Nicholas Donaldson
The Rainy River District School Board will hear a presentation regarding the Supervised Alternative Learning program during its first regular meeting of the new school year tonight.
The report will be given by Superintendent of Education Al McManaman.
“The primary purpose of Supervised Alternative Learning [SAL] is to provide continued educational opportunities for students who have difficulties attending school on a regular basis,” the report reads.
It adds that SAL is a legal alternative to compulsory attendance at school, and students are given individualized programing “to promote opportunities for success.”
During the 2015-16 school year, 58 students were registered in SAL programming, with a total of 37 credits being earned.
This past school year (2016-17), 85 students were registered and a total of 49 credits earned.
Of those 85 students, 37 were male and 48 were female, with 31 students aged 14-15 and 54 aged 16 and older.
Participating students are scheduled to meet and communicate with teachers, administrators, and the Board Attendance Counsellor, with the goal of a return to regular classroom programming based on a case management system.
“This case management system will become more effective as student mental health supports are expanded across our district,” the report notes.
During the 2016-17 school year, four students graduated through the SAL program.
Also at tonight’s meeting, which gets underway at 7 p.m. at the Education Centre here, the board will:
•hear the new student trustee take their oath of office;
•present its monthly Recognition of Excellence to the “Being Well Together-Count on it” program at Crossroads School in Devlin;
•receive a program/curriculum success report on the 2016-17 science fair;
•listen to board reports on the Policy Committee and the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association;
•discuss seven correspondence letters; and
•receive a 2017 summer accomplishments update concerning both plant operations/maintenance and information technology (IT) services.
