FOR RELEASE #06-210
September 7, 2006
GOVERNMENT EXPANDS SUPPORT FOR WHOLE CHILD PROJECT
WHITEHORSE – The Government of Yukon is expanding the Whole Child Program to Elijah Smith Elementary School. The program has run successfully at Whitehorse Elementary for the past five years, and will be expanding to Elijah Smith Elementary this fall.
"The Whole Child Program is a great example of how a school community can work together to build an exceptional education environment for students," Minister of Education Elaine Taylor said. "The government is pleased to continue and expand its support of the Whole Child Program through our commitment to its staffing, space requirements and direct financial assistance."
In addition new funding of $91,000, the Department of Education will continue to provide funds to staff the program with a coordinator and it will also continue to provide the school-based space in which the Whole Child Program operates.
The Whole Child Program focuses on involving students, parents, teachers and community leaders in developing a positive and inclusive education experience for children. The program works in partnership with many community organizations, including the RCMP.
"Our government supports the Whole Child Program because it takes an innovative, community partnership approach to teaching our children and reinforces the saying 'it takes an entire community to raise a child'".
This fall, the Whole Child Program will be expanding to include a Thursday evening program at Elijah Smith Elementary School. Both programs are open to all Whitehorse students and their families.
"We are very excited about the Whole Child Program expanding to our school," John Wright, principal of Elijah Smith Elementary School, said. "The Whole Child philosophy will complement our current approach to programming at Elijah Smith Elementary. We are looking forward to working in partnership with Kwanlin Dun to plan the Whole Child Program activities for our school community."
"The Whole Child Program works with school staff, students, parents and First Nations to determine what kind of programming best suits the school community’s needs," Crystal Pearl Hodgins, Coordinator of the Whole Child Program, said. "While we might begin the Whole Child Program at Elijah Smith Elementary with some open gym or open computer lab sessions, we expect to develop the activities to include anything from parenting to cooking to craft classes—basically whatever best addresses the programming needs of the school community, as determined by the school community."
For more information on the Whole Child Project, call 667-8676.
-30-
Contact:
|
Peter Carr
|
Clea Ainsworth
|
