INNISFAIL - Schools in Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) are working on several fronts to promote and encourage student mental health, says superintendent Kathleen Finnigan.
During the recent, regularly-scheduled board meeting, trustees were given updates on mental health and emotional support programs and projects now underway and/or in the works.
The division’s family school counselling team has spearheaded a number of new programs, including the Circle of Security initiatives.
“The reflective program is designed to help caregivers and those who support family as they understand their child’s emotional world by learning to read the emotional needs, support the child’s ability to successfully manage emotions, enhance the development of the child’s self-esteem, and honour the caregivers’ innate wisdom and desire for their child to be secure,” she said.
Other programs underway include Rainbows, which creates community and provides resources that empower youth to navigate loss and uncertainty, the Connects program, which is for parents who are interested in improving their relationships with their youth, and Wellness Exchange Workshops, which are skill-building initiative that focus on problem solving, managing reactions, health connections, positive activities, and helpful thinking.
Regarding mental health and safety, trustees heard that “the collaborative support model (CSM), which focuses on lagging skills and unsolved problems, has been identified as an action step and the next stop for trauma-informed practices in five pilot schools.
“In addition, 268 educational assistants have received professional development on the CSM. In addition, 42 school counsellors, 55 administrators, 11 family school counsellors four mental health transition consultants, and five pilot schools have received the full day training sessions.”
Trustees were also given an update on student population, with the 2023-24 school year seeing an increase of 3.12 per cent to 10,723.
This school year the division has hired 106 new teachers, 125 new support staff members, 35 substitute teachers, and 34 support substitutes.
The Red Deer-headquartered RDCRS division includes schools in Olds and Innisfail.
