St. Mary Community School, partnering with North West Regional College, is taking education to a whole new level.
As an elementary school St. Mary has always focused on teaching students in and out of the classroom. This year a pilot project was introduced that focuses on education with the family as a whole.
The Adult Essential Skills Workplace classes being held at St. Mary Community School focus on teaching essential literacy, mathematic and work place skills to the parents and families of students. Classes, which run three days a week for two hours a day, began in September and will carry through until the end of April.
The program started with spaces for 20 adults and following an information night, three-quarters of these seats were filled. As a pilot project, organizers were unsure of the response and were more than impressed that expectations were surpassed on registration night.
Over the program duration, parents have left due to employment and relocation reasons, and there are always others waiting to fill those seats. Those involved with the program are excited to have 26 adults register. There is now a waiting list to get into the class and continual phone calls asking about the program.
The current count is 13 parents coming to class regularly and looking forward to graduation in April.
NWRC provides a teacher who has planned a comprehensive course outline that allows the participants to work at their own speed and levels. The program provides education that focuses on three core areas, math, literacy and workplace essential skills.
Over the past months, participants have also focused on education that allows them to grow as individuals - self-esteem classes, parenting classes, first aid, WHMIS, safe food handler's course, computer classes, and others. Along with providing the teacher, the college has two job coaches who come and meet with the participants and help them decide what kind of career they are interested in.
The participants will be completing a two-week job placement in an area they are interested to aid them in choosing a future career path. All the participants report they are enjoying the program and succeeding in many different areas.
St. Mary staff say they are elated at the impact this program is making on the school community - the students, families and staff. The students enjoy seeing their parents come to school at the same place they do, and as a result more regular attendance is occurring. In addition some students are working harder at school because they are seeing their own parents working hard to better their lives.
In addition to the changes in the students lives, the staff is also getting to know the parents on a different level, therefore changing the dynamics and opening up the levels of communication. As a result of this program, the participants are also taking a more active role in the school community. Three participants have joined the parent council, while others have become Rah Rah Reading program volunteers.
St. Mary now has a more visible supply of volunteers and participants for the school's many events. In general, St. Mary staff say they are proud the partnership with the NWRC for Adult Essential Skills workplace classes has been a success for all parties involved.
