Back to School

As summer comes to a close, I’m getting more and more excited for back-to-school, both in my role as a parent, and as Presdient & CEO of JA Southern Alberta.

JA’s in-classroom programming means that September is a busy month. Our team is excited to get back into the classrooms to teach students about work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy to prepare them with the skills they need to succeed in a global economy.

This year, we’re particularly excited for back-to-school, because students across Alberta will benefit from financial literacy training as the new K-6 Physical Education and Wellness curriculum is implemented in classrooms across the province.?

The new curriculum includes financial literacy skills in every grade! This is something JA Southern Alberta has been advocating in favour of for years. JA’s programming will complement the new curriculum and provide additional opportunities for students to learn and apply financial literacy skills.

Parents can expect their children to learn about earning, saving, borrowing, and investing. As a part of the new program, students will learn about basic living costs, budgeting, and how to create a business plan. While the old curriculum included opportunities to discuss topics related to financial literacy, there are now clear expectations for students to learn about financial literacy in every grade.?

Each grade will explore key themes that will help students understand the importance of financial wellness. Here’s a quick overview of what students will learn when it comes to financial literacy:

• Kindergarten: Explore the value of Canadian coins and bills
• Grade one: The value and purpose of money in everyday living
• Grade 2: Decisions about money, including how much to spend, save and share
• Grade 3: The importance of responsible spending and saving
• Grade 4: Decisions about spending money
• Grade 5: Factors that influence consumer choice
• Grade 6: The benefits of borrowing money in some situations?

JA Southern Alberta will continue to build upon our successful partnerships with the provincial government to expand financial literacy programming for students across the province. We are committed to supporting students learning about financial literacy through our made-in-Alberta programs and complementing this knowledge with additional programming like work readiness and entrepreneurship training.?

With Canadian household debt at an all-time high, students must obtain practical financial skills to help them budget for future expenses such as gas and groceries and significant investments such as post-secondary schooling and housing. Our programs work to strengthen self-efficacy in students by giving them the tools required to make informed financial decisions and build sustainable financial habits.?

Each year, we bring JA programs to hundreds of schools, encouraging tens of thousands of youth to expand their potential, engage in their economic development, and contribute to the strength of their community through programs that focus on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness.?

Some of the programs we are excited to offer this fall to elementary students across Alberta, which will complement learner outcomes in the new K-6 Physical Education and Wellness curriculum include:?

More Than Money

During this interactive, in-class program students will:

• Identify the role of money in everyday life
• Practice making sound financial choices using cooperative decision-making skills
• Manage a personal bank account by making deposits and withdrawals
• Learn how to make ethical personal and business money management choices
• Apply the problem-solving and money management skills needed to operate a small business

By the end of More than Money, students will understand how proper money management can improve their lives and how their financial choices can impact others. They'll gain the confidence to apply this knowledge to their lives, enabling them to grow up making smart financial choices.

Our Community?

During this interactive, in-class program students will:

• Discuss the common types of jobs and workplaces
• Describe ways people earn, spend, share and invest money
• Explain the value of tools in helping people get their jobs done
• Identify tools used in different jobs and describe how they are used

By the end of this program, students will learn about their own potential and how they can contribute to Canada’s prosperity. This prepares students for careers in business and inspires them to make a positive impact in their communities.

Our Business World?

During this interactive, in-class program students will:

• Learn why businesses are created and how they adapt to change
• Explore where customers come from and how to keep them
• Discuss how businesses impact the community and the environment
• Learn the history of some Canadian businesses and how they’ve changed over time
• Understand the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship

By the end of this program, students will see the power of the entrepreneurial spirit in Canada. This will inspire them to ask, "Do I have what it takes to become an entrepreneur?"

Alberta’s new K-6 Physical Education and Wellness curriculum uses a comprehensive, strengths-based focus that develops the whole individual and nurtures students in pursuing a healthy and active life.?

We are happy to hear that financial literacy will be taught along with other practical skills such as computer science, public speaking and consent.?

To learn more about what you can expect your children to learn this school year in Alberta, click here.?

To learn how you can work with JA in your classroom, reach out to me directly!