INNISFAIL – The COVID-19 pandemic, along with increasing negative social and political news, is creating a sharp increase in stress and anxiety for local students and staff but one local school received welcome news last week that badly needed support will continue.
Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) announced last week it received a $15,000 grant from the Innisfail Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) to support the Family School Enhancement Program at Innisfail's St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School, which has 36 staff and 302 students from pre-kindergarten to Grade 9.
Kelly Jacobson, principal at St. Marguerite, acknowledged the funds were badly needed, as school officials are the seeing the highest level of anxiety ever.
“I would agree – 100 per cent. We are seeing a sharp increase in our staff anxiety,” said Jacobson. “We’ve always had student safety at the forefront but now with change of (COVID) guidelines, they’ve had to be more flexible and change the way they deliver lessons because we can’t have small groups and things like that."
“I would say our staff is doing very well but we do see an increase in anxiety and we’ve also seen that with students,” he added. "Students have been very resilient but we have seen an increase in anxiety for sure."
This funding allows the program to continue with a family school enhancement counsellor to provide support for school students and their families, both inside the school and in the community.
As well, the program also offers support groups in-person through classroom cohorts or virtual programs for students and their families.
Jacobson said with the prolonged stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the recent political turmoil in Alberta, in other parts of the Canada and outside the country, the known benefits of the Family School Enhancement Program have taken on a greater importance for the school, its students and their families, as well as for staff.
“We are seeing quite an increase in mental concerns that we have with our students, whether it’s uncertainty in the world, maybe worried about grandma and grandpa getting sick, or maybe things they hear on the radio or in the news. We see a sharp increase in anxiety,” said Jacobson, adding the superintendent of RDCRS has sent a directive to make staff and student mental wellness a priority.
“With that then we have our families that are struggling and they don’t know how necessarily how to deal with that, and that is where this grant comes in.
“We need that program and we are going to have a counsellor to work with families, and to set them up with programs in our community,” he said. “We are incredibly grateful to Innisfail FCSS for awarding us this money.”
Jennifer Hare, the school’s family school enhancement counsellor, noted St. Marguerite continues to grow its relationships with agencies and support systems within Innisfail and surrounding areas.
“We all strive to work together to provide meaningful connections and access to important resources to all who are in need,” she said.
The $15,000 Innisfail FCSS grant to the RDCRS was approved by Innisfail town council at its regular meeting on Dec. 14.
For more information about the Family School Enhancement Program, please visit https://www.rdcrs.ca/schools/fsec
