Last week the Province announced funding for 53 project applications totaling $954,082 as part of the 2021 Teachers’ Idea Fund.

Education Minister Cliff Cullen announced last week Wednesday the funding program’s review panel recommended the 53 applications, which now brings the total of approved projects to nearly $1.4 million to fund ideas from teachers, staff and school leaders.

Students and staff at Glenboro School are excited to receive funding to add robotics to their programming through this provincial grant.

“We’re hoping to incorporate it [robotics] into our Science program as well as with technology, so some cross-curricular learning,” explains Ryan Diehl, Principal at Glenboro School.

“We’re very excited to be able to this.  It’s opportunities that I think sometimes rural schools miss out on, and that maybe city schools are able to offer.  So, I think this is going to drastically improve the education in the area of Science in our school.”

Diehl says the robotics program will most certainly be a hands-on experience for their students in the classroom.  The school will be purchasing robots for students to operate through computer programs, and then leaning different techniques.”

“We’re always looking for opportunities for our students and we have lots of students interested in the sciences and giving them that hands-on experience that they need if they’re going to pursue something after school in the science and technology areas.”

“We’re hoping to improve the engagement level in the different Sciences,” he shares. “Kids are going to be doing lots of learning but its going to be fun at the same time!”

Adding robotics to the learning experience was something both staff and students were eager to pursue.  “We’re constantly looking for feedback from our students and they certainly want more hands-on experiences in all their courses.  So, we felt this was certainly a way to enhance our Science program and we’re very fortunate to receive this money to make this happen.”

This new addition is expected to be up and running by January once the funding is in place.  “We’ll start introducing that in the Grades 9 and 10 level, and then hope to expand from there.”

“Once the program is established then we’re hoping at the school level that we can supplement to keep it running and keep expanding,” adds Principal Diehl.

2021 Teachers' Ideas Fund Recipients in the Westman Region:

  • Improving literacy outcomes through a structured literacy approach by establishing a book club at Kola School in Fort la Bosse School Division
  • Supporting robotics for STEAM high school students at Glenboro School in Prairie Spirit School Division
  • Helping at-risk individuals using a variety of engagements through T.H.R.I.V.E. at Manitou Elementary School in Prairie Spirit School Division
  • Increasing digital citizens at Rapid City School in Rolling River School Division
  • Supporting STEM learning at Souris School in Southwest Horizon School Division
  • Establishing an outdoor classroom at Souris School in Southwest Horizon School Division
  • Promoting positive impacts and morale through an outdoor classroom at Pierson School in Southwest Horizon School Division