Manitoba Schools: Innovation Places

Students in Manitoba are fortunate that, as a group, Manitoba educators have been recognized by many programs for their innovative approaches to education. Few jurisdictions can boast of having a minister of education who, himself, was a national award winner for teaching innovation and excellence as an educator before becoming part of government!

Recently, Manitoba’s educators have been recognized by such programs as the World Wide Microsoft Innovative Teachers Awards, the Genzyme-Invitrogen Biotech Educator Award of the Biotechnology Institute (Arlington, VA), the BIOTECanada - Biogen Idec Teaching Excellence Award and the Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence.

The following schools and their teachers have been recognized for their level of innovation in providing science and technology programs. Educators from Manitoba, Canada and from around the world are invited to contact these schools directly about their programs after reading the program descriptions:

Use of GPS, Swan Valley Regional Secondary School

Swan River Regional Secondary School, located in Swan River, Manitoba, makes extensive use of global positioning systems within its agriculture and ecology programs. In addition to using these tools for teaching about resource management and precision farming, the courses also make use of remote controlled drones. SVRCC, svrss.svsd35.mb.ca is located in the Swan Valley School Division.

Space Studies, Maples Collegiate

The Space Exploration Academy, Maples Collegiate in the Seven Oaks School Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba provides students with information about space exploration through specific courses and through integrating learning about space into other science courses such as physics, chemistry and biology. Maples is involved in a variety of space-related projects including the Win-Cube satellite launch, the Balloon-Sat high altitude balloon program, Marsville and the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program.

Hardware/Software Diploma, Technical Vocational High School

Technical Vocation High School in the Winnipeg School Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba has received extensive awards for its programs in preparing students for careers in the various area of information and communications technology. The school offers extensive courses in many areas of hardware and software use. Other outstanding programs include the school’s broadcasting, robotics and aerospace programs.

Drafting and Design, Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School

The drafting and design program at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School, located in the Brandon School Division in Brandon, Manitoba provides students with the opportunity to develop their architectural design skills, often working on design projects for the community. These projects require students to work individually or in groups to develop and solve real world architectural problems. Projects have included redesigning the student centre at Brandon University, designing new cabins at a nearby resort, designing a housing complex and redesigning a heritage building.

Life Science, Fort Richmond Collegiate

Fort Richmond Collegiate in the Pembina Trails School Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba is arguably one of Canada’s most high achieving schools in the life sciences area. Both its students and staff have been recognized nationally for their performance. FRC scores in the top schools in the National Biology Competition with students finishing first and second in recent years. The school also has numerous students in the Sanofi-Aventis Biotechnology Challenge with projects among the winners each year.

Teaching Infectious Disease in the Elementary School, Angus McKay School

Angus McKay School is one of few elementary schools which has integrated the study of infectious disease into grades 5-6. The school has had one of the largest entries into the Sanofi-Aventis Biotechnology Challenge, including several winners, as well as providing material about infectious disease in the science, health and career part of the curriculum. Angus McKay is in the River East Transcona School Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba.