LAKELAND – A local branch of the Action for Healthy Communities (AHC) is being recognized by the Alberta School Board’s Association (ASBA) for the non-profit's relationship with Lakeland Catholic Schools and its students.
After a successful nomination submitted by the Lakeland Catholic School Division (LCSD), AHC will be taking the stage in May to accept one of two Friends of Education Awards handed out in Zone 2/3.
“We are thrilled AHC has been named the recipient of this award,” said LCSD Board Chair Diane Bauer.
“Our relationship with the organization has made a tremendous difference in the lives of our English Language Learner (ELL) students and their families.”
The Edmonton-based organization uses ‘Small Centres teams’ to serve communities such as those in the Lakeland to welcome newcomer families to Canada and help families and students adjust to their new communities.
On March 4, AHC Bonnyville-Cold Lake staff and volunteers took over 30 newcomer students from Assumption Jr/Sr High School and Notre Dame High School to try out the Canadian sport of curling for the first time.
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The Bonnyville-Cold Lake group works closely with Lakeland Catholic’s ELL Lead Teacher Sherry Depner to provide programming to ELL students and their families.
“I cannot think of a more deserving organization than AHC,” Depner said. “The past couple of years have been a challenge for so many people – and AHC has worked closely with our school division to help provide wraparound services for our newcomer students and families.”
She added that by working together, LCSD and AHC are able to “provide some comfort amongst the chaos” of settling into a new community.
For both LCSD and AHC, this means meeting the families’ needs at school, at home, and in the greater community.
Settlement Workers in Schools
AHC’s flagship program, Settlement Workers in Schools, is “based on a powerful idea: newcomers succeed when they are embraced and understood by their communities,” described Lisa Jane de Gara, AHC Small Centres Manager.
“As the manager of our rural and regional program, it brings me great joy to see that school divisions supporting small communities can be recognized for their success in supporting newcomers. Rural immigration is an increasingly vital part of Canada’s overall immigration strategy, and more and more newcomers to Canada are choosing to settle in small towns,” she said.
“Many communities across the country could learn from Lakeland Catholic’s success in supporting immigrants – and I hope that they do.”
AHC will accept the award during the ASBA Edwin Parr Award Banquet in Edmonton on May 27.
