On April 11, 2016, Greg Keith introduced Zoё Watson, who is District Superintendent for schools for Anglophone School District South (ASD-S).
Zoё grew up in Sussex, taught in Sussex, and was a school principal in Sussex before taking on various jobs with the Provincial Department of Education.
Zoё Watson noted that as National Volunteer Week, it fitted to thank Rotarians for all the work that they do, particularly in our schools with Coats for Kids and the new support of Discovery Park for Sussex Elementary School...
There have been many changes in education, and some have been the restructuring and rearrangement of districts. Ms. Watson noted that enrolment had declined 25%, which means that there is less budget money coming in. Ms. Watson recognized all the different types of staff that contribute to effective schools – teachers, teachers’ assistants, guidance counsellors, administrators, janitorial staff, bus drivers, etc.
The main focus of the talk was attendance, and Ms. Watson handed out a brochure entitled “Attendance Matters.” Surveys have been done with students as to why they do and do not attend school. On any given day, 18% of students may be absent. Absenteeism is greatest at the high school level, but there are problems at all age levels.
There is a surprising number of students that say they do not attend school because of pressures to work and to contribute to the family income. Schools must be welcoming and inviting. Ms. Watson stated that in recent years, there are more demands as there are more significant percentages of students with autism, students with emotional health issues, and students that may require one or more teachers’ assistants. There are many challenges, and everyone needs to work together to meet the needs.