Chinook’s Edge School Division wants a Central Alberta social service agency to be recognized for its work with a mental health pilot program for students.
Chinook’s Edge School Board has nominated McMan Youth, Family & Central Services Association (McMan Central) for the Friends of Education Award presented by the Alberta School Boards Association.
Since January 2023, McMan Central has worked with Chinook’s Edge on a $1.4-million provincial pilot with Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools aimed at improving the social emotional wellbeing of students.
The two-year pilot, which ends in December of 2024, is unique in Alberta because it directly includes families in the effort to support student wellness.
Marcie Perdue, associate superintendent at Chinook’s Edge, said the program could be replicated elsewhere in the province.
“Across the province we have family resource networks. Using this kind of a model, where we’re sharing our families and our students and our specialized supports in our schools with those agencies, I think that would be really helpful. It’s like wrap-around supports,” Perdue said.
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McMan Central has already served more than 200 Chinook’s Edge families, many of them in crisis or facing complex challenges with child behaviour, routines, positive discipline strategies and overall home management.
Chinook’s Edge students who didn’t always attend school are now coming back to class thanks to McMan Central’s work with the students and their families.
“I’ve seen a marked improvement in attendance when they’re involved,” said Perdue about chronic absenteeism when students may not attend school for months at a time.
“A lot of times when families are in crisis, they are really struggling to get their children to school, to have them be successful at school.”
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Three family enrichment workers with McMan Central have been reaching out to Chinook’s Edge families referred to the program.
According to a McMan assessment, 82 per cent of parents implemented strategies that were suggested to them.
“McMan Central is both humbled and honoured that Chinook’s Edge School Division would nominate our organization for this award,” said Dixie McLeod, senior practice specialist with McMan Central, in a statement.
“Student mental health has been a significant challenge for years. The importance of this project is that it allows the team to look beyond student mental health to include family mental health. If the family can thrive, then the student can thrive too.”