Civil Municipal - May 2024

for the smaller communities in the area. Collectively, there are approximately 9500 students enrolled within the district between 7 secondary schools and 21 elementary schools. The county is geographically large, but the school district itself is relatively small in population, and to compensate, the board has maintained an expansive network of community partners who support the district’s schools in providing learning opportunities to the students. “We are extremely grateful to our community partners for the support that they provide to our schools,” Director of Education, Kristen Niemi says, referencing the municipalities and organizations that support the district’s schools. One of the key strategies here has been to provide all students from grades 7 to 12 with individual Chromebooks to encourage more technology- enabled learning. With the job market rapidly evolving, the goal is to provide students with experiences where they can develop crucial skills that will prepare them for future careers. Municipal partnerships prove important. The County of Renfrew advocates for expanded broadband and cell service in the County, a service that will ensure that students and their families have equal access to internet, to use Chromebook technology to their full advantage both at school and home. Because of this, the Renfrew County District School Board stands proudly at the intersection of education and community empowerment. FOSTERING STUDENTS THROUGH INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING The RCDSB’s commitment to student success extends beyond traditional classroom measures. Board leadership firmly believes in experiential learning as a pathway to global competencies, therefore it provides a wide range of educational and workplace opportunities to help students learn through engaged, hands-on experiences. Programs like the Specialist High Skills Majors and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program provide 214 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 05