REGINA -- Regina Public Schools is hoping to bring back Campus Regina Public this fall, after being halted due to COVID-19.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, the program was closed temporarily to allow its teachers and school to be used for e-School.
The goal is for Campus Regina Public to return for the 2021-22 school year.
"We’re very excited," Ian McKillop, principal of Campus Regina Public, said. "It’s been great to get our staff talking again about programming and opportunities, and to reach back out to our corporate partners and our educational partners to re-establish those networks and connections."
Campus Regina Public allows Grade 11 and 12 students to receive hands on training in courses from early childhood education to welding. In some cases, earning university credit as well as high school credits.
"What we find is students get to test drive their different areas of career interest in a safe supportive environment," McKillop said.
Sydney Goffin knew she wanted to become a teacher, but a semester in the program in Grade 11 solidified it.
"After day one, I was like, 'Yep, I belong here'," Goffin said.
Goffin is now in her first year of elementary education at the University of Regina and she said Campus Regina Public helped her head into the program fully prepared.
"It definitely built me up to know what to do when it came to going to university," she said.
Brent Ash didn’t know what he wanted to do after high school until he walked into Campus Regina Public’s welding shop.
"I had no clue, I came here second semester of Grade 11 and a couple of weeks in, I knew exactly I wanted to do this," Ash said.
The program pairs career-centred programs with academic knowledge. Ash said the welding class helped him improve his math skills.
"Everything in the math class here was geared towards welding, so I showed an interest in welding and math became more interesting to me," he said.
After attending Parkland College in Yorkton, Ash is now working as a welder.
COVID-19 is expected to continue impacting the world into the fall, but McKillop said their planning is also including precautions to limit the spread of the virus.
"We’ve got lots of plans in place in terms of safely cohorting kids and working to ensure that we’re following the guidelines as outlined by the [Saskatchewan Health Authority], the Ministry of Education and the school division," he said.
Campus Regina Public will be hosting a virtual information night on Mar. 2 at 7 p.m. via Zoom for those interested in learning more about its programming.
