‘Risk Watch’ back in schools this fall

Safety will continue to be a message ringing loud and clear in district schools this fall as more and more students in grades K-8 once again will learn from the “Risk Watch” program.
“It’s coming along quite well. The pilot program was a success and we hope to continue that this year,” said Greg Allan, chair of the Risk Watch coalition, which is readying a greatly expanded teacher-base to deliver the safety program.
No longer a pilot program, 42 teachers have come on board, making for a total of 70 people to teach the comprehensive safety program.
Also, a wider range of students across the district will be learning about safety as Crossroads, Donald Young School, and Sturgeon Creek Annex will join Sixth Street, Robert Moore, Riverview, St. Michael’s, St. Francis, Our Lady of the Way, McCrosson-Tovell, Huffman, Sturgeon Creek, and J.W. Walker as “Risk Watch” schools.
Also, coalition members Ron Fryer, curriculum co-ordinator for the Northwest Catholic District School Board, and teacher Ed Cain will help teachers new to the program become acquainted with it.
“The orientation really only takes a few hours. Teachers will be shown how to use [the “Risk Watch” manual] and just become familiar with it,” noted Allan.
While the 28 teachers who taught it last year may begin with “Risk Watch” in September, new teachers likely won’t start with the program until October, he added.
“Risk Watch” targets the eight leading causes of injury to children, including fires and burns; motor vehicle crashes; choking, suffocation and strangulation; poisoning; falls; firearms accidents; water hazards; and bike and pedestrian hazards.
Information is incorporated into weekly lesson slots as part of students’ regular health class time. Their knowledge then is tracked with tests administered before and after the course.
Allan added this year also will be different in that teachers will get more time to teach the program. “Last year, we had to have evaluations done by February so we were a little pressed for time,” he noted.
These evaluations were sent to the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office in Gravenhurst, with their success determining whether or not “Risk Watch” would continue beyond the pilot program phase.
“Risk Watch” is a co-operative effort between the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition, Fort Frances Ambulance Service, Atikokan Police Service, Northwestern Health Unit, OPP, and various school councils.
Resource materials are sponsored by several district businesses and service clubs.