Division administration with Prairie South School Division is working with several stakeholder groups to implement a one-year education plan that will help schools respond to the effects of the pandemic.
The interim provincial education plan (PEP) includes three priorities for the 2021-22 school year and contains provincial-level actions to meet the needs of students in areas of reading, learning responses, and mental health and well-being. Developed from mid-February to mid-March, the plan is now being presented to PEP implementation team members for endorsement so work can begin on the priorities.
Prairie South is a member of the PEP implementation team — along with Holy Trinity Catholic School Division — and has been involved in developing the draft interim plan. After the interim plan is enacted next year, the goal will then switch to developing a 10-year plan to guide education in Saskatchewan.
Board trustees received the interim PEP document during their June 1 meeting and voted to endorse it and the priorities.
The priority of mental health and well-being caught the eye of trustee Lew Young. He asked division administration what staff and students could expect to see next year as part of this initiative.
“It’s early days to have any certainty because it’s planning work that we’re currently doing for next year,” replied education director Tony Baldwin.
Division administration’s goal is to meet with principals to discuss how to implement these priorities and how to engage with students and families, he continued. Re-engagement with students, teachers, families and principals will be important — especially in September and early October — considering how the pandemic affected the education system this year.
The division office has spoken with several employee groups about this three-pronged initiative and has reached an agreement with the Prairie South Teachers’ Association (PTSA) about rolling out a health initiative for teachers next year. A dashboard app called NotMyselfToday will let principals see how their staff is regularly doing.
“It is something I’m quite interested in seeing. I’m proud of all the employee groups, especially the teachers’ association,” added Baldwin.
Baldwin and Sean Chase, director of education for Holy Trinity, were the co-leads in helping develop the plan’s reading goal. The directors used information that PSSD learning superintendent Amanda Olson developed in January. Baldwin and his PEP team also had the opportunity to support the creation of the other two objectives, although PSSD’s role was mainly focused on reading.
“I appreciate the collaboration with this plan,” said trustee Crystal Froese.
While the initiative is ambitious, she pointed out that Prairie South is still facing a shortfall with operating revenue. Having that total revenue would allow the division to “dot the Is and cross the Ts” with this plan and fully implement it.
The next PSSD board meeting is in September.
