Building Networks South of the Border

A team of NOII Network leaders has the unique opportunity to consult on the development of a new networked learning community in the United States.  The Northwest Rural Innovation and Student Engagement (RISE) Network is a collaboration between the Northwest Comprehensive Center at Education Northwest in Portland, Oregon; Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley from Boston College; and the State Education Agencies of Washington, Oregon and Idaho.  Each of the participating states has recruited 2 – 4 districts/schools to participate in this new network, particularly K – 12 schools that have all grades in one building or site.

The goal of the new network is to bring together teachers from rural and remote communities.  Many participants will be the only teacher of their content or grade in the geographic area. The focus of the network is to connect teachers as a means of improving their professional capacity, increasing the potential for building student engagement and support the implementation of learning objectives across sites.

Feb. 10^th and 11^th will be the first time that the Northwest Rural Innovative and Student Engagement Network will be meeting in person (in Seattle) to get to know one another, share experiences from their own settings and discuss issues related to rural education/student engagement, and develop a plan for collaborating together to develop their practice moving into the future. 

What a unique opportunity for our NOII and AESN Networks to share their experience and knowledge with these rural educators from the US.  Three Network leaders will be joining Judy and Linda at this first meeting:

• Anne Jenkins, currently principal at Springwood Middle School in Parksville, will share her experiences, particularly as past principal of False Bay School on Lasqueti Island,

• Debbie Koehn, who is involved in the Teacher Education program at UNBC and facilitates the Network in Central BC, will bring her knowledge as a learning coach in remote Aboriginal communities across BC, and 

• Angela Stott, vice principal at Golden Secondary School, will bring the perspective of rural education and Network leadership in the Kootenay area.

We already know how lucky we are to share in the breadth of experiences and knowledge from our exceptional educational leaders from across BC, but now our colleagues from the US will be able to join in this collaborative, networked learning as well.  What a great opportunity for both groups in moving learning and teaching forward in rural communities.  Stay tuned for an update from the meeting.