On day four of Catholic Education Week, students at St. Albert Learning Centre participated in a special Brain Buster Quiz show organized by the team at Let’s Talk Science.
Students tested their knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in a fun and engaging activity. Students learned new vocabulary such as “umami” all while earning points and having a great time!
At the end of the game, students were given the opportunity to ask questions to game host Nick Butt about his experience studying STEM. Nick is the Outreach Delivery Coordinator at Let’s Talk Science who studied physics at Memorial University of Newfoundland and then earned his masters degree in Educational Research specializing in Curriculum and Learning.
We would like to thank the team at Let’s Talk Science for organizing this event, sharing their passion about STEM but most importantly for celebrating Catholic education week with us!
Congratulations goes out to Fisher, Curtis and Kayla for earning the highest scores and winning gift cards!
Since 1992, St. Albert Learning Centre (SALC) in Sudbury has been providing learners with opportunities in an alternative setting. Programs aim to meet each individual’s needs while providing flexibility of time, which allows for greater success when compared to traditional classroom settings.
SALC is a unique, inclusive learning environment that offers a variety of programs to accommodate different needs and learning style. SALC prepares learners for their future goals in the workplace, post-secondary or an apprenticeship role.
At SALC, the programs and learning environment align with its mission, vision and values.
Mission:
We are committed to providing a Catholic, caring and supportive environment meeting learners where they are in their educational journey and helping them achieve their goals.
Vision:
We welcome all learners and provide flexible programs to meet the needs of diverse students and the community, as a whole.
Values:
We are committed to providing:
Real world experiences;
Flexible programming needs; and
A supportive environment.
As well, one-on-one counselling allows SALC to determine the fastest route to achieving educational and/or career goals.
SALC takes a two-fold approach to learning:
To identify and meet the academic needs of adults returning to school; and
To provide on-site and off-site community supports and services to manage the challenges of returning to school.
SALC is proud to have helped thousands of people graduate and enter post-secondary education or find meaningful employment. There are a few different options to consider including for those 18+.
One such option is the PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition) Challenge for Credit and for Mature Students. This program allows adult students to use their life and work experience to earn credits towards an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
What makes the PLAR program unique is that it recognizes skills and/or experiences people have had in their lives and grants high school credits for these experiences. If you worked in an industry and have pay stubs or a letter from the employer indicating your role and job description, you may be able to obtain credits. Learners can also earn credits for being a parent and managing a household.
“St. Albert Learning Centre offers a wide variety of programming. From upgrading skills, to earning credits for a high school diploma, or getting you job ready in one of our specialized programs such as PSW or cleaner training program, we will help each learner achieve their goals,” says Principal Cassandra Tenbergen. “St. Albert offers a warm and welcoming environment, and we want each learner to achieve success, whatever success means to them. We will help people achieve their goals.”
Debra R. receives support through the Ontario Disability Support Program. Debra struggled with addiction and at age 15, dropped out of school. Now 50 years old, Debra would like to earn her Gr. 12 diploma in a year and secure a part-time job. “With the PLAR process, one-on-one assistance from my teacher and possible co-op placement, I will be able to achieve my goal!”
Maria R. is a retired entrepreneur who ran four local businesses over a span of 30 years. Without a formal education, she immigrated to Canada when she was 16 years old and worked full-time at a bakery and convenience store. After ten years of working, she decided to attend Cambrian College as a mature student, to complete a three-year degree and graduated with honours. She says, “I found out that through the PLAR process I could be granted equivalency credits for my college education and would only need to take one senior-level course to earn my secondary school diploma. I will be graduating in June 2023 with my Gr. 12 diploma!”
New eight-week certificate programs with on-the-job training: Cleaner, Retail Worker and Cook’s Helper; and
English as a Second Language (ESL) for credit courses – speaking, listening, reading and writing, to give students a well-rounded understanding of the English language.
One on one credit counselling for immigrants to support them in attaining their Ontario High School Diploma
Want to learn more? Visit the SALC website for more information or contact SALC today and get ready to start your journey – it’s never too late! Registration is now open. Onsite daycare services available.
Kaitlin Taylor, Continuing Education teacher at St. Albert Learning Centre, has been producing masks using the school’s 3D printer since the middle of April. So far, she has produced over 70 masks. All of these that have been given to Health Sciences North. Kaitlin is ‘happy to be working with fellow staff and students of Sudbury Catholic Schools in producing these much needed resources for Health Sciences North’.
Congratulations to St. Albert student Brittney Baker who won two gold medals in nordic sit-ski! Brittney competed this past weekend at the Ontario Cup ParaNordic Ski competition in North Bay. She will competing in February at the Ontario Winter Games.
The students and staff at St. Albert celebrated Thanksgiving together. Thank you to the PEACE program for making turkey and fixings for everyone. The St. Albert community was blessed to have a group of 50 students and staff come together to enjoy the meal.
St. Albert Learning Centre’s latest PSW class has begun! The program is six months in length. Successful graduates of the program receive their PSW certificate and are qualified Personal Support Workers, job ready.
The PSW program started at St. Albert in 2010. In these past 9 years, St. Albert has graduated hundreds of PSW that now work in a variety of long-term care and community agencies in the Greater City of Sudbury.
The next PSW program at St. Albert starts in January, 2020. There will be an information session this month on the 24th of September at 9:00 am at St. Albert.
On November 22, 2018, St. Albert’s Personal Support Worker Program enjoyed a visit from Andrew Olivier to reinforce the importance of PSWs. Without PSWs, many people would not be able to perform basic activities of daily living that so many of us take for granted. Andrew offered a first-hand perspective as to what it’s like working with a PSW on a daily basis and the valuable role they play. Personal Support Workers are often the unsung heroes of the health care field, providing clients with assistance in their day-to-day life with respect, dignity, and compassion.
This visit was a great way to cap off the theoretical portion of the program. Students have now headed out to placements in our community to build on what they learned in class and put their knowledge into practice. St. Albert’s is extremely fortunate to have supportive partners in education: St. Joseph’s Villa, St. Gabriel’s Villa, and Pioneer Manor continue to be integral and valued community allies in the drive to provide our city with quality PSWs.
St. Albert’s offers the PSW program twice per school year starting in September and January. There are still a few spots available for January 2019: feel free to come to an intake session December 10, 2018 at 2:30pm to learn more about our program and how to become a PSW.
Christine McCracken, a teacher with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board does not teach out of your typical classroom. With the board since October, 2015, McCracken works with adult learners in two different locations. One of her locations is on the Atkikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation Reserve. The second is at the Sudbury jail. It is this second location that inspired a call-out to her fellow SCDSB staff. After meeting with the learners in jail, she realized that many were desperate for something to read. McCracken brought the newspaper in with her during her visits and they couldn’t get enough. After some inquiry, she realized that there weren’t very many books available to the inmates. Inspired by the enthusiasm of these learners, McCracken discussed some strategies with her principal at St. Albert, Aaron Barry. The two decided to do a call-out to all SCDSB staff to see if anyone wanted to donate any new or gently used books to the Sudbury jail. After only a two-week collection period, the staff had donated close to 500 books. “We currently have at least 50 inmates taking part in this programming at the Sudbury jail,” explain McCracken. “We even already have a few really close to getting their high school diplomas. Reaching out to them in this environment has inspired them to want to continue their education after as well, which is wonderful. These books will really help in their learning!”
The St. Albert principal explained that through the St. Albert Learning Centre, some of these individuals were able to gets some credits through PLAR which is the Prior Learning Assessment Recognition program. This assigns credits to individuals towards the secondary school diploma (OSSD) for knowledge and skills that they have acquired outside of secondary school. “McCracken has been a real inspiration with these particular learners as she really motivates learning and encourages them to continue working towards their OSSD,” Barry stated. “Through the support of the SCDSB, we are able to bring continuing education to a group that may otherwise not consider continuing on with their education. It is a great program, and we are thankful to all of our coworkers and SCDSB staff for their generous book donations –they will make a positive difference!”
For more information about continuing education, PLAR, or getting your OSSD, contact St. Albert Learning Centre at (705) 673-3031.
Assistant Deputy Minister Janine Griffore and Nicole McAllister, Education Officer visited St. Albert Learning Centre on April 22, 2015 to look at a unique program happening with students enroled in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s PEACE program.
The PEACE program, which stands for Personalized, Experiential, Alternative, Catholic Education, is an alternative program for for secondary students who are disengaged, on a long term suspension or expulsion, behind in credit accumulation and have social/emotional issues. The students learn techniques to overcome obstacles all while earning credits towards their secondary school diploma and are supported with their social and emotional needs, and learn how to give back to the community through community partnerships.
At the end of last year, a proposal was submitted by staff, to bring in a project that would allow these students some hands on learning, and gain business experience. The Peace Pen program was born. The purpose of the Peace Pen program is to help the students to thrive in a non-traditional classroom setting. Through this project, the students earn credits by participating in different aspects of a school run business venture.
The “business” offers promotion materials to our board. The Peace Pen project involves the fabrication of customized, hand-made, one-of-a-kind wooden pens presented in engraved boxes. After purchasing a wood lathe and laser engraver, the class purchased special pen kits. Each pen, when complete, includes a written description of the program, signed by the student who created it. As well, it includes a description of the wood used for that particular pen.
This project has already blossomed into an engraving business as well, with requests coming in from the school board for specific engraving pieces used throughout the schools and buildings. Students are involved in different aspects of the Peace Pen project such as marketing, accounting, promotion and communication, inventory and production. According to Michel Grandmont, the board’s secondary consultant who supports the class, “This contextualized approach to meeting curriculum expectations makes it real for students. They are actually operating a small enterprise, all the while meeting the different curriculum expectations,” explained Grandmont. “Depending on the tasks and activities the student is involved in, he or she will earn credits by meeting overall expectations in several secondary courses such as mathematics, business, entrepreneurship, marketing, and English.”
The students divide up the tasks such as production and the development of promotional materials such as brochures, website and the creation of an instructional video. One of the students involved in the program, Jessica Blais, was given the task of explaining to their Ministry of Education guests, the Peace program, the Peace Pen project, and how much both have changed her life. “Working with Peace Pens has forced me to leave my comfort zone and face my fear of talking to people,” Blais explains. “Once I overcame my fear, I felt like I could do anything I set my mind to. This small classroom business is teaching us valuable life lessons while we work toward achieving our diploma, which I now see in the near future. I am very grateful for this second chance.”
The ICAN Independence Centre and Network in Sudbury is a community- based non-profit organization that provides services, resources and support for people with disabilities. St. Albert Adult Learning Centre is a school in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board that offers adult and continuing education programs with the purpose of preparing individuals to succeed in today’s workplace through a variety of programs and initiatives. One of the programs that St. Albert offers is a Personal Support Worker (PSW) program. While these two organizations differ greatly in their mandate, they do share a common theme – a quest to seek and train people who are enthusiastic and compassionate, and who are motivated to work in the PSW field.
In a recent interview, Chief Executive Officer for ICAN, Marie Leon, explained that with a growing population of seniors, there is a greater need for qualified PSWs, particularly those who are committed to providing quality care for their clients. The challenge is to recruit motivated candidates and retain them within the organization. She explained that when demands for a profession are high, so are turnover rates.
St. Albert’s PSW program is in its third year and 24 spots are available for each intake (every six months). Students must pass an aptitude test and a formal interview before gaining admission to the Program. ICAN is one of the facilities that accepted PSW students to do the practical portion of the, so a positive partnership between the two organizations already existed. In the Fall, both ICAN and St. Albert entered into formal discussions to take their partnership one step further. In an an effort to recruit and retain strong PSWs, an agreement was reached whereby ICAN would sponsor up to six students. ICAN supports each student by paying their registration fee of $1,500, and by providing a weekly stipend to support the student financially during their program. Once the student finishes the theory portion of the course, they are hired immediately as a casual employee. In return, the student must commit to working for ICAN for two years in order to fulfill their obligation of the agreement.
According to the school’s principal, Karl Dreger,it is a win-win for both parties. “ICAN is a progressive organization which offers its employees a competitive wage and a comprehensive benefit package.” “There is a comprehensive interview process for these six coveted spots,” Dreger explained. “Not only is the student candidate interviewed to gain admittance into the PSW program, but select students who we believe would be good candidates for the ICAN program are interviewed again by the ICAN staff.
One of the students who was given this opportunity, Amy Winn, gushed about her experience at St. Albert, as well as her upcoming career placement with ICAN. “I have been a career waitress for 15 years,” Winn explained. “I heard about the St. Albert PSW program through word of mouth, and decided it was worth looking into. I had been out of school for 15 years and all I could remember about school was that I struggled to stay awake. This program at St. Albert is anything but boring – the teacher is absolutely incredible – she is very knowledgeable and every day teaches us something interesting and exciting. This school is the perfect setting for learning as there are no distractions like in a regular school. I am excited about this opportunity, and feel very lucky to have been chosen to be a part of this incredible partnership with ICAN.” Principal Karl Dreger echoed Winn’s sentiments about the teacher and the school. “We are so fortunate to have Dawn-Marie Brunet as the program lead for this course. Not only is she a certified teacher, but she is also a certified Registered Nurse (R.N.) with many years of experience. Someone with this type of experience is very hard to come by. The students really respond well to her teaching, and the end result is a group of PSW’s who are inspired to make a positive difference in our community. This is a really great example of the outstanding and supportive environment at St. Albert. These days, we must seek and forge partnerships outside of the education sector to keep our programs strong and viable. A synergistic relationship such as this is a wonderful model that we are very proud of”
For more information on the PSW program, the partnership with ICAN or other St. Albert programs, please call the school at (705)673-3031 or visit their website at:
