For vocational education, DSFM has developed creative solutions. “Unfortunately, we’re dispersed all over in terms of trades. We don’t necessarily have a trade school, like other school divisions,” Lesage notes.“We rent spaces in Winnipeg and bring students together to have at least the occasion to explore different trades, like carpentry or welding.” Federal funding has enabled additional specialized learning spaces. “In our new school in Sage Creek, we’ll have a STEM room which will offer courses in the evening for parents,” Laberge adds. Similar investments in La Broquerie include “a room for production with a green screen and a 3D printer. Students will go into new courses, but it’s open at night as well for the community.” LIFELONG LEARNING PHILOSOPHY DSFM’s educational approach similarly embraces a culture where continuous growth and development form the cornerstone of both student and staff experiences. This philosophy shapes how classrooms operate and influences professional development throughout the division. “I’m a lifelong learner, so of course, I truly believe in lifelong learning,” Laberge states emphatically.“The first thing we always tell our staff and our seniors is that long gone are the days where the teacher in front knew everything and the rest of the students knew nothing, and they were there just to fill them up like a jar and make sure that they would be ready for the next steps.” This approach recasts the traditional teacherAMBM.CA The AMBM acknowledges the key role of the DSFM and its schools in the development of strong and sustainable bilingual communities in Manitoba. DSFM: a source of vitality and prosperity...in French! 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 04
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