The Chinook School Division is continuing to see growth in its distance education program.

Over 800 students are enrolled in the Chinook Cyber School, which allows students to take courses they wouldn't otherwise be able to take in their home school.

"We have a number of very small high schools throughout Chinook, and some of the classes are hard to offer, especially when you're looking at numerous math and science classes that kids need to have in order to graduate, and this provides an option for them," said Liam Choo-Foo, Director of Education for the Chinook School Division. "Also, what it does is it provides a lot of opportunity for kids to take courses they may have not have had a chance before in terms of electives. Believe it or not, we can offer cosmetology via distance learning, and things like Energy and Mines, Cow-Calf, Photography, all those other sorts of extra classes that I think really enrich the programming options for students."

Choo-Foo says the Cyber School gives students three options for taking their courses.

"One is synchronous, which we offer through video during school hours, and another is asynchronous, which is done online via computer," he added. "The other one is a continuous intake model, so that students can enter at anytime and leave at anytime, so for those who are, maybe hockey players who are coming into the system at odd times, or for any other reasons, they can take the courses they need."

Choo-Foo says of those students enrolled in the Cyber School, they are seeing an 97% success rate.