Northern Lights to host a series of community engagement sessions

It’s time to set new priorities for Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) to focus on over the next three years.

The school division is calling on all parents and community stakeholders to attend their community engagement sessions.

Communications officer for NLPS, Nicole Garner, says the sessions are a great way for parents to have their voices heard.

“In our three year plan we have goals that are set by the province,” Garner explained.

The sessions are intended to help the school hit those goals.

“These are goals that will help the students be successful.”

Through community engagement NLPS hopes to set priorities for the division to focus on as a whole.

Setting priorities

The current division priorities are improving literacy and numeracy competencies, improving communication, engagement and partnerships; and improving health and wellness.

These were developed through extensive consultations done with stakeholders in 2014-2015.

The priorities could be very broad areas, said Garner.

“Not necessarily the strategies of how we’re going to address them, but the areas we need to focus on as a school division.”

“We want to look at it from the community perspective,” which is where the community engagement comes in, stated Garner.

“The primary focus is parents, obviously they’re more closely linked to the school system and have some ideas for us on what the priority areas should be. But all community members are welcome, because the community has a stake in what we are doing.”

Where to attend

Over the next two months, NLPS will be holding community engagement meetings to collect input from parents and community stakeholders on what priorities the division should include in its next Three-Year Education Plan.

Parents are invited to attend one of the sessions and provide your feedback.

If you are unable to attend the session being held in your community, you are welcome to attend any of the other sessions being held throughout the division.

• Cold Lake  – Wednesday, February 6 – Cold Lake High School – 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Caslan and Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement – Wednesday, February 20 – Caslan School – 1-3:15 p.m.
• Glendon – Tuesday, February 26 – Glendon School – 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Lac La Biche – Wednesday, February 27 – J.A. Williams High School – 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Ardmore and Iron River – Wednesday, March 6 – Ardmore School – 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Kikino Métis Settlement – Thursday, March 7 – Kikino School – 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Plamondon and Wandering River – Thursday, March 7 – Ecole Plamondon School – 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Bonnyville – Tuesday, March 12 – Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre – 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The input collected at the community engagement meetings will be used to help the Board determine what division priorities to include in its next Three-Year Education Plan.

For more information about Northerm Lights Three-Year Education Plan, visit the NLPS website:

NLPS Annual Education Results Report and Three-Year Education Plan