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By rdnewsNOW Staff

Success seen in 2021

Red Deer Public Schools Board commits another $700,000 to pandemic recovery learning supports

Oct 20, 2022 | 2:08 PM

The Red Deer Public Schools District (RDPSD) Board of Trustees has committed $700,000 in COVID-19 funding recovery for students.

“This funding will be used to provide a literacy and numeracy intervention program, to support students in Grades 1-3, and address any lags in their learning and achievement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Della Ruston, Associate Superintendent of Learning Services for RDPSD.

The District says Alberta students are required to complete mandatory assessments in Grades 2 and 3 in September and in January for Grade 1 students, to identify those who have fallen behind in literacy and numeracy due to the pandemic.

They state the additional funding provided by the Board allows for identified students to get small group support by trained staff for 30 minutes a day over a period of time.

In June 2022, the Government of Alberta invested up to $10 million for the 2022-23 school year as a one-time extension of the 2021-22 funding to support additional interventions towards Grades 2-4 students to get back on track.

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“Our Board has gone above and beyond the government-provided funding as we want to do everything possible to ensure each and every student reaches their full academic potential,” said Ruston.

The District says this year, they are continuing to build on the work done last year in literacy and numeracy.

In 2021, the Board committed $1 million to be used toward COVID-19 recovery. Officials say this initiative saw more than 500 students from Grades 2-7 improve their numeracy and literacy skills.

“This initiative has had a significantly positive impact on our students, and we believe will continue to help our students get back on track and mitigate the impact of the pandemic,” said Ruston. “We are very appreciative of our Board for prioritizing our students and in ensuring they are set up for success.”

Board Chair Nicole Buchanan says the Board recognizes the importance of supporting learning gaps in students, as the education system continues to move through pandemic.

“Our priorities at Red Deer Public Schools are Literacy and Numeracy, Equity and Student Success and Completion. The Board’s $700,000 commitment to COVID-19 recovery aligns with all of these priorities,” she said. “We need to ensure our students are learning to read so that they can read to learn as they progress through not only their education journey with Red Deer Public but throughout their journey beyond grade school. In supporting our students through this initiative, we are setting them up to reach their fullest potential.”