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What are Community Schools?
The Community School Initiative was launched in January 2005 under the jurisdiction of Manitoba Education Citizenship and Youth Aboriginal Education Directorate.
The Main Purpose of the Community Schools Initiative is to support schools serving in low socio-economic neighborhoods – helping them develop a comprehensive range of supports and approaches to meet the diverse needs of children, youth and their families.
What Does A Community School Look Like?
Because every School, every family and every community is different, each community school will be unique – based on the surrounding community’s unique challenges and needs.
How do you Create a Community School?
Two Key Elements to any Community School
§ A working group of decision makers who represent the school, families and the general community
§ The collaborated effort in building a community plan that meets the needs of the families.
§ It is important to include the community in the community plan.
Safe Arrival Program
This service is provided to the Kindergarten parents that do not have a vehicle, are on the bus waiting list, have no extra parental support, are on social assistance, and have babies in arms at home.
The group picks them up every morning and drops them off after school. This support has increased attendance and ensures the children’s safety when coming to school and returning home afterward.
A criminal record check and a child abuse registry check are needed from the parent involved in providing this service. A waiver must be signed by the parents who are utilizing this service.
Coffee & Chat is designed for the parents to come in and enjoy and hot cup of coffee and a friendly chat with the community connector, administration, our community council members, teachers and assistants that are available, and other community leaders.
Each coffee and chat will also show case one of the community supports. This will be very informal and each support will have a person there to answer any questions our parents may have.
Coffee and Chat is done during school hours. The Kelsey Community School’s is done every Friday morning from 10:00 am to 11: 45pm in the art room.
Our Community School Local Supports
Local Agencies: KRC, MMF, Mb. Sport, The Pas Friendship Centre.
Local Services: CFS, RCMP liaison, Primary Health Care Centre,
Local Supports: Rosaire House, Aurora Centre, K-Centre, AFM, The Pas & District Assessment Resource Centre
A Family Counselor
The Kelsey Community School and Child and Family Services is in the process of securing a full time family counselor in the Kelsey Community School for next September. This service will be available during some evenings. This is designed to assist any families that require counseling in any of the followings areas:
§ Relationship
§ Parenting
§ Child Development
§ Nutrition
§ Anger Management
§ Community Liaison Supports: addictions, loss and grieving, financial planning, legal aid, family conciliation services, employment centre etc.
§ Child Development (special Needs)
§ Goal Setting
§ Sexual Abuse
§ Physical Abuse
§ Neglect
§ Criminal Restitution
A Fiddle Program
Kelsey Community Schools is star gazing for the near future. A possible fiddle program for next fall or January would be an achievable targeted date. This program will include the fiddle, case, rosin, and instructor and place of practice. The fiddle has proven to be an accomplishable task for children and is very successful. It is presently growing strong in Manitoba. It would run twice a week for an hour to two groups of fifteen after school and the fiddle would go home with the child along with their practice sheets. They come back and play and learn another song until they can play Big John McNiel on their own. This program will start at the grade three level. This can later lead to potential competitions.
Display Night consist of all the local organizations, supports and agencies that our parents can have access to. The idea is to showcase any supports that the families can utilize in any way. In many cases, parents may not know about them or where they are located or who to contact to get more information. This display evening will give them a clearer understanding of what our community has to offer. Also, it is especially helpful to our transient parents and newcomers to the community. This evening will be done every Fall at the first parent teacher interview.
A community school assists in families in crisis that have lost all their possession to a disaster. As a community school we assist by providing our school as a drop off centre for any donations coming in from the community and local organizations. This builds a strong sense of community.
Norma Fleury
Community Connector
Kelsey Community School
Telephone (204) 623-7421 Ext 233
Facsimile: (204) 623-2713
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