An entire community smiles when they see the grad signs on front lawns, the grad parade making its way through our communities on graduation day, and the residents, families and staff members that cheer these young adults on their day of celebration!
Graduates of the 2024-25 school year are counting down the days to convocation day, when they make that final walk across the stage to receive their Grade 12 diploma.
In reflecting back 13 years ago when most of these students stepped into kindergarten class to start their journey of learning, one can’t help but think about the evolution of technology in the classroom... both the additions, and the subtractions. The cell phone ban is a perfect example of this.
Turtle Mountain School Division Superintendent, Grant Wiesner says there has been a lot of growth when it comes to technology in the classroom.
Cell phone use in the school started around 2009 and our teaching staff have had to navigate their way through this maze of emotional belonging, phone addictions, withdrawal angst, and relational connecting with peers - all a part of how to manage cell phones in the classroom. It’s been a learning curve to say the least.
"This year we've had the provincial cell phone ban, and we actually had a presentation from some students from Boissevain School, and they talked about the positives of this year, of not having those distractions of that technology. And it's been a really good year in terms of I would say re-engagement. Reengagement with learning in the classroom."
"We've had some high school students tell us, 'I didn't realize how distracted I was before!' And they're very glad to have those distractions out," adds Wiesner. "It's just really down to fostering some positive learning environments in our schools."
The cell phone ban in the Turtle Mountain School Division requires no cell phones from K-Grade 8. For Grade 9-12 students they are allowed to use their cell phones only during designated times.
"And again," adds Wiesner, "if technology is needed, we have other ways of accessing technology - through Chromebooks or laptops and things like that."
"And so, as we've eased into that transition of getting rid of the cell phones and it's been a nice transition. And again I think it's just really fostered some positive learning environments in our classrooms," adds Wiesner.
Please listen to more with Grant Wiesner on the topic of the cell phone ban in the TMSD.
The graduating class in Killarney School has 47 graduates this year. Graduation takes place on Tuesday, June 24th.
Boissevain School has 27 graduates this year with graduation taking place on Wednesday, June 25th.
The Adult Education Center has 24 grads with that ceremony having taken place this past week Thursday.
"So, a lot of a lot of things happening, plus we have two colonies with grads as well. So just a lot of graduations happening all throughout the division," adds Wiesner.