Boyle Street Education Centre
Boyle Street Education Centre (BSEC) is a public charter high school (secondary school) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 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. Many of the students at the school have experienced trauma through their early years and this has affected their success in school. The purpose of the Boyle Street Education Centre is to offer programs that engage high risk and out-of-school youth in the learning process and provide each student an opportunity for the successful attainment of the learning expectations as established by Alberta Learning.
| Official name | Boyle Street Education Centre |
| Board Chair | Karen Erickson |
| Superintendent | Mavis Averill |
| Secretary Treasurer | Sharan Sandhu |
| Principal | Scott Meunier |
| Assistant Principal | Huiy Tang |
| School type | Public charter |
| Operated as | Non-Profit Society |
| Location | 10312 - 105 Street (David H. Building) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Ages | 14–19 |
| Religious affiliation | None |
| Founded | September 1996 |
| Maximum enrollment | 170 |
| Information current as of | September 2020 |
Continuous enrollment has been identified by students trying to return to school as an important feature of the Education Centre. The teacher/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/teacher ratio
- Guest speakers and field trips
- A variety of CTS and option classes are available
- Career and Post Secondary counseling
- First Nation's cultural programming including Sweats, Drumming, Girls'/Boys' Talking Circle, and other cultural activities
- Advocating on behalf of students with numerous social service agencies, including Learner Benefits, Children and Family Services, and Probation Officers/Fine Options
- Whole school approach to education including numerous support services are available for students
The philosophy of the school focuses on ensuring that socially, economically and otherwise disadvantaged students have the opportunity for full and equal participation in the life of Alberta. The Centre 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. [1]
Organization[2]
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 the other 12 charter schools in the province, the school is directly accountable to the province and Alberta Education.
References
- Averill, Mavis (2013). SWEET: The learning lives of "Students Who have Experienced Extreme Trauma. Edmonton, Alberta.
- Meunier, Scott. "Looking Ahead: 3-Year Education Plan (3YEP) and Annual Education Results Report (AERR)" (PDF). Looking Ahead. Retrieved 29 June 2016.