Education Partners Engagement

• Senior Administration reviewed the overall engagement timeline.
• Development of focus group structures and guiding questions.

• School councils reviewed the purpose of assurance, reflected on the four priority areas, and discussed guiding questions.

November–December 2024: Focus Groups

Focus groups included a cross-section of the division:

• Students (Grades 9–12) from multiple schools, including Student Council members and interest-based participants.
• Staff: Both certificated and non-certificated members participated.
• Administrators: Participated in a dedicated session.
• Sessions were held at various sites including St. MaryCatholic School, St. Teresa Catholic Learning Centre, St Peter the Apostle Catholic High School, Father Gerard Redmond Catholic School and ECSSD Division Office.

• Surveys were distributed to families and staff; Grades 7–12 students completed surveys during class time.
• The same guiding questions were used.
• Data from focus groups and surveys were consolidated and emerging themes were developed.

• Review of data themes and co-creation of assurance goals.
• Finalization of goals and strategies for the plan.
• Draft assurance plan presented to Executive Team (ETeam).

• First draft of the Assurance Plan presented to Trustees for feedback.
• Final plan submitted to Trustees for approval
• Final Assurance Plan shared with school administrators.
  

• Assurance Plan to be published on the division website May 30, 2025.

This comprehensive engagement ensured that diverse perspectives from across the Catholic school division were considered in shaping a collaborative and responsive 2025–2029 Assurance Plan. For more detailed information, read What We Heard - Fall 2024.

Evergreen Catholic School recognizes the importance of parental involvement to the success of their children.  It takes an entire community to set up our students for success. Parents support schools with classroom support, clerical assistance, fundraising activities, and special event planning.

By provincial legislation within the School Councils Regulation 94/2019, each school in Evergreen Catholic Schools is required to have a school council, where possible. A school council is a collaborative collection of parents, school staff, trustees and community representatives who take on an advisory role to the school principal, committing to supporting many areas within the school including school programs, policies and budgeting. 

Members of our Board of Trustees attend regular school council meetings.

Evergreen Catholic School Division respectfully acknowledges the vibrant history and culture of Indigenous nations in Canada. We continually seek to learn the traditions and contributions of Indigenous nations of Alberta while committing to moving forward in friendship and collaboration. We also recognize the land, upon which Evergreen Catholic Schools resides, is home for our closest neighbours, the Cree and the Nakoda. This territory, known as Treaty 6, is also home to the Métis Nation and many other Indigenous groups. We honor and acknowledge the unique story of this land and continue to work towards strengthening relations with Indigenous communities.

Evergreen CSSD supports teachers, administrators, and division office staff in their commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation's Calls to Action (2015) and supports development of staff by:

• Obtaining practical strategies and materials for the full integration of Indigenous perspectives into each classroom
• Offering approaches for teaching Indigenous learners and working with Indigenous families
• Making connections to Elders, cultural instructors, and other resource people for authentic learning experiences
• Promoting further understanding of treaties and agreements negotiated with First Nations and the Métis in Canada
• Providing opportunities to learn about residential schools and their legacy
• Building on existing awareness of historical, social, economic, and political realities of Indigenous individuals/nations 
• Participating in whole school events that foster understanding and respect for Indigenous cultures, languages and histories.
• Supporting staff in the attainment of school resources
• Broadening current practice to include pedagogy that is consistent with Indigenous ways of learning and knowing.

Indigenous Education lead teachers from each school to meet regularly to further their learning and build confidence in a variety of foundational knowledge areas.   Through capacity building within school communities and enabling all school staff to embark on this journey, the positive effects will be felt in our hearts, minds, spirits’ and happily in our classrooms. Through this commitment, the students of Evergreen Catholic Separate School Division will become the new co-creators of a promising future for all. 

The strategic actions in the education plan are guided by a logic model grounded in collaboration and stakeholder input. As a flexible, working document, the plan supports division and school leaders in carrying out key initiatives, managing resources, monitoring effectiveness, and refining actions as needed.

PROCESSES

Processes are in place at the division level to ensure regular review and updates of the plan to support continued growth in key focus areas. This includes ongoing engagement with a broad range of stakeholders, including parents/guardians, students, teachers, support staff, school leaders, Indigenous leaders, post-secondary institutions, and community service providers.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

With a focus on ensuring student growth and achievement, division structures support professional learning at the system, school, and individual level. These include:

• Professional growth plans, aligned with the professional practice standards, are supported by school based administrators and instructional coaches;
• Staff professional development days, which may include school improvement planning, professional learning, individual growth planning or collaborative time - Administrator professional learning is scheduled monthly;
• Grade and subject level Communities of Practices supported by division office;
• Facilitated teacher professional learning, through ECSSD Student Services Team, APLC, AAC or other local educational organizations;
• Supported opportunities to increase our system application of First Nations, Metis and Inuit foundational knowledge.

RESOURCING

The 2025-2026 Evergreen Catholic Schools budget and capital plan are designed to support the strategic actions outlined in the updated Assurance Plan to ensure appropriate resources allocations with a focus on professional learning, targeted programs and staffing including:

• Instructional Staff: Classroom Teachers, Administrators, Instructional Coaches, Inclusive Education Coordinators, School Counsellors, Inclusion and Behaviour Coach, Student Services Coordinator and Indigenous Education Coach.
• Non-Instructional Staff: Educational Assistants, Family School Liaison Workers, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapists, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consultant