Several North Island schools will soon benefit from a grant of $12,500 through the Ministry of Education's Growing Innovation Program. School District 85 has been selected for a research project on how to boost student engagement and improve achievement for rural learners.
Funding will be divided among Port Hardy Secondary and Eagle View Elementary in Port Hardy, AJ Elliot in Sointula and Alert Bay Elementary School.
Growing Innovation was launched last March as a research agreement between the Ministry of Education and the University of British Columbia (UBC). The $300,000 provincewide program provides grants to the districts selected so they can bring their innovative ideas to life and enhance rural learning.
The Collaboration Without Boundaries project will compile a team of educators from across the district, while each educator develops a unique approach to help increase the role of families in the education of their children.
"We are very proud of the work being done here in the district in support of rural schools and families and we look forward to sharing our findings with educators across the province," Vancouver Island North school board chair Leightan Wishart said.