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Reimagine Lakeshore: A School Division Change Initiative for the Twenty-First Century

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Abstract

In 2012, Lakeshore School Division in Manitoba, Canada, embarked on a systemic change initiative called Reimagine Lakeshore. The intention was to prepare students for the realities of the twenty-first century by meeting the needs of all students in the division. The division garnered support for this work from the provincial Department of Education and through a community-university partnership grant from the Canadian government. School division leaders adopted a design-based process for change developed by Giesbrecht (2014). The process included input from all stakeholders. Leaders cultivated a culture of trust and risk-taking that encouraged experimentation and sharing. The objective of this research was to determine the success of this change initiative and to identify the successes and challenges. Researchers employed a mixed methods approach that included document analysis, online surveys, participant interviews, and focus group discussions. Statistical analysis and thematic analysis procedures were used and indicated varying degrees of success in moving toward greater quality, equity, and engagement across the division. The multiple perspectives represented within this research will provide valuable reflection for anyone considering educational change for global capacity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the cooperation, input, and friendship of Lakeshore School Division, in particular Janet Martell (Superintendent) and Leanne Peters (Assistant Superintendent). Thanks also to Dr. Karen Rempel, Principal Investigator of the VOICE project, for her support and to Dr. Sheila Giesbrecht (Manitoba Education) for her conversations with us and for her hard work on the Reimagine process. Finally, thank-you to our student research assistant, Ayodeji Osiname.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brandon University, 270 – 18th Street, Brandon, R7A 6A9, MB, Canada

    Jacqueline Kirk & Michael Nantais

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  1. Jacqueline Kirk
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  2. Michael Nantais
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Correspondence to Jacqueline Kirk .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Suzanne Choo

  2. Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, USA

    Deb Sawch

  3. Ridgefield Public Schools, Connecticut, USA

    Alison Villanueva

  4. Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, USA

    Ruth Vinz

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Kirk, J., Nantais, M. (2017). Reimagine Lakeshore: A School Division Change Initiative for the Twenty-First Century. In: Choo, S., Sawch, D., Villanueva, A., Vinz, R. (eds) Educating for the 21st Century. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1673-8_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1673-8_17

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  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-1673-8

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