ST. PAUL - Associate Superintendent of Student Supports Sha Tichkowsky offered a report about inclusive education during the May 10 board meeting, going over the work that is being done in St. Paul Education schools to support students.
Out of 3,800 students total, 235 students have a severe diagnosis, and 265 have a mild or moderate diagnosis. Twenty-six students are part of PUF (Program Unit Funding) or Kindergarten Specialized Learning Supports, stated Tichkowsky's report.
A total of 534 students within St. Paul Education are English as Additional Language learners, with the majority of those students being Canadian-born students who attend Two Hills Mennonite School. Tichkowsky noted that the number of foreign born students has also been growing within its schools.
She explained that the staff who make up the various teams that help support students are all very busy. The school division also has contracted staff in place.
One area that has seen an increase in need is speech and language supports among younger students. When asked if the trend was due to the pandemic, Tichkowsky noted that the trend was being seen prior to the disruption in learning caused by the pandemic. She further noted that there is a lot of reports available that speak to the trend, and research shows that early intervention is often most effective.
Tichkowsky also spoke about the literacy and numeracy team that is in place helping catch students up. The team includes five educational assistants and a program coordinator. There are 74 students who are taking part in the program from Grade 1, and 343 students taking part from Grade 2 to 4, on the literacy side.
For numeracy, there are 81 Grade 1 students taking part in the program, and 51 Grade 3 students.
Across the division, there are 156.75 FTE educational assistants who fulfill a variety of roles. Tichkowsky noted that these staff are not the support, but rather they are there to "implement" the supports.
She also spoke about the shift in thinking that is continual in education, such as a change from focusing on what students cannot do, to focusing on what they can do instead.
Mental health supports
St. Paul Education has been chosen to be part of the Integrated School Support Program (ISSP). The ISSP provides youth with prevention and early intervention support to help improve mental health, wellness and quality of life.
The ISSP is led by the Calgary Police Youth Foundation and includes a wide range of supports such as meal programs, after school care, structured physical education and access to mental health professionals. The program is being expanded across the province.
"Right now, it's quite diverse," said Superintendent Peter Barron, speaking to the board of trustees on May 10. He said the school division is still waiting to see what the possibilities of the program can be, and there are many questions that still need to be answered.
There will also be a research component to the program, which is being led by the University of Calgary.
The provincial budget announced earlier this spring includes $4 million to expand the Integrated School Support Program.
Excellence in Catholic Education
The Excellence in Catholic Education Award is recognized annually by Alberta Catholic school jurisdictions and presented by the Council of Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta (CCSSA). This year, Mallaig School teacher Amanda Amyotte was the recipient of the award, which was presented on April 29 at the Sharing Purpose in Catholic Education (SPICE) Retreat.
"The Excellence in Catholic Education Award recognizes Catholic 'teachers' in Alberta who have done an exemplary job in preparing our youth to grow into outstanding Catholic citizens. Nominees shall be passionate about Catholic education and the students they teach, inspire their students, and demonstrate commitment to Catholic education and teaching excellence," according to information from CCSSA
Elk Point Elementary principal
During the leadership report presented on May 10, Barron announced that Leanne Vinge was officially named the new Elk Point Elementary principal. She was formerly the acting principal at the school.
