HUNTSVILLE - Looking to get your high school diploma? Or perhaps you need to fill in a few courses for higher education requirements.
Administration head Tom Nunn at The Huntsville Adult Education Training Centre located at 80 Centre St., 705-789-4764, is the go-to-guy if you want to upgrade.
The next session starts on May 13 and credit courses being offered are a healthy living course and a media arts, media study course. There is still time to apply.
Students attend from 8:45 to 1 p.m., Monday to Friday for six weeks.
“Our ages range from 16 to 60. Some years it has been from 14 to 84,” said Nunn. “We get grandmothers coming back trying to learn computers, which is fabulous.”
He said students come to the training centre for a variety of reasons
“It’s easier to juggle one apple at a time instead of four,” he said. “Students here worry about one boss, one teacher, one textbook. A lot of the anxiety is reduced because they’re able to juggle one thing at a time.”
They set a schedule in May for the following year.
“Most of our timetable is compulsory courses. Then they can use paid co-op to get elective courses. In a matter of a year they can get all their compulsories here – then they can get job experience out of here,” said Nunn. “For many students who are frustrated with the system – they can get their compulsories and get off into the world of work.”
For students looking for science and math credits to prepare them for college, twice a year the centre offers on-line virtual courses in senior college sciences.
“It’s virtual but it gives students from different centres the chance to get that college-level science or math course,” he said.
He also suggests some students use the virtual learning school that is available to earn four high school credits.
“There’s another very special program called Open School,” he said. “A student can take one course with no timelines. Maybe a student needs one credit from us – she’s pregnant and she wants to get her one credit done in a month. Or she’s home with a couple of kids and she can take a longer time to get the course done.”
Education Huntsville, an advocacy group for education options in Huntsville, is hoping to see some night school courses offered in the future.
Trillium Lakelands District School Board is open to providing night school courses in Huntsville if there is sufficient demand, and qualified instructors can be engaged, according to Bob Attfield of Education Huntsville.
There are no fees for secondary school night school courses, he added.
Attfield said that in order to run a course the board requires 20 students to enroll. Education Huntsville is trying to determine the need and urges interested people to visit their website at www.educationhuntsville.ca to fill out their online survey.
Attfield encourages individuals who have not completed their Ontario Secondary School Diploma to enter one of the Adult Education and Training Centres where staff will assess the number of credits required to graduate.
“You might be closer than you think,” said Attfield. “If you are unsure of what courses might be appropriate for you, you can Google Huntsville High School, then follow the “academics” and “course offerings” tabs. These pages will provide a complete list of courses for the 2011/2012 school year.”
Visit www.anewstart.ca for offerings at the Trillium Lakeland District School Board’s three adult education and training centres.
Alternately, for those not comfortable with the computer, Attfield suggests contacting Anne Cooper, vice principal of the School of Alternative Education, to discuss night courses you would like to see at 705-789-4764.
“There are many creative solutions such as paid co-operative education and credits for prior learning,” said Attfield.
Education Huntsville, a registered charity, is an advocacy organization committed to expanding education opportunities in the Huntsville area, particularly night school opportunities.