Lakeland Catholic School District (LCSD) students will now have the opportunity to learn about the Canadian military and its history.
During their meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 27, the board of trustees voted to approve a military studies course for Grades 10 to 12 starting this fall.
"The courses are going to be offered initially at Assumption Jr./Sr. High School in Cold Lake," noted Joe Arruda, LCSD superintendent. "But, they can also be offered in Bonnyville or in any of our high schools."
Amanda Wildman, communications officer for LCSD, noted there was an interest from students to learn about the subject.
"I think it's especially fitting because we have a strong military presence in our region, and I think students are motivated to learn more about the military and the history of it," she said, adding she believes the course be a popular choice for students.
Shawn Belsher, social sciences teacher at Assumption, asked to have the military studies offered to give students a humanities course that may spark an interest for those who take it.
"I think that sometimes people, young people in particular, they don't realize the sacrifices that a lot of our Canadian soldiers have made, and are currently making today, in a variety of different roles around the world. We just want to make sure students understand that, so that when they make a connection to the political role and realm that sometimes the military falls into... That these kids have a background understanding of what our government's doing so they can make informed decisions in the future about military issues," he detailed.
The three or five-credit classes will explore the role of the military, its involvement in domestic and international affairs, and its relationship to political processes during times of war and peace in Canada and on the international stage.
Through the course, students will grapple with real-world problems or conflicts, assess and evaluate military solutions, and hone their communications, leadership, and decision-making skills.
Some outcomes for those who take military studies include examining the concepts of war and peace, critically analyzing the relationship between the media and the military, see peace operations and the effects of these missions over time, and encounter and interpret personal and collective stories related to the military and understand how they conserve memories and give context to a community.
"These are fairly complex (courses), and it's really concept-based learning," Arruda expressed.
Due to the proximity of 4 Wing Cold Lake and Assumption, board trustee Margaret Borders believes it's a great chance for students to expand their knowledge.
"Right away I associate it for being with students from Cold Lake, because what a wonderful opportunity they have with access to the military," stated Border.
LCSD won't be the only district offering military studies to their students. Arruda noted the courses are offered in other parts of Alberta that also have Canadian forces bases close by, and the approval allows their teachers to use the material developed in Edmonton.
Since the classes are being offered as flex programs, students have the option of taking them as an elective.
"It's an additional block of time that they've labelled 'flex,'" explained assistant superintendent Pamela Guilbault. "It can be labelled anything, but it's just an additional period of time where you could insert a course such as military studies or any course that's not necessarily a core curriculum course."
