Taking courses at the Health and Sciences Academy at Bishop James Mahoney High School can give students a leg up in their post-secondary careers.
That’s because the Academy offers dual credit courses with both Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the University of Saskatchewan.
BJM’s Science department head, Andrea Regier, gives the examples of interpersonal communications, anatomy and medical terminology credits for Sask Polytech and a first year Biology credit from the University of Saskatchewan.
The Academy also has a partnership with Canadian Light Source Synchrotron where students can conduct experiments at the facility and work on research proposals.
Regier explains that although the Health and Sciences Academy sounds like it might be focused on those going on to medical careers, it’s not just for health care related field, it’s for those interested in all sciences.
She says Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools identified a need for an academic program that would draw on the strengths in Saskatoon with its thriving science community, and the result is the Health and Sciences Academy, which began in 2017.

The school division recently signed Memorandums of Understanding with both Sask Polytech and the U of S to formalize the partnership and affirm the work that they are already doing together.