Family Studies teachers from across the Lambton Kent District School Board came together for a professional learning day focused on strengthening classroom experiences through safety, innovation and real-world learning opportunities.
The session, hosted at Lambton Kent Composite School in Dresden, welcomed 12 Family Studies teachers from across the district.
The day began with a focus on ensuring students have access to safe, high-quality learning spaces. Teachers reviewed newly approved board-wide administrative procedures covering food storage, purchasing practices, food preparation standards and lab access, and took part in practical training on updated dish sanitization procedures for Food and Nutrition classrooms.
“Creating common expectations and procedures helps ensure students have safe, engaging learning experiences no matter which LKDSB school they attend,” said Family Studies consultant Avinash Ghosh.
In the afternoon, teachers received hands-on training with updated RealCare Baby infant simulators, technology used in Family Studies programs to give students a realistic glimpse into the responsibilities of caring for an infant. Working in small groups, educators learned how to set up and program the simulators while exploring new features such as Bluetooth proximity tracking, caregiver interaction monitoring, enhanced reporting tools and updated software integration.
The board says the RealCare Baby program offers students authentic, hands-on experiences that encourage skills related to responsibility, communication, caregiving and child development, while helping them explore future pathways in fields such as early childhood education, health care and pediatric care.
