Study tour on Inclusive Education-New Brunswick, 22-28 April, 2012

Inclusion International, Inclusive Education Canada, Asdown Colombia and  Fundación Saldarriaga Concha will once again united efforts to hold a Study Tour on Inclusive Education in New Brunswick on 22-28 April.

The study tour included School visits, conferences and study sessions on inclusive education strategies and practices.  The participants had the chance to meet Jody Carr, Minister of Education and Development for Early childhood of New Brunswick, Canada.

Participants shared working sessions with Gordon Porter, who for the last 35 years has been involved in re-structuring and implementing inclusive education in the province. Gordon Porter is currently a Consultant for the Ministry of Education and in the last year has co-ordinated the fourth evaluation on education in the province. Also present were Brian Kelly, Director of services for students and Gina St. Laurent who deals with the implementation of school evaluations based on good practices, many of which relate to inclusive education. They showed participants the implementation of the school evaluation, the results obtained and the implementation of a plan of improvement for each institution; Krista Carr, Executive Director of the Association for Community Living in New Brunswick talked about the work they do in strengthening and supporting families so they can put pressure on the education system to respond to the needs of all children and families in the province. She described the need to continually monitor and strengthen everyone within the system, to ensure the benefit of inclusive education to all students and in particular to those with disabilities.

The participants met Tammy Mutch-Ketch, Learning specialist in the School District 14 as well as with several supervisors who showed how the system operates. On the same day participants also met with Beth Atherton, Director of the agency that deals with Early Childhood intervention for the population in risk and with Jeff den Otter from the Autism programme.

For more than 25 years schools, teachers and parents have worked together to make inclusive education a reality in the district of Woodstock.

We would like to thank the principals and everyone who opened their doors to us to show us their practices:

In District 14 in Woodstock

Linda Justason Florenceville Middle School (Gr. 6-8)

Joan Mccue Woodstock High School (Gr. 9-12)

Tammy Dunbar Southern Carleton (Kinder-5)

Susan Maxwell Woodstock Centennial (Kinder-5)

Angela James Hartland Community School (Gr. Kinder -12)

In District 18 in Fredericton/Oromocto (Gr.Kinder-5)

Gary Gallant Devon Middle School (Gr. 9-12)

To work on inclusive Education is not easy; it demands a lot of work and a lot of people. It requires the use of good strategies and effective practices as well as a continuous effort to face new challenges. These are some of the lessons learned by the participants. They feel particularly grateful to everyone in New Brunswick for their candid welcome and for being so open and sharing their stories with them.

In the picture left to right

Catalina Valencia Secretary  of Education  in Bogotá, Colombia

Gabriela Reginatto Colegio Hacienda los Alcaparros Bogotá

Martha Inés Robles Fundown Caribe Barranquilla, Atlántico

Ana Margarita Parra Institución Universitaria CESMAG Pasto, Nariño

Mónica Cortés ASDOWN Colombia, Bogotá

Inés Elvira de Escallón Inclusion International

Christine Gordon de Barhain

Jody Carr Ministro de Educación y Desarrollo para la Primera Infancia de New Brunswick Canadá

Milena Suarez Fundación Saldarriaga Concha

Carlos Eduardo Prieto Jardín Infantil Párvulos, Bogotá. Award winner Premio Compartir al Maestro, given by Fundación Saldarriaga Concha en el 2011

Paula Fonseca Fundación Saldariaga Concha

Marina  Palacio Colegio Alcaravanes, Envigado, Antioquia. Award winner Premio Compartir al Maestro, given by Fundación Saldarriaga Concha en el 2010