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2009-10 Inclusive Learning Schools Grant Recipients

Project Name School Name and Contact Description
Tawow Days Abbot R J Scott Elementary, Edmonton
 
Brad Mamchur 		This school has a large Aboriginal population. The program, which would take place during National Aboriginal Week, would promote understanding and caring in the community. It would feature such things as elder visits to the school, drumming and dancing performances, fiddle and Métis dancing, puppetry, traditional foods, and visits by Aboriginal artists to teach art and crafts.
Multicultural Fair Chestermere High School
Candice Horne
 
chorne@rockyview.ab.ca		 The purpose of this project is to hold a multicultural fair to celebrate the ethnic diversity of the school (approximately half of the school’s students are from a visible minority). The ultimate goal is to teach citizenship skills and appreciation of differences; to support second language learning; to encourage mutual understanding of different cultures; and to identify diversity through positive experiences of music, food and dance. Activities will include students bringing traditional foods and performing music and dance from their ethnic traditions; exploring the immigrant experience through slam poetry; aboriginal drumming; clothing from around the world; belly dancing; and western Canadian culture, such as roping and cowboy culture.
Drumming Across Cultures at Evansdale Sheila Tingley
Shantelle Webb

sheila.tingley@epsb.ca
shantelle.webb@epsb.ca		 Evansdale school has students from many backgrounds and cultures, including Aboriginal students and students from Africa. The aim of this program is to use the universal language of music, specifically drumming, to teach all students to drum with the ultimate objective of creating a sense of unity and working together to reach a common goal. Eventually, the drumming performance will be part of multicultural week. Students will also develop leadership skills and respect for one other. This will be a way for students to break down barriers of race, gender and age and learn to work together.
Peace Jam: Alberta Heading for Peace High Park School, Parkland
 
Marianne Rogers 		This project is a student-led initiative to promote peace in Parkland School division. The project, part of a partnership with 10 Nobel laureates, began in May 2008. Goals include presentations on peace awareness; committing peaceful acts; issuing challenges that encourage awareness of human rights, the environment and violence reduction; leadership training; working to achieve UNESCO ASPnet school status; and partnering with a village or school in Africa. To achieve these goals, six students will attend meeting, plan events, create communications plans, give presentations, develop a video and issue challenges to other schools. At least one student will join the John Humphrey Society. All students will work towards getting UNESCO ASPnet status for the school.
First Nations Connections Innisfail Middle School

Christine Chalaturnyk
cchalaturnyk@chinooksedge.ab.ca		 The goal of this project is to enhance First Nations students’ historical perspective of place in the history of Canada. To achieve this goal, students will visit archaeological sites and engage in learning activities facilitated by elders. There are many important sites in the school division. Students would get the chance to see petroglyphs, a buffalo jump, powwows, dances, and ceremonies, and to conduct enquiry-based research and use wikis. Other modes of learning are conferencing, photo journals and video conferencing, with the ultimate goal of passing down knowledge of native traditions to ensuing generations.
Grandmothers’ Circles Lethbridge Outreach High School

Heather Colburn
heather.colburn@lethsd.ab.ca		 Grandmothers’ circles, as part of Supporting Healing and Wellness for Life (SHAWL), are intended to educate FNMI outreach students about the importance of healing through cultural teachings. Most of the students at the outreach school have experienced family breakdown or been involved with the legal system. In this program, those students will attend healing circles held by elders, which will show the value of community healing. This understanding will extend beyond the school year and will help build resiliency in FNMI students and provide them with life skills. Also emphasized will be the role of women in Aboriginal culture. The ultimate goal is to empower young FNMI women and encourage them to finish school and make healthy choices. Non-FNMI students will also be welcome.
Diversity and Tolerance Louise Dean School, Calgary

Brenda English
blenglish@cbe.ab.ca		 The project is designed to engender respect for human rights and diversity, specifically with regard to the school’s pregnant and parenting young women, who are in a precarious position—trying to forge an identity and yet be part of a school culture, all while being pregnant or having to mother young children. They often face bullying, lack of empathy, negative family relationships and social isolation. The goal of the project, then, is to increase empathy towards these young women; reduce bullying and negative stereotypes; model healthy relationships; teach conflict resolution skills; and create antiviolence programs. To do this, the school will encourage leadership and community work among students; hold off-campus antibullying sessions; and have students create presentations on empathy, diversity and antibullying.
History in the Hills Medicine Hat High School
 
Deborah Lloyd
deborah.lloyd@sd76.ab.ca		 History in the Hills is a project that takes place in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park; it involves bringing students to the park to help with archaeological digs and to learn more about Aboriginal history and culture. The project serves as a primary resource for teachers to engage students in hands-on projects that apply to various levels of the curriculum. Last year, 1,600 students took part.
The money requested in this project would be used for the elder-in-residence program.
The Art of Working Together (Mamawihisicikewin) Olds Elementary School
and
Ermineskin Primary School

Helen Fisher
hfisher@chinooksedge.ab.ca		 This project brings together two schools: one with a primarily Caucasian population and the other with a primarily Aboriginal one. The goal of the project is to introduce the children to each other, to inspire respect for diversity, and to engender an appreciation of difference and an understanding of similarities. Among the activities are a visit to the Glenbow Museum outreach program, experiences with Aboriginal elders, a visit to Dry Island Buffalo Jump, and the purchase of materials for the schools’ libraries that show respect for Aboriginal people.
Service Project Our Lady of Snows Catholic Academy, Canmore

Nica Giannandrea
ngiannandrea@redeemer.ab.ca		 This project involves students from Grades 1 through 9 developing community service projects that connect to the curriculum. The themes of the service projects are Aboriginal education, antiracism, inclusive learning, human rights and poverty. Examples of projects are visits with seniors, holding an ice cream sale to raise money for the SPCA, working with World Vision, a recycling project, a Terry Fox run, helping with Christmas presents for the needy, a food drive, working with Habitat for Humanity, and First Nations Cultural days. The ultimate goal of the project is to instill empathy for others and pride in one’s own culture, and to encourage students to improve the world.
Dual Language Books Prairie Waters Elementary School, Chestermere

Kerri Jordan, Val Stecyk
kjames@rockyview.ab.ca		 This project hopes to provide student-authored dual-language books that will increase the involvement of non-English speaking parents in their children’s schooling; introduce all children to different languages; encourage bilingualism; and improve the reading skills of both students and their parents. The project will begin with a visit by an author who has written a dual-language book. Teachers and students will choose a curriculum-related topic for their own class and will write the book collaboratively. The books will be translated into Vietnamese, Punjabi, Korean, Urdu, Chinese and Arabic, published and kept in the school library.
Peace Works St James Elementary School, Edmonton
 
Colleen Ring
ringc@ecsd.net		 This project is intended to introduce students to the themes of peace education, with specific reference to social justice, cultural diversity, conflict resolution, human rights and environmental responsibility, and will help students develop a sense of community, appreciation of equality and an awareness of global issues. The project has two parts: (1) students will create visual art projects that promote these ideals, which will be then be posted the school, and (2) students will write reflections on peace-related themes, which will be compiled, published and distributed to all students, their families, members of the community and administrators. The underlying ethic of the projects is to show students that they have the power to be the change they want to see in the world.
Student Social Justice Club Sir William Van Horne High School, Calgary

Debbie Noesgaard
denoesgaard@cbe.ab.ca		 Funding is requested to enable the school to begin a social justice club and to train a core of student leaders who will work on projects related to antiracism, peace education and poverty issues, and who will create a positive and inclusive school climate. Training for these students will include attending the CAASA leadership conference in Olds, attending weekly meetings, working with the food bank, research, and assistance with a charity project such as Women to Women in Afghanistan or Free the Children.
Literacy/Cultural Backpacks Tipaskan School, Edmonton

Andrea Cooper
andrea.cooper@epsc.ca		 This program aims to increase parental involvement in literacy and to celebrate cultures by preparing backpacks containing books, games, journals and activities. The school has noticed that a large number of the parents of its many Aboriginal and  immigrant students do not speak English and are therefore less involved in their children’s education. The material in the backpacks will increase student literacy and provide them with stories in their first language that they can share with their parents. The backpacks are meant to serve as a bridge to involve parents in the education of their children and motivate them to develop relationships with the school and community.
Celebrating Diversity Spitzee Elementary, High River

Marina Schoon
schoonm@fsd.ab.ca		 The goal of this program is to inspire students to respect others and celebrate diversity, especially in light of the growing ethnic diversity in this once almost completely Caucasian school. The main activities include a flag-raising ceremony, a Canadian citizenship ceremony, cultural storytelling through dance and a year-long focus on games from around the world, including a school “World Cup of Soccer.” In the end, the project is meant to show students the value of everyone’s heritage, encourage their curiosity about others, develop their critical thinking abilities, prevent racism and motivate students to appreciate similarities and differences.

2008/09 Inclusive Learning Communities Grant Applications

Project Name School Name and Contact Description
Expanding Literacy for All Children Douglas Harkness School, Calgary Board of Education

Lorraine Kinsman, principal lckinsman@cbe.ab.ca		 Over 70 per cent of the student body at Douglas Harkness School is ESL. The purpose of this project is to develop a collection of dual-language textbooks to foster literacy in home languages as well as in English; the project will encourage families to see literacy as a joint responsibility of home and school, and welcome kindergarten students with books and learning tools to encourage pre-literacy. Other aspects of the latter strategy are expanded school library hours and a trip to the public library.
Building a Community, Sharing the Spirit Exshaw School (Canadian Rockies)

Jeff Horvath, Aboriginal liaison teacher cpauls@crps.ab.ca 		Ninety-seven per cent of the students at Exshaw School come from the Morely Reserve (Stoney/Nakoda First Nation). This project addresses FNMI, anti-racism and intercultural education to complement the school’s Eagle Pride Education program. The grant will be used to promote peace, cultural diversity and human rights by inviting members from the reserve and the nonreserve community to share their knowledge. Traditional Aboriginal knowledge will include crafts, drumming, medicine and storytelling. The program will emphasize violence prevention and making healthy choices.
Building the Bridge: Improving FNMI Sense of Belonging Canmore Collegiate High School

Jeff Horvath, Aboriginal liaison teacher jhorvath@crps.ab.ca 		The aim of this program is to bridge the gap between mainstream culture and Aboriginal culture and to raise awareness of and appreciation for Aboriginal culture among the student body. Of the 600 students in the high school, 40 are from the local Stoney/Nakoda First Nation reserve. Staff have observed that there is little interaction between the reserve students and the rest of the student body, and that reserve students experience much less academic success. This program will involve elder visits, drumming workshops, dance demonstrations, guest speakers, community visits and team-building workshops to inculcate a sense of belonging in the Aboriginal students.
Peace Patrol Dewberry School

Brad Romanchuk, principal brad.romanchuk@btps.ca 		The aim of this program is to train Grades 5 and 6 students in conflict-resolution skills to reduce bullying and bad behaviour during recess. This training will also give the Grades 5 and 6 students useful life skills. Activities will include training, daily lunch-hour peace patrols, brown bag meetings, and incentives to students to be patrollers and to use patrollers. Grades 5 and 6 students will organize and operate six afternoons of positive playground stations for the younger students throughout the year.
Peace Patrol Clandonald School

Chris Perry janet.jackson@btps.ca		 This program will combine the already established Peace Patrol program with Grades 7, 8 and 9 leadership classes. A survey revealed that 15 per cent of the student populations does not feel safe at school. The goal is to reduce playground conflict and bullying and to increase elementary students’ use of conflict-resolution and problem-solving skills. Activities will include training, daily lunch-hour peace patrols and brown bag meetings. Grades 5 and 6 students will organize and operate six afternoons of positive playground stations for the younger students throughout the year.
When I Go to School, I Must See Me St Francis Jr High School, Lethbridge

Kathy Jones-Husch, teacher jonesk@holyspirit.ab.ca

Gerry Muldoon, principal gerry.muldoon@holyspirit.ab.ca 		The goal of this project is to expand the school’s collection of physical artefacts, art and reading material to address the needs of an increasingly diverse student body, which includes many First Nations students as well as immigrants from Latin America, Asia and Africa. Research clearly shows that when students see themselves represented, they perform better than when they feel invisible and marginalized. Activities will include saying morning prayers in French and Blackfoot, increasing differentiated instruction, visiting a neighbouring reserve, forming an FNMI committee, increasing the physical representation of different cultures and purchasing a teepee for the school.
Making Connections Through ASPnet Olds Jr/Sr High School

Bev Toews btoews@chinooksedge.ab.ca 		This school, already recognized as a UNESCO ASPnet school, would like to host a diversity day, whereby the school would invite people from different walks of life (for example, living with diabilities, homeless, HIV positive) to talk to students about their situation. The aim is to reduce negative perceptions and stereotypes. The project will also involve music and a poster contest on the theme of celebrating diverity. Other adults important in childrens’ lives, including bus drivers and parents, will also be invited.
Native Dance Project Rosary School, Manning

Sheila Dillman, principal dillman@hfcrd.ca 		In this program, the school will invite professional Native dancers to visit and teach Native dance during PE classes. Because of the remote rural location of the school, it can be difficult and expensive to get outside presenters. Furthermore, 18 per cent of the school’s population is registered as FNMI, but FNMI resources for these students are limited. The native dance program will be part of a three-year FNMI program, which aims to provide quality learning opportunities, increase cross-cultural awarness and in general increase the achievement of FNMI students.
Video Conference for Hope Queen Elizabeth High School, Edmonton

Terry Godwaldt terry.godwaldt.@epsb.ca 		This project was a video conference that brought together 34 schools (18 from Alberta) representing 4,000 students from three continents, NGOs, aid organizations, UN reps, and the Canadian and Nicaraguan governments to raise awareness and funds for education. Activities included speakers, human rights workshops and language lessons. Last year, the targeted school was in Nicaragua; the previous year, the project benefited a school in Afghanistan. This is an ongoing project, the next of which will start in November 2008.
Jr High Transition Conference Ernest Morrow School, Calgary

Janice Luchenski jjluchenski@cbe.ab.ca		 This program is a one-day conference meant to help students make the transition from Grade 6 to 7. The student population at Ernest Morrow comes from 40 different ethnic groups, and staff, as well as child care professionals, have noticed that the school’s students struggle with poverty and the complications of transience. This program will enhance students’ emotional adjustment and help them feel welcome, Other objectives are to increase their resiliency skills and ability to self-advocate, and to create a sense of community in the school.