help increase attendance. Garinger added the new National Food Program should also help students and families in the division.

–

cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

by Cam Lee

Horizon School Division Director of Education excited for start of school year

What's Trending