The Rural Secondary Program of SD#27 has been operating, growing and changing since 2009. This presentation will outline our solution to the challenge of keeping dispersed, varied and shrinking rural schools open and viable. Our program currently includes 6 public schools/programs and 2 Band schools we contract for, with approximately 60 students in grades 8-10. We use free and open source software and good, solid pedagogy to connect and engage participants. Declining enrollment continues to challenge us and the program will need to evolve in the future. We will look at potential changes to the program to continue to be viable.

1. Brian Davidson
Jerome Beauchamp
Mike Franklin
April 8, 2014
SD27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin)
Blended Learning in a
Rural District

2. Overview
Context-Before the Program (< 2009)
Program Today
Challenges We Face
Program Tomorrow
Learning from you….

3. Context – Before the Program
 Several, small, dispersed and unconnected schools, each
with one or two senior divisions (typically, 8/9, 9/10 or 8-10)
 One teacher, usually first or second year with one area of
expertise
 Students moving into town (early, if possible)
 Boarding situations not always ideal – students poorly
performing, partying, skipping, dropping out

4. Context – Before the Program
 Course completions – discouraging numbers
 Graduation rates – discouraging, especially for our
Aboriginal learners
 Teaching staff retention – difficult-many teachers taught
one year and then left

5.  Anahim Lake, Tatla Lake, Alexis Creek (Hwy
20) – 320km
 Naghtaneqed (Nemiah Valley)
 Dog Creek, Rosie Seymour (Band)
 Horsefly (east of WL)
 Canim Lake (Band; not this year)
 Teachers in rural schools (Anahim Lake,
Naghtaneqed, Horsefly) and town
(Distance Ed, High Schools)
 Semestered, focused on English/Math;
Social Studies/Science
Program Today

6.  Online teachers responsible for 4 x 60 minute online classes
 Use Blackboard Collaborate (for classes) and Moodle (for
course content
 Moodle courses built from scratch for the most part
(asynchronous courses from BCLN don’t work as well as
hoped)
 Classroom teachers (and TA’s) responsible for supporting
students, helping with tech, organization/deadlines
 Played with Tutorial times and course tutors – not utilized
Program Today

7.  Social development and f2f opportunities provided by 5
field trips annually; each hosted by a different location
 Field trips include a focus plus 2 – 45 minute f2f lessons with
online teachers; focus could be anything – sports, fine arts,
culture, science, Respect (Orange Shirt Day)
Program Today

8.  Students learn (and live) in their own communities with
their families
 Students get the flavor of what High School will be like in a
supportive environment (pace, work load, expectations,
working with different teachers, semesters)
 Students get to work with subject specialists
 Students get to work with students at their grade level
 Students get to meet and work with students from other
schools
Benefits of the Program

9.  Transition to HS is eased (students know some of the other
students and teachers they’ve already worked with)
 Students develop/use IT skills surpassing those of ‘bricks &
mortar’ students
 Staff retention boosted – job is not as overwhelming as it
was before; # of preps is manageable
 Some students still transient, but often return after trying
out town because they know what the program is like
Benefits of the Program

10.  Communication is a key and crucial component of our
success
 Student focused – reporting (Engrade); archiving
Blackboard sessions; messaging; during lessons; Moodle;
 Teacher focused – between classroom and online
teachers (emails/phone calls); meetings (f2f and
Blackboard); messaging; capacity building/support;
August Institute
 Community focused – reporting; SLC; newsletters (8 per
year featuring student recognition, work samples, teacher
bios, info, tips, etc); field trips (a bit of competition )
Communication

11.  Declining Enrollment
 Staffing
 Engagement/Pedagogy
Challenges We Face

12.  Declining Enrollment
 Continue to see our secondary classes merged with elementary
(add grades 6/7 to the Senior class)
 Add grade 6 and/or 7 courses to the program
 Fewer Rural teachers able to teach courses
 Staffing
 Add online classes to postings for HS teachers (preferably in
permanent positions, so they wouldn’t have to be posted every
year/semester)
 Engagement
 Continue to research topics with potential usefulness (FN education,
differentiation, inquiry, PBL, engagement, etc)
Program Tomorrow

13. Do you have any suggestions or ideas we should investigate
that may help us as we move forward? Ideas for
collaboration?
Questions & Discussion & Your
Suggestions

14.  Brian Davidson, Coordinator, Rural Secondary Program –
250.398.5800 (brian.davidson@sd27.bc.ca)
 Jerome Beauchamp, Director of Instruction – Education
Services – 250.398.3800 (jerome.beauchamp@sd27.bc.ca)
 Mike Franklin, Principal GROW/Skyline – 250.398.5800
(mike.franklin@sd27.bc.ca)
Contact Information