Project Mosaic 2
Our Applewood School Council applied for a Parent Reaching Out (PRO) Grant in the 2007-08 year to launch a project called ‘Project Mosaic’.
The PRO Grant program is sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Education and allows school councils to apply for grants of up to $1,000/school to support school-based initiatives focusing on engaging parents who may experience challenges in becoming involved in the school due to language barriers, recent immigration, poverty, newness to Ontario’s school, system or other factors. This program was first introduced in 2006-07.
The School Council has submitted a grant application again in 2008-09 to continue the work begun in 2007-08. Our goals for Project Mosaic 2 include:
- Continuing to engage parents, and build a cohesive support community of parents and teachers to support our students
- Investigating the issues and challenges facing immigrant and visible minority students as they relate to academic and social development, and arranging for workshops to assist them in overcoming these challenges while encouraging them to build their civic involvement
What We Will Do
Develop an Understanding of Parent and Student Needs
- Analyze the 2007-08 parent/student/teacher survey results to understand their needs/concerns/the barriers they are facing; and the types of information/support they want
Promote Effective Communications
- Use our new parent/family email listing and our new School Council webpage to communicate about academic and extracurricular social activities at the school, and key dates; and provide parents with information to support their adolescents with their secondary school learning experience
Parent and/or Student Workshops
- In partnership with the school Guidance Department, arrange for a series of workshops for parents/students at convenient barrier-free times to:
- help parents understand how they can play a role in supporting their teenager through the choices they have to make at the secondary school level
- assist immigrant and visible minority students and parents:
- understand and navigate the secondary school system
- develop ways of overcoming the academic/social challenges of their new multi-cultural environment
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Survey Results - Top 3
Issues/Challenges
- course/career planning
- researching scholarships, bursaries and government loans/grants available for post-secondary education
- post-secondary options available and understanding the Ontario education system
Supports Needed
- exam preparation and study skills and accessing extra help (especially from teachers/librarians)
- how to build positive study habits at home and useful websites for researching school projects
- understanding school curriculum/academic courses
Information Requested
- post-secondary learning opportunities
- scholarships/ bursaries, government grants, loans available to students and extra-curricular activities (e.g. sports, music/arts/drama, clubs, social activities)
- government internship programs
Preferred Workshop Topics
- career theme nights
- studying and exam preparation skills
- post secondary learning alternatives and high school mathematics skills
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