Boyle Street Education Centre

Coordinates: 53°32′41″N 113°30′01″W / 53.54472°N 113.50028°W / 53.54472; -113.50028

Boyle Street Education Centre (BSEC) is a Canadian public charter high school (secondary school) in Edmonton, Alberta. The Boyle Street Education Centre opened as a charter school in September 1996. The Education Centre grew out of six years of Boyle Street Co-op experience providing an alternative education program. The students range in age from fourteen to nineteen years and have a history of not succeeding in mainstream education programs. The purpose of the Boyle Street Education Centre is to offer programs that re-engage at-risk/out-of-school youth in the learning process and provide each student an opportunity for successful attainment of the learning expectations as established by Alberta Learning.

Continuous enrollment has been identified by students trying to return to school as an important feature of the Education Centre. Students can enroll throughout the school year and are received in one of four core homerooms. The learning facilitator/student ratio is low, and students work on independent program plans appropriate to their abilities and interests.

Services the Education Centre Offers

• Breakfast and lunch program prepared by Work Experience Students
• Earned transportation to and from school for students in need
• No school fees or school supply expenses
• School Liaison/Counselor for one-on-one intervention and outreach
• Registered Apprenticeship Program and Work Experience
• Low student/facilitator ratio
• Guest speakers and field trips
• On-site labs for Art, Cosmetology, Fashion Studies, Foods, Design Studies, Career Transitions and Information Processing as well as off-site camps for the Wildlife CTS courses
• Career and Post Secondary counseling
• Native Studies – including Drumming, Girls' Talking Circle and other cultural activities
• Advocating on behalf of students with numerous social service agencies, including Student Finance, Child Welfare Services, and Probation Officers/Fine Options

The Boyle Street Education Centre believes that socially, economically and otherwise disadvantaged students deserve the opportunity for full and equal participation in the life of Alberta. The Centre further believes that the provision of a holistic education program within the context of a multi-disciplinary community model and a supportive environment will maximize opportunities for students and that such education must be student centered and student driven.

Organization

Starting in the 1980s, the then Boyle Street Co-op, now renamed Boyle Street Community Services, worked with troubled youth to help them get back into the education system, along with other problems they had. In September 1996 they obtained a charter for BSEC to accomplish this as an independent school. Boyle Street Community Services and BSEC are technically two distinct organizations, but work very closely together, with Boyle Street continuing to provide a variety of services that go beyond a school's normal function. The charter school initially kept the original location of the Co-op, but moved to its current location in September 2004. As with other charters in the province, the school is directly accountable to the province, and does not report to the Edmonton Public Schools district board, despite being within its physical territory. Like other charter schools, it has fought to preserve its independence from any district board. It must continue to justify the need for its independent existence every five years, when its charter is renewed.

Target students

Most students who attend the school have been out of school for at least three months, many for longer periods. Over half the students have been arrested at least once by police. A number have serious behaviour problems in their past.

The school addresses the problem of frequent interruptions, partly, by letting a student take a single short course (or a limited number) at a time. This ensures students can "drop-in" or "drop-out" at various times of the year, while still acquiring credits needed to graduate. The school still tries to get students to stay full-time until graduation, but will work with those who continue to have attendance problems. In other schools, a student may be taking a larger number of courses, for an extended amount of time; any extended absence means they would lose all the course credits for that period. At BSEC, a student leaving after a couple months will at least have more course credits than they started with, and be closer to graduation.

Native studies

The school has about 95% students as self-identified FNMI students. The Education Centre works closely with other support services subscribing to the philosophy of the wrap around model "It Takes A Village to Raise a Child".

• Youth Workers provide social casework and advocacy services to students.
• Streetworks Nursing Staff provide practical help and referrals, as well as education services for the students.
• Housing Registry assists students to seek appropriate emergency and long-term housing accommodations.
• Mental Health Unit provides consultation services.
• Family Services provides counseling on relationship issues, family dynamics, pregnancy/health issues, and parenting skills

BSEC offers a variety of core and option courses designed specifically to meet the needs and goals of each student. Courses consist of basic skills, upgrading, or High School credit courses, as designed by Alberta Learning's Program of Studies. English, Math, Science, Social, Music, Cosmetology, CTS, Phy. Education, Shop, Work Experience and

• Arts & crafts
• Native drumming
• Pipe ceremonies
• Sweat lodge ceremonies
• Roundance participation

Special services

• Since many of the students come from poor families, there is a breakfast and lunch program. The preparation is done by Work Experience Students under the supervision of a Chef.
• Assistance is given with transportation for students around the city.
• Like any public charter (or other public) school there is no tuition fees. However, unlike almost all other schools in Alberta, BSEC has no school fees or supply expenses of any kind. Legally no public school can charge for attendance, but most others charge most students various fees of some kind, but such fees are not officially considered "tuition".
• A liaison/counsellor is provided for one-on-one outreach and intervention. BSEC works with Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) to help students with addiction issues. Also counselling on career and post-secondary selection is provided.
• Registered Apprenticeship Program and Work Experience Program
• Low ratio of student to teacher
• Assistance is given to individual students seeking help from various social service agencies
• Access to free birth control

References

External links

• Official site of school