The Manitoba government is investing $3.2 million in 38 new projects under the Teachers’ Idea Fund, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko announced today.

“Manitoba’s Teachers’ Idea Fund provides teachers, staff and school leaders with the resources needed to develop innovative projects that support high-quality learning and positive outcomes for their students,” said Ewasko. “Our government is pleased to approve projects that will support the mental health and well-being of students and educators and help make classrooms and schools across the province places of innovation, discovery and excitement.”

This investment is in addition to the funding of 25 multi-year projects announced in December 2021, which will continue this school year for a total of $1.7 million. To date, the Teachers’ Idea Fund has approved 162 projects in 29 school divisions for total funding of $11 million targeting learning supports, models of teaching and learning, mental health and well-being, transitions in kindergarten to Grade 12 education and engaging families and parents.

Launched in March 2021, the five-year, $25-million Teachers’ Idea Fund received proposals focused on one or more of the following mental health and well-being strategies in its spring 2022-23 intake:

  • talking about mental health;
  • training for teachers;
  • incorporating mental health into teaching;
  • providing appropriate tools and supports for students; and
  • taking care of teachers and staff.

“With staff and students back to school full time in Manitoba and in person, it is fulfilling to see school divisions, principals and teachers working together to implement innovative ideas to improve their mental health and well-being, and that of their students,” said Mental Health and Community Wellness Minister Sarah Guillemard. “Open discussions about mental health in our education system can help students and staff overcome barriers and reach their full potential.”

The work would not be possible without the input and advice of the Teachers’ Idea Fund Advisory Panel that reviews applications and supports their implementation, Ewasko noted. The panel is made up of diverse specialists from post-secondary institutions, the innovation sector, industry and business, mental health, government and kindergarten to Grade 12 education.

APPROVED 2022-23 TEACHERS’ IDEA FUND PROJECTS

  •  Library revival: Developing a centre for mental health at École Harrison, Brandon School Division - $72,060
  •  Achieving ‘the good life’ at Roseau Valley School, Border Land School Division - $97,978
  •  Cranberry Portage community garden, Frontier School Division - $61,000
  •  Regulation tools to support mental health at Plum Coulee School, Garden Valley School Division - $59,350
  •  Physical movement and safe spaces to support student mental health at Pine Ridge Elementary School, Garden Valley School Division - $90,000
  •  Mental health awareness through drama at Pine Ridge Elementary School, Garden Valley School Division - $56,498
  •  Proactive mental health programming at Steinbach Regional Secondary School, Hanover School Division - $58,000
  •  Divisional career development and life exploration program initiatives, Hanover School Division - $54,370
  •  Inclusive extracurricular activities to build peer connections, Hanover School Division - $70,450
  •  Forest/nature school to support academic achievement, mental health and social-emotional well-being at Woodlawn School, Hanover School Division - $116,812
  •  On the land project, Lakeshore School Division - $149,698
  •  Integration of literacy and mental health, well-being and belonging with student voice and choice at Minnetonka School, Louis Riel School Division - $67,250
  •  Wellness and movement room at St. George School, Louis Riel School Division - $47,735
  •  Creating safe spaces to support mental health teaching and learning at Archwood School, Louis Riel School Division - $56,000
  •  The zone project at Roblin Elementary School, Mountain View School Division - $75,400
  •  Sage Room – Working toward self-regulation at MacKenzie Middle School, Mountain View School Division - $147,092
  •  Take care of students and staff, Park West School Division - $139,900
  •  Improving student well-being by focusing on language and literacy skills at École South Pointe School and École Van Walleghem School, Pembina Trails School Division - $62,000
  •  Integrated high school at Institut Collégial Vincent Massey Collegiate, Pembina Trails School Division - $42,000 
  •  Up-regulation space and down-regulation sensory space supports at École R.H.G. Bonnycastle School, Pembina Trails School Division - $58,174
  •  Promoting healthy living at Linden Meadows School, Pembina Trails School Division - $120,000
  •  Creating space for Mamàhtawisiwin, reconciliation and mental health at Westdale School, Pembina Trails School Division - $109,000
  •  Cultural, wellness resource centre at William Morton Collegiate Institute, Pine Creek School Division - $62,000
  •  Prairie Rose divisional mental health initiative: Sources of Strength, Prairie Rose School Division - $86,050
  •  No child left inside: Land-based learning to nurture student well-being and community belonging at Donwood School, River East Transcona School Division - $146,934
  •  Nature-based pedagogy and mental health at Rivers Elementary, Rolling River School Division -$112,000
  •  Dialectical behaviour therapy skills group for middle years students, Seine River School Division - $60,250
  •  Promoting climate resiliency and student mental health at H.C. Avery, Seven Oaks School Division - $70,000
  •  Indigenous youth developing mental wellness through the teachings of Mino pimatisiwin, the Good Life, Seven Oaks School Division - $50,000
  •  After-school music program, Seven Oaks School Division - $140,000
  •  Wellness and well-being initiative: Infusing the 5Ts for mental-health education in schools at Jameswood Alternative School, St. James-Assiniboia School Division - $48,000
  •  Therapeutic learning centre at Benito School, Swan Valley School Division - $50,400
  •  Creating therapeutic schools, Swan Valley School Division - $150,000
  •  Culturally inclusive mental-health toolkit at Isaac Brock School, Winnipeg School Division - $79,647
  •  Fostering power and agency through literacy at John M. King School, Winnipeg School Division - $83,000
  •  Implementing Wahkohtowin at Elmwood High School, Winnipeg School Division - $68,186
  •  Supporting the social-emotional needs of students at John M. King School, Winnipeg School Division - $150,000  Wellness and the arts: A collaborative pilot course at École Secondaire Kelvin High School, Winnipeg School Division - $70,842