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Board of Education hears how outreach workers help students Reconnect

October 26, 2021

The creation of six outreach worker positions designed to support staff in re-engaging students and supporting student mental health was highlighted during the Celebrating Excellence portion of the Board of Education's Oct. 12 meeting.

The primary work of an outreach worker is reconnection with families and support school staff and the community. Once a relationship with the student and family is established, outreach workers help students with registration at school and support students so they can remain positively engaged with school. This support is evident in the number of students who had inconsistent attendance during 2020-21 but are registered for school this year, and in the stories of how the reconnection has a positive impact on both students and staff. 

Other meeting highlights included:

  • Enrolment numbers as of Sept. 30 show 25,777 students registered with the school division, an increase of 497 students over the previous year, along with 479 prekindergarten students for a total enrolment of 26,256. There are 16,993 students registered in kindergarten to Grade 8 and 8,784 students in Grade 9-12. The division has 450 elementary students registered for full-time online learning this year compared to more than 2,200 during 2020-21.

  • Trustees received an update on student learning results for grades 9-12. The targets are consistent growth in attendance, credit attainment, and graduation rates in comparison to provincial data. The on-time graduation rate for Saskatoon Public Schools' students during the 2020-21 school year was 78 per cent, compared to 79 per cent provincially. The five-year or "extended time" graduation rate was 84 per cent.

Reports and information presented at board meetings can be found at www.saskatoonpublicschools.ca. The next meeting of the Board of Education is Tuesday, November 23, 2021. Members of the public may attend regular board meetings virtually. Please contact  Estelle Allington, executive assistant to the Board of Education, to request a link to the virtual meeting.