ATM: Well-Being, the Foundation for Learning

Several years ago, when I was a new vice principal, I was talking with a few colleagues about how we could enhance and nurture our continuum of supports for the students in our school. I still recall a valued colleague adding the following to our conversation that day: ‘Our students need to be available for learning. This is where we need to begin’.

This has stayed with me to this day and has influenced my work in the intervening years. What does it mean to be available for learning? And once we identify this, how do we provide this support?

Being available for learning means being able focus on learning, to participate fully in learning, and to know that you can seek support with what may be getting in the way of learning. In brief, it means providing support so obstacles to learning can be overcome.

Providing this support is complex and requires a continuum of support for our students. At FSD, we have two strategic areas of focus that allow us to advance support to our students and assure that they can be available for learning when they are at school. These are Advancing Wellness and Well-Being, and Advancing a Continuum of Supports. Both are essential to student success.

At FSD, we know the importance of this work and know that this work cannot take place in isolation – because well-being does not happen in isolation.

We also know and recognize that partnership is essential to well-being, both at an individual level and an organizational level. Partnerships with our parents, our community partners, and our teams across the Division. And we are committed to this work to assure that our students are available for learning in our schools across the Foothills.

Yours in learning,

Christopher Fuzessy, PhD
Superintendent of Schools