Implementing a comprehensive bullying intervention plan, and providing support rooms for students dealing with issues like anxiety and dysregulation are some of the priorities for Red Deer Public Schools.
The division’s Three Year Education Plan, which the school board approved on May 10, sets the strategic direction for the jurisdiction and nine strategies have been identified. Among those strategies are a focus on bullying intervention, prevention, and collaboration between parents/guardians, staff and students.
“During our Community Engagement earlier this year, we heard from students at various grade levels that bullying is an issue in schools,” said school board chair Nicole Buchanan, in a statement.
“In response to hearing this, we will take a look at how we can prevent and provide further education about bullying. As we move forward in the upcoming school year, this initiative will involve students, staff and parents in terms of developing strategies of what this will look like.”
Work on the bullying intervention plan will begin in the 2023/2024 school year.
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As part of the three-year plan, student support rooms in most elementary, kindergarten to Grade 8, and middle schools will be established for the 2023-24 school year.
“These student support rooms will be overseen by a full-time certified teacher, and will meet the needs of hundreds of students across the division,” Buchanan said.
“All students, no matter their age, grade or ability are supported in the division, not just academically but emotionally, mentally and physically. The student support rooms will be in addition to the various wrap-around support services for students.”
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Red Deer Public also plans to research and explore various models to more equitably redistribute educational funding to schools, with implementation during the 2024-25 school year.
“We have schools with varying needs in our division, so our goal is to explore a different model in which educational funds may be distributed more equitably depending on each individual school’s needs,” Buchanan said.
She said the highest priority for the division is the success of every student.
“To ensure every student reaches their full potential, our three priority areas include Literacy and Numeracy, Equity and Student Success and Completion.”