The Department of Education and the Western School Board are providing an itinerant teacher to coordinate a literacy support program for pregnant and parenting youth at several sites served by the board.
Fran Gillis, coordinator of the Education for Pregnant and/or Parenting Youth (EPPY), has an office at Three Oaks Senior High School in Summerside. Ms. Gillis also provides service to the following schools: Miscouche Consolidated, Athena Consolidated, Summerside Intermediate, Kensington Intermediate Senior High School and Kinkora Regional High.
"The Department of Education is pleased to partner with the Western School Board to provide this support service to pregnant and parenting youth," said Education Minister Jeffrey E. Lantz. "This program provides young parents with an opportunity to access emotional and educational support while continuing to pursue their public education. We believe this service helps students deal with the many challenges facing young parents."
The program is designed for students who are under 21 years of age prior to the first week of the school year. The students are either pregnant or parenting and they must be interested in returning to, or continuing, their education.
Western School Board Superintendent Sonia Osborne said students enrolled in the program are encouraged to attend class with their peers, but independent work may also be arranged and monitored by the program coordinator.
"The board welcomes this program and commends the Minister for its implementation. The investment in young mothers and parenting fathers, along with the child is an investment for life," said Ms. Osborne.
For the past two school years, the Western School Board offered the Literacy Is for Pregnant and Parenting Youth (LIPPY) program. EPPY is an extension of that program.
The Eastern School District has offered a similar program, Graduation Is For Teens (GIFT), for five years.