RDC and local school divisions extend Learning Pathways agreement

Seven local school divisions and Red Deer College put pen to paper Wednesday to extend the Learning Pathways in Central Alberta partnership.
 
Formalized in 2013, the original Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Chinook’s Edge, Clearview, Prairie Land, Clearview, Red Deer Catholic, Red Deer Public, Wild Rose and Wolf Creek school divisions, as well as RDC.
 
“It’s all about the learners. What we’re really interested in is making sure that learners have a broad opportunity for courses in central Alberta,” says Morris Flewwelling, RDC Board Chair. “First of all, we want them to go to post-secondary. We want them to come to post-secondary in Red Deer and we want them to finish in Red Deer, and we want them to stay and live and raise their families. That is what is underlying the whole thing.”
 
Flewwelling cites the annual Reading College as just one of many examples of concrete evidence that this partnership is making a difference in the lives of young learners.
 
He adds the eight partners will continue to work together toward more innovative learning options for students.
 
Colleen Butler, Board Chair for Chinook’s Edge, agrees that students have benefitted greatly from the partnership.
 
“Through our shared vision of student success, we are able to advance strategies, programming and services that impact the students we serve,” she says.
 
Other programs spawned out of Learning Pathways in Central Alberta include the School Within A College program, which allows students to complete high school while working on theur first-year apprenticeship, as well as the Dual Credit program and Dual Healthcare Aide certificate.