SUNDRE – A three-member delegation of Chinook’s Edge School Division representatives including a local trustee and former mayor addressed the municipal council in part seeking support on advocacy efforts to improve in-person student attendance.
The delegation’s presentation that among other items also included a discussion on the need to promote skilled trades work and encourage students to consider apprenticeship programs, occurred during a proceeding conducted with two members of council and a member of the administrative staff participating remotely.
Both Town of Sundre Mayor Richard Warnock and Coun. Owen Petersen, as well as chief administrative officer Linda Nelson, joined the regular Nov. 6 meeting of council by phone. Coun. Jaime Marr chaired the meeting, while Chris Albert, director of corporate services, served as acting CAO.
School division trustee Terry Leslie was joined by Wendy Murphy and Angela Sandberg, who serve as the chairs of the River Valley and Sundre High school councils, respectively.
Leslie presented some background information about the school division, which has an annual budget of about $130 million that provides funding to 40 schools with a collective enrolment of about 11,000 students, of whom roughly 860 go to class either at River Valley School or Sundre High School.
While the division employs about 2,200 people, the two Sundre schools create more than 100 positions, “which makes them about your third-largest employer in the community,” he said.
Goals throughout all of the division’s schools are three fold: academic excellence; career connections; as well as social and emotional wellness, “particularly post-COVID,” he said.
The division, he continued, “is looking for partners to advocate on behalf of our students and our parents and our families with the provincial government.”
Sundre students outperform provincial averages
Murphy and Sandberg also each took a few minutes to highlight items they deemed noteworthy.
“The kids did really, really well on the PATs,” said Murphy, adding the results from Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Tests were despite large classes with more than 35 students “far above provincial averages.”
“Sundre should be proud that their students are doing well compared to provincial averages,” she added.
And with 28 of the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission involving the education system, including initiatives such as Orange Shirt Day, Murphy also mentioned among the other highlights she brought to council’s attention the enhanced effort to include Indigenous perspectives in education.
“There’s a large Indigenous focus in River Valley,” she said.
Sandberg, herself a graduate of Sundre High with two children who have also already graduated and one who is currently in Grade 10, said that “within six years of starting Grade 10, 69 per cent went onto pursue some type of post secondary, which is 10 per cent above the provincial average.”
The school’s graduation rate of 90 per cent is also slightly above average, she said, adding nine students completed the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) last year. Additionally, the school offers a dual credit program for students already exploring trades such as welding or heavy equipment technicians. A few years ago, several students received their Health-Care Aide certification in their Grade 12 year.
“They came out of high school being fully employable and had job offers,” she said.
And 52 years of May Queen has also left a long, positive legacy of getting students involved in working throughout the community to raise funds.
Following the delegation’s presentation breaking down statistical analysis of data that illustrate the division’s students outperform in multiple areas compared with provincial averages, Leslie said the delegates also sought council’s support on engaging in advocacy efforts.
Further elaborating on why attendance is considered crucial, Leslie – also a former educator – told council that students who attend 90 per cent or more of their schooling generally end up with an average of 80-plus per cent.
“That’s the data nationwide. We have a push on trying to keep kids going to school as often as possible. The reason is when they come into work, the attitude of attendance is one that we want to foster because what you do in school typically translates to what you do as an adult,” he said.
“We came to ask you to partner with us to do a couple of things: one, can you help us promote attendance for kids in school. And two, can you help us advocate for better services for our students, parents and families with the government of Alberta?”
Starting conversations a first step
Coun. Chris Vardas asked if there might be any specific action council could take.
“You want us to help you promote kids to stay in school; so, how exactly do you want the town to partner up to help you guys promote that?” Vardas said.
Simply starting the conversation “is a great first step,” said Leslie, inviting members of council to engage in discussions about the subject whenever they might be speaking at the schools or youth organizations including sports clubs like minor hockey.
Coun. Paul Isaac didn’t have any questions but wanted to impart to the delegation the fact that a bonus credit program is available to students who step up as hockey referees.
“Some of the kids might not know that,” said Isaac.
Coun. Connie Anderson, who owns a local tire shop, said local interest in RAP – at his business at least – seems to have evaporated.
“I haven’t seen anybody in years come around,” said Anderson.
Leslie said that emphasized the need to engage in more conversations to promote encouraging students to approach and make connections with local employers.
Post pandemic decline in trades
Warnock said he was surprised that only five students had completed various online dual credit courses and inquired if that was normal for the program or if there might be plans to expand it.
“It is, post-COVID, the new normal,” answered Leslie, adding the issue of vacant positions in construction, for example, is creating a strain in keeping up with building homes for new Albertans.
Coun. Owen Petersen was glad to see May Queen, which has the potential to open doors connecting students with employers, still going strong after so long.
“I know there’s often struggles in continuing that tradition and that activity has changed over the years,” said Petersen.
“But it makes me very happy to see that it is still going. Getting our kids into the community working with people in the community and building relationships through that activity means a lot to me, and I think it’s important,” he said.
Vardas also asked if there are other opportunities for students to earn additional credit through extracurricular language studies, which could prove beneficial to new Canadians as well.
Leslie agreed such a program would be valuable but said he would have to look into that.
More apprentices “desperately” needed
Coun. Todd Dalke, who owns another local tire shop, said he in the wake of COVID has also noticed a decrease in student participation with initiatives such as RAP.
“We have seen a huge decline in trades and we need to get it back,” said Dalke. “Those (jobs) really are the backbone of our economies; they’re what build anew.”
Although supportive of the delegation’s intent, the councillor echoed Vardas’ question in terms of what council can tangibly do to for example work alongside the Sundre & District Chamber of Commerce through the school system to boost those numbers.
“Because it’s something we desperately need,” he said about increasing the number of apprenticeships that in turn create opportunities for local careers in trades.
Keeping open the lines of communication through ongoing discussions involving local representatives who can meet with provincial officials to stay up to date on any upcoming Alberta government initiatives is all part of advocacy, said Leslie. Through coordinated efforts with local business partners, he said the schools are in turn able to provide students with better information.
Council carried a motion accepting the presentation for information.
