Livingstone Range School Division wants to create a collegiate school to offer students enriched programming, specialized facilities and enhanced learning opportunities.
The school division applied for approval and $50,000 in funding from Alberta Education for a business case.
Superintendent of innovation and curriculum Chad Kuzyk updated trustees on the PEAKS Collegiate Campus application during their Jan. 23 meeting at the G.R. Davis Administration Building in Fort Macleod.
Kuzyk told trustees the application for the unique delivery model went in on Jan. 15.
“The collegiate school offers specialized programming in a particular subject or file, and provides all students with a clear pathway to both post-secondary education and careers in their chosen field,” Kuzyk said.
Kuzyk said Lethbridge College and industry partners supported Livingstone Range in its application for collection campus designation.
“This is early stages of this,” Kuzyk said. “This is just exploratory. The application was for proof of concept.”
The one-time $50,000 grant from Alberta Education would fund creation of a business case for the collegiate campus.
The areas of focus would be science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and environmental science.
Livingstone Range would use the PEAKS Campus in the Crowsnest Pass for experiential learning opportunities for students and for work experience.
“Virtual school would also be used as a collegiate conduit to be able to have some of that programming take place,” Kuzyk said. “We feel that it is a very innovative opportunity for pieces that we already have in place to expand those offerings for our students.”
Dual credit programming with bridging opportunities for post-secondary would be further established, Kuzyk said.
The collegiate program will be for Grade 7-12 students to study and train in resource management, environmental protection and reclamation, and environmental sciences.
If Livingstone Range is approved, it would have to submit its business case in May.
Trustees welcomed the news.
“I see huge potential in this like all of you do,” trustee Brad Toone said. “The ability to help jump start and give our students that much more of an advantage leaving school with all these extra experiences.”
