This story was written to mark World Teachers’ Day, which occurs each Oct. 5 to draw attention to the contribution teachers make each day.
Jackie Taylor’s 28-year teaching career has taken her from the classroom to the roles of school principal and division principal.
These experiences through the grades now inform her approach to ensuring students have every opportunity to transition into post-secondary learning once they graduate from high school.
Through her role as director of the Community Learning Campus (CLC), Taylor invests most of her focus on expanding dual credit opportunities for high school students throughout the division.
Dual credit programming allows students to take college-level courses in areas they are passionate about, while earning credit at both the high school and college levels.
This has been a game-changer in support of student engagement and high school completion, and the CLC’s partnership between Olds College and Chinook’s Edge School Division is like no other in the
province.
“As an educator, I can see this is making a huge difference for students,” said Taylor. “I see the evidence of it truly impacting young people and changing their lives. My role is the only one like this, where I work for both institutions — at the K to 12 level and college level — and both are deeply committed to these valuable experiences.
"The work we do is only this successful because of the collaboration and passion that comes from our school teams. Their involvement in bringing students my way is exceptional.”
In the decade since the Community Learning Campus launched, Chinook’s Edge grew from having 30 students involved in dual credit courses to over 150 students every year experiencing college courses in the trades, health care aide, hospitality and tourism, and more.
As well, dual credit programming has moved from pilot program status to a full Alberta Education program.
During this time, many other post-secondary institutions in the province have expanded their reach in the area of dual credit, which several provide for high school students through distance learning.
However, it’s the CLC partnership with Olds College that is setting the standard, and new dual credit programs are being offered all the time.
“Our schools are highly committed to the dual credit vision, and that’s such a big part of the CLC. I can see
this exploding in the coming years. It involves wonderful, professional people who really care about kids,” said Taylor.
“In Chinook’s Edge, we are working together on career connections, not just in high school, but from grades 7 to 12 and it is so exciting.
"We have focused on this with school teams for the past five years and we have a very strong plan in place across the division for transitioning students to post-secondary and the world of work.
"Our division’s work with dual credit allows students to explore, learn and get excited about choices in post-secondary learning.
"At the end of the day, our Chinook’s Edge focus lands on what students truly need to be successful throughout all the grades and then beyond high school.”
Sandy Bexon is an information officer with Chinook’s Edge School Division.
