Educators in Border Land School Division have set the tone for the coming school year. Over 150 teachers and educational assistants participated three days of professional development leading up to the first day of classes during the division's Summer Institute.

"(It's) where we target school divisional priorities and initiatives in terms of supporting the learning, the work in classrooms, with the different sessions that we provide," explained Assistant Superintendent Jonathan Toews. "So you have a bit of a primer, a bit of a mind set, to approach some instructional strategies in a new way, to approach some of your students in a new way."

Toews added that Summer Institute also allows BLSD to strengthen its core priorities such as Restitution which helps staff respond to student behaviours, Truth and Reconciliation, numeracy, literacy and sustainability.

And while he hasn't compiled all of the feedback from this years program, Toews said the workshops were a great way for teachers and E.A.s to connect with each other and take part in a positive learning environment.

Toews admitted the challenge now is to ensure this learning translates into quality instruction in the classroom, and added this will be done by several follow up sessions.