PRPS Invited to Participate in Specialized Training for EAs Pilot Program

In the photo: Paige McLean working with Grade 3 student Atley at Schuler School. McLean has been an EA for 15 years.  Lisa Newby, who has been an Educational Assistant for over 25 years, working with Grade 3 student Rene at Schuler School.

Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) was accepted into a specialized training program for educational assistants (EAs) this year. The Educational Assistant Interim Pilot Program was initiated by Edmonton Public Schools last year and was piloted in three school divisions, with 12 joining this year and a plan to have the program in all Alberta school districts next year.  

Lisa Lindsay, Director of Student Experiences for PRPS said, “we’ve seen an increased response with neurodiverse dysregulated trauma, students who have experienced trauma. How we support them in the classroom is becoming increasingly complex. PRPS did an EA professional development day at the start of the year on August 29 and the EAs loved it. Their feedback was we need more professional learning opportunities to support kids.”  

EAs work the most with dysregulated students and more training was needed as the skill set required has not been taught. Lindsay believes the number of students requiring specialized support is increasing each year. Additionally, younger children require this support as well.  

“A student needs to be regulated long before they can be reasoned with, so a dysregulated student is unable to learn. Until a child is regulated and feels safe, we aren’t going to get any learning done and for some of these kids, learning has taken a backseat,” stated Lindsay.  

PRPS can participate in the program at no cost; Edmonton Public only needs feedback on how the program was received. The program involves module work along with virtual community practice, which is ideal for a geographically diverse division like PRPS. Participants will connect with EA coach Cara Motz once a month as part of the community practice to discuss the module work, what they see in the classroom and different scenarios.  

“Asking each other questions and providing each other support, I think it will help our EAs feel more connected and less isolated,” stated Lindsay. “The responsibility of the EAs is to share what they are learning with their classroom teacher and principal with the hope we can get it happening on a more universal level.”  

When PRPS was initially accepted into the pilot program, it was hoped ten EAs would participate. After the notification was sent out about the new training, 27 indicated interest and the student services team decided if the response was that strong, the program would be offered to everyone who wanted to participate. The training began on Feb. 12 and will run for 16 weeks.  

Paige McLean and Lisa Newby have both been EAs for many years and currently work at Schuler School as they both live locally. McLean has a love of learning and signed up for the pilot project to help her do a better job.  

“We are getting away from one to one, it used to be I would work with one or two particular students and now we are trying to work with the classroom as a whole,” explained McLean. “It could be anything from taking a kid to learn some sight words or working on reading or math skills for a few minutes to sitting beside a child to motivate them to get their work done and focus.” 

Newby became an EA after her two eldest children started attending school in Irvine and switched to Schuler School when the family moved. She is hoping to gain more knowledge and is most looking forward to the modules on literacy, autism spectrum and English as a second language. 

“I think the need is the biggest thing, I don’t know if it’s a lot more knowledge and we now recognize there is a need for kids or if it’s just that there are more things going on in families. Previously, it was a very obvious need, such as a physical need of some sort, I remember those were the kids I first worked with and not those struggling with reading,” stated Newby.   

Candice Ristau started working as an Educational Assistant at Irvine School in January 2023 after leaving her job with Alberta Health Services. “After day one, I fell in love with working at the school. The highlights for me are when all the kids in elementary come up and ask for a hug. Or when kids are struggling with something in school, and we work one on one or in the classroom together and the kids are successful and have a ‘light bulb moment’ when everything makes sense. I've been blessed with the opportunity to have worked with kids in Grades 3, 4, 5, 6,” said Ristau.  

She believes the pilot program is a step in the right direction in terms of offering supports for EAs within PRPS. Thus far, the modules have reinforced skills EAs already have, which Ristau says boosts their confidence and provides them with extra tools in their back pocket.  

“Our number one goal should be student success, and with this added knowledge I feel like we are able to support children better and help develop into successful individuals,” stated Ristau. “Not only has being an EA been rewarding work, but I've had amazing opportunities over the last year coaching "A" girls volleyball (Grade 9) and running a developmental Grade 6 boys basketball program with Mrs. Klaiber. I look forward to many more years and hope to help as best I can to help students become who they are striving to be.” 

By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer