THUNDER BAY – Children entering the school system today in 2010 will be reaching adulthood and coping with the world of 2030. Challenges and opportunities shaping this generation’s future include: peak energy, climate change, global technological and digital advances, and population and demographic shifts. In Thunder Bay, there is a group of committed parents, educators, and community members who suggest that what our community needs is a new generation of thinkers; a generation that is not limited by the habits of thought that created the problems they inherit.
“Challenges and opportunities shaping this generation’s future will affect Northwestern Ontario in unique ways,” said Dr. Mirella Stroink, professor of Community and Environmental Psychology at Lakehead University. “We need a youth generation equipped with a manner of thinking that transcends the linear and mechanistic worldview of the industrial era and can both comprehend and work with the dynamics of a complex and interconnected social-ecological world. We need a generation fully rooted in its human and ecological community.”
The Northern Lights Education Initiative is the collective voice of people calling for the need of a publicly funded alternative school in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Aspects of the school can already be found in some schools, and are well known in the education literature, but the proposed school strengthens and unites these aspects through a common vision and a core philosophy. The school would strive to feature a small student population, a commitment to innovative and experimental programs, and volunteer commitment from family and other community members.
Over the coming months the Northern Lights Education Initiative hopes to present their proposal to the community at large and then the Lakehead School Board. They hope to address why there is a need for choice in education, what their vision is for an alternative school in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and how they hope to implement this vision.
Upcoming Event: Community Meeting
Where: 515 Syndicate Avenue North
When: Wednesday, November 17th @ 7 p.m.
Who: Parents, educators, and community members
To find out more visit www.northerneducation.ca