For immediate release
June 20, 2000

Partnership offers new program

    The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has partnered with the Kingston Learning Centre to provide an Educational Assistant diploma program in Belleville. The one year program will be offered this fall.
    The Kingston Learning Centre will administer the program and grant the diploma, while the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board will have direct input into the nature, structure and content of the program. All field placements for the program will be in the schools of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board and graduates of the program will be placed into the Board's casual pool of employees.
    "The new Educational Assistant diploma program offered in Belleville means that graduates of the program will have tailor-made skills for placements in our schools," says Les Jewell, Superintendent of Instruction and Special Education.
This partnership grew out of a need for Educational Assistants to have a clear understanding of the breadth of program and services issues in classrooms. They need experiences with specialized settings for learning disabilities, autism and behavioural problems.
    The recommendation from a steering committee was to establish a one year Educational Assistant diploma program. The partnership with the Kingston Learning Centre means that a one year E.A. diploma course can be offered in Belleville this September as opposed to a two year course in another community. Graduates of the program will be offered casual employment as an Educational Assistant. It is from this casual pool that the Board hires permanent employees.
 

For more information contact:
Les Jewell, Superintendent of Instruction and Special Education,  966-1170  ext. 2414