Next Step is a supportive, alternative senior high school for students who require a non-traditional, individualized program. Located in community-based sites in Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, and Vegreville, Next Step provides students with:
- a safe, comfortable environment
- flexible, individual schedules
- the opportunity to take responsibility for their own education and to experience success
- excellent teachers and encouraging and respectful staff
Our Vision
Is to create a community of learners who embody the virtues of acceptance, flexibility, individualization, respect, and responsibility.
Our Beliefs
- All students can learn and experience success.
- A quality education contributes to the emotional, intellectual, physical, and social development of the student.
- Learning is a lifelong process in which education plays a fundamental role.
- Our program must be innovative, flexible, and continuously improving in order to meet the challenges presented by change.
- Integrity, honesty, tolerance, and responsible behaviour must be fundamental in all that we do.
- All students deserve a safe and caring environment.
- Education is the foundation of success.
Programs & Services
Next Step schools offer all levels of English Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, and all Sciences required to attain a Diploma or Certificate of Achievement in the province of Alberta. We also have a variety of complementary courses, Work Experience, RAP and Green Certificate available to students. Apart from our specialized complementary courses, Next Step is able to offer most courses from Alberta Education Programs of Study.
At Next Step all our programming is in-person although students have 24/7 access to materials via Brightspace. Our students are required to be on campus at least once a week to meet with their teacher and check in on class progress. This may be 5 minutes or three hours. There is no formal blocks of class time like traditional schools. All assessments need to be completed in-person on site. Students can meet more than that if they like (daily) as it is very individualized. Students' progress at their own pace, so can accelerate and get done courses early if they choose. Students work one on one with teachers and have an academic/social emotional Success Coach available to support them in their journey as needed.
Administration
Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park & Vegreville locations:
- Barclay Spady, Principal
- Krista Porter, Assistant Principal
- D'Anne Bennett, Assistant Principal