placements at community partners, and certifications including first aid and concussion awareness. PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER MOOSONEE Leaving an isolated community for post-secondary education requires more than academic preparation. The James Bay Lowlands schools have developed comprehensive support systems that dramatically improved student retention rates at colleges and universities across Ontario. “In 2017, we had a lot of students that had gone out to post-secondary programs and were back in our community by October,” recalls Tozer. “We did a deep dive at the high school to figure out how that was happening and how we could better support.” The solution emerged as a multi-faceted approach centered on a mandatory GLS 4O course in the first semester. Students spend the entire term researching programs, securing financing, and addressing practical challenges of southern living. The curriculum covers everything from navigating public transit to understanding meal plans. “If you’re going to London, how does public transit work? Is it free for students? How do you get your pass?” explains Klingenberg. “There’s no public transportation in Moosonee, so it’s something that’s foreign to students but really a huge part of student life when you’re in a post-secondary institution.” Each spring, grade eleven and twelve students board the train for a transformative journey to Timmins, North Bay, and Sudbury.They stay in residence halls, 397 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 JAMES BAY LOWLANDS SECONDARY SCHOOL BOARD & MOOSONEE DISTRICT SC
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