DSBN’s Lifetime Learning Centre the pathway to success
Returning to high school after a 15-year absence was no easy feat, but for Rachel Longster, a now graduate and valedictorian of the Lifetime Learning Centre, it was the stepping stone to a life she’d never imagined.
“There is no question in my mind, that without this program, I wouldn’t be a high school graduate and I wouldn’t be enrolled in college,” said Longster. “It opened so many doors for me and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”
The Lifetime Learning Centre (LLC), an adult high school offered through the District School Board of Niagara, allows students to achieve high school diplomas, upgrade academics for applying to post-secondary school or to develop skills in computers and technology. Potential students are invited to attend a non-committal information session at 1p.m. on Wednesdays to learn more about the courses and options available, and about the six-different start dates within the school year.
“As adult learners the opportunity strikes when it strikes. You never know when your life will change and you can come back to school, so we don’t focus only on September and February start dates,” said Shilpa Mehta-Jones, head of guidance with Lifetime Learning Centre Adult and Community Education. “When students come for the information session, we sit down and learn about what they need and what their motivations are to make sure that we can build a program that meets their needs.”
Located in St. Catharines with five satellite sites across the Niagara region, the LLC offers academic credit completion, computer and technology classes as well as a Ministry of Education approved process called mPLAR (mature Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition) which allows for credits to be granted for prior life, work and volunteer experiences.
For Longster, her high school diploma was much closer than she thought after learning that credits could be earned through her life experiences.
“When I first started looking into the program I needed eight high school credits, but I was able to turn my work and life experiences into school credits,” said Longster. “At the end of the day I only needed to take two classes to graduate, and as a single mother of two young children, getting my education as quickly as possible was a huge opportunity.”
In 2017 more than 400 students crossed through the doors of LLC and its satellite sites. The programs run Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., allowing adult students to create a balance with school and family life. All classes are taught by Ontario certified teachers, and are tuition free, with regular start dates available throughout the year. The next selection of course offerings begins in March 2018.
For more information on course selections and enrollment, visit www.lifetimelearning.ca or email llc@dsbn.org.