NIC offering Lakeland students dual enrollment

Students in Spirit Lake and Rathdrum will be able to earn college credit without leaving their high school thanks to a partnership between the Lakeland School District and North Idaho College.

“It’s happening right on campus,” said Ron Schmidt, Lakeland’s assistant superintendent. “Kids don’t have to go anywhere.”

The college is offering dual-enrollment courses at Lakeland’s high schools beginning this fall at a price less than half of what Kootenai County residents normally pay.

Classes taught by NIC instructors will be broadcast to both schools via interactive videoconferencing. Other classes will be taught live by Lakeland teachers, hired on as NIC adjunct faculty. Those classes will be beamed from the teacher’s home school to the district’s other high school.

Candace Wheeler, director of distance education for NIC, said more than 50 students have already enrolled in the courses for this fall, which include English composition, college algebra, college study skills, introduction to psychology and introduction to sociology.

Tuition will be charged at $60 per credit – much lower than the $127 per credit normally charged to Kootenai County residents.

“The taxpayers of Lakeland should be thrilled,” Wheeler said. The partnership comes at no expense to the school district, which will use existing classrooms during the “zero hour,” before the school day officially begins.

NIC benefits, too, Wheeler said. The college will gain students, but won’t have to find space at its Coeur d’Alene campus for the classes to be held. Dual-enrolled students won’t have to battle other NIC students for the limited parking spaces available.

Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls students take dual-enrollment classes at the Coeur d’Alene campus, but Wheeler said it’s more difficult to commute from the Lakeland district.

Wheeler said the college has created a full-time position for a dual enrollment coordinator. Other districts throughout North Idaho are talking to the college about creating dual-enrollment programs similar to Lakeland’s, made possible by technology.

Lakeland students – and others throughout the state – can also enroll in online courses through the Idaho Digital Learning Academy and earn college credit. Advanced placement courses are also available.

For information on the IDLA, visit http://idla.k12.id.us.

Because of additional funding from the Idaho Legislature, the IDLA is offering Advance Placement and dualenrollment courses at the reduced fee of $25 per course, regularly $100.

“Now there are two great ways kids can start accumulating college credit at the same time working on their high school diploma,” Schmidt said.

Food service director recognized

Kevin Doyle, food service director for the Lakeland School District, has earned one of the top credentials given in the restaurant and food service industry, according to a press release from Chartwells K-12 School Dining Services.

Chartwells is a company that services more than 500 school districts across the country.

Doyle received the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation’s Foodservice Management Professional Certification. According to the release, the certification recognizes those in the profession for their knowledge, experience and leadership.

Doyle, who has 19 years’ experience, was also recently recognized with awards for the “best food cost” in his region and “best overall financials” for school districts with a population from 2,001 to 5,000 students.