Latest news with #EPSB
CTV News
30-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Edmonton Public School Board names new superintendent
Ron Thompson has been named the new EPSB superintendent starting Sept. 1. (Supplied) The Edmonton Public School Board of Trustees appointed a new superintendent on Wednesday in a unanimous vote. Ron Thompson has been an educator in the division for 25 years. He's worked as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent of schools. Thompson will begin as the new superintendent on Sept. 1. In February, former division superintendent Darrel Robertson announced his retirement after 30 years with EPSB – the last 12 of them as superintendent. This sparked a national search to fill the role that ended with Thompson being voted in unanimously. 'Ron is widely known as a calm and caring leader. He consistently approaches challenges with thoughtful consideration, genuine curiosity and deep empathy,' said board chair Julie Kusiek. 'The board is incredibly confident that Ron will continue to uphold and champion the values that define Edmonton Public Schools.' Thompson holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education. He also serves on the executive board for the Island Lake Historical and Improvement Society and as a director on the Telus World of Science board. 'As I step into this new role, I'm eager to build on the strong foundation that we already have and continue to support and elevate student achievement across the division,' Thompson said. 'I'm really optimistic about what we can achieve together.'
Hamilton Spectator
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Alberta used lists of America's most banned books and a controversial database to identify ‘inappropriate' material in schools
Internal emails throw light on the sources used by Government of Alberta staff to search for 'inappropriate' materials in school libraries, including an index of America's most banned books and a website linked to the rise in attempts to ban books in the U.S. Alberta's Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced in May the province planned to bring in new standards to ensure explicit and 'age-inappropriate' books were kept off school library shelves, and said the policy 'is not a question of banning specific books or specific titles but rather establishing clear policies and guidelines for all school divisions to follow.' However, emails released through a freedom of information request show Nicolaides's staff did create lists of specific books and titles they used to search Edmonton Public Schools (EPSB) and Calgary Board of Education (CBE) library catalogues. In a Nov. 4 email, James Johnson, chief of staff for education and childcare, shared a link to an article about literary and free expression organization PEN America's report showing a nearly 200 per cent increase in book bans in the United States, and its launch of a searchable database of banned and challenged materials. 'Can we see which books are banned the most and see if they're in [our libraries] where appropriate?' Johnson asked Alberta education ministry staff. It also appears the department checked for titles censored by book bans in Austin, Texas, specifically, and found most of these novels were available in Alberta's public schools. 'Only 16 per cent of books banned in Austin weren't found in EPSB and roughly 19 per cent weren't found in CBE,' ministerial assistant Elizabeth Harper informed Johnson in a reply. Jonathan Friedman, managing director of U.S. free expression programs at PEN America, objected to the use of PEN's database by the Government of Alberta. 'The use of our index as a tool of possible censorship is disappointing and wrong,' he told the IJF in an email. Friedman said that all the bans documented by PEN were instances of books that were removed after they had been placed in libraries by professional educators, based on a collection development policy or a curriculum expert, for use with young people. 'These are works with literary and artistic and scientific merit. And perhaps most important, these books contain stories and information that make a difference in the lives of students.' In addition to titles from these lists of banned books, the emails show that Harper searched EPSB and CBE libraries for novels featured on the controversial amateur content rating system . BookLooks was launched in 2022 by Emily Maikisch , a former member of the book review committee with Moms for Liberty, a 'parental rights' organization listed as an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center . The BookLooks website, which shut down in March 2025, provided reports on select books using its own rating system developed 'to provide a means of assessing the appropriateness of a book for a child or young adult,' and was frequently used by people attempting to have books removed from school libraries — particularly those dealing with LGBTQ+ content and sexuality . BookLooks' rating system assigned books a score from 0 to 5, with corresponding age restrictions for each category. Along with violence, profanity and nudity, books were scrutinized for their inclusion of sexuality and 'gender ideologies.' The mention of a gay person — 'Jake and Bob are gay and married to each other,' is one example given on the website — would earn a book a score of 1, meaning it may be inappropriate for children. References to someone who is bisexual or transgender were categorized as 'explicit sexuality/gender ideology,' and rated as requiring guidance for anyone under 13. An analysis of the BookLooks rating system published in the Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy found that passages about LGBTQ+ people and their allies were repeatedly flagged by the site and included in book reports, though they had no connection to profanity, nudity or sexual content. 'By trying to restrict the ability of young people to access these titles, the website creators are essentially advocating for the erasure of LGBTQIA+ identities rather than 'every' parent's ability to make decisions for their own children,' the article's authors Jenna Spiering and Kate Kedley concluded. The IJF asked Nicolaides whose decision it was to use BookLooks in the education ministry's research, but he did not answer. 'To be clear — I have no authority to ban books, I am not banning books, I do not plan to ban books, and the rhetoric around this being a book ban is flagrant and irresponsible,' Nicolaides said in a statement. 'I asked my staff to gather information on books that show explicit sexual content and if they were in schools in Alberta. They located books of concern on shelves in Edmonton Public and Calgary Public schools.' Edmonton Public Schools said it already has existing rules and regulations to support the selection of teaching and learning resources, and that these rules have been in place for a number of years. A spokesperson for the CBE told the IJF it also has 'rigorous processes to ensure that library resources are age-appropriate and relevant for students,' and clear mechanisms in place for any member of the school community to bring forward concerns about specific resources. The list of objectionable materials in public schools compiled by Alberta's education ministry appears to contain more than two pages of books. However, a copy of this list released through a freedom of information request was entirely redacted except for the four graphic novels previously named by the ministry: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, Blankets by Craig Thompson and Flamer by Mike Curato. When Nicolaides first revealed plans in May for province-wide content policy and guidelines, he told media concerned parents had brought examples of 'extremely inappropriate' materials to his ministry last November . These examples of books from Alberta school libraries were in fact provided to Nicolaides by conservative activists from the groups Parents for Choice in Education and Action4Canada, as first reported by the IJF . The IJF also filed a freedom of information request for records of meetings Nicolaides or his staff had in November and December last year related to age-inappropriate and graphic sexual content in school library books, but the search returned no records. Months before meeting with Nicolaides , Action4Canada's Kim McBride was invited to speak at a United Conservative Party constituency association event in Calgary in March 2024 on Alberta's parental rights policy . During her presentation , McBride told the audience that comprehensive sexual education, sexual orientation and gender identity education were part of a campaign of indoctrination in schools and media, and that the 'political trans LGBT agenda' is to target children and use them as agents of change. Parents for Choice in Education's executive director John Hilton-O'Brien also spoke at the same UCP event. Nicolaides said he had not met McBride or others from Action4Canada before their meeting about school library books. 'Action4Canada was one of the groups that provided a list of books to me that were of concern to them, once during my only meeting with them in November, which prompted us to investigate the situation further, through various avenues,' Nicolaides said. Error! 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Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Commitment remains': Why Edmonton Public Schools is phasing out seclusion rooms
Edmonton Public Schools is continuing to phase out the use of seclusion rooms, spaces once used to isolate students during crisis situations, in favour of more supportive, inclusive approaches. A report presented to the Edmonton Public Schools' Board (EPSB) this week shows the division is steadily reducing both the number of seclusion rooms in schools and how often they're used. EPSB superintendent Darrel Robertson said the ultimate goal is to eliminate the need for seclusion rooms altogether. 'Believe me when I say, folks, I don't want seclusion rooms in our division at all,' Robertson told trustees at last week's board meeting. The report describes a seclusion room as a small, enclosed space intended for use in emergency situations when a student's behaviour poses a serious and imminent risk to themselves or others. The use of these rooms have long drawn criticism from parents and advocacy groups. But according to EPSB's report, their use is strictly regulated under both provincial standards and the division's internal policy. Staff must be specially trained, and seclusion is only used when all de-escalation and preventative strategies have failed. These rooms' use must be included in a student's individual behaviour support plan, developed in collaboration with parents, who maintain the right to deny seclusion as an option, Robertson said. 'We respect that,' he said. 'We just need to work in collaboration on alternative, emergent plans. Exclusion rooms are only to be used in the event of an emergent situation where there is imminent danger to, you know, self harm or the harm of others, and it's only for the time of dysregulation.' As of May 1, 2025, there are 105 seclusion rooms across the division, down from 167 one year prior, a reduction of 62 rooms. These reductions were achieved in part through official 'de-commissioning' processes where schools remove the door and shift the space to a different use. To encourage the transition, the division supplied schools with sensory materials to transform the rooms into sensory/self-regulation spaces, which are calming environments equipped with tools to help students manage their emotions and sensory needs. For existing seclusion rooms, decommissioning begins with physically altering the space. 'First of all, the door comes off, there's no longer a doo with any kind of blocking mechanism,' Robertson said. Between June and August 2024, 24 rooms were decommissioned and repurposed. Another 38 followed between September 2024 and May 2025. Not all uses of these spaces qualify as seclusion. More than half of the 1,240 uses recorded between September 2024 and April 2025 were self-selected by students, meaning the student chose to enter the space to calm down or work quietly, and the door remained open. These are not counted as seclusion. But 445 uses, or 35.89 per cent, were non-self-selected, where a student was placed in the room during a crisis or emergency. The division's approach to behavioural support has shifted toward proactive strategies, including staff training, relationship-building, and de-escalation techniques, so that crisis situations are avoided before they arise. 'Moving forward with our interactions programs, we're no longer constructing seclusion rooms,' said Robertson. 'We're constructing sensory spaces… with appropriate lighting, with appropriate, different materials for children so that it becomes a sensory room experience. They are not, I repeat, not to be used as a seclusion room.' The new spaces are meant to be part of the regular classroom environment, accessible, inclusive, and tailored to meet the unique needs of each student, said the report. Some parents and advocates worry that moving seclusion room updates into the division's Annual Education Results Review (AERR), rather than continuing to present it as a standalone board report, could limit opportunities for public discussion at board meetings. But EPSB board chairwoman Julie Kusiek defended the move, saying it actually elevates the importance of the issue. 'The AERR is the division's key accountability document for the work that we undertake in our governance role as trustees, and our progress towards our division's strategic plan,' she said. 'So by reporting on progress towards our strategic plan and an expectation that the use of seclusion rooms is included in that report, we're really strengthening the accountability. And we have our target for this, which is we're moving towards zero seclusion rooms.' She added that concerns about transparency are welcome and encouraged, and families should continue to reach out to their trustees. Public conversations about seclusion room use will still be possible, she said, particularly in any reports dealing with student safety or sense of belonging. 'There's certainly going to continue to be opportunities to have public discussion on the use of seclusion rooms,' Kusiek said. 'And we, for certain, will be expecting that through the AERR every single year.' The focus remains on adopting and expanding practices that have proven successful across the division, Kusiek said. While some families are relieved to see progress, she told reporters, others are frustrated that the practice hasn't yet been eliminated entirely. 'There is celebration here in terms of the movement towards the reduction in the number of seclusion rooms and the use of seclusion rooms,' Kusiek said. 'And as we heard from the superintendent, our goal remains to continue to improve our practices so that the use of these rooms is no longer required.' Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, reporting on seclusion room usage will be included in the division's AERR. The division also plans to: Continue providing professional learning for staff; Monitor and decommission unused seclusion rooms; Support the shift to sensory/self-regulation spaces based on student needs. While the use of seclusion has not yet been eliminated, Robertson says the division is committed to doing better. 'We've enhanced our professional learning, but we clearly have more work to do,' he said. 'Our commitment remains. We are going to continue to work towards the elimination of seclusion rooms… which I hope one day is zero.' cnguyen@ 'Last resort': Parents urge Edmonton Public Schools to end seclusion rooms Seclusion room use shows a "failure of imagination": advocate
Calgary Herald
26-05-2025
- General
- Calgary Herald
Learning, inclusion, mental health top Edmonton Public Schools education plan
Article content Edmonton Public Schools (EPSB) is entering the final year of its 2022–2026 Four-Year Education Plan, reaffirming its commitment to student success, mental health, and anti-racism initiatives. Article content Article content As the division prepares to welcome over 120,000 students in the upcoming school year, the final year's plan aims to guide efforts across the division, remaining focused on enhancing pathways to success for all students. Article content Article content What's the Four-Year Education Plan? Article content Article content Each year, EPSB submits a Four-Year Education Plan to Alberta Education, aligning it with the approved budget. Article content The plan is developed using data, stakeholder engagement, provincial planning documents, and the division's own strategic plan. Progress on the plan's actions will be reported in fall 2025 through the Annual Education Results Report (AERR) and results review process. Article content Brought before trustees for approval on Friday, the plan outlines the division's strategic goals and provincial assurance framework, reporting cycles, and funding manual for the 2025–2026 school year. Article content What are the division's priorities? Article content The plan is built around three key priority areas. Article content 1. How is EPSB supporting student learning? Article content Under 'Priority One: Outstanding learning opportunities,' the division is focused on helping teachers implement new curriculum to build on outstanding learning opportunities for all students, the report said. Article content Article content For example, targeted professional learning and resources for Kindergarten to grade 6 teachers has been well received, with 84 per cent of certificated staff who accessed support saying it was helpful, according to Division Feedback Survey (DFS) results. Article content Article content The plan emphasizes evidence-based strategies to support strong literacy and numeracy outcomes and ensures learning remains responsive to the needs of all students. Experiential opportunities will also help students explore and plan for their futures.
Edmonton Journal
26-05-2025
- General
- Edmonton Journal
Learning, inclusion, mental health top Edmonton Public Schools education plan
Article content Edmonton Public Schools (EPSB) is entering the final year of its 2022–2026 Four-Year Education Plan, reaffirming its commitment to student success, mental health, and anti-racism initiatives. As the division prepares to welcome over 120,000 students in the upcoming school year, the final year's plan aims to guide efforts across the division, remaining focused on enhancing pathways to success for all students.
