September 5, 2012

NEW INITIATIVES, MORE SUPPORTS AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS, STAFF TO START 2012-13 SCHOOL YEAR

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Progress Made in Class-size Initiative, New Parent-friendly Report Cards to be Introduced This Year: Allan

Education Minister Nancy Allan is welcoming students and teachers back this week as schools open today and most students return to classes by Friday.
“A good education gives our children the foundation they need to become healthy adults and puts them on a path to a high quality of life here in Manitoba,” said Allan.  “That’s why we’re focused on and delivering initiatives that will help students learn and succeed.”
New initiatives for 2012-13 include:

• The Manitoba government is moving forward on its commitment to reduce kindergarten to Grade 3 class sizes.  School divisions are now eligible for funding based on enrolment and are required to report publicly on the number of students in each classroom including classrooms with students in Grade 3 combined with higher grades.
• A new parent-friendly report card written in plain language will make student achievement more clear.  Thirty-two school divisions will implement the new report cards this school year, and all divisions and schools will introduce the new report cards by the start of the next school year.
• New funding totalling $1.8 million for early literacy and numeracy initiatives will help improve reading, writing and math skills of students from kindergarten to Grade 8.
• A new $1.2-million Learning to Age 18 Co-ordinator Grant will assist school divisions with programming aimed at keeping kids in school.
• New funding totalling $1.3 million has been dedicated to the Aboriginal Academic Achievement grant, which will help school divisions deliver quality programs that target academic success for Aboriginal (First Nation, Métis and Inuit) students.
• New funding of $1.2 million will help support students with limited ability in English and students from war-torn countries, through the English as an Additional Language and Intensive Newcomer Support grants.
• Manitoba students will learn more about the legacy of residential school abuse, and the reconciliation and healing that continues today, through new resources including a DVD and accompanying guide.
• New funding of $300,000 for the Respect in School program will promote safer, more respectful schools. 

“The start of the school year is always exciting but I would like to remind and encourage Manitobans to help start the new school year safely by paying attention to increased pedestrian, bicycle, school-bus and other vehicle traffic, and watching out for students as they travel to and from school during the exciting and hectic first week,” Allan said.

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