uLead 2019

Safe and Caring Schools & Communities is a non-profit organization that exists to support schools and school communities to become safe, caring, respectful and welcoming; where each child can grow to be a respectful and responsible citizen. Safe and Caring Schools & Communities has developed a service that is available for all schools across Alberta to support school leaders in determining to what extent their schools are safe, caring, respectful and welcoming.  This service is in the form of a Safe and Caring School Audit, where the school goes through a process that results in data that evidences and provides celebrations, areas for growth and recommendations in each of the categories of safe, caring, respectful and welcoming.   The Audit process in comprehensive and engages school leaders, staff, students and parents.  It is comprised of surveys and interviews that elicit the current reality in the four areas (safe, caring, respectful and welcoming.)   Data is collected then collated by the University of Alberta and reports are generated for schools.  The audit process goes a step further and  provides best practice, current recommendations for school leaders, staff, students and parents.   Alberta Schools have been given a strong mandate regarding ensuring that schools are safe, caring, respectful and welcoming but these are areas that are difficult to measure.  The new Alberta Education Professional Practice Standards also require teachers, leaders and system leaders to "create a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments."  The Society for  Safe and Caring Schools & Communities School Audit can  support schools along this journey.   Those who attend this session will get a deeper explanation of the components, process and deliverables of the Safe and Caring School Audit.