The Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRD) senior administration team has met with the division’s Alberta Education field service consultant to discuss the division’s new three-year education plan, which includes expanded reliance on parent and other stakeholder engagement, says superintendent Kathleen Finnigan.
The 10,360-student RDCRS includes schools in Olds and Innisfail.
“Included in the conversation was the explanation of how our education plan and division priorities drive our budget decision and structures and processes we have developed to ensure alignment of the plan into school improvement plans, knowing that school goals and data are the driver of this plan,” Finnigan said in her monthly report to trustees on Oct. 28.
“We have built this plan collaboratively from the bottom up, knowing that school leaders need to ensure that setting the direction is the key responsibility of the principal and the senior administration working team. We explained that we are taking a measured approach to curriculum implementation, ensuring that collective leadership remains as a pivotal structure at the school level.”
RDCRS officials also provided Alberta Education with “our new approach based on expanded stakeholder engagement at the parent and staff level through the use of RDCRS Connects, and various professional development sessions with administrators, student voice panels, local school activities, school councils, and collaborative conversations. Insights gained from stakeholder engagement help inform the cycle of continuous improvement,” she said.
The complete three year plan is available for viewing on the RDCRS website.
Meanwhile, Finnigan also reported on the division’s ongoing efforts in support of Ukrainian students who have come to the district.
Since March 2022, the division has welcomed 32 Ukrainian students to St. Patrick’s Community School, she said.
“Eleven of these students receive food and clothing support and school supplies, six receive counselling support and five families receive family school enhancement counsellor support,” she said.
“In total, 22 of the students are pre-level 1, four are level 1 and six are level 2 in terms of their English language.”
A total of 13 students are receiving sheltered language support during their structured English Language Arts instruction, she said.
“During this time, instruction is targeted to increase students’ vocabulary, by identifying basic parts of speech, developing conversational skills through repeated exposure and modelling, and building a foundation in decoding skills to aid fluency and comprehension,” she said.
“The benefits of offering a shelter program for both students and teachers is immense and necessary for the future success of our Ukrainian students.”
