< Previous10 MASS Journal Fall 2023 MASS 2023-2024 Executive TABLE OFFICERS: Christian Michalik Co-President Superintendent Louis Riel School Division Celia Caetano-Gomes, Metro Superintendent of Education Services Winnipeg School Division Lorie Henderson, North Co-Superintendent School District of Mystery Lake Mathew Gustafson, Southwest Superintendent/CEO Brandon School Division Tammy Mitchell, Metro Assistant Superintendent River East Transcona School Division Dan Ward, South Central Superintendent Garden Valley School Division Barb Isaak Executive Director Karen Wohlgemuth Executive Assistant Tony Kreml, Metro Assistant Superintendent Seven Oaks School Divsion René Déquier, Southeast Interlake Assistant Superintendent Division scolaire franco- manitobaine (DSFM) Troy Scott, Metro Assistant Superintendent Pembina Trails School Division Tyler Moran, At-large Assistant Superintendent Interlake School Division Thelma Nice, At-large Assistant Superintendent Frontier School Division Jason Young Co-President Superintendent/CEO Beautiful Plains School Division Krista Curry Past President Superintendent/CEO Border Land School Division Jenness Moffatt Treasurer Superintendent St. James-Assiniboia School Division DIRECTORS: STAFF: Leanne Peters, Professional Learning Assistant Superintendent Hanover School DivisionManitoba Association of School Superintendents 11 PRIORITIES 2023-2024 The Early Learning Committee will take leadership to ensure that MASS: • Advocates for full implementation of the Calls to Action in the MASS position paper on Early Childhood Education. The Indigenous Education Committee will take leadership to ensure that MASS: • Builds capacity in MASS and school divisions to address the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. • Promotes ever increasing academic achievement, graduation, school completion and positive life outcomes for Indigenous students, informed by collective inquiry into evidence. • Actively supports the teaching of Indigenous perspectives, corrective history and culture and the use of Indigenous languages. The Mental Health and Well-Being Committee will take leadership to ensure that MASS: • Advocates for implementation of a comprehensive provincial Children and Youth Mental Health Strategy. • Collaborates with Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning to develop tools and indicators for assessing the well-being and well-becoming of students in schools. • Pursues inter-sectoral liaisons with public and mental health organizations and agencies. • Contributes to a national voice on mental health through Canadian Association of School System Administrators (CASSA) and through input into the Canadian Mental Health Strategy. • Promotes Mental Health Literacy in mental health for all educators and pre-service educators. • Sharing of Mental Health & Well-being paper with community and provincial partners. n 1. Early Learning 2. Indigenous Education 3. Mental Health and Well-Being MASS provides leadership for public education by advocating in the best interests of learners and supports its members through professional services. MASS believes that our mandate is to be leaders of learning, in our local school systems and in the broader domains of provincial, national and global public education. MASS believes a quality education empowers the whole child to constructively participate in global society. We model learning that is: • active and visible; • based on robust research; • tested through purposeful application in the field; • evaluated using a wide range of meaningful data; • responsive/supportive We take responsibility for our own continuous learning and the learning of everyone we lead: • creating and ensuring safe, supportive, inclusive and challenging environments; • ensuring essential learning for each and every child; • preparing others to go beyond our own learning. We are guided by our learning in shaping policy and practice to achieve what is best. MASS believes that improved achievement and well-being for all of our students requires a shared commitment to raising both equity and quality. • A conscious and persistent commitment to equity, system-wide and across sectors, leads to poverty reduction, greater inclusion and an appreciation for the riches that diversity brings. • A purposeful and sustained commitment to quality education for every student increases the capacity for teaching, learning and leading throughout the system. • A strong grounding in literacy and numeracy and a rich learning experience involving inquiry, curiosity, creativity and artistic expression enables all students to achieve success and to flourish in life, academics and career. • A respect for and openness to authentic youth voices and support for meaningful student action are critical for building capacity and self-efficacy in our student MASS actively works towards equity and quality throughout the public education system, with a special focus on three action areas:Manitoba Association of School Superintendents 1314 MASS Journal Fall 2023 U krainian roots run deep in Manitoba. Throughout history, our province has become home to Ukrainians escaping war and persecution. Since Russia’s latest invasion of Ukraine, Manitoba has embraced over 22,000 Ukrainian new- comers fleeing the war. Like other divisions across Manitoba, Park West School Division (PWSD) has wel- comed Ukrainian newcomer families and students to our communities and schools. As newcomers began arriving, the division prioritized working with host families to address the Ukrainian new- comers’ needs and connected them with necessary support to aid in this journey. School teams worked with community agencies, putting services in place within the homes, with help from interpreters, whose support was vital in assisting families with little to no English. Providing a safe and caring envi- ronment and developing trusted rela- tionships between home and school was critical. School teams recognized that addressing the trauma experienced by Ukrainian students was crucial to the students’ academic success. Many of the students suffer from anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other social-emotional concerns. It was essen- tial for educators to receive informa- tion on trauma-informed practices. By addressing their trauma, educators were able to support Ukrainian students in their healing process and minimize its impact on their learning. Transition for newcomer students can be challenging in typical situ- ations. Supporting our Ukrainian By Bonnie Silmmon Kiliwnik, Park West School Division From Conflict to the Classroom: Svitlana Platova, pictured here with two early years students, was hired as a newcomer liaison working with the new Ukrainian students. Photos courtesy of Bonnie Silmmon Kiliwnik. Svitlana has worked in two schools with students ranging from early years to high school, supporting a variety of needs including academic, social-economic, and support to parents. Manitoba Association of School Superintendents 15 Svitlana Platova, a Ukrainian new- comer, was hired as a Liaison to sup- port the students and their families. Svitlana was an English Teacher in Ukraine for 19 years. Her story is similar to many other Ukrainian new- comers, as she fled Ukraine with her daughter when the war started. They spent four months in a refugee camp in Poland and then came to Canada in July of 2022. Svitlana shared, “We came to Canada with one suitcase, not knowing what to expect, but we knew we were safe.” PWSD was very fortunate to hire Svitlana, as her skills and assistance with the language barrier were a tre- mendous asset to the Ukrainian stu- dents, families, and teachers. Svitlana also assisted the Ukrainian students with academic programming and was a support as a liaison between home and school. “Having Svitlana assist- ing with programming has been an instrumental asset for our Ukrainian newcomer students under these circumstances required a trauma- informed approach, given that the Ukrainian children and their fami- lies have had prolonged exposure to violence and conflict. Ukrainian stu- dents have also experienced displace- ment in refugee camps and interrupt- ed education. As students arrived in schools, it was critical to acknowledge and address the emotional and edu- cational gaps caused by the conflict. By doing so, educators ensured that Ukrainian students felt understood and supported in their new learning environment. English as an Additional Language (EAL) students need time to acclima- tize to their new environment. Schools provided activities for the entire fam- ily to promote better engagement and relationship-building between families and school staff. Focusing on relation- ship building with Ukrainian new- comer students addressed physical and emotional needs and helped students become ready to learn. The opportunity to apply for and receive the Intensive Newcomer Grant (ING) through Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning allowed for increased opportunities for Ukrainian newcomer students and their families. The goals on the grant application included addressing the mental health and well-being of Ukrainian students and family mem- bers, transition to the community, and student academic achievement. The ING allowed funds for student- specific programming, including the purchase of additional technol- ogy resources for English Language instruction. Funds were also used for additional staffing, including a Newcomer Educational Assistant Liaison. Supports for Ukrainian Students in Inclusive Manitoba Classrooms Parents and their children participated in a variety of Art Therapy sessions together. During the Art Therapy sessions, there was a variety of mediums that participants could use, including painting, sketching, and traditional Ukrainian beading.16 MASS Journal Fall 2023 newcomer students through one- to-one therapy. “The students are doing OK,” commented Svitlana, “The most important thing is that they are safe. They have made new friends and like the schools and their teachers.” Compassionate and caring school staff continue to be aware of the impact of trauma on Ukrainian newcomers. School staff realized their approach to trauma would have to be unique and individual, respecting whatever the students choose to share and how they choose to do it. When supportive and positive rela- tionships are combined with supportive and safe learning environments, teach- ers create the opportunity for students to learn, grow, and thrive, especially those recovering from traumatic events. PWSD has been awarded the ING for the 2023/2024 academic year. Plans going forward for the next school year include maintaining educational pro- gramming and continuing to provide mental health and well-being support to work through trauma and the impact of the ongoing war for newcomer stu- dents and their families. Additional educational liaison staff will be hired to support returning students and new students who are expected to register in PWSD schools. Inclusive education plays a vital role in ensuring the success and well-being of Ukrainian students in Manitoba schools. By promoting cultural aware- ness, providing trauma-informed sup- port, facilitating language acquisition, and fostering peer connections, PWSD teachers have created a classroom envi- ronment that acknowledges and sup- ports the challenges faced by Ukrainian students. Manitoba’s inclusive educa- tional system can lay the foundation for these students to thrive academi- cally, emotionally, and socially. This enables the students who have fled their homeland to overcome the impacts of conflict and turmoil and to embrace a brighter future in Manitoba, their new home away from home. n Bonnie Silmmon Kiliwnik is the Director of Student Services and Stephen David is the Superintendent for Park West School Division. allowed students and parents to express emotions that would otherwise be chal- lenging to articulate. In a safe and caring space, the children and parents came together as a community to meet one another and, through guided Art Therapy sessions, work through shared emotions and begin to heal from their ordeals. These opportuni- ties allowed for the creative expression of feelings with no interpreter needed. Art Therapy counsellors, in addition to school-based and parent sessions, also provided individual sessions for students. Her academic and emotional support for the students has allowed them to transition and flourish in their new school community”, stated Sarah Reichmuth, Resource Teacher at Major Pratt School. The inclusive practice of students in the classroom with peers has significantly improved our Ukrainian students’ English language skills and overall academic progress. The ING also allowed funds for Art Therapy sessions for students that were school-based and family art ther- apy sessions. The Art Therapy sessions Manitoba Association of School Superintendents 17 SPECIAL FEATURE: SCHOOL DESTINATION SECTION18 MASS Journal Fall 2023 SPECIAL FEATURE: SCHOOL DESTINATION SECTIONSPECIAL FEATURE: SCHOOL DESTINATION SECTIONNext >