The Prince Albert Catholic School Division has had another teacher’s project approved in the Teacher Innovation Support Fund.
The fund was introduced in 2024, with the first approved intake going to Simon Lambert from Ecole Holy Cross.
The division was recently announced that Grade 7 teacher Caitlin Thalmeier from St. John Community School was the most recent approval. She has been approved for a grant of $75,000.
Director of education Lorel Trumier notified the board of education about the decision during their regular meeting on Aug. 18. She said that approval could not happen without teachers with ideas.
“It’s because we have willing participants and teachers who are willing to make applications,” she said. “We know that the Ministry of Education probably saw hundreds of projects come through for that innovation and support fund. To know that Caitlin Thalmeier was successful, that’s wonderful. She does great work.”
Thalmeier’s approved project is for a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Lab.
“She’s got STEM as an area of personal interest and focus, and so she will be really enhancing what happens in those middle years there at St. John’s School,” Trumier said. “(She’s) bringing in some new, some new equipment and some teaching opportunities and learning opportunities for those students.”
The STEM lab will enhance the delivery of curriculum and support experiential learning while nurturing creativity, according to the memo to the board. The approach will involve other division departments including facilities and IT.
Trumier said the project will be launched over the next school year.
“She will work through her curriculum all year to really establish all of the opportunities where she can add that experiential learning to the work that those students are doing,” Trumier said.
Trumier dded that it will be a year-long commitment focusing on different opportunities in experiential learning.
“She’ll be buying some equipment and has ordered some already,” Trumier said. “It will be a yearlong project for sure and her efforts will last because she’ll have done that work and have the equipment.”
She added that it will benefit both students in the 2025-2026 school year and beyond.
SUBHEADLINE: Second Specialized Support Classroom approved in Catholic Division
A second Specialized Support Classroom has been confirmed for St. Michael School after the success of the one at St. John Community School.
According to an update from Trumier during the board of education’s regular meeting on Aug. 18, a second one in St. Michael has been confirmed.
Trumier said of the meeting, which saw many similar notifications, that it was just the way things go sometimes.
“We’re looking at the different opportunities and quite frankly there could be a specialised classroom in every school. At this point we have one at St. John,” Trumier said.
She said that classroom teacher Annakah Ratt and consultant Melissa Smith have been a benefit at St. John.
“They’ve just done a great job working through those elements with the staff and students there and the families,” Trumier said.
Two programs have been allocated in the Prince Albert Catholic School division which are part of 50 in total in the province.
The pilot in St. John will continue in St. John and the additional one will begin in St. Michael for 2025-2026.
“We’ve staffed it and we’re getting ready to start it and looking forward to the benefits for the students there at St Michael,” Trumier said.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
