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A Brief History of St. Charles
St. Charles Adult Education Centre began as an
essential component of an overall plan by the Hamilton Wentworth
Catholic District School Board to address the growing needs of adult
learners in the city. The Hamilton Adult Basic Education Association
initially brought together members from the three local school
boards, CAAT, Literacy Association, Hamilton Public Library and
various regional and community agencies (social services, C.E.I.C.,
etc.). The Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board was the
only board in the education field that took the early initiative,
and we have never looked back. Opening with three centres located in
the city of Hamilton, and a total initial enrolment of over 900
adult learners in Adult Basic Education and Credit Courses, the
Centre was officially opened in September 1985, with headquarters in
the former St Charles Catholic elementary school.
St. Charles became the headquarters for the
Extension Education Section (Continuing Education) Offices and the
new Adult Continuing Education Centre for the Board. The projected
enrolment for the first year was sixty adult learners in Adult Basic
Education and credit programs. The actual enrolment after the first
week of registration was well over 200 adult learners. St. Charles
began to meet the growing need for adult education in the City of
Hamilton.
What made St. Charles such an early success in
the adult learning field? Visionary central and local leadership, a
professional and caring teaching staff, a hard working support
staff, and a philosophy of inclusiveness that respects the cultural
and religious diversity, gender and potential of each student.
The initial program offerings consisted of Basic
Literacy and Numeracy, Grades 9-12 English and Math credit courses,
and a Co-operative Education program for adults. Subsequently,
English as a Second Language, Typing and Law were added to the
program. The program utilized the adult learning model wherein
students worked at their own pace, with help from an instructor. St
Charles also featured free registration and ongoing intake of
students throughout the year. Shift workers were welcome, with
evening classes added to the regular complement of day classes.
As the St. Charles program became better known
throughout the region, community groups wishing to establish a class
within a housing project, shelter or agency location requested
assistance. Thus developed the St. Charles Outreach Programs.
Currently, St Charles has partnered up with Catholic Family Services
to provide credit teachers at St Martin's Manor, which is a home on
the Hamilton mountain for teenaged mothers. St Charles also
partnered up with the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd to
provide credit teachers at Notre Dame House, a shelter for homeless
youth, located in downtown Hamilton.
St Charles has always been known as an
outstanding leader in the teaching of English as a Second Language
(ESL)
and Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada
(LINC). Currently,
St Charles is the leading provider of ESL and LINC instruction in
the City of Hamilton and is recognized throughout the province of
Ontario as a key partner with the federal and provincial Ministries
of Citizenship and Immigration. St Charles was the first ESL service
provider in the City of Hamilton to provide Canadian Language
Benchmark Assessments. This service provides the students with an
opportunity to be professionally assessed, throughout the school
year, by instructors who are specially trained to administer the
Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test. This allows the students
to be given authentic and credible language assessments in order to
move up the CLB stepladder.
St Charles has long enjoyed a satisfying and
mutually beneficial relationship with the Settlement and Integration
Services Organization (SISO) in Hamilton. This partnership has
allowed St Charles to adapt to the changing needs of immigrants in
the Hamilton area. Members of the St Charles community sit on
several SISO committees and meet on a regular basis with SISO to
discuss ways of meeting the needs of our immigrant community.
One of the hallmark programs offered at St
Charles is the Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS)
program. This program
offers a second chance for learners who did not finish their
education but who now wish to obtain valuable job related skills
such as resume writing, time management, and interview skills along
with basic math and language instruction. LBS is offered at most St
Charles centres and is a valuable community partner with social
assistance programs such as Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability
Support Program.
St Charles offers a variety of venues for
students to obtain their secondary school diploma. Summer school and
night school credit courses are offered, each year, to secondary
school students throughout the city. The St Charles Adult Day School
is another way for students who have not completed their secondary
education to obtain their diploma. As well, we offer credit courses
through the Independent Learning Centre
(ILC).
As an alternative to a high school diploma, St.
Charles offers the General Education
Development (GED) program. The certificate received upon
completion of the GED tests is the equivalent of a secondary school
diploma. The St. Charles GED program will prepare students to
write the GED test, which is usually held at Mohawk College
St Charles leads the way in Hamilton with
innovative programs, such as the Personal Support Worker
(PSW)
program. This course provides students with an opportunity to obtain
certification in the growing PSW field. Most of our PSW graduates
are immediately hired by hospitals, nursing homes and palliative
care centres. Our PSW course is highly valued in the long term
health care community in Hamilton because of the high degree of
professionalism and expertise which our students display at their
work placements.
Other St Charles initiatives include general
interest computer courses, citizenship classes
and a
medical
terminology program specifically aimed at improving the language
proficiency of immigrants who have had professional medical training
in other countries.
St. Charles is truly - The Adult Way to Learn!
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