CASA Classroom Launching at École Lacombe Junior High in 2025–26

Wolf Creek Public Schools is proud to announce that a CASA Classroom will be opening at École Lacombe Junior High School (ELJHS) starting in August 2025. This marks a significant step forward in supporting student mental health right here in our school division.

What is a CASA Classroom?

A CASA Classroom is a five-month, school-based mental health program for up to 12 students in Grades 5–8 (with possible flexibility for Grade 4 or 9). It is designed to provide intensive mental health intervention alongside academic instruction in literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning.

Students are referred through their home school and, if selected, spend a semester receiving therapeutic and academic support from a dedicated team that includes:

• A certified teacher
  
  
• A mental health therapist
  
  
• A therapy support assistant
  
  
• And access to psychiatry, psychology, pediatrics, and other allied health services
  
  

Depending on each student’s progress and needs, they may also participate in regular school activities, such as option classes, sports teams, or clubs.

Why ELJHS?

Lacombe was selected by CASA Mental Health as the ideal location for the program within Wolf Creek, thanks to its central accessibility and distance from other CASA locations in Red Deer and Wetaskiwin. This means more local students will be able to access critical mental health supports without needing to leave their community.

What This Means for Wolf Creek

This is a powerful opportunity to:

• Support students with complex mental health needs
  
  
• Build mental health capacity across WCPS schools through staff training and collaboration
  
  
• Provide a structured, supported transition back to students' home schools after their semester in the program
  
  
• Ensure earlier, proactive intervention that can reduce the need for hospital or crisis-level care
  
  

The CASA Classroom is more than a classroom — it’s a new bridge between wellness, learning, and belonging.

Enrollment Details

For the Fall 2025 semester, the CASA Classroom will serve 100% Wolf Creek students.
In future semesters, Wolf Creek students will continue to receive priority placement when there is equal fit and need across potential candidates.

Intake Information

The intake process will begin in spring 2025, with initial coordination through WCPS and final screening and consultation by CASA Mental Health.

More details about the intake process will be shared with schools and families in the months ahead.

For more information about CASA Mental Health and CASA Classrooms, visit:
https://casamentalhealth.org/casa-classrooms