Midwestern

Palmerston High School To Prepare Students For Jobs In Agriculture

Upper Grand District School Board members received a presentation on Tuesday that discussed the Local Environment Agriculture & Food, or LEAF program, that will begin in September 2018 at Norwell District Secondary School in Palmerston.

Teacher Paul Frayne delivered the presentation, where he stressed to board members how the hands-on farm to fork program, which will be worth two credits, will allow students the opportunity to experience everything the local agriculture community has to offer.

Frayne says the class will be taking trips to local farms weekly, which will allow students to make connections with farms, discuss ideas they have, and help them make an informed choice when it comes to the decision of what they'd like to pursue as a career choice.  The class will allow students to network with these local farmers, and open up job opportunities once school is complete.

Principal Paul Richard shows off the Memory Wall at Norwell District Secondary School, which he says has a long association with agriculture.

Principal Paul Richard says the LEAF program will add to Norwell's developing approach of hands-on learning in their hallways. Those walking around Norwell Secondary will notice a different approach when it comes to things like community areas, such as a window on the mid-level between two staircases, which has had seating added as well as a cell phone power station that is powered by a solar panel on the school's roof.

Richard feels the LEAF program will add another layer to this approach to learning, which he says appeals to international students as well, who are choosing Norwell in an increasing number because of the types of programs they are making available to their students.

Board members voted to receive and seemed excited about the possibilities for the LEAF program, with one member relenting that she couldn't join a program like this herself, and another saying that the program will surely benefit from being centrally located in what he called "The Silicon Valley of Agriculture".

Read More Local Stories