Students at two Forest Lawn area schools, and their families, are set to receive additional support as part of a pilot project which aims to increase their chances of social and academic success.
The Integrated School Support Project will provide elementary students at Patrick Airlie School and Holy Trinity School with support including:
- A positive Calgary Police Service presence
- An on-site psychologist
- A physical education specialist
- Access to social workers and health clinicians
- Breakfast and lunch programs
- After school programs with a focus on mentoring and tutoring
The program will initially focus on children between the ages of four and 12, a period in a child’s development in which, according to Calgary Police Service Chief Rick Hanson, there is the opportunity to thrive with positive reinforcement.
"That's when you have the greatest opportunity to educate them to risks they're going to face, to identify those challenges, and provide the resources to them that are going to allow them to steer themselves in a direction that will keep them out of trouble down the road," explains Hanson.
The Integrated School Support Project plans to expand to include children from infancy to adulthood.
Community partners involved in the program include:
- Calgary Police Service
- City of Calgary Community and Neighbourhood Services
- Hull Services
- Calgary Police Foundation
- Calgary Reads
- Calgary Public Library
- YMCA Calgary
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary
- Alex Dental Health Bus
- The Government of Alberta
- Calgary Board of Education
- Calgary Catholic School District
- Mosaic Primary Network
- Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids
- Meals on Wheels
Officials hope to expand the program to other Calgary area schools and neighbouring communities.
