Reaching High School Students Before They Drop Out

The All in for Youth Model

 The Centre for Excellence in Foundational Learning is piloting a project with United Way of Calgary and Area and the St. Anne Academic Centre (http://www.cssd.ab.ca/stanne/).  As part of the United Way's All in for Youth initiative the department has started with four students this term with plans to extend this to 15 students per term.

There are several exciting dimensions to this project:

1. We will learn how to intervene with students before they drop out and encourage uninterupted learning.
2. We are piloting a true "dual credit" model where the student will gain credits within both the College and high school.  United Way picks up the College tuition and materials for these students.
3. We can develop a relationship with a funder who is interested in tackling educational policy with an eye to reducing drop out rates and the resulting social issues that often follow such a decision e.g., low paid work, social assistance requirements, etc.

I want to thank Petya and Jenniel for their considerable efforts to integrate these students on very short notice.  As well, thanks to the instructors who accommodated to the delay that happened in getting the texts to the students.  I am appreciative of the efforts of our Registrar's Office to make some significant modifications to registration on short notice so that the students could be included this term.

Keith