Northland School Division (NSD) is moving into its second year of system-wide Collaborative Response implementation, deepening its commitment to ensuring success for every student through a culture of collaboration and support.
In partnership with Jigsaw Learning, NSD has developed a multi-layered support plan for the 2025–2026 school year, designed to provide consistent structures, targeted professional learning, and practical tools for educators across the division.
Key elements of the plan include:
- Onboarding for New Staff through the Collaborative Response 101 course for leaders or the Overview of Collaborative Response On-Demand Workshop for school staff.
- Going Deeper with Collaborative Response — a division-wide online session led by Kurtis Hewson, ensuring consistent understanding and practice across all schools.
- School Leadership Team Days — five half-day sessions (online and in-person) to support principals and leadership teams in refining and strengthening implementation.
- Individualized Leadership Consultations — six hours of personalized online support for every principal, provided by a Jigsaw Learning Associate.
- Collaborative Team Meeting Feedback — observation and feedback for every school’s team meetings, offering practical insights for growth.
- Senior Leadership Support — facilitation to establish a division-wide Collaborative Response approach aligned to identified school needs.
- Collaborative Response Membership Access — providing schools with resources, professional learning, and implementation tools throughout the year.
- Piloting of WeCollab Software — introducing a digital platform to streamline Collaborative Response processes, with a free trial and phased rollout beginning fall 2025.
“Northland School Division has demonstrated strong commitment to building collaborative cultures that support both staff and students,” noted Kurtis Hewson, Lead Learner of Jigsaw Learning. “This second year of focused support will help deepen practices, strengthen leadership capacity, and enhance the collective impact across the division.”
Through this plan, NSD continues to model what’s possible when a school division embraces collaboration, clarity, and shared responsibility as the foundation for student success.
To learn more about how Jigsaw Learning could help your organization introduce, implement and deepen Collaborative Response efforts to have a substantial impact on student success and staff collective efficacy, access Collaborative Response Across a System section of our website. If you have any questions, please contact us at .
Northland School Division is situated in some of the most stunning areas in northern Alberta. Covering 288,347 square kilometres, their schools are located near mountains, lakes, rivers, forests, and wetlands in Treaty 6 and 8 territories. They hold high respect for the history, language, and culture in these territories. At NSD, 95% of the student population is of First Nations, Métis and Inuit descent. They have approximately 1700 students in 18 schools, located in municipalities, First Nation reserves, and Métis Settlements.