Hope, Compassion, and Respect: The Antidote to Intolerance
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Alberta Distance Learning Centre–Edmonton Campus
Karen Campbell
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Local 22 hopes to bring into conscious awareness the power of hate and intolerance. With awareness, perspectives may change and allow hope and acceptance of differences to flourish in its place. Bullying is never acceptable, but respect always is!
To “kick-off” or launch this project, Eva Olsson, Holocaust survivor, will give a presentation to our Northern most school followed by an evening presentation to the general public of Pembina Hills. During her stay, Eva will give five presentations to students in Local 22. Eva will also attend a local council meeting and speak directly with ATA school representatives. To maintain and expand the teachings/messages Eva promotes during her stay, Local 22 will:
- make available for loan to Local 22 teachers, various resources (books and DVDs) relating to intolerance, directly relating to Eva’s story, and improving character development.
- provide “learning moments” in the DEHR report/newsletter at each monthly local council meeting.
- provide ideas for teacher classroom use relating to improving the understanding of and respect for “special days” such as mental health day, Black History Month, Aboriginal day, etc.
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Grasslands PRISM Project
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Uplands Elementary School, Grasslands Local #34
Shawna Turner
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The Grasslands DEHR Committee seeks funding to purchase books that complement the PRISM toolkit for use in our school division. Each elementary school will be provided with the PRISM toolkit and several books with which teachers can broach the topic of sexual and gender minorities.
1. Upon grant approval, Shawna Turner will advertise the PRISM Project and collect names from at least one division-one teacher and one division-two teacher in each elementary school willing to use the PRISM toolkits with their classes. Each school will receive one PRISM toolkit and one set of ten books to share with each other and any other interested colleagues.
2. Participating teachers will share their experiences with the PRISM Project with their colleagues and administrators and encourage their administrators to purchase more books for student and teacher use through their school and professional libraries.
3. Participating teachers will act as their school resource for the PRISM project and will encourage their teaching colleagues to use the resources as it meets the Specific Learner Expectations in the provincial programs of study in Health, Language Arts, Fine Arts, and Social Studies subjects.
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FNMI Inclusion Initiative
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Cold Lake Outreach
ATA Local #15
Lara Ripkens
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Cold Lake Outreach school wishes to better serve our students by purposely integrating FNMI culture into all parts of the school by developing a Native Arts program, making meaningful connections with the settlements and reserves we serve, and decorating our school in a manner that reflects our student population.
1. Teacher planning meeting to generate ideas, delegate tasks, and prioritize goals.
2. Informal student surveying to generate ideas about what aspects of student culture they would like to see addressed or what ideas they could bring forward.
3. Reviewing existent resources and programs for ideas when developing own programming.
4. Using Student Advocacy Counsellor as a mediator, set up meetings with settlement and reserve stakeholders to discover their priorities and interests.
5. Review current course modules to see where FNMI perspectives/activities could be substituted.
6. Generating a mural in the student room that is reflective of the student population culture.
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"Helping Those Without a Voice"... and Supporting Those in Times of Need...
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Maude Clifford School
Tri-Local (Local 26, Local 6, Local 42)
Andrew Boylan
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We are providing strategies to help educators develop safe and caring, learning environments. We are addressing this with provision of sessions at our convention and local schools for teachers. We want our teachers to be able to answer the needs of any students and staff in their schools who are perceived as being different or standing outside the norm within our Alberta Educational Environment.
Issue 1:
We will be hosting our Third Annual Cultural Evening this coming May. Dijla Al-Rekabi from the Calgary Board of Education will be our featured speaker. For the past decade, Dijla has been speaking on Human Rights, Gender Inequality, Diversity, Refugees and Immigrants. Her experiences as a war survivor, refugee camp citizen and visible minority in Canada infuses a deeper understanding of cultural competencies, diversity and inclusion within the Alberta Education System.
Issue 2:
We organized sessions by Dr Kristopher Wells at our local teachers' convention. Dr Wells presented sessions on Homophobic Bullying in schools. With the increased popularity in schools for a Gay-Straight Alliances we would work with colleagues in the older grades and support their endeavours.
Consequently and following Bill 10, we hope to enlighten participants on how to successfully address bullying, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia.
In conclusion, this will include building trust and rapport with our students. This would be a stepping stone for other work being done by our Tri-Local DEHR Committee.
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EMPOWER! Girls Leadership Program
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Aahsaopi Elementary School
Kainai Nation Blood Reservation
Hali Heavyshield
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EMPOWER! is an acronym for Empathy, Motivation, Power, Opportunity, Wisdom, Encourage, and Respect. The program will focus on grade 4 and 5 Kainai First Nations female students to learn leadership skills, as a means to improve overall wellness through literacy education and Blackfoot ways of knowing.
The group will meet on a weekly basis to focus on each theme of EMPOWER!
- September: Empathy
- October:Motivation
- November:Power
- December:Opportunity
- January:Wisdom
- February:Encourage
- March:Respect
1. Literacy/Communication Activities: students will engage in various role playing exercises to teach them how to make informed decisions, while learning how to set goals, and foster positive and healthy relationships.
2. mTalent Show: Students will develop their strengths through performance, fine arts activities and traditional powwow dancing. Monthly Elder Visits: an elder will speak to the girls about Blackfoot language, values, and traditional ways of knowing based on monthly theme.
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Implementing a QSA at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School
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Alyson King
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Lindsay Thurber has, in the past, been a pioneer in advocating for social and gender equity. The school will renew its support for LGBQT students by creating a Queer/Straight Alliance.
- Inviting guest speakers (Kris Wells, Darren Lund, and Kelly Dean Schwartz) to come to speak on matters important to social justice, equity and developmental assets for all.
- Provide funding for school activities celebrating diversity, equity and human rights-banners, anti-bullying campaign (pink day), colour day/race.
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“Strut Your Stuff” Project
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Delphine Brake
ATA Northland Local 69
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Project “Strut your Stuff” aims to highlight the diversity of teachers, students, and families. Funding is sought by the DEHR Committee of Northland Local 69 to raise visibility and awareness that diversity, human rights, and social justice are educational priorities.
- Purchase a number of books (picture, fiction and non-fiction) listed in PRISM Toolkit for Safe and Caring Discussions about Sexual and Gender Minorities.
- Model at least three diversity lessons from the PRISM Toolkit Manual.
- Encourage schools to celebrate and plan events to recognize special days throughout the year.
- Host theme-based student poster and writing contests and compile winning first place entries into a booklet for distribution in the schools.
- Pay for two speakers to present at the Northeast Teachers’ Convention in February 2016.
- Buy a “Diversity, Equity and Human Rights” banner and have the inscription “ATA Northland Local 69 printed on it and display it at the Northeast Teachers’ Convention.
- Create a display board about LGBTQ history to show at the Northeast Teachers’ Convention.
- Be visible at the Northeast Teachers’ Convention with a booth/table with free information on various topics dealing with diversity etc.
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DEHR Art Gala
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Gilbert Paterson
Local 41
Veronique Joncas
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Our project is to hold an annual DEHR Art Gala, where our students will lead in taking part into the process and running of the event.
- Educate students on a cause: students will learn about their cause in class before creating an art piece.
- Get students actively involved in supporting a cause: by creating a piece of art. All pieces of art registered will take part of silent auction. All profits will go to the cause.
- Get students emotionally and intellectually involved by giving them the opportunity to create a piece of art inspired by a specific cause: painting, sculpture, collage, graphic art, etc.
- Gather multiple causes in one event: Art Gala will display the art pieces and educate the public about the cause it is supporting.
- Create links between schools and our community: open invitation to the public, personal invitations to targeted members of the community (business, politician, media, etc).
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Safe Spaces Training
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ATA Red Deer City Local No. 60
Patti Yackulic
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This project is a continuation of the DEHR/RDPSD initiative begun in 2014/15. The intent was to work towards LGBTG policies, train district staff in Safe Spaces, and address other LGBTQ needs.
- Dr Kris Wells will return to Red Deer to offer Safe Spaces training to 100 teachers.
- The DEHR Committee will embark on an advertising campaign directed at teachers to increase the understanding as to the necessity of developing Safe Spaces.
- The Local 60 DEHR Committee will offer teachers an ATA-related PD session.
- The DEHR Committee also will tackle the creation of a resource guide directed at local LGBTQ friendly agencies, churches, etc.
- Another step in this initiative is to work with the City of Red Deer through Lawrence Lee (City Councillor) in order to increase gender-neutral facilities (e.g., washrooms, change rooms, etc.).
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Intercultural Education Project (IEP)
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Evergreen Catholic Outreach
Evergreen Catholic Local 44
Meg Wiens and Chantal Rufiange
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The goal of our Intercultural Education Project (IEP) is to address the need of a population of students in a local elementary school that have recently immigrated to Canada. This group can benefit from the mentorship of our youth through monthly visits where a variety of activities will foster understanding and learning about our diverse backgrounds while allowing the students an avenue to reach their full potential.
- Pre-and-post self-assessments for students, discussing their ideas regarding the importance of diversity and equity in our community, and how they have grown from their experience.
- An environment of intercultural education will be created by our high school youth for the benefit of themselves, and the recently immigrated children at our elementary school.
- Taking students for 10 scheduled visits to our local elementary school to play games, prepare snacks, read culturally themed books, and make culturally-themed crafts while being in community with other children.
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Creating Safe and Caring Schools With Inclusive Language
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Westmount School Foothills
ATA Local 16
Jamie Anderson
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This initiative aims to create safe and caring school environments for all students by working to eradicate the discriminatory language that is used in bullying - language that causes irreparable damage, particularly to youth that identify as LGBTQ.
- Staff workshops - We would like to offer the Calgary Sexual Health Centre workshops "Creating a Culture of Respect" and "Beyond Bullying" for Foothills School Division staff members to provide multiple strategies for creating inclusive environments and addressing language that is homophobic, sexist, racist, and discriminatory.
- Student workshops - Inviting the fYrefly in Schools program into Junior and Senior high schools to provide workshops for youth.
- Provide opportunities for youth involved in Gay-Straight Alliances to network with other students at the Gay-Straight Alliance Network meetings in Calgary. Students will not only have the opportunity to build relationships with other like-minded youth, but will also be able to learn how to further develop their own work as student groups.
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“We are All Treaty People” Inquiry Project
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Sir John Franklin
Local 38
Rudy Stein
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“How are We All Treaty People?” will be the focus of Sir John Franklin’s school-wide inquiry for 2015–2016. This question will allow students and staff to explore the founding of modern Alberta from both aboriginal and settler perspectives.
The inquiry will begin with a theatre residency, and subsequent conference with 3 other schools. It will continue throughout the year as teachers design instructional tasks that explore multiple perspectives and the voices of Aboriginal peoples.
Part 1: Five–day theatre creation process.
The school will work with Trickster Theatre to create an original show that explores the question “How are we all Treaty people?” This will examine the founding of modern Alberta in as many ways as possible. This October 2015 performance will ignite a year-long inquiry process which will be explored by all students in a multi-disciplinary manner.
Part 2: “We are All Treaty People” – Youth Conference
Sir John Franklin will be part of a four-school theatre production conference involving three others schools. All students will have the opportunity to participate. They will create new work which will be shared. Students will drive the process and act in the new work.
Part 3: Whole-school inquiry
Throughout the year, teachers will consistently design instructional task which honour multiple perspectives and the voices of indigenous peoples. For example, visual art teachers will explore the work of FNMI artist while humanities teachers will examine the relationship between spoken word poetry and Aboriginal oral traditions. During the year teachers will also maintain an ongoing relationship with the three other schools involved in the conference.
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Boys Council
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Swan Hills School
ATA Local 22
Pauline Payne
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This project will develop a Boys Council for those aged 14–17 to provide an opportunity to challenge traditional roles, expectations and stereotypes of what it means to be a man. Focus will be on language, acceptance, and conflict resolution skills.
Boy Council members will participate in a series of presentations and discussions designed to advance their skills. They will also develop a school library of media files which will showcase their knowledge. These files will be presented to both staff and students and will be available to staff as a classroom resource meant to initiate discussion and support the Health
POS. MHCB staff and school councillors will provide follow up classroom support as necessary.
For Pink Shirt Day, the Boys Council will present their ideas on learned skills to students in Grades 4–6. This leadership role should positively impact the attitudes and ideas of the younger students; potentially encouraging the elementary boys to join the council when they are older.
After Spring Break, the focus will become largely about team building and we will conclude with an end of year celebration in Edmonton.
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Bob Edwards School Twelfth Annual Diversity and Peace Conference
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Bob Edwards School
Local 38
Marissa Massey
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Based on results from the “Tell Them From Me” survey and discussions with teachers, this conference addresses the need for our students' to feel safe, included and welcomed in our school as well as learning how to be engaged global citizens.
- Throughout the year students will participate in a variety of activities which promote our conference theme that the Diversity and Student for Change Council organize.
- Pre-and-post conference speakers that continue to promote our theme.
- Students will attend We Day and My World Conference and share what they learned with others.
- Opening Assembly where students will share what they do to be inclusive and passionate global citizens.
- Keynote speaker that will talk about their experiences around diversity and human rights.
- Students will attend two breakout sessions where they will learn how they can make a difference and be inclusive that are hosted by members of the community.
- Post Conference celebration where students will share what they learned.
- End of the year celebration where students and staff can show what they have learned throughout the year
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Diversity Fair
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Steele Heights Junior High School
Joyce Chaykoski
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The students and staff at Steele Heights School are committed to developing a school-side, cross-curricular project that explores and celebrates diversity. Involves our local community, and bring awareness to a specific cause.
As teachers, our goals will be to mentor student leaders from across the grade levels and classes. Teach them specific competencies they will need to be effective leaders, and then give students the time and support they need to move from project conception and initiation to execution and closure. At the end, we want students to out on an event that will include a variety of stakeholders (families, community members, representative from Edmonton Public Schools). In effect, students will develop an inclusive project, on them of diversity that reflects the perspectives and experiences of a pluralistic society.
Our goals come directly from the Ministerial Order on Student Learning. However, what lies at the heart of this project is the chance for all student to work together by teaching, mentoring, and supporting each other. Moreover, we want all students to recognize biases or stereotypes they have absorbed, treat everyone as an individual, respect each student for who he/she is, and become more informed about the history and culture of groups other than their own. In short, students will create an atmosphere in the classrooms, hallways, schoolyard, and community that embraces diversity.
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Children Reimagineering and Educating the World
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Monsignor Fee Otterson Elementary/Junior High School
Local 54
(Edmonton Catholic Schools)
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Being an inclusive school means fostering diversity, acceptance and equity amongst ALL students by creating an environment based on "BELONGING". Students become positive agents of change in their quest to become engaged thinkers, ethical citizens with entrepreneurial spirit.
Activities strongly support the "Big Ideas" and instructional themes of each grade level.
Creation of the CREW: Multi-age groupings (inclusionary for all students wishing to participate)
Free the Children Campaigns (including We Day)
Celebrations:
- Multi-age groupings to present topics organized by the CREW and supported by staff.
- Supporting the multiple intelligences of the students by using innovative technology, to present information (iMovie, Thinglink, Glogster, Museum Box),
- Guest speakers to facilitate discussion and awareness surrounding the fair treatment of all.
Davs of Diversity
- Global map focus in atrium to promote racial harmony (students to mark their heritage).
- School-wide activities to support specific CREW objectives.
- Multi-Cultural hot lunches to support the wonders of all cultures: organized by CREW and supported peers and teachers.
- Student-led video on Otter TV (morning announcements).
Social Justice
- Supporting Ester's Education in Burundi
- Collaboratively building awareness and supporting an Aboriginal Community in Alberta.
- Develop partnership with the YMCA Welcome Center.
Active Citizenship
- Engaging students in human rights issues by being the voice for others by contacting (email, telephone, field trip, letters, rallies, community meetings) their councillors and MLAs
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Students Helping Others (SHO) Project
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St Theresa School
Northland Local 69
Delphine Brake and Mandi Maclennan
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The SHO Initiative purposes to create a physical space in St. Theresa School that is inclusive and supportive of all students and staff. Funding is sought for the purchase of educational resources, publicity materials, training/workshop fees, and display/wall visuals resources.
Once the Principal has designated a room, the students will paint, decorate, and help furnish the room to give them ownership of the space. To effect educational and social change, the focus will be on school climate and organizational change that will result in long lasting results by engaging in the following activities:
- Use the five strategies of The Virtues Project as a framework for positive changes in students and school culture ;
- Plan, with the assistance of teacher facilitator(s),unique diversity, equality, and human rights events/activities throughout the school year to address issues and concerns based upon requests or results of surveys conducted throughout the year;
- Celebrate events/days that highlight diversity, equity, and human rights;
- Promote Talking Circles/Sharing Sessions;
- Participate in making talking sticks;
- Hold monthly SHO Leadership Group meetings;
- Report at school assemblies and in the media on monthly events/activities;
- Train students in leadership skills;
- Put up posters around the school and community promoting our SHO Initiative;
- Make displays related to bullying issues, for example, to educate others on this serious problem;
- Help organize leadership training sessions, educational workshops/presentations for others, such as, the teachers or parents.
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A Multicultural Gathering – Our Living “Text”
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Robert W Zahara Elementary School
Northern Spirit ATA Local #6
Janina Carlstad
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We want to support and strengthen our Global Education environment by hosting a Multicultural Gathering aimed at creating awareness of other cultures, inspiring understanding and interaction, and offering inviting opportunities in which students may become even more globally involved.
a. We will poll our student population with regards to their countries of origin.
b. With those poll results, we will create a map display in our entryway that pinpoints our school’s cultural diversity.
c. We will host a Multicultural Gathering which will provide:
Opening Ceremonies with a First Nations Honor Song “on the Land” around a Tipi.
Community Building Art Project - Take a Hand in Shaping Our World With each student adding their painted handprint to this, we will create wall murals in canvas of our World and Canadian flag
Culture Crafts – Norwegian Rosemaling (folk art)
Food Fair at Lunch –
Closing Ceremonies – Highland Pipes and Highland Dance
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Best Buddies
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Westpark Middle School
Local 60
Tania Diletzoy
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Our school has started a group called Best Buddies. The school is exceptional because we provide a variety of programs for students with intellectual, social and physical disabilities. Best Buddies are students who promote inclusion and foster friendship for people in our school.
Currently, Best Buddies students are working with the Pathways and Foundations students in the following ways: taking some students out for lunch time recess and playing with them, joining them in classroom activities during flex period. Some students have chosen to be a Best Buddy during their option class, where they join regular classroom activities to help students complete academic and classroom tasks. We would like to extend our involvement by proving several off and on campus activities. Currently, Best Buddies are planning a carnival-type activity with educational learning activities (colors, numbers, alphabet, shapes, money and counting) along with face painting, parachute games, food and prizes. We would use the grant money to pay for supplies as well as transportation and activity costs for the following possible offsite activities: purchasing Best Buddies t-shirts for staff and students participation in the activity, attending a Red Deer Rebels hockey game, going on a picnic at a local park, going bowling, going swimming, attending the Red Deer Museum and Art gallery, visiting the local fire and police station, attending a musical concert at the Red Deer College or local high school, completing an inclusive art project, visiting the local corn maze, completing a memory/photo book for all members of best buddies.
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