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The official magazine for the College of Alberta School SuperintendentsCollege of Alberta

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Spring 2009

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Early Childhood EducationPower

CASSconnection

4 Spring 2009 • The CASS Connection

The CASS ConnectionThe official magazine for the College of

Alberta School SuperintendentsSpring 2009

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Messages: Message from the Minister of Education, Dave Hancock Message from the CASS President, Paulette Hanna

Focus On...Early Childhood Education: Early Learning: A Growth Spurt in Edmonton Catholic School Holy Spirit Catholic School Division is Learning Language and Loving It! Early Learning in a Rural Context Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention and Parent Education: A Winning Combination Extended Full Day Kindergarten Programming in Grande Yellowhead Regional Division Partners in Pre-Kindergarten Early Intervention Program Welcome! Bienvenue! Transitioning Into the English Classroom Straight Talk about Inclusive Education

Legal Brief: Keeping Kids Safe: Part 1

Health and Wellness: Recognizing and Helping Staff with Depression

Buyer’s Guide

ON THE COVER: This edition of The CASS Connection

explores early childhood education across the province. Thank you to

all the schools and divisions who submitted these fantastic photos!

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The College of Alberta School Superintendents 5


the Spring 2009

The

ofEarly Childhood Education

Power

CASSconnection


The Honourable Dave Hancock | Minister of Education

E arly childhood experiences, including early learning opportunities, set the

foundation for a child’s future health, learning, employment and social well-

being. Research tells us that children who have a good start in life are likely

to be resilient, healthy and engaged learners and citizens. As Minister of Education,

I am excited to see the theme of this issue of The CASS Connection is early childhood

education.

A priority for education for 2008/2009 is to increase broad-based supports and early

intervention initiatives for children with at-risk factors. An Early Education Frame-

work is currently being developed to guide work in this area. Additionally, Education

is embarking on a 5-year province-wide research project that will provide a compre-

hensive range of information on children’s development prior to kindergarten. The

Early Child Development Mapping Project gives school authorities, communities

and parents information on how well their community is supporting young children

and families. The project also helps with identifying better understanding the influ-

ences of socio-economic and community factors that contribute to success in school

and in life.

The greatest goal of the education system is the success of each student, which is

the result of the hard work and commitment of all education stakeholders. The College

of Alberta School Superintendents is an important partner in ensuring our education

system provides high-quality learning opportunities, while also supporting our children

to be confident in their abilities and keen to be lifelong learners.

I appreciate the ongoing support and leadership of Alberta’s school superintendents.

I look forward to building Alberta’s education system through future collaboration with

the members of the College of Alberta School Superintendents. n

The greatest goal of the education system is the success of each student, which is the result of the hard work and commitment of all education stakeholders. The College of Alberta School Superintendents is an important partner in ensuring our education system provides high-quality learning opportunities, while also supporting our children to be confident in their abilities and keen to be lifelong learners.

Early Child Development (ECD) Mapping Project

Children’s first years of development set

the foundation for their success in school

and future well-being. Children’s develop-

ment during these early years affects their

learning, behaviour, and physical and emo-

tional health throughout adulthood. The

Early Child Development (ECD) Mapping

Project is a province-wide, 5-year research

project looking at the factors that may influ-

ence healthy child development. The project

will use the results to support communities

and families in ensuring that all children

have the best possible start in life.

The ECD Mapping Project gathers data

on child development from three sources:

• Gaugingthe“readinesstolearn”of5-year

olds as measured by the Early Develop-

ment Instrument (EDI);

• Collectinginformationonthesocio-eco-

nomic factors that influence children’s

development; and

• Taking inventory of the local services,

programs and facilities for families with

young children in each community

across the province.

Thedatawillbe “plotted”onmaps for

every community in the province. This

type of information can help to reveal

things like where children and families

live; the differences across communities in

child development; and where strengths

and gaps exist in programming, facilities

and services. Communities can then use

this information to work together to meet

the needs of their young children and

families.

More information can be found at http://

education.alberta.ca/parents/ecs/ecd.aspx.


Paulette HannaPresidentCollege of Alberta Superintendents

I am very pleased with the theme of this edition. Early childhood education experts regard learning in a

child’s early years as one of the most vulnerable stages in life. According to the National Association for

the Education of young children, the early years span the human life from birth to age 8. If a young child

doesn’t receive sufficient nurturing, nutrition, parental/caregiver interaction, and stimulus during this crucial

period, the child may be left with a developmental deficit that hampers his or her success in preschool, kin-

dergarten, and beyond.

Early childhood education is increasingly being recognized as an area of concern for society as a whole. A

growing body of research indicates that systemic early childhood education programs provide substantial long-

term benefits for both individuals and societies. McCain and Mustard (1999), suggested the period between

birth and age 6 is critical for language, cognitive, as well as social and emotional development. Pianta and

Walsh (1996) believed children are ready for school when, for a period of several years, they have been exposed

to: consistent, stable adults; a physical environment that is safe; regular routines of activity; competent peers;

and materials that stimulate their explorations and joys of learning.

Early childhood education is vital for K to 12 students. A well planned program allows students to experi-

ence success from an early age. It prepares students for school socially and academically, lessens special educa-

tion pressures, promotes literacy and numeracy, builds family and community relationships, and increases

highs school completion.

Health Canada, 2000 suggested that early development has a significant impact on mental and physical

health later in life and the child’s early years are critical to future academic and lifelong success. Early childhood

programs promote the development of the whole child—physical health and well-being, social competence,

emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, and communication and general knowledge.

Alberta school jurisdictions believe in the importance of early childhood education. I am impressed with

and amazed by what many jurisdictions have been able to accomplish without comprehensive government

funding. It is touching to visit these programs and see the nurturing and hope they instil in young children

while continuing to support the primary role of parents/guardians in the education of children.

Alberta School Boards Association, Alberta Teachers’ Association, Alberta School Council Association, and

College of Alberta School Superintendents recognize the value and importance of early childhood education.

They have come together to advocate for adequate funding for this critical program. They believe that the

funding must be substantial and sustainable to allow every child equal opportunity for optimal development.

The four partners have a vision that will see all children in Alberta have access to integrated and comprehensive

early childhood education. In practical terms this would mean that every child in Alberta, whose parent wishes

it, will have access to high quality integrated education. What a beautiful vision! n

A well planned program allows students to experience success

from an early age. It prepares students for school socially and

academically, lessens special education pressures, promotes literacy

and numeracy, builds family and community relationships, and

increases highs school completion.

10 Spring 2009 • The CASS Connection10 Spring 2009 • The CASS Connection


T here is no doubt that in the world

of early education our schools are

undergoing an enormous per-

iod of growth and change—much like

the common “growth spurt” that we

are familiar with as both parents and

teachers. And like any growth spurt, it

requires more than just a new pair of

pants or another classroom. Early Learn-

ing is complex and incorporates multiple

organizations, and the orchestration of

funding, government standards, agency

partnerships, specialized services, creative

programming, teachers, administrators

and families.

A DISTRICT OVERVIEWEnrolment trends

Edmonton Catholic Schools’ enrolment

trends in early learning show a pattern of

continuous growth. In particular, the creation

of additional pre-K programs has added an

entirely new dimension to the composition

of our early learning make-up. Originally,

our pre-K programs were developed to serve

severe special needs children in segregated set-

tings.TwoyearsagotheAlbertaGovernment

gave an ESL grant to fund the year prior to

kindergarten. This allowed us to create a new

pre-kindergarten program (a private sponsor

provided basic grants to the children who did

not qualify for funding). Enrolments were

high and with the exception of a couple chil-

dren (who moved away), all children enrolled

in the same school the following year for Kin-

dergarten programming.

This new program, known as 100 Voices,

has been so successful that for the upcoming

2009-10 school year, we are opening 4 addi-

tional programs and are entirely restructuring

our former segregated pre-K sites to embrace

the same inclusive, community based pro-

grams as our 100 Voices programs offer.

Special needsOverall, the trend of children diagnosed

with special needs continues to increase in

our district. The majority of our children

with Program Unit Funding are due to

severe delays in speech and language. It is

unfortunate that so much time and resour-

ces are spent on “coding” that generates

the dollars for enriched programming and

differentiation that includes multiple disci-

plines. It would be so much more effective

to have funding that is both early and pre-

vention based—so that we can ultimately

create quality enriched educational pro-

gramming to better serve the needs of each

child much sooner in the school year—and

not spend half of our resources and half the

yeartodeterminethe“coding”whichthen

funds the quality enriched programming.

There has got to be a better way as we strive

to provide programming to maximize the

learning potential of all of our children in

language rich, early learning environments.

Inclusive programmingEdmonton Catholic Schools believes strong-

ly in inclusive programming. Early Learning

By Corine Gannon, B.Ed., M.Ed, Edmonton Catholic Schools

Early Learning: A Growth Spurt in Edmonton Catholic Schools


around services to go where the children are

in their community in their preschool years

(21/2-41/2) rather than have the children

come to us. We have often complained how

we identify more than 95 percent of our

children in the Kindergarten year with special

needs, who have then missed out on a poten-

tial of two years of PUF funding or one year of

mild-moderate funding or ESL funding.

It is absolutely crazy to think that with our

daycares currently operating in our schools

and renting space, that we actually walk pass

their door and don’t offer specialized services

to the children that could be accessing fund-

ing for enriched programming—and then we

complain when these children haven’t been

serviced before the Kindergarten year!

In December 2008 we began our first two

pre-school outreach programs in two daycares

located in St. Leo School and Annunciation

School. There is excitement and hope as we

begin building this partnership, and look

forward to extending this service to other day-

cares in our schools for the following 2009-10

school year.

Alternate program hours We have only recently begun providing

alternate programming on typical non-pro-

gram and program school days. This has pro-

vided an opportunity for parents and children

to come together as a whole group or smaller

groups to engage in additional activities and

programs facilitated by our Family School

Liaison Workers. An example of this pro-

gramming is a partnership we have created

with the City of Edmonton working with a

program entitled Bugs and Butterflies. Each

session involves making a fine motor activity

and extends into focused play that brings both

child and parent together.

Last year we also established a partnership

with the Centre for Family Literacy. This has

Reggio programs, which include key prin-

ciples such as constructivist learning, project

based, child directed, naturalistic, documen-

tation of the child’s learning, and the children

representing themselves in many ways (i.e.

the 100 languages) with fine arts enrichment

and a variety of media to further extend this.

We have had a great deal of fun with the

Reggio philosophy and have extended our

classroom environments with the inspira-

tions of Reggio. Reggio believes strongly

that the environment is the third teacher,

and we have begun to further explore this.

Designs for Living and Learning – Trans-

forming Early Childhood Environments

(2003) by Deb Curtis and Margie Carte

has been one of our teacher focus books

this year in addition to Working in the

Reggio Way (2005) by Julianne Wurm.

We have also incorporated the use of light

tables into all of our early learning programs

as an additional way in which to explore the

world around us.

Catholicity/Christian faith.3.

Rich oral language. 4.

Family involvement: Family School Liaison 5.

Workers (FSLW) assist teachers with facili-

tating family evenings that include multi-

cultural nights and additional program time

that includes opportunities for parents to

network together and further build rela-

tionships in addition to the typical roles a

FSLW has. Parent/family evenings are also

provided to all parents in early learning

programs throughout the year involving the

multiple disciplines.

PILOTSPre-school outreach

We are particularly excited to have

embarked in an entirely new territory with

our educational services this year in the world

of pre-K. This is an attempt to provide wrap-

programs are designed to be inclusive—and the

dissolution of our segregated severe needs pre-K

programming supports this. Multi-disciplinary

services are provided to our children with needs.

The district early learning team includes edu-

cational consultants, administrative support,

speech-language pathologists, occupational

therapists, physical therapists, family school

liaison workers, a behavioural therapist and

psychologists and an adapted phys-ed therapist.

This year, the services provided by our early

learning team continue to move towards a more

“push-in” model. As we know with reading

intervention, the best program for a struggling

reader is a teacher that has the skills to work

with that child all day and every day rather than

having someone else pull the child out of the

classroom, work with them within a context

that is not connected to the learning in the class-

room, and to do so once or twice a month. It is

far more effective to embed the strategies within

the classroom (as is clearly defined by Alberta

Education’s Standards for the provision of Early

Childhood Special Education (gov.ab.ca/k_12/

special needs).

Last year, for example, our district worked

together with Capital Health in a pilot project

involving the Talk Box. A powerful lesson

from this pilot was the emphasis on inclusive,

language intervention and the existing over-lap

between speech-language therapy and effective

language arts programming. Vocabulary, read

aloud, sequencing, story recall and comprehen-

sion, predicting and questioning are all key

strategies that are used by both professions. Our

district continues to journey towards a more

natural method of intervention where the child

leads the learning and we are fortunate to have

a strong multidisciplinary team work towards

this goal as we build capacity with both our

classroom teachers and our special needs teacher

assistants.

PRE-K DISTRICT STANDARDSWith the emergence of pre-K programs, our

district has developed standards that include:

Alberta Education Program Statement: This 1.

is the foundation of the pre-K program

however the intent of pre-K is not to be a

watered down Kindergarten program but

a program designed to meet the develop-

mental needs of this age level.

These programs are also inspired by the 2.

Full time kindergarten acceptable standard in ELA 3

District acceptable standard in ELA 3

Provincial acceptable standard in ELA 3

LA Math LA Math LA Math

2006/2007 88.6% 87.8% 91.6% 90.4% 89.1% 89.1%

2007/2008 89.9% 80.4% 83.7% 83.1% 79.9% 78.7%

Figure 1


that they encounter as they begin to explore

print—visually, kinesthetically and orally.

PD modelsGrant McEwan Partnership/SNTA’s

This year, we developed a partnership with

GrantMcEwanCommunityCollegetoassist

us in providing more formalized professional

development for our special needs teacher

assistants. Assistants had the option whether

or not to apply this PD towards course credits.

Traditionally we have always had four district-

wide early learning PD days, where teachers

received PD specific to early learning. A few

years ago, we invited our teacher assistants

to these days and soon realized that a more

effective PD model is one that differentiates.

We also realized that over 90 percent of our

assistants do not have formal training. Our

Human Resources Department was invaluable

in facilitating this partnership.

For next year, we are hoping to take this

concept further, providing monthly opportun-

ities for cohort groups of our assistants to meet

regularly in addition to the district early learn-

ingdayswithGrantMcEwan.Wealsohope

to implement “boot camps” that are specific

to our early learning assistant needs for week

long, in-classroom residencies.

Inter-visitation model

Last year we implemented a teacher

inter-visitation, where a group of four or five

teachers met a lead Kindergarten teacher in

professional development with this technology

this year, and this tool will become a standard

in our district pre-K programs (100 Voices) for

the 2009-10 school year.

FULL DAY KINDERGARTENAs all districts face the challenge of full

day kindergarten, our district is no excep-

tion. Last year, our district began tracking

children who attended full day kindergarten

programming and used their grade 3 PAT’s

to demonstrate whether or not their level of

skill was being maintained in their learning.

Data from both last year and this year sup-

port that our children who participated in

full day K programming attained an overall

average that was above the provincial aver-

age in both LA and Math when they wrote

theirGrade3PAT’s. (See figure 1)

This year, a new pilot is being implemented

with our full day programs with additional

guided reading supports. The new Fountas

and Pinnell, Leveled Literacy Intervention Sys-

tem (orange), published by Heinemann, has

been provided to all full day programs. This

is an opportunity—particularly for those chil-

dren with the most language/literacy needs—

to have a more intense program as a teacher

directed centre in the classroom. This system

provides enriched opportunities for the chil-

dren to play and interact with the rhythms and

patterns of language. The intent is certainly

not to teach children reading, but expose them

to rich literature and the sounds and letters

been invaluable as we have enjoyed offering

some of their programs to our parents and

children as well as engage in genuine dialogue

as we brainstorm for new opportunities.

Fine arts An important facet of the Reggio phil-

osophy is, of course, the fine arts and to

further develop this we have added a fine arts

instructor onto our team to work with some of

our pre-K programs. This has been inspiring,

as everyone has become more engaged in the

creative abilities, additional sensory experiences

and language opportunities for our children

that each project develops. This has been so

successful, that we will extend this into all our

100 Voices programs next year.

SMART boardsThis year we have begun exploring SMART

boards and have seen the motivation and inter-

active responses that this tool provides for

children. Used properly with appropriate activ-

ities, it is an excellent tool—from finding your

name at the beginning of class and putting it

into the girl or boy column, or rolling dice

and clicking on the letter that is heard with

visual, animated responses, or watching the

elephants live at the San Diego Zoo and tally-

ing how many times you see them throughout

the day, or circling a letter or rhyming words

in a choral poem or sequencing pictures from

a story that was read…the ideas are endless.

All of our early learning teachers are receiving

An important facet of the Reggio philosophy is, of course, the fine arts and to further develop this we have added a fine arts instructor onto our team to work with some of our pre-K programs. This has been inspiring, as everyone has become more engaged in the creative abilities, additional sensory experiences and language opportunities for our children that each project develops.


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period of growth and awareness in early

learning. We are coming to terms that

perhaps it is time to move beyond the

traditional programs and structures that were

once so typical, and for education to take

increased responsibility in providing program-

ming to a pre-school population, to further

involve our families in all our programming,

and to embrace real inquiry and multiple ways

of learning with our children that includes an

infusion of the fine arts to further explore their

world. The Early Development Instrument

(EDI) initiative is also very exciting as our

province is truly embracing that old African

Proverb—that it really does take a whole com-

munity to raise a child.

Early learning is “in”. Early learning,

with its’ shifting landscape, is finally getting

the undue attention that it deserves and the

attention that it desperately needs. n

Corine Gannon is currently the District

Principal in Early Learning/Literacy in

Edmonton Catholic Schools. She has been both

a teacher and school principal for 20 years in

Alberta, Canada.

This model was done in addition to the

early learning conference days.

CONCLUSIONThere is no doubt that Edmonton

Catholic Schools, along with many other

communities, are experiencing a rapid

their classroom. Time was spent observing

the teacher in the classroom, followed by

a one hour dialogue with an early learning

consultant facilitating professional dialogue.

This was an invaluable PD model, with a

focus question (decided prior to the visit) to

help guide the observations and discussions.


Mark Your Calendars!CASS Leadership Academy

Moving and Improving: Building System Leadership CapacityBanff Park Lodge | June 3-5, 2009

For more information contact Rick Morrow at the College of Alberta School [email protected]

A full agenda and registration information is available online at www.cass.ab.ca/major_events

This senior educational leaders’ team development opportunity is under the guidance ofDr. Michael Fullan, Dr. Ken Leithwood and Dr. Ben Levin. Other speakers include Keray Henke, Deputy

Minister of Education and Paulette Hanna, President, College of Alberta School Superintendents.

Building System Leadership Capacity InitiativeMoving and Improving:

W hen Holy Spirit Catholic

Schools in Lethbridge expanded

the range of early childhood

education services five years ago, we knew it

held great promise to enhance the readiness

skills for young children, particularly for those

kids marginally prepared to begin their main-

stream schooling.

What we didn’t know, was just how sig-

nificant the impact would be.

Through an evolutionary process that began

with a pre-kindergarten model, adopting an

exciting, new district-wide approach to enhan-

cing children’s social, language and literacy

development, that promise has been realized.

We are witnessing tangible improvements in

children’s kindergarten readiness skills.

David Keohane, Superintendent of Holy

Spirit Roman Catholic Separate Regional Div-

ision No. 4, supports this new direction.

“Engagingourchildrenattheearliestpossible

level of systemic professional support is predi-

cated by the belief that student learning will

improveinthelongrun,”Keohanesaid.“The

focused and broad based scope of our pre-

kindergarten programs are making that dream

areality.”

In addition to academic acknowledgement

of the successes, the marked improvement

in children’s literacy and socialization skills

have resonated with parents. Marcie Kortt,

whose three-year-old entered our program-

ming at Children of St. Martha’s School, has

marvelled at the transformation her child has

undergone.

“Two years ago our barely three-year-old

daughter started her first day of pre-school.

Armed with only two spoken words, a

vocabulary of 400 signs and the guid-

ance of a then new assistant, little

did we know that her whole world

wasabouttochange,”Korttsaid.

“Althoughextremelyshy,shelookedforward

to going to school and within six months of

attending school her spoken words increased

so rapidly that we just couldn’t keep up with

her. Her confidence was on the way up and the

frustration was on the way out. Since then our

daughterhasneverlookedback.”

“Our daughter just graduated to kin-

dergarten this year and she continues to

amazeus.”

How it works“Junior kindergarten” (ACOL recom-

mendation #2) has continued to grow in

scope and influence since we adopted it in

2003. An early learning programming team,

consisting of the Associate Superintendent

of Student Services, an early learning teach-

er specialist, speech-language pathologists,

and a psychologist, assembled to develop

the district-wide program. Fundamental

to program construction was establishing

consistent practices and outcomes based

on developmentally appropriate learning

opportunities for three- and four-year-old

children. District wide implementation of

Hanen’s Learning Language and Loving It

program was a priority.

The Hanen Centre®, was established

in Toronto, Canada in 1975, and is an

international leader in promoting language,

social and literacy skills for young children.

Learning Language and Loving It, one of

Hanen’s six research-based training pro-

grams, has been field tested and extensively

scrutinized using randomized control trials.

The Early Learning team focused on

providing outstanding programming for

children and families by supporting staff

development. To ensure consistency of pro-

gramming, a shared background in the

philosophies of child development and an

By Nicole Tapajna, Daryl Graham and Michelle MacKinnon, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division

Holy Spirit Catholic School Division is Learning Language

and Loving It!

Photos by Cheryl Navratil.



results with the participants, they were

able to narrow their focus to ensure they

continued to develop their skills. Frequent

interactions and opportunities to observe

trained staff in action confirm strategies

learned through LLLI remain employed.

As part of pre-kindergarten program

evaluation, the early learning team util-

ized the Kaufman Survey of Early Academic

and Language Skills (K-SEALS) with all

children in pre-kindergarten each fall, and

again with the children who consequently

qualified for mild/moderate programming

in the spring. The functional and precise

K-SEALS allowed educators to examine

children’s expressive and receptive language

skills and measure progress from the begin-

ning to the end of the school year. Children

received programming embedded in the

classroom through the implementation of

Hanen LLLI strategies.

Figure 1 demonstrates the pre- and

post- K-SEALS testing averaged results

for receptive and expressive language

skills for children identified as having

below average skills in the fall. Results

are grouped across the district. Given

that these are standard scores, it can be

expected that, without intervention, chil-

dren’s standard scores remain relatively

consistent across time. These positive

changes in the results comparisons indi-

cate the children have benefited from

embedded programming to enrich inter-

action and language skills.

aware of their own interaction style and the

impact it has on the developing language

of children. Comments such as, “wow, I

can’t believe how much more he talks to me

when I just comment on what we’re doing,

rather than asking a bunch of questions,”

and“sheismuchmoreengagedwhenIcan

follow her lead,” illustrate how staff feel

empowered to promote children’s language

and interaction skills.

Hanen®’s Teacher Interaction and Lan-

guage Rating Scale provided an object-

ive way of evaluating how teachers inte-

grate Hanen strategies into their everyday

interactions with children. This innovative

Rating Scale helps LLLI Program Leaders

acquire objective outcome data based on

educators’ progress using the interactive

behaviours covered in the training and

Learning Language and Loving It guidebook.

This provides a profile of an educator’s use

of child-centered, interaction-promoting

and language-promoting strategies. This

tool was used in year one of implementation

to measure the value of this intensive pro-

gram and justify ongoing implementation.

Results indicated participating staff mem-

bers had an initial average rating of 3.6 (on

a seven point scale), indicating they were

using the targeted strategies “sometimes”

before the implementation of the program.

After the completion of LLLI, the over-

all average rating of staff members was 6.1,

indicating they were applying the strategies

frequently-to-consistently. By reviewing

awareness of children’s current levels of

functioning was crucial. Learning Language

and Loving It (LLLI) - The Hanen Pro-

gram® for Early Childhood Educators/

Teachers provided an effective in-service

structure to accomplish such a goal. LLLI is

a research-based, developmental approach

to promoting children’s social, language

and literacy development. This is accom-

plished through everyday activities and

interactions.

The LLLI program, delivered by a

Hanen trained group leader (speech-lan-

guage pathologist or early learning coordin-

ator), has two major delivery components.

Spread over approximately four months,

the program consists of eight group training

sessions and six individual staff videotaping

and feedback sessions. The eight group

training sessions are three hours each in

length and encompass interactive learning

exercises designed such that participants

will gain an understanding of the funda-

mentals of interaction, communication and

literacy development.

The video feedback sessions provide

opportunities for self-reflection as indi-

viduals put their knowledge into practice

in their work settings. On-site mentoring

and coaching from a group leader allows

immediate opportunities for discussion

and feedback; this increases the educator’s

awareness of the child’s levels of interaction

and language development and how to

effectively scaffold language learning.

Hanen’s LLLI provides professional and

support staff with a common language for

discussing the unique needs of the children.

Staff are able to use concise descriptors

when expressing children’s interaction styles

and language levels. This universal language

enables staff to better understand the chil-

dren’s abilities and provide strategies for

encouraging language development in their

daily interactions with children.

The video feedback component of the

program is often initially greeted with trepi-

dation by staff. By the end of the session,

however, the opportunity to review the

video with trained professional staff and

to self-reflect on adult-child interactions is

viewed as the most beneficial element of

the Hanen training. Educators become very


upcoming years. Throughout the evolu-

tion of early childhood programming at

Holy Spirit Catholic Schools, our focus

will always remain on solidifying the

importance of play-based, development-

ally appropriate and fun programs for

children.

“We are very proud of the accom-

plishments of the young children in

our early childhoodprograms,” saidDr.

Debbie Deak, Associate Superintendent

of Student Services. “Moreover, we are

delighted with the professional growth

demonstrated by all pre-kindergarten and

kindergarten staff, and the satisfaction

levels of parents who have had children

inourprograms.” n

Nicole Tapajna and Daryl Graham are

speech-language pathologists working with the

Early Childhood Services Team at the Holy

Spirit School Division in Lethbridge.

Michelle MacKinnon is the early learning

coordinator for the Early Childhood Services

Team at the Holy Spirit School Division in

Lethbridge.

of Hanen trained kindergarten teachers.

Annual refresher courses will also be offered

to staff that completed training more than

two years ago.

Learning Language and Loving It - The

Hanen Program® for Early Childhood

Educators/Teachers, has given educators

the confidence to play a greater role in

implementing social and language supports

in their classrooms, which encourages the

development of all children.

What the future holdsEnrolment in pre-kindergarten has

grown 25 percent since its inception in

Holy Spirit Catholic Schools. We began

with 5 full time equivalent programs

serving 260 families in our urban and

rural schools and have expanded to 7.5

FTE programs now serving 324 families.

While Hanen’s Learning Language and

Loving It will continue to be a focal point

for professional development, expansion

of literacy-based theme units, religious

education, motor skills, and early child-

hood music will be emphasized in the

Further to the data offered by the

K-SEALS, satisfaction surveys were distrib-

uted to 241 parents of children attending

pre-kindergarten programs during the

2007/2008 school year. Of the 112 (46

percent) respondents, 85 percent were very

satisfied with the pre-kindergarten pro-

grams and over 90 percent indicated they

observed development in their child’s social

and language skills during their pre-kinder-

garten year.

In the first year of implementation

(2006-2007), pre-kindergarten program

leaders and speech-language assistants were

targeted for training. In year two, training

was expanded to all certificated kinder-

garten teachers and ECS support staff. In

year three, PUF assistants and kindergarten

teachers are receiving training. To date 78

staff members have been trained in the

comprehensive Hanen program. This marks

the achievement of our goal to train all ECS

support staff within three years. Training

will remain an annual professional develop-

ment program in the district, targeting new

support staff and increasing the number


T he decision to have a child attend

an early childhood education pro-

gram is not an easy one for most

parents. Taking the step to let a child

leave their side, even for a couple of

hours, can be extremely difficult. Par-

ents want to know what the kids will be

doing, who they will be with, and if they

will be happy.

In rural Alberta the opportunity for

this decision may not exist given a num-

ber of circumstances outside of the fam-

ilies’ control that may make the program

unavailable for some children. The access-

ibility of trained staff, facilities, access to

professional expertise, limited student

numbers and distance can all have a

dramatic impact on a rural community’s

ability to host an early learning center.

Many communities now rely solely on

the local school jurisdiction to offer early

learning programs. To answer this call,

rural school jurisdictions have become

creative in overcoming the challenges

that are faced by rural communities when

it comes to early learning programs.

Change can be difficult for a rural

town or village. Some things seem to

work in an unconscious, interdependent

way because that is simply what you do,

and it has worked for as long as anyone

can remember. Even without knowing,

each family has a role in making the rural

community work. Making changes in a

child’s life makes changes to the family

which in turn makes changes to the com-

munity. Welcoming change into a com-

munity is dependant upon the opportun-

ity the family takes to learn about and

befriend the change. You gather families

together so they can poke and pry and

twist and turn this change in every way

they possibly can to see if it will be a fit

or not for their family and in turn, their

community.

The family and community are not

alone in their challenge to accept change.

The early learning program itself has

obstacles to contend with. The challenges

faced in rural areas are, at times, similar to

those faced by all programs in the province,

but there are challenges that are unique to

rural Alberta. These challenges include find-

ing and retaining high quality staff, sharing

a space within an educational facility, driv-

ing distances to communities, finding and

retaining professional disciplines such as

speech language pathologists (SLPs) that

are willing to travel the distance, the need

to move program materials in and out of the

shared classrooms each program day, find-

ing adequate space for specialized individual

therapy programs, providing in-service and

professional development to program staff.

Challenges create opportunitiesThese challenges also provide opportun-

ities, such as a new way to think, a new idea

to learn and a feeling of growth. Challenges

are not viewed as pitfalls but stairs to climb.

One of the greatest challenges to overcome

is that of distance. It can affect the par-

ent’s ability to have their child attend the

program when it is scheduled, it can affect

the ability to hire and retain trained and

qualified staff, and it also has an impact

Driving down the road Sally turns and glances at her son sitting next to her in the truck. He is silent. She asks if he’s excited. He merely shrugs his

shoulders. She tells him his friend, Billy will be there. He just looks out the window. She tells him he’ll have so much fun. He puts his parka hood up

over his head. The long drive into town from the farm continues on in silence. She has to keep believing this will be good for him and her as well. In her

mind, Sally wonders what she was thinking when she registered him. She keeps repeating over and over in her mind, “this will be good for him. This

will be good for him”. They finally arrive at the school. He doesn’t move. With a little encouragement she gets him to leave the truck and begin the walk

into the old school building. She takes a breath and forces a smile. Ever so slowly they walk hand-in-hand down the hall. The room is just ahead. No

one else is around. They keep on walking. As they approach the room a lady steps out of the class to greet them. Clean and polished, eyes gleaming, she

takes Sally’s hand, crouches down and takes his. She says it’s nice to see them. Then as natural as her chatter, she puts his hand in his moms. She moves

around behind, drapes her arm around Sally, places a gentle hand on his shoulder, continues with her chatter and confidently guides them into the room.

Reassured, Sally remembers why she did this.

Early Learning in a Rural ContextBy Dave Driscoll and Mitzi McDonnell, Horizon School Division


for brain development than previously

realized.

Conception to age six has the most 2.

important influence of any time in

the life cycle on brain development

and subsequent learning, behaviour

and health.

A young child’s brain develops through 3.

stimulation of the sensing pathways

(e.g. seeing, hearing, touching, smell-

ing, tasting) from early experiences.

It influences the neural cross-connec-

tions to other parts of the brain that

influence arousal, emotional regula-

tion and behaviour.

The brain’s development is a seam-4.

less continuum. Learning in the early

years must be based on quality inter-

actions with caregivers and opportun-

ities for play-based program solving

with other children that stimulate

brain development.

Good early child development pro-5.

grams that involve parents or other

caregivers can influence how they

relate to and care for children in the

home and can vastly improve out-

comes for children’s behaviour, learn-

ing and health in later life.

This period of life is as important as

any other period. Society must give at

least the same amount of attention as it

does to the school and post-secondary

education periods of human develop-

ment. While the changes and challenges

faced in developing and sustaining early

a challenge that can be met with a

comprehensive schedule that meets the

parents and children’s needs in several

communities, the approach is also useful

in providing strong supports for those

children identified with a learning dif-

ficulty. By clustering the programs, rural

jurisdictions can have trained profession-

als visit numerous sites and children in

one or two days. If the programs were

individual in each community, the abil-

ity of the professional service provider

to meet all the children would have been

challenging, if not impossible, due to the

distance and time required to go from

center to center. Since many of the ser-

vice providers come from urban areas, the

reduction in the time needed to drive to

see the children leads to less driving and

greater time spent with the children.

Why are early learning programs necessary?

Many parents and school staff won-

der if we should even be offering early

learning programs or having children

attending them. Are they really that

necessary to have in our rural com-

munities? The answer is unique to each

family. The facts are unique to all. The

“Early Years Study” prepared by Mar-

garet McCain and Fraser Mustard pre-

sents the following postulates.

Early experiences and stimulating, 1.

positive interactions with adults and

other children are far more important

on the ability to attract specialized service

professionals such as speech language path-

ologists.

While there is no way to alleviate the

distances traveled, the programs can be

designed in such a way that it maximizes

the time the children are at the program.

The practice of Horizon School Division

is to discuss these concerns early with

the parents and to come to a consensus

as to what will be a positive solution.

In some communities the solution may

be to hold the program one day a week

for a full day, for others it might be to

have it in the morning only on specific

days, to hold it at the same time as the

kindergarten program, or to centralize

the program in one community that is

within reach of all parents. Planning the

program around the needs of the par-

ents ensures that the programs numbers

remain strong and that the children will

be regularly attending.

Planning to accommodate attendance

for children usually aligns with the needs

centered on staffing of the program,

attracting a trained early educator in a

small community is no easy feat. In some

cases a jurisdiction will luck out and find

a trained person in the community, in

other cases the person lives in a neigh-

bouring community or in a town further

away. By having a single jurisdiction

planning multiple early entry programs

in the area, a schedule can be developed

that will allow the trained educator to

work at numerous sites throughout the

week. The increased hours can be an

incentive to many.

While attracting a local person that

has a background in early learning is

The accessibility of trained staff, facilities, access to professional expertise, limited student numbers and distance can all have a dramatic impact on a rural community’s ability to host an early learning center. Many communities now rely solely on the local school jurisdiction to offer early learning programs.


Special Education, Outreach Programs,, ESL

programming, Hutterite Education, Second Lan-

guages, Career programming, CTS, Teacher

Evaluation and International Education.

Mitzi McDonnell is the Early Learning

Consultant for the Horizon School Division.

McDonnell has an extensive background in

special education and elementary education.

Her present role is to supervise all areas of

operation of early learning programs in Hori-

zon School Division as well as to coordinate

services for all ECS children requiring special

programs.

where they want to be. Watching a miracle

evolve. Watching her child, her son transform

and grow. His joys become her hopes. His

experiences, her treasures. His learning, her

growth. His foundation has been built firm

and strong, well-prepared to support future

learning and personal growth. n

Dave Driscoll is the Associate Superintendent

of Programs and Services for Horizon School

Division. His areas of responsibility include over-

seeing the following programs: Early Learning

programs, Family School Liaison Counseling,

learning programs in rural Alberta are

immense, they are far outweighed by the

need and the rewards that come with

early learning.

Eight months later Sally turns and glances

at her son as she drives to the school. He chat-

ters on. Clean and polished. Eyes glistening.

One piece of hair bravely resisting conformity,

points upward. She has driven this road so

many times with only the thought of getting

where she wants to be. But this time is dif-

ferent. This time she realizes they are exactly



A brief walk through the hallways

of Central School in Brooks is

all that you need to realize that

there is something very special happening.

Children’s voices in song and laughter res-

onate throughout the building and adults

bustle around the children as they conduct

various learning activities.

Have you ever pondered the ideal set-

ting for children to begin their school

careers? Imagine the energy level found

in a building that is “home” to close to

400 students from ages three to six. From

the handprints that border the hallways,

to the pint-sized furniture and children’s

voices on the intercom, Central School—

the Brooks Early Childhood Development

Centre (BECDC)—is a special educational

setting for the youngest of students, not by

accident, but by intentional design!

BECDC was an idea that originated

with the Grassland’s Restructuring Com-

mittee in 2003. After several months of

research and studying the demographics of

the community, the committee acknow-

ledged that given a teaching staff with

passion, dedication and commitment to

early childhood ideals, a kindergarten-

GradeOneconfigurationcouldprovidean

exciting forum for youngsters in the Brooks

community. With this in mind, and with

the support of the board and community,

BECDCwas“born.”

What does it look like?BECDC is designed with small students

in mind. It is “home” to 8 Grade One

classes, a Pre-1st grade transition class, 10

kindergarten classes and 45 pre-kindergart-

en students aged three and four who receive

early intervention. Recognizing that the

essence of early childhood programming is

early intervention, the school provides sev-

eral support programs to address the needs

of their students: Early English Language

Learners, Early Literacy, Speech and Lan-

guage, Occupational Therapy, and English

as a Second Language for 20 percent of the

school enrolment.

Teacher, Ruth Tkachyk echoes the

staff’s sentiments regarding meeting chil-

dren’sneeds,“oneofthebestthingsabout

our school, for student learning, is the com-

mitmenttoearlyintervention.”

With a student population of 386 and a

professional staff of 19, both students and

teachers are supported by a dedicated group

of 52 paraprofessionals.

Thanks to the dedicated commitment

and collaboration of community partners

and the skillful leadership of school prin-

cipal Jody Rutherford and superintend-

ent Susan Chomistek, the students are

the direct beneficiaries of The Innovations

Project, a partnership between the Alberta

Mental Health Board, Alberta Education,

and Grasslands Public Schools and other

community partners in Brooks. This project

funds a Child and Family Therapist, Family

Resource Coordinator, Family School

Liaison Counselors, and a School Nurse on

site, all of which support the promotion,

prevention, and intervention portion of the

school’s mission.

These support services help the school

cope with its very high transiency rates, a

large multicultural demographic, and families

in need of support (see Grasslands website

for information about this project at www.

grasslands.ab.ca). The success of this project is

a guiding light for early childhood programs

across the province. TheGrasslands Innova-

tions project is one of 32 Mental Health

Capacity Building Projects funded by Alberta

Health Services-Alberta Mental Health Board

through funds from Alberta Health and Well-

ness. The intention of these projects is to

Our Mission: Every child has the early literacy, numeracy and citizenship skills needed for success. We provide ongoing assessment and intervention to support continuous learning for all students.

Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention and Parent Education:A WinningCombination

By Jody Rutherford, Brooks Early Childhood Development Centre, and Art Aitken, University of Lethbridge


Women’s Shelter) and Pennies for Pets.

Staff and students are organized in 25 Car-

ing Kids Mentor groups that meet once a

month, participating in activities designed

to further enhance the virtues lessons.

The leadership team is squarely focused

on supporting teaching and learning and

has created an expectation throughout the

school that data to support the literacy,

numeracy and assessment goals are funda-

mental to making instructional decisions.

“Longitudinal data to track student

progress after children leave BECEC con-

stantly reaffirms and informs how we

are teaching,” says Rutherford. “Over 80

percent of our graduating students reach

acceptable standards at the grade three level

in both language arts and math, and many

of our at-risk students are comfortably

working in the regular stream by the time

theyreachgradethree.”

Instructional support in the school is

played out in a variety of formats—district

office staff, the school administrators and

teacher colleagues each have a role to play in

the instructional improvement process.

What have we learned?True to the research, this venture into

early childhood education has been success-

ful largely due to the dedication and deter-

mination of the staff to do what is best for

strong belief in Professional Develop-

ment (PD) have professional and para-

professional staff participating in fre-

quent and regular meetings. The K-1

structure provides real opportunities for

staff to confer and collaborate about cur-

riculum matters.

Grade one teacher, Thea Fraser

remarked,“oneofthebestthingsaboutour

school for student learning is that students

benefit from the ideas and experiences of

up to eight different teachers who teach the

samegrade.”

Teachers meet weekly in kindergarten

orGradeOnefocusgroupstoresearchbest

practices and work on curricular and assess-

ment goals. Teachers also participate in the

jurisdiction AISI project focus groups with

goals that focus on curriculum, instruc-

tion, and assessment. BECDC paraprofes-

sional staff is also actively involved in PD—

attending workshops, and focusing their

growth plans and skills to support their

current assignments.

Character education is firmly embedded

within the culture of this school. Weekly

assemblies teach virtue lessons, recognize the

efforts of the children to develop the virtues,

and celebrate children’s learning. The vir-

tues are also reflected in staff and students’

projects—including Caring Kids Backpacks

(care packages for children staying at the

improve the provision of mental health pro-

motion, prevention, and early intervention ser-

vices to children, youth, and their families by

having integrate multi-sectoral teams provide

services at school based sites. The leadership

for these projects is provided through a collab-

orative arrangement between Alberta Health

Services, Alberta Mental Health Board, and

Alberta Education.

BECDC support staff member Celina

Everett sees the structure and grade config-

uration of the school lending itself ideally

to the importance of getting children’s

education jump-started. She says, “hav-

ing only the two grade levels allows us to

really concentrate on early literacy and early

speech intervention which improves student

learninginhighergrades.”

Realizing that parent partnerships are

paramount, the school-based parent supports

include: Literacy Back Packs, Home Read-

ing Programs, Math Packs, a parent resource

library, parenting workshops, information ses-

sions, and a home visitation program for chil-

dren birth to age six, through the Parents As

Teachers group. The teachers enthusiastically

back these initiatives and provide the necessary

support to make them happen.

Life long learningLife-long learning is a core value at BECDC.

Professional Learning Communities and a

Character education is firmly embedded within the culture of this school. Weekly assemblies teach virtue lessons, recognize the efforts of the children to develop the virtues, and celebrate children’s learning.


“If you are concerned about the quality

of your society for the future, $18 billion is

peanuts,”saysMustard.

“Inthisschool,werecognizetheneedDr.

Mustard describes, and our hope is the belief

that all students can learn and that school staffs

with the support and involvement of parents

and community, are capable of turning that

beliefintoreality,”saysRutherford.

Central School—the Brooks Early Child-

hood Development Centre—continues to

evolve, as staff, parents and community share

a determination that all students will suc-

ceed, and a belief that working together and

supporting each other’s efforts if vision is to

become a reality. n

Jody Rutherford is Principal of Brooks

Early Childhood Development Centre in

Brooks, Alberta, and recently completed her

Masters degree in the Educational Leadership

Program at the University of Lethbridge.

Dr. Art Aitken teaches at the University

of Lethbridge in the Educational Leadership

Program. He is a former K-12 teacher, prin-

cipal, and school superintendent.

plants and equipment for our beautifica-

tion project. A parent’s recent nomination

resulted in the school being selected as one

of Today’s Parent—Canadian, “Top 25

SchoolsinCanada.”

The BECDC school community acknow-

ledges that school staffs, parents and com-

munity need to come together in a spirit

of collaboration and determination to do

whatever it takes to ensure the success for all

ofourchildren.Mustard(2007)states,“what

teachers can do is advocate for the establish-

ment of universally available early childhood

development centres. Parents must also be

involvedinthecentres.”Mustardestimatesit

would cost the federal and provincial govern-

ments, which currently spend $4 billion to

$5 billion a year on early childhood develop-

ment, $18 billion to establish early childhood

development and parenting centers country-

wide. In contrast, crime and violence, which

some claim are the consequences of poor early

childhood development, cost society more

than $100 billion a year, and mental health

and addictions problems cost an additional

$100 billion.

the children’s learning. The vision—families

and staff working together for the learning

success of all children—is taken seriously

and guides all of internal and external rela-

tionships. The unequivocal support of the

parents and the community is a key part of

the school’s criteria for success.

TeacherMonaHarris says, “oneof the

best things about our school, for student

learning, is the combined efforts of the staff,

parentsandcommunitytomaximizethis.”

Around two-dozen business and organ-

izational partnerships are testaments to

the school’s community partnership. The

annual Recognition Assembly in June 2008

honoured 247 volunteers! It’s no surprise

that BECDC also boasts the most active

school council in the district. These parents

have worked to provide such services as

monthly hot lunches—available for 100

percent of the students, subsidized swim-

ming lessons for all grade one students,

support for visiting fine arts productions,

and sponsored family swimming. Parent

Council has also fundraised to support

technology in our school and to purchase



G rande Yellowhead Regional Div-

ision (GYRD) encompasses a

large geographical region, from

Evansburg, along the Yellowhead highway

andextendingtoGrandeCacheandJas-

per. Many of our communities are rural

based and access to early childhood pro-

gramming can be challenging. Over the

years, it was noted by our kindergarten

teachers that based on the assessment

data they were gathering, approximately

50 percent of our children lacked the

readiness skills required for success in

grade one. They noted difficulties in lan-

guage skills, social skills and the ability to

work independently.

Kindergarten programming provides the

opportunity for children to become par-

ticipants in the process of active learning.

In order for our young children to develop

the knowledge, skills and attitudes required

for success from the first year of formal

schooling,GYRDimplementedathreeyear

initiative to provide extended full day kin-

dergarten programming, beginning in the

2007/2008 school year. Although this is an

expensive proposal, the long-term benefits

resulting from full day kindergarten save

school divisions in the long run; less reten-

tions and an increase in student engagement

and achievement create successful graduates

(Viadero, 2002).

The full day extended kindergarten pro-

gram begins with a staggered entry in

September. The students start attending for

two days each week, followed by an increase

to three days each week in October and

then participate in a four day week from

November to the end of June. The focus of

the program is to build upon the founda-

tion of formative preschool experiences;

providing opportunities for all to receive

developmentally appropriate programming.

Through collaboration and communi-

cation with community service providers,

parents and educators, we are dedicated

to ensuring that our children are better

prepared for the rest of their school career.

Extended Full Day Kindergarten Programming in Grande Yellowhead Regional Division

By Jody Beck, Grande Yellowhead Regional Division

Extended Full Day Kindergarten Programming in Grande Yellowhead Regional Division


The resultsAt the end of the first year of implemen-

tation, the ECS teachers and elementary

administration were asked to share their

thoughts regarding the implementation of

the extended full day kindergarten program.

The response was overwhelmingly in favour

of the new programming option.

“Extended full day kindergarten has

been an awesome experience. The growth

and creativeness I have seen in my students

has been amazing and I am so glad to have

had this opportunity. The Grade One

teachers are in for a great surprise,” stated

one teacher.

“I have seen incredible growth in stu-

dents this year. Those needing individual

program plans at the start of the year, no

longer need them. Reverting back to two

days per week would be doing a disservice

to incoming students,” claimed another

teacher.

Administrators voiced their praises as

well as their concerns. They felt that the

implementation of a division-wide assess-

ment tool gave teachers more accurate

information of student strengths and needs.

Administrators also noted that parents, who

had initially planned to send their chil-

dren for only half days, ended up sending

their child for full days. The biggest chal-

lenge they observed was associated with the

management and supervision of such large

many cases, the individual gains made were

very substantial.

The most common delay was in the

area of speech and language. Therefore,

for the second year of implementation,

the majority of our kindergarten students

across the division were also screened by

a speech and language pathologist. This

was to serve two purposes: to confirm if

there was a delay and provide a timely

opportunity for further assessment by

the Speech and Language Pathologist,

and also to measure the accuracy of the

DIAL3 assessment as an indicator of

possible language delays. The correla-

tion between the DIAL3 results and the

Speech and Language screen fell within

the 80 to 95 percent range across the

division.

In order to provide ongoing professional

development, eight district planning days

are scheduled for the ECS teachers through-

out the year. This provides the opportunity

for this professional learning community

to develop programming ideas to address

curricular expectations. The teachers spend

time sharing ideas and best practices while

identifying ways in which to successfully

address the greatest areas of need. This time

also serves to enhance collaboration and

communication among the ECS teachers

in their towns, zones and throughout the

division.

Research supports the fact that children

who participate in extended full day kinder-

gartenprogramming“progress furtheraca-

demically during the kindergarten year than

students in half day programs and there are

stronger, longer-lasting academic benefits

for children” (Elicker, 2000, Elicker &

Mathur, 1997).

Program focusThe focus of the program is to cre-

ate a learning environment based on the

objectives of the curriculum which encour-

ages the exploration and discovery of oral

language, early literacy and early numeracy

skill development. Teachers, guided by the

diverse needs, capabilities and backgrounds

of their students, create opportunities for

the children to construct their knowledge

and extend their understanding of the world

around them. By providing ongoing assess-

ment on what is being learned, students

receive feedback and encouragement to

view themselves as competent learners. This

will guide them to set new goals and take

ownership of their own learning.

At the beginning of the school year,

ECS teachers utilize the Developmental

Indicators for the Assessment for Learning 3

(DIAL 3) (a global screening tool for assess-

ing the developmental skills of children) as

an indicator for any possible mild or mod-

erate delays, or in some cases, a severe dis-

ability. The three areas assessed are motor

skills, language and concepts. This data,

along with a parent questionnaire, teacher

observation and anecdotal notes, is used to

ascertain areas of strengths and needs for all

students. When required, teachers develop

individual program plans with necessary

adaptations and modifications to meet the

needs of the learner. At the end of May, the

teachers use the DIAL3 assessment again as

an indicator of growth for the students. At

the beginning of year one of implementa-

tion, our students entered Kindergarten

with an overall average percentile rank of

64. The June results indicated that our chil-

dren were exiting with an average percentile

rank of 86. This is a significant improve-

ment. Only 11 of the 85 students identi-

fied as having a mild or moderate delay or

disability remained in this category and in


for a common assessment tool that aligns

with the outcomes of the kindergarten

curriculum. With a focus on early literacy

and numeracy, the ECS teachers across our

division will develop an effective instru-

ment that will measure a child’s ability and

skill development during their kindergarten

year.

Although we are only at the midpoint

of this initiative, one can see that full day

extended kindergarten programming for

the children of Grande Yellowhead has

been a successful undertaking. The board

has prioritized funds to support this three

year endeavour. Trustees, parents, admin-

istration and teachers are strong supporters

this initiative. It would be very beneficial

to have adequate and sustained funding in

order to ensure that the future ofGrande

Yellowhead be afforded the same opportun-

ity as the children currently involved in this

program. n

Jody Beck is the Learning Services Super-

visor of Student Programs for the Grande

Yellowhead Regional Division.

There still remains the challenge of

accessing services in the areas of speech and

language, occupational therapy and mental

health. Therefore, in-servicing has focused

on expanding the staff’s capacity to utilize

in class strategies to address needs in these

areas.

Grande Yellowhead is also participat-

ing in a comprehensive literacy study this

year, in order to create a preferred vision of

literacy for the children and youth in our

communities. The ECS teachers provided

valuable insight into the current state of lit-

eracy in the ECS classrooms and assisted in

identifying the greatest areas of need. They

identified more effective ways to work with

various community agencies and service

providers in order to ensure that children

are exposed to richer literacy environments

before entering the kindergarten program.

This information will provide the literacy

committee with the vital data needed

to develop recommendations to further

improve our literacy programming.

A significant need identified during our

professional learning community time was

groups of young children, particularly at the

beginning of the year.

We are now at the midpoint of the

three year initiative, and working through

a process of continuous improvement, the

teachers collaborate and determine ways

to improve the quality of programming

and instruction. They have found that

through an environment focused on play

and discovery, children are exploring the

curriculum at a much deeper level, creating

opportunities to expand on early literacy

and numeracy skills. Teachers are very

cognizant of keeping the curricular expecta-

tions at an appropriate developmental level.

Stronger relationships are being developed

between teachers and students and among

students. This allows for effective individ-

ualized programming, while emphasizing

social skills and independence. The addi-

tional time provides improved skill develop-

ment in subjects like physical education.

With the children being in the schools more

often now, they have more opportunities to

be involved in cross graded activities and

school wide programs.


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the Spring 2009

The

ofEarly Childhood Education

Power

CASSconnection


In 2000, the Fort McMurray Catholic

School Board developed an early inter-

vention program for children as young as

two and a half years old with mild to severe

developmental delays. The program began in

one pilot school, Father J.A. Turcotte O.M.I.,

and quickly expanded to both the Public and

Catholic School Districts.

Kim Jenkins, Superintendent of Fort

McMurray Catholic Schools, was a driv-

ing force in the program’s implementation.

“‘WhateverItTakes’isanappropriatemotto

for this region’s early childhood programs

because staff and community partners are

willing to do what works for each individ-

ual child,” Jenkins said in describing Fort

McMurray’s programming. “Although the

major focus has been for students with mild to

moderate needs, the programs have benefited

all students, especially those with severe needs.

We place students in their community school

with meaningful support and create a success-

fulschoolexperience.”

Dennis Parsons, newly appointed Super-

intendent with the Fort McMurray Public

School District is, “unequivocally impressed

with the level of staff commitment to profes-

sional practices in supporting the foundations

of early learning. Fort McMurray families with

very young children are indeed fortunate to

have access to this uniquely progressive initia-

tive. The pre-kindergarten programs set the

bar for early intervention success and certainly

our program is keeping with the District’s

philosophy of doing what is best for kids,”

Parsons continued.

The local pre-kindergarten children are

affectionatelyknownas“Eepers”.Theofficial

program name in the Catholic Board is the

Early Entry Program (EEP) and the Public

board’s program is named Early Childhood

Development Program (ECDP). Both are

early intervention school based programs for

young children in the year prior to kinder-

garten who may be diagnosed with mild,

moderate or severe disabilities/delays. Com-

munity children are also added to the pro-

gram to encourage peer-to-peer social language

opportunities. Encouraging this through play

activities promotes more talking. The children

attend school for four half days per week and

parents pay a one-time fee of $55.00, with no

monthly tuition.

Eligibility for the program is monitored

through an efficient screening process to pri-

oritize placement for children with emergent

needs. We have built a strong multi-disci-

plinary team of speech language pathologists,

physical therapists, occupational therapists,

school administrators, teachers and assistants,

some of whom work in both school districts.

By September 30, all children who are

identified at-risk, from the spring screening or

later through teacher referral, are reviewed by

the multi-disciplinary team. Mild, moderate

or severe delays are identified to access special

education funds. Since 2007, we have also

been able to access English as a Second Lan-

guage grants to support our foreign language

families.

Once all the children are screened and

assessed, we create inclusive classrooms with

a variety of needs in neighbourhood schools.

Ideally there are twenty children in each class,

a mix of boys and girls, some with delayed

skills, some with emerging English and, of

course, community children with age appro-

priate skills. These classrooms reflect the future

of each school’s population base.

Over the years, we have established a set

of program guidelines for literacy, numer-

acy and physical development modeled from

the principles outlined in the kindergarten

program statement. Early literacy outcomes

include identifying environmental print and

participating extensively in oral language and

rhyming activities. Early numeracy learning

includes such concepts as the sequencing con-

ceptof“next”,theunderstandingofquantity

Partners in Pre-Kindergarten Early Intervention ProgramsBy Graca Hollett, Fort McMurray Public School District; and Monica Mankowski, Lindsay Ducharme, Kim Jenkins and Valerie Dyck, Fort McMurray Catholic School Board

Rylee McLean, Emma Yang and Nolan Thomas. This is Thickwood Heights School, Early Childhood Development Program. ECDP teacher Leigh White wrote, “the children were making Rice Krispie cookies as a contribution to our bake sale for our Christmas Shoe Box project for Project Christmas Child. We raised almost $400 dollars and sent off 12 shoe boxes full of toys, school supplies and toiletries for children around the world.”


slightly lagging behind her peers. Through this

programshehasdefinitelycaughtup.”

One parent wrote, “we are extremely

happy with the Early Childhood Develop-

ment Program. My daughter is so eager to go

to school each morning to see her teachers and

fellow classmates. The October IPP showed

my daughter was having difficulty with certain

sounds. With the assistant’s help, she was pro-

nouncing her sounds correctly in no time. The

staff members are warm, kind and friendly,

always offering support and reassurance when

needed. I am thrilled with my daughter’s first

year at school. I would recommend the ECDP

program to any parent with small children.

My daughter is so excited to move on to kin-

dergarten and I believe it’s because she’s had a

great year. What a wonderful transition this

program provides into the school years. We

feel lucky to have had such a great experience

thisyear.”

Our youngest children come to kinder-

gartenwithan“Icandoit”attitude.Butthat’s

not all they come with! The pre-kindergarten

programs have collected some impressive sta-

tistics over the past few years.

Student progress outcomes are collected

each year in language development, fine

and gross motor areas. Up to 30 percent of

children in pre-kindergarten have identified

language needs. After one year of language

intervention, statistics show increased lan-

guage skills in all areas. Many children no

longer require intervention. Fewer children

entering kindergarten have delays and when

leaving kindergarten more children are

“ready to read”. Our typically developing

children also improve in all areas and have

demonstrated continued academic success

in school.

The children of EEP and ECDP go to

kindergarten knowing where to find the gym,

the washroom, the best spot in the park, and

how to make a friend to share it all.

Both the Public and Catholic School

Districts in Fort McMurray support each

other in developing new programming,

seeking new skills and helping families

finding appropriate resources. Together we

make a difference. n

Graca Hollett is the Coordinator of Early

Childhood Programs with the Fort McMurray

both the Early Learning&Child Care and

Educational Assistant programs are hired as

support to children in EEP and ECDP pro-

grams in schools throughout our community.

“TheChildhoodStudiesdepartmentatKey-

ano College also provides both pre-service and

in-service education for the paraprofession-

als in both school districts,” explains Sherry

Duncan, Chair of Keyano College Childhood

Studies.“WhileatCollege,ourstudentshave

practicum placements in a variety of schools

and the Educational Assistants are in a range of

grades. EA graduates bring their background

inworkingwithchildrenwithspecialneeds.”

While our community partnerships are

essential to the success of our programming,

parent involvement is also critical. Both

EEPandECDPuseof the“FamilyFocused

Approach” to encourage English language

development. Parents need to be the child’s

first teachers and have a significant role in

determining their child’s programming. Cre-

ating relationships with our families is our

priority.

As a small region, we benefit from our close

working relations with community partners.

Our established relationships help families find

reliable resources to encourage their child’s

development.

Although there are no specific require-

ments, parents are invited to volunteer in

the classroom program. Special events and

field trips are planned throughout the year

and parents are also invited to attend. In

November and March of each year, the class-

rooms are set up for student-led conferences.

Parents and children are invited, coinciding

with the school’s parent/teacher interviews, to

complete centre activities with their child and

observe their child’s progress. The early child-

hood teacher works with parents to develop

strategies to encourage language and literacy

at home.

Anne Simpson has enrolled both her

children in the EEP program. She noticed

improvements immediately, especially with

her youngest child Cleo. “The Early Entry

Program teaches and encourages social

development and independence. Cleo made

big improvements right away. She listens bet-

ter and her speech and motor skills are improv-

ingdaily,”Simpsondescribed.“Cleolovesthe

program. I enrolled her because I felt she was

and the use of vocabulary words to describe

their creations. We have established a hybrid

form of instruction through physical and social

experiences and interactions with adults, peers,

older grade buddies and family members.

Through the program building stage,

our instructional team has been steadfast in

remembering that these are young children

whose greatest needs are communication, con-

fidence, independence and social skills. Teach-

ers and assistants assess the children’s skills,

make plans based on these needs, and provide

opportunities to practice individually, in small

or large groups. Children are held accountable

for demonstrating their learning to the group,

to their families, and to anyone who will have

a cup of tea with them from the never-ending

teapot.

Both the Early Entry Program (EEP) and

the Early Childhood Development Program

(ECDP) rely heavily on the involvement of

community partners. Well-qualified staff and

consultants are the foundation of the pro-

gram. In Fort McMurray, our Early Child-

hood Services Community includes a speech

language pathologist, occupational therapist,

physical therapist, and seven area preschools

and contacts from Early Intervention Pro-

grams across the province. Northern Lights

Regional Health Centre Speech Language

Services also works closely with both school

boards to ensure that speech therapy services

are available to families.

Each community partner plays an intri-

cate role in the success of our programs. Our

Physical Therapist, Alethea O’Leary describes

the community well when she calls them a

“team”.“Ifeelthatthisprogramisuniquein

that it is very team oriented. We are all indi-

vidual service providers contracted to work

on specific areas of concern; however we, as

professionals, all know that the child will bene-

fit most if the programming we put in place

worksontheirentiredevelopment.”

Our “team” offers the same standard of

care for assessment and programming, which

includes coordinating transitions with each

other to ensure continuity of service and com-

municating effectively with parents. Our part-

ners come together for the good of the child.

Our program is also blessed to have Key-

ano College programs, which produce well-

qualifiedEducational assistants.Graduatesof


Superintendent of Schools. He is one of

three founding members of the Early Entry/

Pre Kindergarten Program in Fort McMur-

ray while serving as Principal of Father

J.A. Turcotte School.

Valerie Dyck is a Principal with the

Fort McMurray Catholic Board of Educa-

tion. She was the first Early Childhood

teacher in the EEP Program and was a co-

founder of the Early Entry Program (EEP)

at Father J. A. Turcotte School, as well

as a Classroom Support Teacher and Vice

Principal in the District.

Lindsay Ducharme is the Communi-

cations Coordinator for the Fort McMur-

ray Catholic Board of Education. Duc-

harme works directly with the Special

Education Department to promote the

Early Entry Program wellness assessment

days.

Kim Jenkins is the Superintendent for

the Fort McMurray Catholic Board of

Education. He has worked with the Catho-

lic District for 28 years as a teacher, Vice

Principal, Principal, Deputy Superinten-

dent of Human Resources and presently

Public School District. Hollett has more than

30 years experience working with young chil-

dren, their families and support teams, as a

teacher, adult educator and district program

coordinator. When it comes to early interven-

tion, Hollett’s motto is to, “think big…start

small…”.

Monica Mankowski is the Director of Stu-

dent Services for the Fort McMurray Catho-

lic Board of Education. Mankowski helped

develop and implement Fort McMurray’s

first Early Entry/Pre Kindergarten program

(EEP).


A lberta schools welcome young

children who are linguistically and

culturally diverse at three years,

six months of age into their early childhood

classrooms. As immigration increases in

the province, early childhood educators are

faced with a plethora of challenges in their

mandate to provide developmentally and

individually appropriate programming to

meet the needs of all children.

The modern classroom reflects a very

diverse environment, both culturally and

linguistically. Many teachers have had lim-

ited formal training in second language

acquisition and are actively seeking research-

based guidance to expand their existing

well-developed early childhood pedagogy

in their endeavours to assist the child in

acquiring the English language effectively,

while maintaining the child’s first lan-

guage. Alberta Education’s implementation

of English as a Second Language (ESL)

funding in 2006 for young children (three

years, six months), where English is not

their primary language, concurs with the

most current research and best practices for

English language acquisition.

Children immigrating to Canada and

those born in Canada whose first language

is not English, will be learning English.

They will have the opportunity not only

to be bilingual but bicultural. It is esti-

mated that approximately two-thirds of the

world’s population is bilingual, and regu-

larly use two or more languages, and this

number continues to rise. Bilingual gradu-

ates are at an advantage as future employees

in the global job market as the demand for

bilingual and bicultural employees increases

worldwide.

When a teacher embraces this opportun-

ity for the child’s bilingualism they become

crucial integral members of the child’s

future success. Infants who are bilingual

develop stronger intellectual abilities and

achieve higher academic success compared

to those children who abandon their first

language. Teaching a second language to

young children promotes greater brain tis-

sue density and more neural activity in the

parts of the brain associated with language

processing, memory and attention. This

increased activity has positive outcomes on

the young child’s cognitive functioning and

does not impede the acquisition of English

or academic achievement. Alberta schools

have the opportunity to embrace bilin-

gualism and generate future high school

graduates who will be global contenders

in the 21st Century (Zelasko & Antunez,

2000).

When teachers use a systematic

approach to teaching English and work

collaboratively with parents to maintain

the child’s first language, this increases

the child’s academic and bilingual suc-

cess. During three to eight years of

age, oral English language is the prior-

ity for formal English instruction while

enhancing their literacy skills in the first

language. While the teacher focuses on

the oral language development the par-

ent maintains and continues to develop

literacy skills in the first language. The

parent is encouraged to access resources

in their first language; many libraries

maintain collections in a variety of lan-

guages.

The parent is also encouraged to

continue to develop oral traditions of

their rich native culture and when pos-

sible, should teach the child to read in

their first language prior to formal Eng-

lish reading instruction. The premature

instruction of reading in English to the

non-English speaking child can prove to

be counterproductive. Postponing the

Welcome! Bienvenue!

Transitioning Into the English ClassroomBy Rori-Lynn Daniel and Sally Deck, Alberta Education’s ESL Professional Standards Development Team


curriculum as Alberta schools may look very

different than the school they left behind

in their home country or that which they

experienced in a refugee camp.

The young child develops their cogni-

tive, emotional, social, and physical skills

through a student centered, hands-on

experiential teacher guided environment.

The teacher provides opportunities for

the child to participate in activities that

allow them to develop at their own pace

while encouraging them to expand on

their strengths and build on their areas

of need. For the child who does not have

proficient oral English language skills, the

teacher offers experiences where the child

can observe and experiment with the

new language. Opportunities to engage

with English speaking peers in structured

play based activities allows the English

guided policy makers. This new research

indicates that providing enhanced learn-

ing opportunities from three years, six

months, to eight years old offers the best

chance for improved academic perform-

ance (Zelasko, Antunez, 2000).

For the child whose parents do not

speak English this presents barriers that the

teacher needs to navigate to ensure that a

healthy relationship between the school

and family is instilled (Coltrane, 2003).

These obstacles can be overcome with the

involvement of community agencies and

utilizing settlement workers and interpreters

to promote the partnership and enhance-

ment of development of this fundamental

relationship. This collaborative relation-

ship between the school and parent may

present as a cultural difference in compari-

son to their previous educational experi-

ences. Teachers should seek the oppor-

tunity to share information in regards to

our educational system including pedagogy,

assessment, communication, discipline and

instruction of reading in English until the

non-English speaking child has acquired

an adequate level of oral proficiency in

the English language is the preferred

avenue for teachers to follow. The parent

should retell story books, sing songs and

rhyming finger plays, and when possible,

provide formal reading instruction in

their first language to further develop

literacy in the first language. The early

literacy skills taught in the first language

do transfer to English and assist with the

process of the second language acquisi-

tion (Antunez, 2002).

Many immigrant families come to

our schools with the misconception of

abandoning their first language at the

expense of immersing their young child

in the English language and culture.

Early childhood teachers play a pivotal

role in collaborating with parents to instil

the importance of the family maintaining

and enhancing the first language literacy,

as many parents look to educators for

guidance.

The bilingual process can start when

the child is three and half years old, when

they enter an early childhood program.

Educators need to work to promote the

importance of this journey commencing

for the young child. Many cultures do

not take advantage of the opportunity

to start the journey. When non-English

speaking preschoolers live in a house-

hold where the older members of the

household do not speak English, this

child is at risk to be a future drop-out.

New research provides powerful guidance

that often contradicts commonly held

beliefs and myths that have previously

When a teacher embraces this opportunity for the child’s bilingualism they become crucial integral members of the child’s future success.


this collaborative approach, which aims to

increase bilingualism and biculturalism in

the province of Alberta, will be achieved. n

Both Rori-Lynn Daniel and Sally Deck

serve on Alberta Education’s ESL Proficiency

Standards Development Team. Daniel is pres-

ently employed by Red Deer Catholic Regional

Division #39 in the capacity of the Early

Childhood Services Coordinator. Deck is pres-

ently employed by Red Deer Catholic Regional

Division #39 in the capacity of Director of

Special Education.

goal of bilingual and bicultural Canadian

citizens. The early childhood education

opportunities provide a fundamental

commencement to a successful educa-

tional journey. This course of action is

supported by developing strong relation-

ships with the families and promoting first

language literacy and culture in their home

and community. Collaborative commit-

ments will ensure the success of the young

English language learner as they commence

on their journey to become successful high

school graduates. The commitment to

learner to engage in peer assisted learn-

ing while receiving a bombardment of

repetitive vocabulary. These scaffolding

strategies are strong pedagogy that assists

with oral language acquisition. Early

childhood educators offer and prepare

well-organized, structured and nurturing

environments that promote healthy lan-

guage acquisition for all English language

learners (Coltrane, 2003).

Alberta schools embrace the young

child who is new to acquiring the Eng-

lish language and guides them to the

ReferencesAntunez, Beth (2002). Reading

Research and English Language Learners.

Retrieved from www.readingrockets.org/

article/342?theme=print.

Coltrane, Bronwyn (2003). Working

With Young English Language Learners:

Some Considerations. Retrieved from www.

ericdigests.org/2004-2/young.html.

Zelesko,Nancy&Antunez,Beth(2000).

If Your Child Learns in Two Languages. US

Dept. of Education.


T he current review of special educa-

tion being conducted by Alberta

Education (“Setting the direction

for special education in Alberta” available

at www.education.alberta.ca) which was

launched at the CASS/Alberta Education

Special Education Symposium in Red Deer

last May provides an opportunity to discuss

many of the contentious issues in special

education today. My understanding is that

multiple perspectives on this topic have

already been presented both formally and

informally, and further, that sometimes

contradictory views on what inclusive edu-

cation is and is not have been offered.

As an academic with a series of publi-

cations and a continued research interest

in the area of inclusive education, I would

like to take this opportunity to both try

and clarify some of the main misunder-

standings about inclusion, and to offer a

perspective which might provide a basis

for further reflection on the issues. As

the title suggests, my comments will be

direct, and might challenge some existing

assumptions.

Defining inclusionIn previous publications (see Lore-

man, 2009; Loreman, 1999) I have

argued that the majority of educators

know very well what inclusion is, but

that it is sometimes politically expedient

for them to manipulate the term to suit

whatever practice they happen to be cur-

rently engaged in, be it inclusive or not.

The term ‘inclusion’ in an educational

context, however, has been well defined

and understood in the literature for some

timenow.Generallyaccepteddefinitions

of inclusive education contain a number

of distinct features. According to these

definitions (based here on those pro-

videdbyLoreman,1999;Sailor&Skrtic,

1995; Uditsky, 1993; and UNESCO,

1994) inclusive education means:

All children attend their neighbourhood •

school.

Schoolsanddistrictshavea ‘zero-rejec-•

tion’ policy when it comes to registering

and teaching children in their region.

Beyond that, all children are welcomed

and valued.

All children learn in regular, heterogen-•

eous classrooms with same age peers.

All children follow substantively similar •

programs of study, with curriculum that

can be adapted and modified if needed.

Modes of instruction are varied and

responsive to the needs of all.

All children contribute to regular school •

and classroom learning activities and

events.

Straight Talk About Inclusive Education

By Tim Loreman, Concordia University College of Alberta


All children are supported to make •

friends and be socially successful with

their peers.

Adequate resources and staff training are •

provided within the school and district

to support inclusion.

True inclusive education cannot take

place in environments that substantively

deviate from the above definition, which is

consistent with the internationally accepted

use of the term. Efforts have been made

in some places to try and bend the term

inclusion to even represent environments

in which children are educated in separate

environments on the basis of ability. This is

obviously not inclusion, and such deliberate

attempts to twist the term to mean anything

other than children with significant diverse

needs being educated in regular classrooms

with peers without such needs are simply

dishonest.

The efficacy of inclusive educationOver the years the efficacy of inclusive

education in terms of academic and social

gains, along with the emotional well-being

of both children with and without signifi-

cant special needs, has been questioned.

While it is true that the movement sup-

porting inclusion was originally founded

on philosophical ideas and the view that it

provided for higher levels of social justice,

in recent years there has been much research

supporting the approach in terms of direct

and measurable positive gains for students.

It is, however, an interesting fact that

the efficacy of segregated forms of education

for students with special needs is almost

never questioned with the same vigour as

the efficacy of inclusion. This is just as well


and the University of Victoria, including

Dr. Judy Lupart (Canada Research Chair

in Special Education), and Dr. Donna

McGhie-Richmond. This project is also

being supported with funds from Persons

with Developmental Disabilities Northeast

Community Board.

The project is still in its early stages,

but initial survey findings suggest that

overall all stakeholder groups including

parents, students, teachers, program assist-

ants, and school administrators, are positive

about inclusive education and the benefits

territory including Westlock, Barrhead, and

northwest to Swan Hills, operates on a

district-wide model of inclusion.

The single remaining special program

for children with disabilities in the district is

in the process of being phased out as existing

students are “grandfathered” though. The

division motto of “Together we learn” is

taken seriously. I am conducting a major

federal government funded research project

on inclusion in the district with a team of

colleagues at Concordia University Col-

lege of Alberta, the University of Alberta,

for those who support segregated education,

because the research evidence in support of

this approach is slender indeed (Loreman,

2009; Loreman, 2007; Sobsey, 2005). To

the best of my knowledge, after nearly 100

years of segregated education there is yet

to be a definitive study or series of studies

demonstrating that this approach is superior

to inclusion in terms of academic, social,

and emotional gains for children. Indeed,

the research I am aware of shows quite the

opposite is true (Loreman, 2009). Those

supporting segregated forms of education

should have to prove that it works by

presenting the case in research, and school

superintendents advocating research-based

practice should explicitly and immediately

demand it. Otherwise, how can continuing

with a segregated approach to education be

justified?

There is plenty of research justification

for inclusion, which I have outlined in

both forthcoming and previous publica-

tions (Loreman, 2009; Loreman, 2007;

Loreman, Deppeler, & Harvey, 2005). It

results in improved academic gains for both

children with disabilities, and those with-

out (see Cole, Waldron, & Majd, 2004;

Davis,Langone&Malone,1996;Demeris,

Childs & Jordan, 2008; Evans, Salisbury,

Palombaro&Goldberg,1994;Fredrickson,

Dunsmuir,Lang&Monsen,2004;Hunt,

Farron-Davis, Beckstead, Curtis&Goetz,

1994;McDonnell,Thorson,McQuivey&

Kiefer-O’Donnell, 1997; Sharpe, York &

Knight, 1994; Sobsey, 2005). Further, there

are social and communication benefits to

inclusion for all children (Bennett, DeLuca

&Bruns,1997;Kennedy&Shukla,1997).

While most educators can cite individual,

anecdotal instances of inclusion not work-

ing, the overall picture in research is a

positive one. Perhaps where inclusion has

not worked it is because it has been inad-

equately implemented or supported.

Some will, however, continue to be of

the view that inclusion is not a realistic

option for an entire system to move towards.

However, in some European countries,

such as Italy, there is virtually full inclu-

sion nation-wide. There are even Albertan

examples of this. Pembina Hills Regional

School Division #7 (PHRD), which covers


children to segregated special education

programs, while still technically meeting

the requirements of the Alberta Stan-

dards for Special Education. Often this

amounts to leaving parents no real option

of asking for inclusion. Certainly the

neighbourhood school is the first point of

entry for many students, but fairly quick-

ly thereafter those students whom the

school does not wish to include are too

often directed to special programs. Par-

ents may not be legally required to send

their children to such programs, but in

many cases pressure is applied by admin-

istrators to ensure that this happens. I

know this because I speak with parents

every week throughout the province who

have experienced such treatment, and

Bennett,D.B.,&Deluca,D.(1997).Puttinginclusionintopractice:Perspec-

tives of teachers and parents. Exceptional Children, 64(1), 115-132.

Cole,C.M.,Waldron,N.,&Majd,M. (2004).Academicprograms

of students across inclusive and traditional settings. Mental Retardation,

42(2), 136-144.

Davis,M.T.,Langone,J.,&Malone,D.M.(1996).Promotingprosocial

behaviours among preschool children with and without disabilities. Inter-

national Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 43(3), 219-246.

Demeris,H.,Childs,R.A.,&Jordan,A.(2008).Theinfluenceofstu-

dentswithspecialneedsincludedinGrade3classroomsonthelarge-scale

achievement scores of students with special needs. Canadian Journal of

Education, 30(3), 609-627.

Evans,I.M.,Salisbury,C.,&Palombaro,M.(1994).Children’sper-

ception of fairness in classroom and interpersonal situations involving peers

with severe disabilities. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe

Handicaps, 19(4), 326-332.

Frederickson, N., Dunsmuir, S., Lang, J., & Monsen, J.J. (2004).

Mainstream-special school inclusion partnerships: pupil, parent and teacher

perspectives. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 8(1), 37-57.

Halvorsen,A.T.,Neary,T.,Hunt,P.,&Cesca,P.(1996).Acostben-

efit comparison of inclusive and integrated classes in one California district.

In California Peers outreach project: Application and replication of inclusive

models at the local level Final report (ERIC Document EC304 691).

Hunt, P., Farron-Davis, F., Beckstead, S., Curtis, D., & Goetz, L.

(1994). Evaluating the effects of placement on students with severe disabili-

ties in general education versus special classes. The Journal of the Associa-

tion for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 19(3), 200-214.

Kennedy,C.H.,&Shukla,S.(1997).Comparingtheeffectsofeduca-

tional placement on the social relationships of intermediate school students

with severe disabilities. Exceptional Children, 64(1), 31-48.

Loreman, T. (2009). Respecting childhood. London: Continuum.

Loreman, T. (2007b). Seven pillars of support for inclusive

education:Moving from ‘Why?’ to ‘How?’ International Journal

of Whole Schooling, 3(2), 22-38.

Loreman, T. (1999). Integration: Coming from the outside. Interac-

tion, 13(1), 21-23.

Loreman,T.,Deppeler,J.,&Harvey,D.(2005).InclusiveEducation:

A practical guide to supporting diversity in the classroom. Sydney: Allen

&Unwin.

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R. (1991). Academic engaged time of students with low-incidence

disabilities in general education classes. Mental Retardation, 35(1),

18–26.

McLaughlin,M.J.,&Warren,S.H. (1994).The costsof inclusion.

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Roahrig, P. L., (1993). Special Education Inclusion. Fiscal Analysis of

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State University Blumberg Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Special

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Sailor,W.,&Skrtic,T.M.(1995).Americaneducationinthepost-

moderneraInL.Paul,D.Evans,&H.Rosselli(Eds).Integratingschool

restructuring and special education reform Vol. 1. Orlando: Brace Coll,

214-236.

Salisbury,C.,&Chambers,A.(1994).Instructionalcostsofinclu-

sive schooling. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe

Handicaps, 19(3), 215-22.

Sharpe,M.N.,York,J.L.,&Knight,J.(1994)Effectsofinclusion

on academic performance of classmates without disabilities: A prelimi-

nary study. Remedial and Special Education, 15(5), 281-287.

Sobsey, R. (2005, April). Inclusive education research. Presented at

the Whole Schooling Conference 2005, Edmonton, Alberta.

Uditsky, B. (1993). From integration to inclusion: The Canadian

experience. In R. Slee (Ed.), Is there a desk with my name on it? The

politics of integration (pp. 79-92). USA: Falmer Press.

UNESCO. (1994). The world conference on special needs education:

Access and quality.

Final report. Salamanca, Spain: Ministry of Education and Science,

Madrid; UNESCO.

it brings. Inclusion is clearly working for

this district.

This does not mean it is without its

tensions or pressure points (what edu-

cational initiative is?), but it is apparent

that a culture of inclusion has developed

in the district over the years, and that the

district is prepared to reflect and make

adjustments to the ways in which it works

in order to benefit all students. It serves

as a wonderful potential model for other

educational jurisdictions both here in

Alberta, and throughout the world.

The issue of choiceSome jurisdictions maintain their seg-

regated schools and classrooms for stu-

dents with special needs because they say

it offers parents much needed choice. I

take the unpopular position in Alberta

by not agreeing with the notion of choice

when it comes to special education. I have

been told that my position on this issue is

unacceptable because parents should have

the right to choose where their children

learn in a democratic society. I agree

with this, but I diverge in believing that

segregated special education programs do

not provide real choice. My view is that if

we eliminate the current system of choice

for special education, we open up a range

of possibilities that actually offer parents

more, not less, options for their children.

Frankly, in some school jurisdictions

the system of choice appears to be little

more than a mechanism for directing

Refe

renc

es


inclusion in terms of offering strong

district leadership, resources, support,

and training for the staff and families

involved. In this way, true inclusion can

be realized throughout Alberta in the

same way it already has been in some

local school divisions. n

Tim Loreman, PhD, is Associate Pro-

fessor in the Faculty of Education at Con-

cordia University College of Alberta, and

is Editor of the International Journal of

Whole Schooling.

Final thoughtsIn considering the special education

review individuals and organizations

such as CASS might wish to reflect on

the need to truly support research-based

practice across Alberta. Ideas which

result in the continued or further exclu-

sion of children with diverse learn-

ing needs are increasingly reminiscent

of a bygone era, especially when the

international context is considered. A

more productive approach might be to

advocate for a policy which supports

experienced educators in Alberta also

know this to be true. In this instance,

what real choice is there for parents? In a

system in which no segregated programs

for children with disabilities existed,

parents would have the same range of

options available to them as do other

parents because all schools would be

required to cater to diversity. Therefore,

they would have more genuine options.

Further, given the previously discussed

superiority of inclusion in both academic

and social terms, it seems unproductive

and possibly unethical to offer parents

anything less.

For many educators the current duel

system present in many districts where

segregation is an option comes as a

relief, which might explain what the

Alberta Teachers’ Association has failed

to release any strong statements sup-

porting full inclusion. Inclusion is dif-

ficult, and demands levels of support that

school staff often find are not there. But

this is no reason to not include, because

children with diverse learning needs are

entitled to the same education as all other

children regardless of such pressures.

While acknowledging that inclusion is

not easy, neither is it impossible, and

there are many rewards for those teach-

ers, staff, and administrators who decide

to be positive about the approach, and to

make it work like thousands of their col-

leagues have already done both in Alberta

and around the world.

There is another reason to discontinue

segregated education, and one which, as

will become clear, has resonated with

school administrators throughout the

world. In the long-term, inclusion costs

less (see Halvorsen, Neary, Hunt, &

Cesca, 1996; McLaughlin & Warren,

1994;Roahrig,1993;Salisbury&Cham-

bers, 1994). The costs of special facilities

are eliminated, and additional support

staff can be shared between classes. Sav-

ings are made in not bussing students

long distances to their special programs.

On a district level, more economies of

scale are realized. The money saved can

be re-deployed into improving condi-

tions for the learning of all students.


A lberta School Boards have a statu-

tory duty to provide a safe and

caring environment for their stu-

dents. This responsibility to keep kids safe,

which has both legal and policy implica-

tions, underlies the decisions that are made

by school administrators. In this article, we

will focus on how decisions regarding the

recruitment and management of staff and

volunteers can keep kids safe. In an upcom-

ing article in the next edition of CASS

Connection, we will review student safety in

the context of the management of student

information and interactions with parents

and guardians.

Recruitment and screeningConsiderthestoryofGBW.According

to Volunteer Canada, GBW admitted to

sexually molesting over 200 boys over the

course of 30 years while he held a variety

of positions of trust as a paid worker and

as a volunteer. He was at different times a

sports coach, a police officer, a scout mas-

ter, a church camp counsellor, a school bus

driver, and a martial arts instructor. These

are our harsh realities.

Educational institutions are not immune

and can, because of the close proximity they

provide to young children, attract undesir-

able and potentially dangerous candidates.

Thorough recruitment practices, including

the completion of background investiga-

tions and criminal record checks, will help

the jurisdiction determine the applicant’s

eligibility, qualifications and suitability for

employment.

Background investigations seek relevant

and useful information that the candi-

date has not screened. Potential employer

inquiries are made of the applicant’s former

supervisors and should verify stated quali-

fications, experience and general suitability

for the prior position. Criminal records

checks vary significantly from background

investigations and provide a snapshot of the

applicant’s current status in that regard.

Application formsA well-designed application form will

elicit information which is strictly related

to the position applied for and will assist

in determining suitability, eligibility and

qualifications. Questions asked must not be

discriminatory. Helpful information sheets

regarding pre-employment inquiries and

recommended areas for questioning are

available on the Alberta Human Rights and

Citizenship Commission website.

ConsiderationsEach applicant should be:

Required to provide the same set of •

information which will allow the juris-

diction to assess each candidate upon

the same relevant baseline data;

Notified of the consequences of provid-•

ing incomplete or false information;

Required to warrant the truthfulness •

and completeness of all information

provided;

Explicitly warned that any failure to pro-•

vide complete information or any mis-

representation may result in the rejec-

tion of the application for employment,

ineligibility for future employment, or if

employed, may result in termination of

employment;

Required to disclose and explain any •

criminal, employment or licensing his-

tory, remembering that questions need

to be designed to elicit only job related

information. Questions for certificated

staff should be probing and allow the

prospective employer to determine,

whether:

• Theindividualhaseverbeenconvicted,

admitted to committing, or is current-

ly charged with a criminal or similar

offence;

• Theindividualhasbeendismissedfrom

any job or resigned at the request of an

employer while criminal charges were

Keeping Kids Safe: Part 1

By Debra Tumbach, Legal Services, ASBA

Par

t 1


service provider retained by the jurisdic-

tion prior to the individual commencing

employment. The board must also obtain a

yearly offence declaration from the employ-

ee by September 1st of each year in which

the individual continues to be employed by

the board. The matter is not regulated in

Alberta. As such, an employer should estab-

lish clear policies and contractual require-

ments for recruitment of staff, which clearly

set out the board’s expectations in this

regard.

Criminal records checking policyBoard policy may clearly delineate the

circumstances in which an application for

a position within the organization will be

accepted or rejected where a criminal record

exists. The Canadian Association of Volun-

teer Bureau and Centres from Ottawa, has

prepared an excellent handbook entitled

“The Screening Handbook – Protecting

Clients,StaffandtheCommunity”,which

outlines a 10 step process for the develop-

ment of a screening program for volun-

teers, which is easily adaptable to employ-

ment screening. The Screening Handbook

recommends that careful consideration be

given to the following factors:

Who will have access to the informa-•

tion?

What policies will govern the gathering •

or storage of such information?

Where will the information be stored?•

How will the information be recorded •

or transferred?

How long will the information be kept?•

What security measures will be put in •

place to guard the information?

Who will be permitted access to the •

information and for what reasons?

In what circumstances and with whom •

school board, as an organization responsible

for the well-being of one or more children

or vulnerable persons (which include per-

sons who, because of their age, disability

or other circumstances, whether temporary

or permanent, are in a position of depend-

ence on others, or are otherwise at greater

risk than the general population of being

harmed by persons in a position of author-

ity or trust relative to them), can request

that a member of the police force or author-

ized body verify whether the applicant has

a notation on their file which indicates that

the individual has been convicted for a sex-

ual offence listed in the schedule to the Act. In

order to be authorized to receive this informa-

tion, the jurisdiction must establish that the

applicant is applying for a position which is

one of authority or trust relative to children or

vulnerable persons, and that the applicant has

consented in writing to the verification.

Consent formsA consent form authorizing the juris-

diction to obtain information necessary to

assess the applicant’s suitability, eligibility

and qualifications for employment should

be signed at the time of application. The

form should make it clear that a back-

ground investigation may include asking

the applicant’s current and former employer

and educational institutions attended by

the candidate about the candidate’s educa-

tion, training, experience, qualifications,

job performance, professional conduct and

evaluations, as well as confirming the dates

of employment and enrolment, positions

held, reasons for leaving employment, and

whether the individual would be rehired or

the reason for not rehiring if applicable.

In Ontario, school boards are required

through regulation to collect a personal

criminal history for each employee and

pending, as a result of criminal convic-

tions, or as a result of any matter for

which the prior employer had deemed

the individual unsuitable for teaching;

• The individual has had any license or

relevant certificate of any kind revoked

or suspended, or in any way sanctioned

as a result of misconduct; and/or

• The individual is currently being

investigated for any alleged miscon-

duct or other alleged grounds for

discipline by any licensing, certifica-

tion or other regulatory body; [If

any of the answers to the questions

are a “yes”, further detail would be

required.]

Required to identify at least two persons •

who can verify basic job information

and discuss the applicant’s work per-

formance and reason for leaving.

The application form should:

Carefully elicit previous names to assist •

in completing reference and criminal

record checks; and

Notify the applicant of the necessity to •

obtain criminal record and child inter-

vention checks.

A resume alone should not be con-

sidered in the absence of a completed appli-

cation for employment.

Criminal records checks and back-ground investigations

A criminal records check provides a

snapshot (valid to date checked) as to

whether the individual has ever been con-

victed for an offence for which a pardon

has not been granted. If the relevant provi-

sions of the Criminal Records Act apply, an

employer who asks the right questions may

also seek information for expunged convic-

tions. Under the Criminal Records Act, a

A superintendent who has reason to believe that a member of the Alberta Teachers’ Association has been, or may have been, convicted of an indictable offence must make a complaint to the executive secretary and advise the Registrar (Alberta Education) of that belief, in accordance with the provisions of the Teaching Profession Act.

Part 1


duty has long been recognized as the foun-

dation for the defence of qualified privilege,

upon which an employer might rely in the

face of a claim for defamation relating to the

provision of a reference.

These concerns can be significantly

reduced by obtaining consents in the form

above described. Points to consider:

Require the applicant to identify at least •

two persons who can verify basic job infor-

mation and discuss the applicant’s work

performance and reason for leaving.

Decline to process the application if both •

individuals or the alternatives who have

been identified on the form cannot be con-

tacted. If, despite this inability to contact

references, you believe that the candidate

merits further consideration, require that

additional names be provided.

The interviewer should be trained to •

alert to subtle differences in answers and

to follow up on inconsistencies. While

inconsistent answers are not automatic

grounds for disqualification, they should

be pursued with the candidate.

If the interviewer receives neutral or •

limited responses about a prime candi-

date, consider deferring a hiring deci-

sion until more complete answers are

received through the applicant, or veri-

fied through additional sources.

The interviewer should use a standard-•

ized question form and record answers

closely with children within school jurisdic-

tions.

Child intervention records checksAn employer can also require a prospect-

ive candidate for employment to undertake

a Child Intervention Record check. This

investigation will review whether the candi-

date“mayhavecausedachildtobeinneed

of protection”, as definedunder theChild

Youth and Family Enhancement Act. This

check will not disclose criminal charges

but will provide information as to whether

the individual is the subject of an investi-

gation under the Act. The report is typ-

ically obtained through the local Child and

Family Services Authority and prepared and

released to the applicant for disclosure to a

prospective employer. A positive report may

be difficult to interpret and will require the

recruiter to question the applicant regarding

the same.

Reference checkingAs early as 1846 the Courts recognized

that, “It is somanifestly for the advantage

of society that those who are about to

employ a servant should be enabled to learn

what his previous conduct has been, that it

may be well deemed the moral duty of the

former employer to answer inquiries to the

best of his belief.” (Coxhead v. Richards

(1846), 2 C.B. 569). This moral and social

will the information be discussed and

why?

Guidelines as to when and how crim-

inal records checks will be undertaken

and as to how information will be utilized

should be established. Factors which will

be considered in determining whether or

not to hire an individual with a criminal

record should be specified. Common fac-

tors include:

The period of time during which the •

conviction was made.

The circumstances surrounding the con-•

viction.

The nature of the job applied for and •

the relationship of the offence to the

duties of the position applied for.

The nature of the offence (was it an •

indictable offence; an offence related to

children?).

The applicant should be given an oppor-

tunity to speak in confidence with the

recruiter to discuss information disclosed in

a criminal record response.

Background investigations and crim-

inal record checks should generally only

be completed for applicants short-listed for

final consideration. Staff responsible for

completion of such investigations should

be systematically and efficiently trained in

their completion. Modified screening and

a criminal records checking process should

also be utilized for all volunteers who work

BibliographyChild Youth and Family Enhancement Act, •

R.S.A. 2000 c.12.

Education Act, Ontario Regulation 521/01 •

Collection of Personal Information.

Freedom of Information and Protection of •

Privacy Act, R.S.A. 2000 c.F-25.

Ontario Education Act, R.S.O. 1990 c.E-2•

School Act, R.S.A. 2000 c.S-3.•

Teaching Profession Act, R.S.A. 2000 c.T-2•

Secondary SourcesVolunteer Canada, Safe Steps: A Volunteer •

Screening Process for Recreation and Sport,

writtenbyBrendaGallagher,1998.

Picket, Dean A., School Law Review, •

1999, What to Ask – Legal and Policy

Issues in Conducting Effective Back-

ground Investigations.

Par

t 1


In summary, a school board’s efforts to

keep kids safe start even before a student

interacts with school staff. It begins with the

recruitment process which should include

a well crafted application process, criminal

records checks, child intervention checks,

employment reference checks and prob-

ing interviews of candidates. Once hired,

a school board continues these efforts by

alerting the proper authorities regarding

alleged or actual misconduct by its staff. n

Stay tuned for Keeping Kids Safe: Part 2

in the next edition of CASS Connection.

This article is provided for information

only and should not be construed as providing

legal advice.

Senior lawyer Debra Tumbach joined

the Alberta School Boards Association

(ASBA) in 1991. She provides legal advice

and representation to the ASBA and school

boards across the province. As senior lawyer,

Tumbach is also responsible for the admin-

istration of the legal services department

and overseeing the provision of legal services

to school boards.

A superintendent who has reason to

believe that a member of the Alberta Teach-

ers’ Association has been, or may have been,

convicted of an indictable offence must

make a complaint to the executive secretary

and advise the Registrar (Alberta Educa-

tion) of that belief, in accordance with the

provisions of the Teaching Profession Act.

A superintendent must also, in accord-

ance with the obligations under the School

Act, make a report to the Registrar regarding

the suspension, termination, resignation or

retirement from employment of a teacher, if

such job related action results from conduct

that brings into question the suitability of

the teacher to hold a teaching certificate.

If the superintendent makes such a report,

the board must also file a complaint about

the teacher’s conduct with the executive

secretary of the Alberta Teachers’ Associa-

tion. If the complaint is dismissed by the

Alberta Teachers’ Association, the Registrar

for Alberta Education will remove from the

teachers’ file the corresponding report made

by the superintendent under the Duty to

Report provisions of the School Act.

to all questions. The guidelines estab-

lished by the Alberta Human Rights

and Citizenship Commission should be

considered in soliciting such reference

information.

Make the applicant account for his or •

her entire work history, especially any

gaps in employment. If an applicant left

employment in the middle of a school

year, you would want to know why.

Answers should be cross-checked and

dates of employment verified.

The privacy of the information solicited

through the entire background investigation

and criminal record checking process must

be carefully protected and secured, and can-

not be used for unrelated purposes.

Alerting relevant authorities regarding alleged or actual misconduct by staff

Any person may make a complaint of

alleged unprofessional conduct respecting

a teacher to the executive secretary of the

Alberta Teachers’ Association in accordance

with the provisions of the Teaching Profes-

sion Act and its Bylaws.

Part 1


The role of the school system leader

is complex and demanding. One

aspect of leadership is to support

and encourage staff in the most beneficial

way when they are experiencing health and

personal concerns such as depression.

Many administrators have said that they

find this particularly important and chal-

lenging at the same time. This is due, in

part, to the fact that the issues can be sensi-

tive, private and confidential. Respecting

privacy and confidentiality does not mean

individual health and personal concerns can

be overlooked. It does mean, however, that

sometimes the line between respecting con-

fidentiality and being actively supportive

can feel very fine.

The nature of the leadership role enables

them to observe their staff, identify those

who are struggling, encourage them to see

appropriate assistance, and link them with

professional sources of support. The key for

leaders is to understand where their staff

members are at, and to do this in an honest,

informed and respectful manner.

Sharing feedback with an individual

about observable behaviours, helping the

person understand the effect of behaviour

changes on the workplace, expressing con-

cern and support for their well being, and

linking them with professional resources are

all within the scope of the leader’s role.

What is depression?Depression is one of the oldest, most

common, and perhaps one of the least

understood illnesses in the world. Many

people use the term to describe periodic

feelings of being down, sad, or blue in

response to normal life events. The med-

ical interpretation of clinical depression is

more precise; a combination of persistent,

intense, specific symptoms of a treatable ill-

ness that interferes with work and everyday

life. Clinical depression affects the whole

person: mind, body, feelings, thoughts, and

behaviours.

Who gets depression? Clinical depression can affect anyone.

Most often, it affects people during their

working lives, between the ages of 24 to 44

years. Canadian Mental Health Association

has indicated that at any time, one out of 20

employees can experience depression and

nearly three million Canadians will experi-

ence depression at some point of their life.

It has also been reported that four out of

five individuals can be successfully treated.

How serious is depression?The severity of depression will vary from

one person to another. Appropriate treatment

is the key as it is believed that as much as 50

percent of depression goes under-diagnosed

and under-treated. This has serious cost and

quality of life implications for individuals, their

families, workplaces, and communities.

Myths associated with depressionUnderstanding the common myths is

important because they influence our beliefs

and actions. Some myths include:

People who suffer from depression are •

weak or have poor coping skills;

It’s their own fault.•

Depression can be overcome by working •

harder, being better organized and not

letting things get to you.

It’spossibleto“snapourofit”.•

What are some signals to watch for?Although no two people experience

depression in exactly the same way, there

are a number of common signals associ-

ated with this illness. It is important to

remember that these signals may point

to clinical depression; they may also be

associated with other health and personal

concerns.

Common signals:

Difficulty making decisions.•

Decreased productivity.•

Inability to concentrate.•

Lack of enthusiasm.•

Appetite changes.•

Withdrawal from or extreme depend-•

ency on others.

Chronic tiredness and fatigue.•

Loss of pleasure and interest in usual •

activities.

Hopelessness, despair, sadness.•

Increase in errors.•

Role of the leaderMost importantly, the role of the

leader is to recognize signs of changing

behaviours, help the staff member under-

stand what changes are being observed,

the impact of these changes on the

workplace, and to link the individual

with appropriate professional resources

while ensuring continuity and standards

of work. The role of the leader is not to

assume responsibility for a staff member’s

Recognizing and Helping Staff with Depression


health and well being or to attempt to diagnose or counsel the indi-

vidual.

A supportive response to an individual can look like:

Becoming knowledgeable about clinical depression.•

Maintaining as normal a relationship as possible. •

Demonstrating respect for the staff member by making them •

aware of their value to the team.

Encouraging the staff member to seek help for their symptoms •

early on.

Important messages for anyone experiencing signs of clinical

depression are that help is available, problems are treatable, and

someone cares about their health. n

Article is based on An Administrator’s Health Guide published by

the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan. Look for Workshops offered

in 2009/2010. ASEBP Health Services is working to support leaders so

that they can promote, support and sustain healthy people and healthy

workplaces.

ASEBP is committed to working in partnership with the education

sector in developing and promotion of resources that support individuals,

groups and leaders in creating and sustaining healthy people and healthy

workplaces. Working alongside superintendents, principals, assistant

principals and directors of human resources has provided insight to the

challenges of their role in providing support and guidance to staff. It is

our pleasure to share these key learning’s so that all leaders across Alberta

may benefit.


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leArning resources For “At risk” studentsDavies&Johnson Associates Ltd. .................................... 42

leArning tools And AssistiVe technologySecrest Resources Ltd. ............................ 38

librAry supplies, Furniture And shelVingCarr McLean .......................................... 47

northern AlbertA’s internAtionAl children’s FestiVAlNorthern Alberta International Children’s Festival .............................. 53

oFFice interiorsFlexsmart Office Interiors ...................... 39

oFFice suppliesGrand&Toy .......................................IFC

opportunity oF A liFetime, high school yeAr AbroAdE.F. Foundation High School Year ......................................... 21

photocopier And document mAnAgement solutionsKonica Minolta ....................................IBC

photogrAphyFine Photography ................................... 14

physicAl educAtion supplierWolverine Sports .................................... 15

plAyground equipmentInternational Play Co. ............................ 45

plumbingMr. Rooter ............................................. 34

post secondAry Arts And scienceMacEwan ............................................... 53

post secondAry educAtionAl opportunitiesGrandePrairieRegionalCollege .............. 8

presentAtion technologiesSANYO Canada ..................................... 27

proFessionAl leArning And school improVementPearson Education Canada ....................... 6

publisherEdifrice LIDEC Inc. .............................. 42

quAlity teAching And leArning enVironmentsAmeresco ................................................ 21

sAFety consultAnts And trAiningVital Signs Health Services Incorporated ....................................... 39

school Accident insurAnceIndustrial Alliance Pacific ....................... 10

school dAy tripsThe Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village .................................. 20

school improVement And mAnAgement solutionsPCGCanada .......................................... 39

school progrAms, ArchiVesProvincial Archives of Alberta ................ 10Provincial Museum of Alberta ................ 23

science curriculum progrAmsScience Alberta Foundation ...............OBC

scientiFic lAb equipmentWolverine Sports .................................... 15

singApore mAthAcademic Distribution Services .............. 39

single ply rooFingDuro-Last Roofing Inc. .......................... 10

speciAlty educAtionAl productsCP Distributors ...................................... 26

student trAnsportAtion AdministrAtiVe supportStudent Transportation Association of Alberta ............................................ 38

student trAnsportAtion serVicesSouthland Transportation ...................... 35

teAcher Assessment resourcesAlberta Assessment Consortium ............. 41

technology solutionsOralys Inc. ............................................. 53

trAnsportAtion solutionsFirst Student Canada ............................. 51

Vending productsHeritage Enterprises Ltd. ....................... 16

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