By MorinvilleNews.com Staff
Gibbons – A Sturgeon School Division School is one of 10 schools in the province to be honoured for creating a safe and caring environment. The division announced Wednesday afternoon Landing Trail School in Gibbons, which offers Kindergarten to Grade 4, was recognized as a Safety Star by FortisAlberta. The public recognition comes with a $2,500 grant for educational initiatives and school improvement projects.
“We are thrilled to be recognized for our efforts – the students most of all because they take real ownership of making their school safe for everyone,” said Michéle Dick, superintendant of Sturgeon School Division in a release Wednesday. “We are very thankful for FortisAlberta’s acknowledgement and Safety Star grant.”
Landing Trail was nominated by a student’s parent in a nomination that cited the school’s safety initiatives, including safety patrols, safety vests, fire drills, volunteer sign-in and a unique anti-bullying program called WITS (Walk Away, Ignore, Talk It Out, Seek Help).
The pilot program, a partnership between the division and the University of Victoria and Safe and Caring Schools, teaches students how to make safe and positive choices when confronted with bullying and other conflicts among peers.
“We are proud to be taking a leadership role against bullying as one of only three jurisdictions in Canada to take part in this innovative research project,” said Ruth Kuik, principal at Landing Trail School, in the same release. “We are committed to working with the community to make our school a place where everyone feels safe, respected and empowered.”
FortisAlberta launched the Safety Star school grant program earlier this year to award schools whose facilities, programming and philosophies are committed to the safety and overall well-being of the school community.
