Edmonton Public Schools

Last updated
Edmonton Public Schools
Edmonton Public Schools Logo.svg
Edmonton Public School Board Edmonton Alberta Canada 01A.jpg
Location
, Alberta , T5H 4G9
Canada
Coordinates 53°33′17″N113°29′45″W / 53.55472°N 113.49583°W / 53.55472; -113.49583
District information
GradesK-12
SuperintendentDarrel Robertson
Chair of the boardTrisha Estabrooks
Schools212 [1]
BudgetCA$1.21 Billion (2021) [1]
Students and staff
Students105,384 (September 2021) [1]
Other information
Elected trusteesSherri O'Keefe, Ward A
Marsha Nelson, Ward B
Marcia Hole, Ward C
Trisha Estabrooks, Ward D
Dawn Hancock, Ward E
Julie Kusiek, Ward F
Saadiq Sumar, Ward G
Nathan Ip, Ward H
Jan Sawyer, Ward I [2]
Website www.epsb.ca

Edmonton Public Schools (legally Edmonton School Division) is the largest public school division in Edmonton, the second largest in Alberta, and the sixth largest in Canada. The division offers a variety of alternative and special needs programs, and many are offered in multiple locations to improve accessibility for students. As a public school division, Edmonton Public Schools accepts all students who meet the age and residency requirements set out in provincial legislation. [3]

Contents

Size

Edmonton Public Schools operates 212 schools. There are a total of 124 elementary schools, 38 elementary/junior high schools, 5 elementary/junior/senior high schools, 26 junior high schools, 4 junior/senior high, 15 senior high schools, and 7 other educational services offered. Approximately 105,000 students attend Edmonton Public Schools and there are over 9,700 full-time staff equivalencies. The proposed operating budget is $1.21 billion for the 2021–2022 fiscal year. [1]

Governance

A group of nine elected trustees sits on the board of trustees for Edmonton Public Schools. Each trustee represents one ward in the city. They are elected every four years, in the regular municipal election through First-past-the-post voting.

In the election, Edmonton voters can only vote for a trustee to one (not both) of the two main school boards. The last election was held on October 18, 2021. [2] The public and Catholic systems operate independently of each other, and are both under the direct authority of the provincial government of Alberta.

History

Edmonton's first schoolhouse was built in 1881 in the Saskatchewan River valley and was in use as a school until 1904. The wooden-frame building was the first free public school in Alberta, and sometimes served as a courthouse and meeting hall. The school building was restored as an Edmonton Public Schools' centennial project in 1982, and has been moved to the grounds of the former McKay Avenue School (now the Edmonton Public Schools Archives and Museum). It is a Provincial Historic Resource. [4]

Edmonton Public Schools Archives and Museum

Edmonton Public Schools Archives and Museum is located in the historic McKay Avenue School. The building's cornerstone was laid in 1904 by the Governor General of Canada, Lord Minto. The year 1904 marked the beginning of an important new era of growth and prosperity in Alberta, and the building was designed to reflect this importance and inspire awe and grandeur. The design included unique features such as the Ionic Romanesque pillared entranceways.

McKay Avenue School served as the site of the first two sessions of the Alberta Legislature (1906 and 1907). It was on the third floor of Assembly Hall that the important decision was made to make Edmonton the capital of Alberta.

McKay Avenue School was designated a Provincial Historic Resource in 1976. The venerable brick building had played an important role in the educational, social and political development of Edmonton and Alberta, but when in 1983 the enrolment fell to a low of 59 students the school was closed. At that time, in recognition of its importance in the early history of Edmonton and of Alberta, a history-conscious school board made a momentous decision:McKay Avenue School would be preserved to reflect the school district's past and to pass its history on to future generations. [4]

Site-Based Decision Making

Edmonton Public Schools pioneered the concept of site-based decision making (decentralization) in Canada. Site-based decision making gives principals, who are ultimately responsible for everything that goes on in their schools, the authority, the financial resources and the flexibility to make decisions based on the individual needs of their schools. [5]

In 1976, the district initiated a pilot project in seven of its schools and in 1980 had expanded the concept to all of its schools. This initiative has led to Edmonton Public offering an innovative school of choice model in which students have more options as to what school they want to attend to suit their interests, and has led to the creation of many very successful alternative programs such as Vimy Ridge Academy, Old Scona Academic and Victoria School of the Arts. [6] [7] [8] The Edmonton Society for Christian Education [9] and Millwoods Christian School (not part of the former) used to be private schools; however, have both also become part of Edmonton Public Schools as alternative programs. [10] [11]

Today, school-based management is functioning successfully in other educational jurisdictions across Canada. [12]

Schools

Edmonton Public Schools' continuum grades are commonly found in two grade level groupings: kindergarten through grade six being Elementary and grades 7 through 12 being Secondary. Further, Secondary grade groupings can be broken into Junior High (7-9) and Senior High (10-12) schools. However, there are certain schools that include more than one grade level grouping or don't conform to the grouping system.

Programs

Edmonton Public Schools offers Regular programs, Alternative programs and Special education programs. [13]

Special education programs are available at select schools and include programs for students who are academically advanced, and students who have Behaviour Disabilities, Cognitive Disabilities, Diagnosed Learning Disabilities and Academic Delays. [14]

There are more than 30 Alternative programs available with a focus on a specific type of arts, athletics, language, faith, culture or teaching philosophy. This includes: Aboriginal education, Cogito, American Sign Language, Hockey Training, Waldorf and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. [15]

Early Years Programming

Early Education

This program supports children with mild/moderate and severe disabilities, aged 2+12 to 4+12 years. Programming focuses on cognitive, self-help and social skills, speech and language, and motor development. Parents and staff work together to support each child.

Early Learning

This program supports children 3+12 to 4+12 years of age who are English Language Learners or in need of specialized supports and services. Programming focuses on developing communication and co-operative learning skills, and is available to children attending their designated school.

Kindergarten

Children who are four years of age on or before March 1 of that year, may register in Kindergarten for the upcoming school year. Children may attend their designated school or apply to a school or program of choice. Kindergarten is offered half-day in the mornings or afternoons at most elementary schools, and full-day at some elementary schools for children living in the designated attendance area. [16]

Advanced Education Programs

Challenge Program [K-9]

For children who have high academic standards. This program is formatted to make the learning more challenging and focuses on problem solving and inquiry skills.

Extensions Program [1-9]

This program is for children with advanced intellectual abilities. These students enjoy being challenged, grasp new ideas easily, and perform far beyond their current grade level.

Academic Delay Programs

Literacy Program [4-9]

This program is for children for academic delays. This program focuses on literacy and numeracy.

Strategies Program [4-9]

This program is for children who have diagnosed learning disabilities and a high cognitive ability. It focuses on assisting students who need extra help.

Cognitive Disabilities Programs

Opportunity Program [1-12]

This program assists students with mild cognitive disabilities who experience significant academic and social challenges. Programming focuses on literacy, numeracy and skills necessary for responsible independent living and employment.

Community Learning Skills Program [1-12]

This program assists students with moderate cognitive disabilities. Programming focuses on assisting students to gain the independent life skills necessary for supervised living and employment.

Individual Support Program [1-12]

This program assists students with severe to profound cognitive delays, including physical, sensory or behaviour disabilities. The program is designed to enhance quality of life for students and emphasizes functional life skills development.

Behavior Programs

Behavior and Learning Assistance Program [1-9]

This program assists students with severe behaviour disabilities. Programming focuses on helping students make academic gains, learn socially acceptable behaviour and develop appropriate social skills in the classroom and community.

Behavior Learning Assistance/Opportunity Program [1-9]

This program assists students with both severe behaviour and mild cognitive disabilities. Programming focuses on helping students to learn behaviour control and the pro-social, literacy and numeracy skills necessary for independence in the community.

Community Learning and Behaviour Skills Program [1-9]

This program assists students with both moderate cognitive and severe behaviour disabilities. Programming focuses on helping students manage with their social, emotional and academic challenges.

Other District Centre Programs

Interactions Program [1-12]

This program assists students who have been clinically diagnosed within the autism spectrum. Programming focuses on assisting students to gain socially appropriate communication and behaviour patterns in the classroom and community.

Deaf and Hard Of Hearing Program [1-12]

This program assists students who have a moderate to profound hearing loss. Programming focuses on helping students gain communication skills and strategies necessary to complete school and access secondary education or employment.

Bilingual and Immersion Language Programs

[17]

Second Language Courses

All students from grades 4-9 must learn a second language.

Alternative Programs

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Language immersion</span> Use of two languages across a variety of educational subjects

Language immersion, or simply immersion, is a technique used in bilingual language education in which two languages are used for instruction in a variety of topics, including math, science, or social studies. The languages used for instruction are referred to as the L1 and the L2 for each student, with L1 being the student's native language and L2 being the second language to be acquired through immersion programs and techniques. There are different types of language immersion that depend on the age of the students, the classtime spent in L2, the subjects that are taught, and the level of participation by the speakers of L1.

This is an index of education articles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French immersion in Canada</span> A form of bilingual education in Canada

French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which students who do not speak French as a first language will receive instruction in French. In most French-immersion schools, students will learn to speak French and learn most subjects such as history, music, geography, art, physical education and science in French.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Scona Academic High School</span> 10-12 school in Edmonton, Alberta (est. 1976)

Old Strathcona Academic, often referred to as Old Scona or OSA, is a high school in the Old Strathcona district of Edmonton, Alberta. It is a small academic high school with a population of approximately 340 to 360 students. The school's stated purpose is to provide academically inclined students an opportunity to grow in an environment of intellectual stimulation, and is recognized as one of the top academic high schools in Canada. The school's motto is, "Ever to Excel".

Bilingual–Bicultural or Bi-Bi deaf education programs use sign language as the native, or first, language of Deaf children. In the United States, for example, Bi-Bi proponents state that American Sign Language (ASL) should be the natural first language for deaf children in the United States, although the majority of deaf and hard of hearing being born to hearing parents. In this same vein, the spoken or written language used by the majority of the population is viewed as a secondary language to be acquired either after or at the same time as the native language.

English-language learner is a term used in some English-speaking countries such as the United States and Canada to describe a person who is learning the English language and has a native language that is not English. Some educational advocates, especially in the United States, classify these students as non-native English speakers or emergent bilinguals. Various other terms are also used to refer to students who are not proficient in English, such as English as a second language (ESL), English as an additional language (EAL), limited English proficient (LEP), culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD), non-native English speaker, bilingual students, heritage language, emergent bilingual, and language-minority students. The legal term that is used in federal legislation is 'limited English proficient'. The instruction and assessment of students, their cultural background, and the attitudes of classroom teachers towards ELLs have all been found to be factors in the achievement of these students. Several methods have been suggested to effectively teach ELLs, including integrating their home cultures into the classroom, involving them in language-appropriate content-area instruction early on, and integrating literature into their learning programs.

Dual language is a form of education in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages. Most dual language programs in the United States teach in English and Spanish, but programs increasingly use a partner language other than Spanish, such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Hawaiian, Japanese, or Korean. Dual language programs use the partner language for at least half of the instructional day in the elementary years.

Emotional and behavioral disorders refer to a disability classification used in educational settings that allows educational institutions to provide special education and related services to students who have displayed poor social and/or academic progress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria School of the Arts</span> School in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Victoria School of the Arts is a public school in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada operated by Edmonton Public Schools, offering students from kindergarten through grade 12 an International Baccalaureate aligned, arts-focused education, and is recognized as one of the top arts-focused schools in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross Sheppard High School</span> High school in Edmonton, Canada

Ross Sheppard High School or École Ross Sheppard is a high school located in a northwest neighbourhood of Coronation Park, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The school colours are Colombia blue and navy blue, and it is represented by a Thunderbird, also known as a T-Bird logo. Outside the school is a totem pole with a T-Bird on top, which has been given by British Columbia's Indigenous elders, representing the school mascot. The school serves the needs of over 2,000 students attending grades 10-12, including approximately 35 international students annually. Ross Sheppard School's philosophy is based on four pillars - Academics, Arts, Athletics and Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Learning disability</span> Range of neurodevelopmental conditions

Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficulty learning in a typical manner", this does not exclude the ability to learn in a different manner. Therefore, some people can be more accurately described as having a "learning difference", thus avoiding any misconception of being disabled with a possible lack of an ability to learn and possible negative stereotyping. In the United Kingdom, the term "learning disability" generally refers to an intellectual disability, while conditions such as dyslexia and dyspraxia are usually referred to as "learning difficulties".

Bev Facey Community High School, known as Bev Facey, is a public high school for grades 10–12 in Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, Alberta, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Elk Island Public Schools Regional Division No. 14.

Millwoods Christian School, located in southeast Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is an alternative school in the Edmonton Public School System.

Louis St. Laurent Catholic School is a fine arts oriented Junior and Senior High School in the Edmonton Catholic School District, located in south western Edmonton. It is also known as "Louis" or "LSL" by students and staff. The school averages a student body of approximately 1,000 or more pupils each year, spanning grades 7 through 12. From 2009 to 2022, the entire school participated in the International Baccalaureate program. As of 2016, a few students participate in the Spanish bilingual program. As of 2021, the school incorporates the Advanced Placement curriculum. In 2022, Spark Academy was introduced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uruguayan American School</span> Private American international school in Uruguay

Uruguayan American School (UAS) is an American private international school in Carrasco, Montevideo. It serves nursery through grade 12. As of 2024 it has approximately 350 students, including students from Uruguay and 32 other nationalities. Students at the Uruguayan American School have the opportunity to earn the US high school diploma, the IB Diploma, and, in many cases, the Uruguayan Diploma. The school's educational program is designed to prepare students for academic and professional pursuits in various global contexts.

Edmonton Chinese Bilingual Education Association (ECBEA) is a non-profit educational organization working to promote the learning of the Chinese language alongside the regular school curriculum through a bilingual education program in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The program is unique in North America as it exists alongside the regular school curriculum and offers a complete continuum of studies from Kindergarten all the way to High School graduation. The society works in close association with the Edmonton Public Schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elementary schools in the United States</span> Primary education in the United States

In the United States, elementary schools are the main point of delivery of primary education, for children between the ages of 4–11 and coming between pre-kindergarten and secondary education.

The Ukrainian Bilingual Program (UBP) is part of some Albertan school board's education. The program was introduced in Edmonton in both the secular and Catholic systems After initially being in Edmonton it then expanded to Vegreville in 1978, Sherwood Park] in 1979 and Lamont 1980. Ukrainian as a second language has been taught as 9-year, 6-year and 3-year long programm in rural Alberta. There was also a locally developed program from grade 1 in the County of Two Hills.

M.E. LaZerte High School is a high school in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in the north eastern Kilkenny neighbourhood. It is part of Edmonton Public Schools. The school's team name is the Voyageurs, which is also what they call the student body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansai International Academy</span> Private/co-educational school in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan

Kansai International Academy is a private group of international schools pre-K through grade 9 in Japan, they are Kansai International School and Sakura International School.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Facts and Stats". Edmonton Public Schools. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Board of Trustees". Edmonton Public Schools. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  3. "Education Act 2012, cE‑0.3 s3; Education Act 2019, c7 s4". Queen's Printer, Alberta. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 "History". Archived from the original on February 13, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  5. "AASA | American Association of School Administrators". www.aasa.org. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  6. "Alternative Programs Handbook" (PDF). Edmonton Public Schools. April 5, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  7. "The Development of School-Based Management in the Edmonton Public School District". www.mun.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  8. French, Janet (August 27, 2016). "Retired Edmonton school superintendent bets he can overhaul massive Las Vegas school system". edmontonjournal.com. Archived from the original on 2016-08-27. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  9. Edmonton Society for Christian Education. "Edmonton Society for Christian Education". Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
  10. Edmonton Society for Christian Education. "Edmonton Society for Christian Education". Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2010.
  11. Millwoods Christian School. "Millwoods Christian School". Archived from the original on January 25, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2010.
  12. Kostek, M.A. (1992). A century and ten: The history of Edmonton Public Schools. Edmonton, AB: Edmonton Public Schools.
  13. "Special Education Needs". Edmonton Public Schools. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  14. "Learning Guide" (PDF). Edmonton Public Schools. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  15. "Alternative Programs" (PDF). Edmonton Public Schools. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  16. "Early years". Edmonton Public Schools. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  17. "Programming: Language and Culture". Edmonton Public Schools. Retrieved January 15, 2018.