Education

Students celebrate science; government invests more in innovation (08/10/07)

NB 1454

Oct. 7, 2008

BURTTS CORNER (CNB) - Middle school students at Keswick Valley Memorial School shared lessons in river stewardship with Education Minister Kelly Lamrock during a visit this morning to their science project on the banks of the Keswick River.

Students at the school have been studying the river valley watershed since 2007 thanks to an $89,884 investment from the Department of Education's Innovative Learning Fund (ILF).

Today, Lamrock announced District 14 schools will receive a further $180,000 during 2008-09 to pay for classroom projects promoting hands-on learning.

"As a parent and as education minister, I find it rewarding to see so many children get excited about learning," said Lamrock. "Through this fund, our teachers are able to be more creative and innovative, and our students can learn more effectively."

The multi-million-dollar ILF is designed to help teachers bring creative ideas into the classroom. It is a signature project of When Kids Come First, an ambitious plan to build the best education system in the country.

The ILF is available to any teacher, school or school district within New Brunswick. All projects approved for funding must focus on improving student academic performance; or, on enhancing teaching practices with a clear connection to literacy, numeracy and science.

The investment at Keswick Valley Memorial School is helping students learn advanced science skills and how to take responsibility for a small river ecosystem.

Since the project began, students have cleaned trash from the shoreline; sampled water for quality and content; and completed basic stream surveys to create baseline data for local waterways.

While at Keswick Valley Memorial School, Lamrock visited students participating in a program called Making the Grade for Myself, also supported by the ILF. Middle school math students track their achievements against expected learning outcomes using work samples, journal items and guided math problems.

The lead teacher, Nancy McAlinde, was awarded $2,355 to pay for the program, to help students take responsibility for their success in understanding math.

During 2008-09, the ILF will invest:

• $1.1 million in 149 projects across nine anglophone districts, plus $620,000 earmarked for projects yet to be approved; and
• $773, 829 to continue 123 projects across five francophone districts, plus $566,171 earmarked for projects yet to be approved.

Since its launch in August 2007 through the end of this school year, the ILF will have invested $6.8 million in New Brunswick classrooms.

In addition, the minister announced that Southern Carleton Elementary will be the second District 14 school to be designated as a Community School. Southern Carleton Elementary will join 33 other schools in receiving extra staff to co-ordinate community partnerships to help students take advantage of local expertise. Andover Elementary was designated a Community School for District 14 in 2007.

08/10/07

MEDIA CONTACT: Jordan O'Brien, communications, Department of Education, 506-457-4999. EDITOR'S NOTE: Following are new District 14 ILF projects that received funding during Round 1 of the 2008-09 school year.

District 14 ILF recipients, Round 1, 2008-09

• Improving Comprehension With Read Aloud Material; Jeanine Clark; Woodstock Middle School ($2,500)
• Grade 7 Balanced Math Unite Plans; Shelly Hunter; Florenceville Middle School ($2,400)
• Incorporating Technology Into the Arts Through Project-Based Learning and Differentiated Instruction; Bridget Nugent; Tobique Valley High School ($2,467)
• Engaging High School Students with Literature Circles; Jennifer Acott; Cantebury High School ($2,500)
• Transforming Literacy with Graphic Novels; Lynne Hemphill; Woodstock High School ($2,376)
• Wiki Circle Talks - A New Approach to Literature Circles; Alisha Peterson; Saint Mary's Academy ($2,500)
• Redefining Literacy through Technology; Russell Dickinson; Canterbury High School ($2,486)
• Learning Ratios and Fractions through Drumming; Eileen Yeker; Nackawic Senior High School ($2,500)
• Greening up Mathematics; Robina Sharkey; Centreville Community School ($2,500)
• Self-Publishing; Angela Welch; Bristol Elementary School ($1,290)
• Making the Grade for Myself - Self Assessment in Middle Math; Nancy A. McAlinde; Keswick Valley Memorial School ($2,355)
• Inspiring Life-Long Readers and Strengthening Comprehension Through Reading Workshop; Lisa McLean-Gallagher; District 14 office ($2,944)
• Getting an Early Start; Robina Sharkey; Centreville Community School ($2,499)
• Project Math - A Night to Remember; Harmiena Dionne; New Denmark School ($2,464)
• Homework Helper Grab Bags; Carrie Estey-Bourgoin; District 14 office ($2,295)
• Creating Imagery Through Writing; Angela Corcoran; Southern Carleton Elementary School ($2,488)
• Improving grades 3-5 Writing; Mary Pawsey; Woodstock Centennial Elementary School ($2,500)
• Readers Theatre - A Vital Link; Sandra Langdon; Millville Elementary School ($2,500)
• Within My Circle - Capturing My Oral History; Kathy Anderson; District 14 office ($2,497)
• Interactive Learning Centres in a Secondary, Student-Centred English Classroom; Lynn Hemphill; Woodstock High School ($2,489)
• Critical Literacy - Staff Development Leading to Increased Student Language and Critical Literacy Skills; Susan Mabie; Canterbury High School ($2,480)
• Photo Story Gone Large; Judith Barr; Donald Fraser Memorial School ($2,492)
• Becoming an Author at New Denmark School; Harmiena Dionne; New Denmark School ($2,442)
• Mapping Literacy; Kevin Baker; Andover Elementary School ($2,500)
• Literacy Engagement for Middle Level Boys and Struggling Readers; Lenora L. Higgs; Canterbury High School ($2,500)
• Bridging Reading Gaps; Holly Simpson; Canterbury High School ($2,500)
• Our Kindergarten Family; Linda Lapointe; Florenceville Elementary School ($2,479)
• Monitoring Acid Rain; Chris McLaughlin; Southern Victoria High School ($2,489)
• Sustainable Development Using Renewable Energy; Jason Smith; Hartland Community School ($19,350)
• Outstanding Writers Wanted! Cristy DeMerchant; Florenceville Middle School ($18,950)
• Accel into Reading; Beth McCready; Bath Middle School ($3,917)
• Bringing Guided Reading to the High School; Linda Ayotte; Southern Victoria High School ($9,420)
• Community Gardens Focused on Sustainable Development; Jason Smith; Hartland Community School ($16,814)
• Middle School Mindstorms; Katrina Paget; Tobique Valley High School ($12,151)
• Engaging K-12 Students in Authentic Writing Experiences; John Mackay; Woodstock High School ($30,530)

08/10/07