Prairie Rose Public Schools News Archive

<p>Additional information can be found in the November 25, 2025, Board Meeting Agenda package: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/november-25-2025-public-board-meeting-20251124160216">https://www.myprps.com/news/november-25-2025-public-board-meeting-20251124160216</a></p><p>------</p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><p><i>Yuill School of Agriculture:&nbsp;</i>Assistant Superintendent Boyd Craven shared that the extended mild fall weather has allowed work to begin on preparing the land for the new Yuill School of Agriculture building. He also noted that discussions are underway with Medicine Hat College and SAIT to develop dual credit opportunities connected to the new high school agriculture program.</p><p><strong>2024-2025 Audited Financial Statement Approval</strong></p><p>The Board reviewed and approved the audited financial statements for the 2024-2025 school year, which show that the division remains in a strong and stable financial position. The audit, completed by MNP LLP, provided a clean opinion, confirming that the statements are accurate and follow all required public sector accounting standards. Total revenues for the year reached $63.44 million, with increases in provincial funding, school fees, and community donations.</p><p>Expenses for the year totaled $62.86 million, reflecting the full cost of operating schools across the division. Most of these dollars supported classroom learning, with $45.59 million spent on instruction from early childhood through Grade 12. Student transportation, which ensures students can travel safely to and from school each day, totaled $7.63 million. Another $7.21 million was used for operations and maintenance to keep school buildings running. System administration accounted for $2.36 million, and $77,096 supported external services.</p><p>The division ended the year with an annual surplus of $580,624, helping strengthen overall financial stability. Cash balances across the division and schools increased to $10.78 million, and total capital assets reached $48.2 million, reflecting continued investment in buildings, equipment, and learning environments.</p><p>Overall, the audit confirms that Prairie Rose is financially responsible, stable, and well positioned to continue supporting students, staff, and schools.</p><p><strong>Redcliff Building Name Change and New School Code</strong></p><p>The board approved a new school name and requested a new school code for the CASA Mental Health Program launching in February 2026. The classroom will be located in the Redcliff Mennonite Alternative Program building, which will be renamed The Link as part of the new CASA program.</p><p><strong>Other Items:</strong></p><ul><li>Trustees provided a brief update on their attendance at the recent Public School Boards Association and Alberta School Boards Association meetings. The events included professional development sessions, a fireside conversation with the Minister of Education, and elections for provincial committees. Trustees appreciated the opportunity to connect with colleagues and bring relevant insights back to support division work.</li></ul>

<p>The next Prairie Rose Public Schools board meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at the PRPS Division Office in Dunmore <strong>starting at 12:45 p.m.&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Board Meeting Agenda Package: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1md6XaqFChEF_SsZ-FgsQ1dNRYtBVsY-n/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1md6XaqFChEF_SsZ-FgsQ1dNRYtBVsY-n/view?usp=drive_link</a></p>

<p>This week Prairie Rose Public Schools had the chance to turn an unexpected discovery into a golden learning opportunity. A Medicine Hat resident spotted a honey bee hive 🌱🐝💛 in a very unusual spot. These were not native bees, but the hardy farm friendly kind often found around pastures and fields across Southeastern Alberta.</p><p>What made this hive especially buzzworthy was the way the bees built it. Instead of choosing a cozy hollow tree, shed, or grainery, the colony created a large exposed nest in a place where hives like this are rarely seen. It seems they were not pleased with their former home and decided to bee-gone and start fresh. It is incredibly rare to witness bees rebuild like this, especially out in the open.</p><p>With temperatures dipping, time was of the essence. Bees need a protected space, a steady food source, and an insulated environment to form a winter nucleus. During winter the colony gathers around the queen and vibrates to keep her at a steady twenty five degrees. Talk about a natural heater.</p><p>In coordination with the City of Medicine Hat Parks and Recreation Department, the hive was carefully located, collected, and transported to Neubauer Farms. A very special thank you goes to Stella Sehn and Sheldon Hill, our long standing partners in the Prairie Rose Honey Program. Their expertise, quick action, and ongoing commitment to PRPS made this entire rescue possible.</p><p>The hive is now settling in with the rest of the Prairie Rose Honey colonies until their future home at the new Yuill School of Agriculture is ready.</p><p>This bee adventure is more than a rescue. It is an early preview of how PRPS students will learn to grow, protect, and strengthen the agriculture community in Southeastern Alberta. Real experiences, real ecosystems, real stewardship.</p>

<p><i>Credit: George Lee, The Macleod Gazette, Local Journalism Initiative</i><br><i>Published: November 2, 2025</i></p><p>A multi-billion-dollar Alberta industry with rural roots – literally and figuratively – will reap the benefits of a new educational champion in Cypress county, the legislature heard last week.</p><p>The Yuill School of Agriculture will give high school students “the knowledge, skills and hands-on training they need to thrive in one of Alberta’s most cherished and essential industries,” Justin Wright said.</p><p>The collegiate school’s development “marks a significant milestone for public education and opportunity in southeastern Alberta,” said Wright, the UCP member for Cypress-Medicine Hat and the parliamentary secretary for rural health, south.</p><p>Construction is set to start next spring on 76 acres of land just southeast of Medicine Hat on the south side of the Trans-Canada Highway. Opening of the school is slated for the fall of 2027.</p><p>A Prairie Rose Public Schools news release says the school for grades 10-12 “marks an important step forward in advancing agricultural education and workforce development in Alberta, combining industry partnerships, community collaboration and innovative learning opportunities for students.”</p><p>Support from the Alberta government includes $725,000 towards start-up expenses. The Yuill Family Foundation donated land worth about $1 million and $600,000 towards construction. In partnership with Neubauer Farms, Prairie Rose will operate the school.</p><p>Students will be able to earn certifications, complete dual-credit courses and gain practical experience in crop and livestock management, agri-business, greenhouse operations, agricultural technology and other areas of the industry, says the school division release.&nbsp;</p><p>Neubauer Farms and the school division will work together on the school’s design and curriculum “to balance academic learning with industry-relevant experience.”</p><p>Wright told the legislature: “Agriculture is more than just an industry in Alberta. It’s the heart and soul of our province. It’s where our values, culture and entrepreneurial spirit were born. It’s a force that has shaped the resilient and tight-knit communities we proudly call home.”</p><p>He continued: “With the creation of the Yuill School of Agriculture, we’re investing in future generations who will carry forward Alberta’s proud legacy of agriculture.”</p><p>The Yuill family has a storied history in and beyond Medicine Hat, going back to the development of the clay pottery industry in the earlier 1900s. The establishment of CHAT-AM and CHAT-TV in the 1940s and 1950s foreshadowed the Yuills’ advancement of cable broadcasting.</p><p>The family is also big in sports franchise ownership and league development, including the ownership of the Medicine Hat A’s, a farm team of the Oakland A’s. It became the Medicine Hat Blue Jays and operated for 25 seasons as an affiliate of the (not this year) World Series-winning Toronto Blue Jays.</p><p>Since its founding in 2007, the Yuill Family Foundation has put more than $9 million worth of philanthropy towards capital projects and programs.</p><p>For new collegiate schools, Alberta’s 2025 budget included $22 million in start-up funding over three years and $43 million in capital supports.</p><p>The province’s website says that collegiate schools “bring together students with similar interests to benefit from enriched programming, specialized facilities and enhanced learning opportunities through a unique delivery model.”</p><p>Collegiate schools provide “a clear pathway” into post-secondary education and careers in students’ chosen fields, the site says. Eligible are public and accredited private schools that meet program criteria.</p><p>Agriculture and the agri-food industry contributed about &nbsp;$10.3 billion to Alberta’s GDP in 2023 and employed more than 83,000 people, published sources say.</p><p>Wright concluded: “The is more than just a school. It’s a promise to our youth, our province, and our future.”</p>

<p>The Prairie Rose Public Schools Board of Trustees held its annual Organizational Meeting, where trustees selected the Board Chair and Vice Chair for the upcoming year. During the meeting, all members of the Board were sworn into their new or returning positions by the Returning Officer. The Organizational Meeting was followed by a Special Board Meeting to address current division matters and upcoming priorities.</p><p>Link to the Organizational Meeting Agenda: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FWss0nGIzM2a1vw2hxFsfHYYuIJrwR35/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FWss0nGIzM2a1vw2hxFsfHYYuIJrwR35/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>-----</p><h3><strong>Organizational Meeting</strong></h3><p>Each fall the board of trustees elects a new or returning board chair, vice-chair and other key board representative positions. In addition to their regular duties, the following trustees will represent and attend events on behalf of Prairie Rose Public Schools during the 2025-2026 year:</p><p>✔️ Patty Rooks, Board Chair<br>✔️ Pam Cursons, Vice-Chair<br>✔️ Representative for the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) - Pam Cursons<br>✔️ ASBA Alternate - Nancy Haraga<br>✔️ Representative for the Public School Boards Association (PSBA) - Janel Vossler<br>✔️ PSBAA Alternate - Graeme Dennis<br>✔️ Teachers Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) - Pam Cursons<br>✔️ Representative on the Rural Caucus of Alberta - Patty Rooks</p><h3><strong>Special Board Meeting</strong></h3><p><strong>PRPS Division Calendar</strong></p><p>The Prairie Rose Public Schools Board of Trustees approved modifications to the 2025-2026 school year calendar, changing the two November professional development days (November 7 and November 10) to instructional days for students. Trustees expressed that boards have not yet been advised whether there will be any adjustments or accommodations to student assessments as a result of the strike. It was noted that recovering some of the lost instructional time is particularly important at the high school level, where schools operate on semesters. The Board approved the changes with the understanding that further adjustments may be made once additional information is provided by Alberta Education. <a href="https://www.myprps.com/calendar">www.myprps.com/calendar</a></p>

<p><strong>Subject: Return to Classes – October 29, 2025</strong></p><p>Good afternoon PRPS families,</p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools is sharing an important update regarding the return to classes following recent labour action. Students will return to class on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, and school buses will be running on their regular schedules.</p><p><strong>School Calendar Adjustments</strong><br>To help recover instructional time lost during the labour disruption, the Board of Trustees has approved adjustments to the school calendar. The two previously scheduled SI/PD Days on November 7 and November 10 will now become regular in-class learning days for students. Remembrance Day (November 11) will remain a statutory holiday, and schools will be closed on that day.</p><p>We understand that some parents and guardians may have already made plans for these dates. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we work to support students in re-establishing routines and regaining valuable learning time. If your child is unable to attend on these added instructional days, please contact your school directly.</p><p><strong>Fees, Assessments, Activities, Events, etc.</strong><br>We know parents will have questions related to several non-instructional related items, including fees that have been paid, grades and exam accommodations, extracurricular activities, cancelled events, etc. While we do not currently have all the answers, we will be working closely with school staff to review each situation and determine the best path forward. As more information becomes available, updates will be shared with impacted families.</p><p><strong>Next Steps</strong><br>The past month has not been easy for our staff, students, or families. We want to sincerely thank everyone for their patience, cooperation, and support during this time. As operations resume, we ask for continued compassion and understanding—recognizing that not everyone will return with the same feelings or experiences.</p><p>Our shared priority remains clear: helping students get back on track, re-engaged with their learning, and reconnected with their peers and school communities.</p><p>Thank you for your partnership and understanding as we return to regular school operations.</p><p>Sincerely,</p><p>Patty Rooks<br>Board Chair, Prairie Rose Public Schools</p><p>Reagan Weeks<br>Superintendent, Prairie Rose Public Schools</p>

<p>Additional information can be found in the October 14, 2025, Board Meeting Agenda package: &nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13tAhNvkeBwe6pkPs_l1UJfHcInc01IbK/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/13tAhNvkeBwe6pkPs_l1UJfHcInc01IbK/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>-----</p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><p>With labour action continuing across the province, all Prairie Rose support staff remain on duty. Educational assistants and school-based staff are completing training, professional learning, and school improvement projects. Bus drivers are also engaged in driver safety refreshers, first aid updates, and bus maintenance checks.</p><p><strong>Enrollment Update</strong></p><p>Chief Financial Officer Ryan Boser reported that Prairie Rose continues to see steady enrollment growth, marking the sixth straight year of increases. As of September 29, the division serves 5,158 students from kindergarten to grade 12, an increase of 128 full time equivalent students from last year. This represents a 2.5 percent overall rise and more than 12 percent growth since 2018.</p><p>About 93 percent of Prairie Rose students live within the division’s boundaries. The number of students choosing Prairie Rose schools from outside the division now nearly equals those who leave for other systems, showing the strong appeal of Prairie Rose’s specialized programs. Over the past decade, the number of local students attending other divisions has dropped by more than 60 percent.</p><p>Even with this growth, class sizes remain small and consistent with Alberta Commission on Learning guidelines. Division averages consist of the following:</p><p>○ Primary (grades 1-3) 14.6<br>○ Elementary (grades 4-6) 15.2<br>○ Junior (grades 7-9) 17.8<br>○ Senior (grades 10-12) 18.4</p><p>These numbers reflect Prairie Rose’s ongoing commitment to maintaining personal, student focused learning environments.</p><p><strong>Prairie Rose Division Complexity</strong></p><p>Director of Student Experiences Lisa Lindsay shared a report outlining the support Prairie Rose has put in place for students with complex needs. Funding in this area has grown substantially, rising to 3.34 million dollars this year, an increase of more than 1.3 million compared to 2023 to 2024.&nbsp;</p><p>This investment supports a team of over 130 educational assistants, along with learning support teachers, wellness counsellors, psychologists, and therapy staff who work directly with students in classrooms. New partnerships have also doubled occupational therapy access, helping to meet the needs of students with low vision, hearing challenges, and other specialized supports.</p><p>Prairie Rose continues to explore creative approaches that build confidence and emotional regulation, including hippotherapy, the Prairie Rose Honey program, canine support teams, and the Back on Track restorative program. Two major initiatives are also underway, with the CASA Classroom opening in February 2025 and a Behaviour Support Program planned for 2026.</p><p><strong>Yuill School of Agriculture Groundbreaking</strong></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools will be holding a groundbreaking event (October 14 @ 2 PM) to announce the creation of the Yuill School of Agriculture, a new learning opportunity made possible through the generosity of the Yuill Family Foundation, the Government of Alberta, and in partnership with Neubauer Farms. Set to open in 2027, the Yuill School of Agriculture will provide students with hands-on, real world learning experiences that connect classroom education to careers in agriculture, business, and technology. Read the full story: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/yuill-school-of-agriculture-to-strengthen-education-innovation-and-alberta-s-agri-food-future-20251014144559">https://www.myprps.com/news/yuill-school-of-agriculture-to-strengthen-education-innovation-and-alberta-s-agri-food-future-20251014144559</a></p><p><strong>Out of Country Field Trip Approvals</strong></p><p>The Board approved several international travel experiences for students this year:</p><ol><li><strong>South Alberta Flight Academy – Texas Flight Training</strong><br>Students will head to Texas in February 2026 for advanced flight training. The trip will include simulator work, aircraft maintenance demonstrations, and flying time at a professional aviation facility. Participants will also visit the historic NASA Johnson Space Center and local aviation museums.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Eagle Butte High School – Greece and Italy Adventure</strong><br>Set for April 2–11, 2026, this 10-day trip will take students through Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos, before crossing into Rome. The group will tour the Acropolis, ancient marketplaces, and historic cathedrals, as well as enjoy cultural experiences such as traditional Greek dining and a cruise through the Aegean Sea.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Foremost School – Discovering Italy</strong><br>Students will explore Venice, Florence, Pisa, and Rome from May 19–28, 2026. The trip includes gondola rides through Venice’s canals, visits to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum, and time in Tuscany’s countryside. It’s designed to immerse students in art, culture, and history while strengthening friendships and independence.</li></ol><p><strong>Commendations</strong></p><p>The Board thanked outgoing trustees Cathy Hogg and Shauna Vanderspruit for their combined 16 years of dedicated service to Prairie Rose. Both have been strong advocates for students, always considering how each decision would benefit children and families across the division. Cathy Hogg served as trustee for Ward 2, representing Schuler, Irvine, and Cypress County from 2013 to 2025, while Shauna Vanderspruit represented Ward 3, serving the communities of Redcliff and Dunmore since 2021.</p>

<p><strong>Cypress County, AB -</strong>&nbsp;A new era of agricultural learning is taking root in Southern Alberta as Prairie Rose Public Schools announces the creation of the Yuill School of Agriculture, an innovative partnership designed to cultivate hands-on learning and community growth.</p><p>Set to open in the fall of 2027, the new school will serve students in Grades 10 through 12, offering a comprehensive program that blends classroom instruction with real-world agricultural experience. Operating under Prairie Rose Public Schools in partnership with Neubauer Farms, the initiative builds on a shared commitment to developing the next generation of agricultural leaders.</p><p>Construction is expected to begin in spring 2026, supported by a collaborative investment from the Yuill Family Foundation, the Government of Alberta, and Prairie Rose Public Schools.</p><p>Reflecting the Foundation’s strong values of education, youth development, and community growth, the Yuill Family Foundation has donated land valued at approximately $1.03 million, along with an additional $600,000 toward construction of the facility. This significant contribution demonstrates a continued commitment to strengthening opportunities for young people and communities across Southern Alberta.</p><blockquote><p>“The Yuill Family Foundation is incredibly proud of our partnership with Prairie Rose Public Schools and the creation of the Yuill School of Agriculture,” says Cori Cuthbertson, Administrator for the Yuill Family Foundation. “Together, we are fostering hands-on-learning opportunities that connect students to the land, their community, and the vital role of agriculture in our future.”</p></blockquote><p>Support from the Government of Alberta includes $725,000 in collegiate funding to assist with start-up expenses. This investment will provide students with access to high quality learning environments and pathways into Alberta’s expanding agri-food industries.</p><blockquote><p>“This investment reflects our commitment to hands-on, career-connected learning that prepares students for the future,” says Cypress Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright. “Programs like the Yuill School of Agriculture strengthen local communities and help ensure the next generation of Albertans are ready to lead in one of our province’s most important industries.”</p></blockquote><p>Students enrolled in the program will have opportunities to earn certifications, complete dual credit courses, and gain practical experience in areas such as crop and livestock management, agri-business, greenhouse operations, and agricultural technology. The school’s design and curriculum are being developed collaboratively by Prairie Rose Public Schools and Neubauer Farms to balance academic learning with industry-relevant experience.</p><blockquote><p>“This project is about creating meaningful connections between learning and real-world application,” says Prairie Rose Superintendent of Schools Reagan Weeks. “The Yuill School of Agriculture will provide students with the chance to explore the science, business, and technology behind modern agriculture while helping sustain the values that have long defined rural Alberta.”</p></blockquote><p>The Yuill School of Agriculture marks an important step forward in advancing agricultural education and workforce development in Alberta, combining industry partnerships, community collaboration, and innovative learning opportunities for students.</p><p>-------</p><p><strong>Background Information About the Partners</strong></p><p><strong>About the Yuill Family Foundation (</strong><a href="http://yuillfamilyfoundation.ca">yuillfamilyfoundation.ca</a><strong>)</strong><br>The Yuill Family Foundation supports initiatives in health, education, youth sports, and community development throughout Medicine Hat, Southern Alberta, Western Canada, and across Canada. Guided by the belief that change is achieved through vision, leadership, and hard work, the Foundation is committed to supporting organizations that create positive, lasting impact.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>About Alberta Education (</strong><a href="http://alberta.ca/collegiate-schools">alberta.ca/collegiate-schools</a><strong>)</strong><br>Alberta Education is committed to providing students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to succeed in an ever-changing world. Through the Collegiate Programming Initiative, the Government of Alberta is helping school divisions expand opportunities for students in Grades 7–12 to explore career pathways that connect directly to post-secondary programs and in-demand industries.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>About Prairie Rose Public Schools (</strong><a href="http://myprps.com">myprps.com</a><strong>)</strong><br>Prairie Rose Public Schools serves approximately 6,600 students across southern Alberta. The division is deeply rooted in community and dedicated to providing high quality education that reflects rural values. The school division fosters a culture of connection and opportunity where students are encouraged to explore their passions, pursue their goals, and engage in meaningful, real-world learning.</p><p><strong>About Neubauer Farms (</strong><a href="http://neubauerfarms.ca">neubauerfarms.ca</a><strong>)</strong><br>Neubauer Farms, owned and operated by Mark and Nichole Neubauer, is a mixed farming operation near Medicine Hat. Neubauer Farms also operates the Agriculture Discovery Centre at Irvine School, a student-led agricultural education initiative for kindergarten to Grade 9 students within Prairie Rose Public Schools. In addition, the farm hosts the <i>Growing Minds</i> program, which has welcomed nearly 20,000 students to learn where their food comes from.</p>

<p>The next Prairie Rose Public Schools board meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the PRPS Division Office in Dunmore <strong>starting at 10:00 a.m.&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Board Meeting Agenda Package: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13tAhNvkeBwe6pkPs_l1UJfHcInc01IbK/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/13tAhNvkeBwe6pkPs_l1UJfHcInc01IbK/view?usp=drive_link</a></p>

<p><i>Featured: The team from Western Tractor pose with trustee Graeme Dennis after receiving the Community Champion Award.</i></p><p><i>------</i></p><p>Prairie Rose School Division came together this week to celebrate its community champions, organizations and individuals whose dedication and support continue to shape education from kindergarten to grade 12.</p><p>Board trustee Shauna VanderSpruit opened the celebration by sharing how these partnerships strengthen the division. “Education is not the work of just the school alone,” she said. “It is the work of an entire community that believes in its young people. These partnerships truly set us apart as a school division. They ignite minds, forge futures, and kindle hearts.”</p><p>That community spirit is clear in the work of the Bow Island Fire Department. Fire Chief Blaine O'Donnell recalled how their fire academy began. “The superintendent asked if we'd be interested in starting a fire academy, and our members were all gung-ho. This is our second year, and we're enjoying it immensely.” For O’Donnell, the program is about more than training. “It's the future of our town. Hopefully, some of them will stay in our town and become volunteer firefighters. That's our goal, and to make them better people.”</p><p>Cypress County Fire Manager Jason Linton agreed, pointing out that firefighting teaches students much more than technical skills. “Firefighting is such a team effort, but there is a classroom aspect to it by really working closely as a team, working with your peers, working with all different agencies, really just life skills and helping them grow at a very, very young age.” He added that those lessons prepare students to transition into the workforce and contribute meaningfully to their communities.</p><p>Beyond emergency services, local businesses also play a key role in shaping students’ futures. At Deerview Meats, co-owner Perry Deering has seen first-hand how hands-on learning transforms young people. “We focus on teamwork, responsibility, and industry-specific training,” he explained. “Many of our former students have moved on to provincial and federal careers. Working in a group setting makes that person feel like they're just part of a big adult setting, and that's part of the growth.”</p><p>Western Tractor in Medicine Hat also opens doors for students, encouraging them to see the bigger picture of agriculture. “Many students would leave this area and not come back to farm and be a part of something,” said Scott Hershmiller. “We see it where a lot of people were unaware of some of the things we do in our industry. It puts a smile on our face to see these kids succeed and come back and ask questions.”</p><p>For Hershmiller, the message is clear: agriculture is about much more than farming. “It’s technology, it’s engineering, it’s accounting,” he said. “We want students to see there’s a future here.”</p><p>That same belief guided Craig Lehr of Short Grass Ranches, who first became involved by donating cattle for a school beef project. “Initially, we were just asked to donate some steers for the beef project at Irvine School, and we thought it was a great opportunity. But quickly, it became clear this was about mentorship, education, and showing students that agriculture offers diverse and rewarding opportunities.”</p><p>Lehr hopes programs like these inspire students to explore a wide range of career paths. “We employ multiple people on our operation, and it's getting harder and harder to find qualified people who want to be in primary agriculture production. Programs like this can help bring people in and show there’s opportunity here. Even if it's not the direct primary production of beef, maybe if they have the introduction in primary production, they learn more about other aspects, being a nutritionist, working in processing, or marketing. I hope they broaden their horizons on what agriculture entails.”</p><p>As VanderSpruit reminded the crowd, these champions make a lasting difference. “These programs remind us that education is a community effort,” she said. “They ignite minds, forge futures, and inspire our students to achieve their best.”</p><p>The full list of award winners can be found here: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/prairie-rose-board-recognizes-community-champions-for-education-20250923214012">https://www.myprps.com/news/prairie-rose-board-recognizes-community-champions-for-education-20250923214012</a></p>

<p>The Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) Board of Trustees gathered with staff and community partners at Desert Blume Golf Course on September 23, 2025, to celebrate organizations whose support has made a lasting difference for students across the division. Five honourees were recognized for their significant and sustained contributions to education, each aligning with PRPS’s three guiding goals: <strong>Ignite Minds</strong>, <strong>Forge Futures</strong>, and <strong>Kindle Hearts</strong>.</p><p><i>“These organizations demonstrate the true power of community partnerships,” said Trustee Shauna VanderSpruit. “Their generosity, mentorship, and innovation are shaping opportunities for students today while opening doors for tomorrow.”</i></p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><h3><img class="image_resized" style="width:35.08%;" src="/images/d764d996-4bc6-4a96-8b7a-e63b4768b83c" alt="Shortgrass Ranches IMAGE"></h3><h3>Short Grass Ranches</h3><p>Short Grass Ranches, led by Craig Lehr, has been a driving force behind Irvine School’s Agriculture Discovery Centre. Over the years, the Lehr family has donated six home-raised steers with a value of approximately $13,000 to fuel hands-on agricultural learning and generate funds for program expansion. This past year, Craig visited classrooms, shared his expertise on feedlot management, and welcomed students to the Short Grass facility. There, students selected livestock for projects and gained first-hand knowledge of low-stress cattle handling systems. His approachable mentorship inspired students to quote him in their final presentations, a clear sign of the impact he has had on their learning and career aspirations.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><h3><img class="image_resized" style="width:35.01%;" src="/images/5e29e5bd-9eb1-46e5-8de4-0cd928536455" alt="Cypress Fire IMAGE"><img class="image_resized" style="width:35.02%;" src="/images/8d2bb8eb-dad4-4829-9edb-427e18679908" alt="BI Fire IMAGE"></h3><h3>Cypress County Fire Services and Bow Island Emergency Services</h3><p>The South Alberta Fire Academy, one of PRPS’s most innovative career pathway programs, owes much of its success to the vision and commitment of Cypress County Fire Services and Bow Island Emergency Services. By working alongside PRPS, they have created an authentic training environment where high school students gain certifications, build confidence, and prepare for futures in emergency response. Students have learned directly from active-duty firefighters, engaged in live fire simulations, and experienced what it means to step into a role of service. This partnership has strengthened student learning while also providing a critical bridge between education and industry.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><h3><img class="image_resized" style="width:35.01%;" src="/images/cfb2c800-696a-455d-8217-ff285177aaf5" alt="Deerview Mts IMAGE"></h3><h3>Deerview Meats</h3><p>Community spirit and resilience define the contributions of Perry and Chris Deering of Deerview Meats. Since founding the business in 2006, Perry has persevered through challenges, including a devastating flood, to build a thriving business rooted in generosity. Through tours, product donations, and support for events, Deerview Meats has influenced countless students across the division. Their involvement in agriculture and 4-H has provided students with opportunities to connect classroom learning to real-world practice. By hosting charitable events that benefit PRPS, Perry and Chris continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to education and community wellbeing.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><h3><img class="image_resized" style="width:35.01%;" src="/images/b0c3992c-7581-47f9-a953-f8c974be9385" alt="Western Tractor IMAGE"></h3><h3>Western Tractor</h3><p>Western Tractor has been an essential partner in the AgPro: Machinery and Technology program at Irvine School since 2023. Since the program started, hundreds of students have had the opportunity to learn about sales, service, and operations in agricultural machinery directly from Western Tractor staff. Students explore career pathways while gaining hands-on experience with the latest technology driving modern agriculture. Each year, the company refines and improves its involvement to ensure the program continues to evolve. Their dedication to student success is a strong example of how industry and education can work together to provide meaningful learning that ignites curiosity and fosters career readiness.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>The PRPS Board of Trustees extends sincere gratitude to these organizations for their outstanding contributions. Their leadership and commitment reflect the heart of Prairie Rose’s vision to <strong>Kindle Hearts, Ignite Minds, and Forge Futures</strong>, ensuring students have the support, opportunities, and inspiration they need to succeed.</p>

<p>The Desert Blume Golf Course was alive with community spirit on September 11 as golfers, sponsors, and supporters gathered for the inaugural Yuill Family Foundation Golf Classic. The event combined a premier day of golf with generosity and purpose, raising funds for two organizations making a significant impact in southern Alberta: Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) and the Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation (WCPHS).</p><p>The Golf Classic marked the first major fundraising tournament for the Yuill Family Foundation, with organizers emphasizing their commitment to supporting programs that build opportunity and strengthen communities.</p><p>For Cori Cuthbertson, administrator of the Yuill Family Foundation, Prairie Rose stood out as a natural partner for the Foundation’s first tournament. “The reason that we chose these two organizations today is that we really like the work that Prairie Rose is doing, and that they’re answering the call of what this community needs and what southeastern Alberta requires,” said Cuthbertson. “We like that the kids are actually coming out of here with some real, tangible skills, and I think they’re making school fun again.”</p><p>Cuthbertson added that pairing Prairie Rose’s innovative academies with the hockey scouting community created a unique synergy. “With the hockey scouts, these are the guys that are seeing the up-and-coming players and also seeing some of the challenges they have. A lot of them are former Tigers, Calgary Flames, and others who know the value of sport in youth development. It just made sense to support both groups together this year.”</p><p>Members of the Yuill Foundation Advisory Committee echoed the excitement. Heather Lemeshuk, an advisory committee member, shared how impressed the board was after touring Prairie Rose’s academies. “We’ve had the pleasure of touring the collegiate building in Medicine Hat and looked at the aviation program, the Hockey Academy, and the Baseball Academy,” said Lemeshuk. “The board is just very excited that these kinds of programs are going on here in our city. Preparing students for future employment at the high school level is really an initiative that’s thinking outside the box, and we give great praise to the management of the school district.”</p><p>She emphasized that the Foundation, with its deep roots in Medicine Hat and surrounding rural areas, is proud to strengthen local education and community opportunities. “We’re very pleased to be a part of this community and strive to make it a better place for our citizens to live.”</p><p>For Prairie Rose School Division, the recognition carried special meaning. Superintendent Reagan Weeks expressed her gratitude for being chosen as one of the inaugural beneficiaries. “I feel so fortunate to be here today for what I think is going to be an annual golf tournament for the Yuill Foundation,” Weeks said. “Prairie Rose is one of the fortunate recipients from the proceeds of this tournament, and we are truly grateful for the Foundation’s belief in our students and programs.”</p><p>The proceeds from the event will support Prairie Rose’s growing suite of career-focused academies, including aviation, agriculture, hockey, baseball, fire, rodeo, and trades. Each of these programs is designed to provide students with real-world skills and pathways to success after graduation.</p><p>Alongside the fundraising, participants enjoyed the unique hospitality of the Golf Classic, with on-course activities, sponsor engagement, and the chance to connect with community leaders and special guests. The atmosphere at Desert Blume reflected the Foundation’s vision: a day that was about more than golf, built instead around generosity, connection, and long-term impact.</p><p>With the success of its inaugural year, the Yuill Family Foundation Golf Classic is already being seen as a new tradition for the region. By bringing together sport, education, and community, the Foundation is setting a strong precedent for future events.</p><p>For Prairie Rose, the day was not only about fundraising but also about recognition of the innovative programs students are engaged in every day. “This is about more than one event,” said Weeks. “It’s about believing in our students and their futures.”</p>

<p>Additional information can be found in the September 9, 2025, Board Meeting Agenda package: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/september-9-2025-public-board-meeting-20250908180233">https://www.myprps.com/news/september-9-2025-public-board-meeting-20250908180233</a></p><p>-----</p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Additional Grant Funding</strong>&nbsp;<br>The division received adjustments to its 2025/26 funding profile to reflect the transfer of Akram Jomaa and Omar Bin Al Khattab schools to the division. This includes an increase of $667,374 in System Administration Grant funding and $392,070 in Teacher Salary Settlement Grant funding, bringing the allocations to $3,223,806 and $1,280,520 respectively.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Dual Credit Grant Awards</strong><ul><li>Start-Up Grant: Prairie Rose has been awarded $50,000 to launch an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering dual credit program in partnership with SAIT.<br>&nbsp;</li><li>Enhancement Grant: The division also received $88,000 to expand apprenticeship pathways in the trades, including Automotive Service Technician, Carpenter, Electrician, Pipe Trades, Welder, and Power Engineering (in partnership with Medicine Hat College).<br>.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Ag Pro Series Expansion</strong>: The Ag Pro Series, a hands-on agricultural education program, will expand to Schuler and Foremost schools, joining Irvine, Senator Gershaw, and Seven Persons in offering the elective courses. Students will explore areas such as beef, crops, machinery, and beekeeping through field trips, industry connections, and project-based learning.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Prairie Rose Honey Program</strong>: Bee colonies established last spring produced a successful harvest of natural honey over the summer. Students will now take over hive care, with honey sales supporting program growth. The public can purchase one-pound jars of raw honey through<a href="https://prrdweb.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/27699/70/False/True">&nbsp;School Cash Online</a>, with pick-up at the Division Office in Dunmore.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Oyen Value Scoping Approval:</strong> Prairie Rose received news that the value scoping request, as part of the division’s Capital Plan submission, has been approved for Oyen schools. The value scoping process will include a comprehensive review of both Oyen Public School and South Central High School to determine what type of modernization or new facility would best suit the current and future needs of students in the region.</li></ul><p><strong>Financial Resolution</strong></p><p>Trustees approved the renewal of the annual ATB borrowing resolution, a precautionary measure providing up to $750,000 in short-term borrowing authority. While this option has never been used, it is renewed annually to ensure financial preparedness.</p><p><strong>Board Policy and Procedure Updates</strong></p><ul><li>Trustees reviewed and approved Board Policies 1–25 following a thorough review by the board policy committee. Updates ensure compliance with ministerial orders and streamline processes. Final formatted versions will be posted on the division website.<br>&nbsp;</li><li>Administrative procedures were updated for compliance with recent ministerial orders. Key areas include:<ul><li>At-Home Learning</li><li>Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Human Sexuality Topics</li><li>Selection and Review of Learning Materials</li><li>Challenged Learning Materials</li><li>Extra-Curricular Activities</li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>Commendations</strong></p><p>The Board recognized the following contributions across the division:</p><ul><li><strong>Prairie Rose Honey</strong>: Thanks to&nbsp;<i>Sheldon Hill</i> and&nbsp;<i>Stella Sehn</i> for their leadership and support in growing the program and providing trustees with a summer tour.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>South Central High School</strong>: Appreciation to maintenance staff for doing an incredible job of the washroom upgrades over the summer.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Rodeo Academy</strong>: Recognition to teacher&nbsp;<i>Brittany Komistek</i> for her exceptional mentorship and support of an out-of-province student, going above and beyond her role as teacher and program leader of the Foremost Rodeo Academy.</li></ul>

<p>The next Prairie Rose Public Schools board meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at the PRPS Division Office in Dunmore starting at 12:45 p.m.&nbsp;</p><p>Board Meeting Agenda Package: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OH02srd4nDhhJgUaNHitZSuWp9USYwtu/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OH02srd4nDhhJgUaNHitZSuWp9USYwtu/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Dunmore, AB</strong> - At a special public meeting held on August 25, 2025, the Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) Board of Trustees approved wage and benefit increases for non-unionized support staff and bus drivers, effective September 1, 2025.</p><p>The Board motions included the following:</p><ul><li>A 6% wage increase for non-unionized support staff.</li><li>A 3% wage increase for PRPS bus drivers.</li><li>An increase of $75 to the Health/Wellness Spending Account for non-unionized support staff.</li><li>A directive for administration to undertake a market wage grid review for non-unionized support staff to ensure wages remain comparable within the education sector.</li></ul><p>“The Board of Trustees recognizes the essential work of our support staff, whose contributions directly impact the success of our students,” says PRPS Board Chair Lois Bedwell. “Our decision reflects the importance of providing fair compensation, but also the need to remain competitive with other school divisions across Alberta. Attracting talent to work in our jurisdiction is a priority to ensure we have thriving and supported school environments.”</p><p>In addition to providing compensation for staff, PRPS has also prioritized support for students in classrooms. From 2022 to 2025, allocations for student support in schools increased from $2 million to nearly $3 million dollars. This number includes 114 Educational Assistants who work directly with students. Other added PRPS student directed supports include:</p><ul><li>Students who meet criteria for a severe behavioral code have one to one support.</li><li>Students with a severe medical code have at minimum 2:1 support.</li><li>A Resilience Strategist has been added to work with our most complex students and their families.</li><li>A designated Student Support Advocate works directly with students and families facing barriers to attendance.</li><li>The Student Wellness Counsellor (formerly FSLW) team has been increased by 0.2 FTE.</li><li>Occupational Therapy contracted hours have been doubled.</li><li>PRPS has partnered with the PALIX foundation to foster positive childhood experiences in our schools for all students using models such as the Brain Story and the Resilience Scale.</li></ul><p>These investments reflect the division’s commitment to ensuring students receive the support they need, while also highlighting the importance of retaining and attracting skilled staff through fair and competitive compensation. The approved support staff increases were built into the previously&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AC5yd1a6o7OFh__kythL8r0MuO7DzCLw/view">approved 2025–2026 operating budget</a>, which remains balanced. The decision also responds to the reality of rising costs of living in southeast Alberta and across the province, and aligns with compensation trends for education support staff in other Alberta school divisions.</p><p>For media inquiries:</p><p>Angela Baron<br>PRPS Director of Communications<br>403-527-5516 ext. 2319<br><i>communications@prrd8.ca</i></p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools is proud to announce that Cara Motz has accepted the position of Principal at I.F. Cox School in Redcliff, Alberta.</p><p>Cara brings a wealth of experience and a deep connection to the IF Cox community, having previously served as a classroom teacher, Inclusive Learning Teacher, and acting administrator at the school. She is known for a student centered leadership style and collaborative approach, with a strong background in inclusive education, early learning, and staff development.</p><p>In her current role as Student Experience Liaison for Prairie Rose Public Schools, Cara coordinates services and supports for students with complex needs, leads professional development, and supervises Educational Assistants across the division. Her experience also includes curriculum planning, instructional coaching, and overseeing early learning programming. Leadership roles at both urban and rural schools, including time as acting principal at Jenner School, have focused on building inclusive school cultures that support learning and belonging for all.</p><p>She holds a Master of Education in School Leadership and Administration from Gonzaga University, where she completed a thesis on self regulation strategies for engaging students in writing. Cara’s commitment to continuous professional growth is reflected in certifications in SIVA, VTRA, and trauma informed education, along with training in UFLI and structured literacy practices.</p><p>Please join us in congratulating Cara on this new role. The IF Cox School community will benefit from the experience, care, and dedication she brings to school leadership.</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools is pleased to announce that Lana Cross has accepted the position of Principal at Jenner School, a K to 9 school serving the community of Jenner and surrounding area.</p><p>With a wide range of experience in both elementary and junior high education, Lana brings a deep commitment to student engagement, inclusive learning, and school leadership. Currently teaching Language Arts and CTF Options at Parkside Junior High in Redcliff, she has also taught at Senator Gershaw School, Irvine School, and several others across the region. Her background includes leadership roles such as Home Economics Department Lead and organizer of various student activities and programs.</p><p>In addition to a Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University, Lana holds a Bachelor of Human Ecology from the University of Manitoba, and is currently pursuing a Master of Educational Leadership from the University of Alberta. Additional qualifications include certification under the Alberta Leadership Quality Standard and ongoing work toward the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard. Her professional learning reflects a strong focus on curriculum design, literacy, student wellness, and instructional leadership.</p><p>Known for creativity, organization, and a relationship centered leadership style, Lana is dedicated to building a positive and engaging school culture where all students feel connected, supported, and empowered to succeed. Her energy and passion for education will be a strong asset to the Jenner School community.&nbsp;</p><p>Please join us in congratulating Lana on this new role. We look forward to the experience, vision, and care she will bring as Principal of Jenner School.</p>

<p>In the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering shop within South Alberta Collegiate (SAC) magic happens in the form of airplane builds. All South Alberta Flight Academy students have scheduled time within their weekly schedules for plane builds but when the aircraft is nearing completion, instructor Harry Jaeger puts in extra time during the evenings and weekends to get the plane fly ready.&nbsp;</p><p>During plane build sessions, the atmosphere in the shop is calm with nothing rushed and all tasks completed at a measured pace. On the evening of May 26, Grade 11 students Claire Courty and Daxton Rieder joined Jaeger to continue with the finishing touches on the second student-built Vans RV12. The students worked on their own as much as possible, consulting with Jaeger when needed. The first task of the evening was to add the exhaust system to the engine and then Courty and Rieder spent the remaining time preparing the radiator and oil cooler by installing mounting brackets.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>When not needed by the students, Jaeger was trimming to fit the tail fairing and the stabilator – a stabilizer and elevator combined into one moving part – so they wouldn’t rub up against each other. All pieces for the RV12 come rough cut and require slight modifications at times to fit together.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By the evening of June 12, when 2025-26 incoming Flight Academy students and their parents attended a welcome barbeque at SAC and had a chance to tour the shop, the RV12 was nearing completion. Jaeger stated the plan is to continue with the fine details of engine installation and electrical hookups in addition to properly fitting the fibreglass pieces for the engine cowling, which covers the engine and provides the aerodynamic shape behind the propeller. Once the fibreglass pieces are fitted, Jaeger intends to paint them in the new teal Eagle Butte colours so there is an easy differentiation between the original RV12 aircraft and the second one.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The final step while the plane is at the shop will be to install the propeller before loading the aircraft on a trailer and transporting it in multiple trips to the hangar at the Medicine Hat Airport. Vans RV12 planes are designed to have the wings as removable components for ease of transportation. Once at the hangar, the wings will be reinstalled and ground testing will commence, which involves engine performance runs, calibration of all systems, taxi testing of all the systems, along with brake and steering tests at high speed.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“The use of a runway will be required for high-speed taxi testing, which will put the plane just below the threshold of flight,” explained Jaeger. “At that point, to confirm the aircraft handles properly, heavy braking is applied to ensure the aircraft can be controlled on the ground at high speeds.”&nbsp;</p><p>If no issues are encountered, the ground testing will take about a week. Even though the school year will be officially over, Flight Academy students will be invited to join Jaeger for ground testing if they are interested. Once the testing is complete, all access panels will be removed to prepare the RV12 for final inspection by the MDRA (Minister’s Delegate for Recreational Aircraft) where the plane should receive a temporary certificate for airworthiness.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I would like to be able to say the ground testing, final inspection and first flight will be completed towards the middle to end of July, weather permitting. It’s not something that can be rushed because if I think we are there, I realize there is something that isn’t quite the way it is supposed to be. We take no chances, we would rather take a delay than rush something through knowing it’s not going to be right,” concluded Jaeger.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>This year has brought new and exciting things to Prairie Rose School Division (PRSD), from building a new school in Redcliff, to putting Prairie Rose buses on the road and kicking off the first year of the new School of Trades. As the division continues to grow and evolve, of highest importance is always providing the best education for students while ensuring they arrive to school in a safe and timely manner. Superintendent Dr. Reagan Weeks feels fortunate to work with staff members who consistently go above and beyond for the students and families the division serves and continues to feel very fortunate to work with Prairie Rose.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The new Parkside School in Redcliff will be a replacement school for Grades 7 to 9. “We are thrilled about that,” stated Superintendent Dr. Reagan Weeks. “We’ve been moving along through the process and have awarded a contractor for the site assessment, which should be done soon. It’s really exciting as we think about the kind of school we are going to create to provide kids with an upgraded experience.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In discussion with the Redcliff community and staff members, areas of emphasis for the new school include ensuring there is space to meet the needs of students pursuing their CTF options courses, whether that be culinary, a shop, or a large open space for drones and robotics. Another important feature for both students and the community is gym space.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We are excited to partner with the Town of Redcliff to ensure we have the kind of facility that serves the needs of all community members. Our goal is to have the school built as soon as possible. With the accelerated program the Alberta Government has launched, we are hopeful we will be able to move much quicker because of that initiative,” said Weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Building an internal transportation company was not something Weeks anticipated PRSD having to do. “Rural transportation is very complicated,” explained Weeks, “we are travelling over one million, perhaps as close to two million, kilometers a year over roads that are rarely utilized and over vast differences. 29,000 square kilometers is a huge area to cover. When you take all those challenges into account, along with the priority that we have students arrive safely and in as timely manner as possible, we are pretty excited about how the year has gone.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>This year, PRSD was fortunate to secure enough drivers to bring all students to school and more buses have been ordered for next year to add additional routes. It’s been a massive undertaking for the division with a steep learning curve. Being responsive to parents and community members continues to be a high priority with feedback being used to design the best transportation system possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The new School of Trades was launched this year in partnership with Medicine Hat College. The program has received enthusiastic response from all communities PRSD serves, with students from Foremost School, Senator Gershaw School in Bow Island, South Central High School in Oyen and Eagle Butte High School in Dunmore taking part.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“The program has been transformational for many students and is already full for next year with a waiting list forming. The enthusiasm and support we’ve had has been fantastic and we are very grateful to our partner, Medicine Hat College, for creating the kind of experience students are really excited about,” stated Weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Additionally, there has been tremendous response from the business community to support the students in the program, which is critical for it to work. “It’s not a small commitment, because the students are still learning and the businesses have lots of work to accomplish themselves. We don’t take that for granted and are super grateful and thankful for the mentorship they’ve provided as we look forward to next steps,” said Weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools is pleased to announce that Sterling Hamilton has accepted the position of Vice-Principal at Parkside Junior High School in Redcliff starting the 2025/2026 school year.</p><p>Sterling brings with him a strong background in both instructional leadership and student-focused programming. He currently serves as the Physical Education Lead Teacher at Crescent Heights High School in Medicine Hat, where he has played a key role in outcome-based assessment, professional development planning, and supporting student wellness. His leadership has extended beyond the classroom through roles such as Wellness Champion, Teacher Welfare Committee Co-Chair, and regional representative for the Health and Physical Education Council.</p><p>Sterling holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education, graduating with honours in 2023. He also holds a Bachelor of Education with a major in Kinesiology and a minor in Social Studies from the University of Lethbridge. Notably, his teaching career began in part at Parkside Junior High during a practicum, where he taught multiple subjects including Math, Health, and Physical Education.</p><p>Sterling is known for working well with others and creating learning environments where all students feel included and supported. He has strong experience in coaching, adapting curriculum to meet student needs, using different assessment strategies, as well as building a positive school culture.</p><p>Please join us in congratulating Sterling on his appointment. We are excited to welcome him to the Parkside School community and look forward to the leadership, passion, and energy he will bring.</p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Redcliff, AB</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> - The Redcliff Scholarships for Advanced Education Committee is pleased to announce that Eagle Butte High School graduates Rhya Leipert and Lincoln Schow, Medicine Hat High School graduate Jordis Barabe, along with Monsignor McCoy High School graduate Millie Goldade are the recipients of the 2025 Redcliff Scholarship Awards. All four students will be attending post-secondary in the fall, with plans to pursue careers in medical sonography, education, nursing, and engineering. Each student will receive one of four 2025 Redcliff Scholarship Awards for $6,000 towards tuition costs for post-secondary studies.</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 350px; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/460e4f0f-aa03-4c06-8b26-d8d2ab553245" alt="MHHS Grad Photo" width="212" height="296" style="width:212px;height:296px"></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 350px; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Jordis Barabe (MHHS)</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, will be enrolling at NAIT to take courses towards pursuing a career as a Medical Sonographer.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"I understand that to be chosen for this scholarship is an amazing opportunity. This scholarship allows me to pursue a future in ultrasound technology, where hopefully I can return home and start a career."</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 350px; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/bccaf581-0dd0-4d91-b8f7-f3544c397dc9" alt="leipert rhya 151 873 9899 yc84 156" width="212" height="265" style="width:212px;height:265px"></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 350px; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Rhya Leipert (EBHS)</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, will be attending the Medicine Hat College with plans to pursue a degree in Nursing.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"I am hoping to specialize in autoimmune disorders and educate people on diabetes. I want to be someone who can help people in those situations and make diabetes care accessible for everyone who may need it.”</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 350px; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/4cf459de-566a-44fb-8ea6-48f4097f3b49" alt="schow lincoln 151 873 9105 xjf6 107" width="215" height="269" style="width:215px;height:269px"></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 350px; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Lincoln Schow (EBHS)</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, will be attending the University of Alberta to pursue an undergraduate degree in Engineering.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"I believe that I can truly make a difference in the world through my work, and use my engineering and mathematics skills, as well as my creativity to develop technology that will benefit citizens worldwide."</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 350px; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/c16cd099-04f4-4688-a100-eabc56b4f4f5" alt="Mccoy grad" width="216" height="335" style="width:216px;height:335px"></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 350px; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Millie Goldade (Monsignor McCoy)</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, will be starting her studies at the Medicine Hat College before transferring to the University of Lethbridge to pursue a career in Education.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"I will be pursuing a combined degree with a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Science. My plan is to become a high school physics teacher."</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“On behalf of the committee, I extend sincere congratulations to the four outstanding individuals selected as the 2025 recipients of the Redcliff Scholarships for Advanced Education,” says Scholarship Fund Administrator Pat Cocks. “With a record number of 11 applicants this year, it was no easy task to narrow it down. The recipients are pursuing a wide range of post-secondary paths, and we’re proud to support them as they take the next steps in their academic careers.”</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Redcliff Scholarships were established in 2002 and have been awarded to 58 students. The awards are possible thanks to two endowed scholarship funds, which were established and are sustained by ongoing contributions of Redcliff organizations, along with present and past Redcliff citizens. A third, Frank King Tribute Scholarship Fund, was announced in the spring of 2018 in memory of the late Frank King, while a fourth was added in November of 2020 to honour the legacy of former Redcliff resident David Jon Thomson.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you require further information, please contact Fund Administrator Pat Cocks at the number listed below.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Pat Cocks</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Redcliff Scholarship Fund Administrator</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">403-548-9784</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">---</span></p><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Terms of Reference for Scholarships</span></h3><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Redcliff Scholarship for Advanced Education</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> was launched at the Reunion of the 1944 Grade One Class held in September 2002. The aim was to create an endowed scholarship fund. Ongoing public contributions credited to this fund have been contributed by, or in tribute to, past and present citizens of Redcliff and by Redcliff organizations.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A second scholarship designated as the </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“For Four Friends Scholarship”</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> was established in the memory of the value of the lifelong Redcliff friendships of Jack Fairhurst, Ron Hodges, John Hudak and Gerald Berkhold. This second scholarship is administered parallel to the initial scholarship. It enabled two separate but equal scholarships to be awarded commencing in 2006.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In May 2018, a third award, the </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Frank King Tribute Scholarship</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, was made available through the generosity of the family and friends of Mr. King, a former resident of Redcliff and the Chair of the 1988 Calgary Olympic Games.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A fourth award was created in December 2020 by the family of </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">David Jon Thomson</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> to honour his legacy. Mr. Thomson grew up in Redcliff and was a well-known businessman and a lifelong supporter of higher education.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The scholarships are to support the brightest and most able Redcliff high school graduates to explore fully their potential. The scholarships have as priorities the student’s financial need and overall abilities. The award criteria include financial need, leadership and citizenship and academic merit, with preference to first year students. Priority will be given to applicants who have resided in Redcliff for the majority of their school years.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Payment of the scholarships are governed as follows:</span></p><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">There are four separate annual scholarships for tuition at an institution of advanced education to a maximum of $6,000 each.</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The $6,000 scholarship will be applied to the student’s tuition with two equal payments of $3,000 being sent directly to the post-secondary institution in mid-August and mid-December by Prairie Rose Public Schools.</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A scholarship award will be available for 18 months from the date of the award.</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Scholarship recipients may apply in subsequent years, but awards will be made with preference to first year students.</span></li></ul>

<p>Ryker Hollingsworth knew the race for valedictorian of Foremost School was close. He and another classmate, who Hollingsworth is good friends with, were unsure which of them would receive the top honour. “We’ve always been neck and neck. I think we were both trying pretty hard because we were competing with each other,” said Hollingsworth, who added his friend might be the lucky one because he doesn’t have to give a speech at graduation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>When asked what motivates him to get high grades, Hollingsworth said, “I push myself because I feel like I owe it to all the people around me who have helped me so much to do my best. I feel like if I didn’t try my best that it would be a waste of a good opportunity.”&nbsp;</p><p>Raised on the family farm near Etzikom, Hollingsworth is cognizant the transition to post-secondary education will be a significant one. He’s already been accepted into the engineering program at Lethbridge University.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I think one year closer to home will be better for the transition. It will be a big difference between here and the big city of Edmonton.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Having always been interested in mechanics, Hollingsworth is leaning toward mechanical engineering but knows this might change during his first year of studies and wants to keep his options open before making a final decision prior to his second year. He chose engineering because he would prefer to build new things rather than fixing what already exists.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>While he enjoys playing many sports, including volleyball and baseball, hockey is his first love and he’s been playing the game for as long as he can remember. “It’s the fast pace, in other sports you don’t really get that. The best memories you can make are in the dressing room and at away tournaments. It’s just so fun to be part of a team. I’ll miss it a lot,” concluded Hollingsworth.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prairie Rose School Division (PRSD) was fortunate to receive a Community Initiatives Program Project-Based Grant just prior to Christmas. The grant was used to purchase an LED media wall that was installed in the gymnasium at Eagle Butte High School (EBHS) during the Easter break in April. During May, staff were trained on how to use the media wall and by the time a division-wide professional development (PD) day was held on June 6, it was fully operational.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We’ve had the opportunity to have a district-wide PD-day so far and utilized the new screen to present all the information, particularly about our three-year strategic plan that is coming into effect next year,” said Vice-Principal and Athletic Director at EBHS Lyall Foran. “What I’ve noticed is that it is so much more engaging and easier to see. When we are trying to do any kind of visual presentation at the gym, it’s definitely better for us as it’s easily visible and catches everybody’s attention. One’s eyes are drawn to it as soon as they enter the gym and it’s a great feature to have.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>While all sports played in the gym are done for this academic year, Foran says there will be a series of spring and summer basketball camps along with open sessions for volleyball where the media wall will be utilized. “I am looking forward to seeing its potential put to use once we get into our volleyball season come fall,” stated Foran.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Dr. Reagan Weeks, Superintendent of PRPS, presented the three-year strategic plan at the division-wide PD-Day on June 6.&nbsp;</p><p>“One of the most exciting things about the screen, aside from the visual impact, is it can be seen clearly from every angle,” explained Weeks. “When there is a very large audience, one of the things that can always be challenging is the visuals are unable to be seen by everyone.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The media wall was used during the first session of the PD-day to present the process used by the executive team to create the new strategic plan. Following that, the strategic plan was unveiled, and those present were walked through all the next steps, goals, and dreams that are in place for the PRPS vision going forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s also something that is going to be used daily for students, everything from sports to showing highlight reels of students excelling. Additionally, the screen will be used during academic awards ceremonies and student assemblies. It offers the chance to celebrate in a visual, high impact way, and we feel very fortunate to have been a successful recipient of the Community Initiatives Program Project-Based Grant. It’s exciting for students to have the kind of facility that makes them feel like they are important and where they are able to showcase what they are doing,” concluded Weeks.</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools is expanding into honey production and education this year. Eleven bee hives are being established at Neubauer Farms with plans to establish hives at several schools next year. Ten bee packages recently arrived from New Zealand and were loaded into brood boxes on Saturday night, May 10th. The last hive was established using a swarm of bees master beekeeper Sheldon Hill rescued a week ago and donated to Prairie Rose Honey.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>It took four days for the bee packages to reach Neubauer Farms, first on a plane from New Zealand to Vancouver and then driven into Alberta by Scandia Honey. As May 10 was an exceptionally hot day for early May, the bees could not be loaded into the brood boxes until the sun was setting, and the temperature was starting to cool.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“The bees needed to come from New Zealand due to the heavy colony collapse sustained throughout Canada and the United States over the past winter, with some beekeeper losing up to 90% of their bee colonies. &nbsp;The reason for the collapse is not yet fully understood,” stated Nichole Neubauer. “For that reason, there is high interest in importing bees from other countries as North American beekeepers will not have any extra bees to sell.”&nbsp;</p><p>This is a critical time for establishing the hives for Prairie Rose Honey, the bees need to be situated in the deep brood box and settle before the queen is released into the hive, which occurred three days after the bees were loaded. Hill and Neubauer will pull frames next week to determine if the queen is laying eggs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“This is pivotal as the entire future of the bee colony revolves around the queen’s ability to lay lots of eggs, thousands and thousands of them,” explained Neubauer. “Once the hive is established, the queen starts filling frames with brood and capped brood.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Capped brood are those eggs that have hatched into the larva stage – the bee life cycle is egg, larva, pupa and adult – and bees cap the hexagon of honeycomb until the larva matures and hatches out of the comb to join the hive.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We need to see these bees increase their numbers so they can go out and forage to bring back pollen and nectar to the hive so they can ultimately make honey, said Neubauer.” The packages don’t contain a large number of bees, so it is important to give them every chance to be successful. Sheldon (Hill) will be feeding them simple syrup – a sugar and water mixture – in a free flow, nonstop supply until spring takes off and there is an abundance of flowering plants available.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Currently, there are some early spring flowers available, primarily fruit trees and various shrubs, but bees require an incredible volume of flowers to make even a small amount of honey. Once the hives are well established and the bee colony has increased in numbers, a flow hive will be added on top of the brood boxes. Flow hives enable the extracting of honey without disturbing the bees as the hive doesn’t need to be dismantled to access the frames. Flow hives are designed to be placed directly on top of the brood box and will be the way Prairie Rose Honey is harvested this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Additional information can be found in the June 10, 2025, Board Meeting Agenda package: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HfRXmYRN31Yy48zdOOPpe6chhOgPLu--/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HfRXmYRN31Yy48zdOOPpe6chhOgPLu--/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>------</p><p><strong>Parkside School Presentation</strong><br>Parkside School administration provided an overview of the school’s programs, emphasizing elective options available to students, school-wide activities such as “undercover spirit days,” and the&nbsp;<i>Community Character</i> initiative that connects students with local seniors. The school also noted the addition of the new SAHA U15 hockey team next year, and shared that the school had seen improvement on recent Provincial Achievement Test (PAT) results. A scene from the school’s&nbsp;<i>Mamma Mia</i> musical theatre performance was presented by several students. For the upcoming school year, the school will be focussing on strengthening parent involvement.</p><p><strong>First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) Education Update</strong><br>Student Experiences Coordinator Carol Carlson presented the annual report on First Nations Metis Inuit education in Prairie Rose Public Schools. In the 2024-2025 year, 133 students self-identified as Indigenous within the division, with a total of 241 when including students from Coulee Collegiate and South Alberta High School. PRPS Indigenous students continue to exceed the provincial average in high school completion rates (78% compared to 58.6%). Other highlights of the report developments included:</p><ul><li>Tipi donations (10 in total) from Saamis Employment and Training Association</li><li>New resources such as 4Canoes Digital Library</li><li>Monthly Truth &amp; Reconciliation content for teachers</li><li>Hands-on learning kits (dreamcatcher, soap carving, drum kits)</li><li>14 Indigenous students are graduating this year</li><li>Indigenous Peoples Day will be observed on June 21.</li></ul><p><strong>Occupational Health &amp; Safety Report</strong><br>The annual Occupational Health and Safety report indicated 106 student and 15 staff injuries during the 2024–2025 school year. The majority of student accidents occurred in gymnasiums and on playgrounds. Staff injuries were primarily due to slips/falls. Increased WCB claims have resulted in a 10.17% surcharge. An external consultant will be hired to conduct an audit of WCB claims. Emergency preparedness remains a focus, with Hour Zero training and site compliance audits showing most schools at or near full compliance. Forty-four staff received Standard First Aid training, and bus drivers will receive training in August.</p><p><strong>Financial Update 2024-2025</strong><br>The fiscal financial update for the 2024-2025 school year as of May 31, 2025 included:</p><ul><li>Revenues totaled $62.2 million, $2.1 million above budget</li><li>Expenses totaled $62 million, $1.6 million over budget</li><li>The year-to-date result is a surplus of $213,830, an improvement from the previously projected deficit of $281,086</li></ul><p><strong>2025-2026 Budget Approval</strong><br>Prairie Rose Public Schools has approved a balanced budget for 2025–2026 which is the first in more than a decade. The total budget is $83.29 million, a 38.5% increase over the previous year, largely due to the addition of two Calgary schools (AJ and OBK) and over 1,600 new students.</p><p><i>Revenue and Grants</i><br>PRPS receives 94.4% of its funding from Alberta Education. Key changes include:</p><ul><li>A $20.4 million increase in instructional funding</li><li>A $1.18 million Supplemental Rural Allocation</li><li>A new $100,000 School Technology Grant</li><li>Increases to Supports &amp; Services (2.32%) and Classroom Complexity (20%)</li><li>Transportation revenue will decrease slightly due to changes in funding formulas and fuel subsidies.</li></ul><p><i>Program Allocations</i><br>Total funding by program area:</p><ul><li>Instruction: $65.95 million</li><li>Operations &amp; Maintenance: $9.78 million</li><li>Transportation: $4.61 million</li><li>System Administration: $2.68 million</li><li>External Services: $262,630</li></ul><p><i>Staffing and Wages</i><br>Staffing will increase by over 90 FTE to support enrollment growth. The budget includes projected wage increases for both teachers and support staff, with teacher salary adjustments expected to be funded by the province.</p><p><i>Reserves</i><br>Operating reserves are projected at $2.66 million (3.19% of expenditures), with capital reserves estimated at $868,000.</p><p><strong>Redcliff School Project</strong><br>A site assessment meeting with the Alberta Education/Infrastructure designated contractor is scheduled for June 17, 2025. The assessment will confirm if the selected location meets compliance requirements. Utility design is also complete, and next steps depend on the outcome of the site assessment.</p><p><strong>Student Services Report</strong><br>The Board received the Student Experiences Accountability Report, which outlined the range of supports provided across Prairie Rose Public Schools. The division employs a diverse team that includes 124 educational assistants, 11.125 inclusion support teachers, 7 student wellness counsellors, a psychologist, two therapy assistants, and a part-time resilience strategist. Additional supports are accessed through contracted services for occupational therapy, physical therapy, and vision supports.</p><p>Over the past year, 445 students accessed wellness services, with the most common concerns related to emotional regulation and family issues. A total of 162 Early Childhood Screenings were conducted for incoming students. Five students participated in the division’s hippotherapy program, which is available by referral. Prairie Rose also continues to support the use of trained service dogs in schools, with two dogs—Ian and Taija—currently working with students.</p><p>The report emphasized the growing complexity of student needs across the division and identified increasing challenges in programming and service delivery for students requiring specialized support. Educational assistants were acknowledged as essential members of school-based teams in meeting these needs. A new website and monthly newsletter have been developed to improve communication about the services provided and to support staff in accessing available resources.</p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><ul><li>Two students are graduating with Veterinary Technician credentials from Senator Gershaw and Foremost schools</li></ul><p><strong>Other Items:</strong></p><ul><li>The board approved a new school code for Rosebank Colony School</li><li>The Board approved the 2025-2026 Board Monitoring Schedule</li><li>The Board passed three readings of Bylaw 1-2025 to allow for more than one voting station in a subdivision at the upcoming municipal trustee elections</li><li>The board approved locally developed courses Forensic Studies 25/35, Design Thinking for Innovation 15/25/25, Developing Personal Integrity 15/25/35, and Religious Studies Islamic Studies 15/25/35</li><li>The board approved K-9 Biblical Studies (a PRPS locally developed elective course for Burdett School)</li><li>Cathy Hogg (12 years), Lois Bedwell (8 years) and Pam Cursons (8 years) received awards for years of service from the Public School Boards Association</li></ul>

<p>Due to smoke from nearby forest fires, air quality levels across our school division may vary throughout the day. Prairie Rose Public Schools is closely monitoring the situation to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff.</p><h4>How Decisions Are Made:</h4><p>Each school uses trusted weather sources to check the <strong>Air Quality Index (AQI)</strong> in their local area. Based on these readings, schools will adjust outdoor activities and follow safety protocols when needed.</p><ul><li><strong>If air quality is rated high risk</strong>, students will <strong>remain indoors</strong>, and the <strong>Shelter in Place</strong> protocol will be activated.</li><li><strong>If conditions fall in the moderate range</strong>, schools may limit outdoor activities, especially for students or staff with health concerns.</li></ul><h4>Monitoring Tools:</h4><p><strong>The Weather Network</strong> is used in some locations to access the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). A rating of <strong>7 or higher</strong> triggers Shelter in Place.</p><p><a href="https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/weather/alberta/medicine-hat">Check AQHI for Medicine Hat</a></p><p><strong>AccuWeather</strong> provides data for many of our rural areas. If air quality is listed as <strong>Poor or Unhealthy</strong>, the same indoor protocols apply.</p><p><a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/medicine-hat/t1a/air-quality-index/46928">Check AccuWeather for your area</a></p><h4>What This Means for Your Child:</h4><ul><li>Outdoor recess, PE classes, and other outside events may be moved indoors depending on air quality levels.</li><li>Students with asthma or respiratory conditions may be given additional precautions.</li><li>Principals and staff will continue to monitor conditions throughout the day and adjust as needed.</li></ul>

<p>While Mattias Radke loves playing hockey and is a goalie on the U18 hockey team with the South Alberta Hockey Academy, he is aware it is a career that will eventually end. “It's nice that I found a program like this that supports the hockey side with the school side. I have two classes a day on top of the hockey and I’m still able to get all my work done,” said Radke.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>For his last semester at Eagle Butte, Radke is taking Chemistry 30 and Physics 30 and says he gets his homework and studying done after school and when the team is on the bus travelling to an away game. He still needs to take calculus but plans on taking that course online next year when he is plays Junior A hockey for the Kindersley Klippers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>He’s been playing hockey for as long as he can remember. “I probably started playing organized hockey when I was six or seven and became a goalie when I was ten years old. I like the brotherhood I get from being on a team and appreciate both the high and low moments that come with the sport. When we win, it’s the best feeling ever and it’s crazy the contrast from winning and losing. Feeling the joy of winning a big game is why I still play, and I love being competitive,” stated Radke.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>He’s excited to be going to Kindersley to join the Klippers and plans to play junior hockey a few years before pursuing a post-secondary education in biomedical engineering while hopefully continuing to play hockey. “For me, hockey will end eventually, and I need a backup plan,” said Radke.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Currently recovering from knee surgery, biomedical engineering holds an interest for Radke due to many injuries he’s sustained over the years. “With biomedical engineering I wanted to develop certain things that are going to help people with injuries to keep playing. If someone hurts themselves, I’d like to develop a way they can keep doing what they love. I wanted to do medicine, and I also wanted to be an engineer, so that’s why I chose biomedical engineering,” concluded Radke.</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alayna Martens enrolled in a dual-credit program for her Grade 10 year at Senator Gershaw School rather than taking any of the traditional options available. With a love of animals and an interest in veterinary medicine, the Veterinary Technical Assistant Certificate will allow Martens to work in a vet clinic as a non-registered member.</p><p>The last of her exams will be written in May, allowing Martens to attend the Olds College convocation in June and walk across the stage. She has sent out resumes to volunteer at a clinic over the summer and plans to continue volunteering or applying for paid positions for the next two years.</p><p>While Martens could fast-track to become a veterinary technician after graduating high school, her goal is to take a Bachelor of Science degree and then enrol in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at either the University of Calgary or the University of Saskatchewan. The dual-credit program allowed Martens to try some courses and get some practical experience working in a veterinary setting to see if it would be a viable career for her.</p><p>Martens completed five courses to complete the requirements for the certificate. The first she took in the summer prior to beginning her Grade 10 year, followed by two courses in the fall semester and the final two courses this semester.</p><p>“I had to be at Olds College on some weekends, five times last semester and four times this semester. It’s definitely busy but lots of fun,” said Martens. “I carpooled with another student from Lethbridge. We would drive up together and sleep there Friday night. Saturday was a full day and, depending on the course, we would either participate in a lab or handle live animals. We’ve been practicing different restraints for animals and their behaviours this semester. Last semester was a focus on surgery, so we learned about surgical instruments and practicing clinical procedures.”</p><p>Martens was also able to spend a day at a vet clinic as part of the course, which she enjoyed. Having grown up around horses and other large animals, she didn’t have much experience with smaller animals until her weekends at Olds College. Although her focus is getting a position in a clinic, she could also work in another animal-related area, such as at the SPCA.</p><p>“I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was quite young. To be able to try it out has been a great experience. I have lots of first-hand experience with animals and wanted to find a career where I could mix my passion with animals and be able to make a living,” stated Martens.</p><p>Martens used her experience in the Veterinary Technician Assistant dual-credit program for her 4-H speech this year as well as for the project she completed for the Senator Gershaw exhibition of learning.</p><p>“I would say it was a great experience if one isn’t sure what career they want to pursue because it is only one year,” concluded Martens. “It is a fantastic program. The professors are amazing and I got to learn lots and meet new people. If students want to try something new, this is a good course to look at.”</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools is pleased to announce that Candace Robins has accepted the position of Principal at Bow Island Elementary School (BIE). She will step into the role as part of the school’s transition to a full-time principal position this upcoming fall.</p><p>Candace has been a dedicated educator with Prairie Rose since 2007, teaching across all lower elementary grade levels at Isabel F. Cox School in Redcliff. Much of this work has placed a strong emphasis on early learning skills, helping young students build a solid foundation for future success. Her approach centers on creating inclusive, engaging classrooms, fostering a culture of respect and cooperation, and encouraging leadership in her students from an early age.</p><p>Candace holds a Master of Education in Leadership and Educational Research from the University of Calgary, along with Bachelor degrees in Education and English. She has also completed additional training in leadership and literacy, including the Leadership Quality Standard, SIVA training, and courses through the Writing Revolution.</p><p>Please join us in congratulating Candace on her new role. We are confident she will bring her experience, dedication, and passion for student success to the Bow Island Elementary School community.</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools was a hosting partner for the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada’s (AEAC) National Student Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Competition that started on May 9 and ran through till May 11th. Students from 15 universities across Canada arrived in Medicine Hat on the Thursday to compete, unloading all their equipment and drones at the South Alberta Collegiate building.&nbsp;</p><p>“Helping to assist in hosting this event was a wonderful opportunity for Prairie Rose School Division,” said Superintendent Reagan Weeks. “Utilizing our building and bringing in students from 15 universities across the country gave us a chance to interact with students pursuing various engineering programs. It also provided us with an opportunity to look at some advanced drones and allowed our flight academy to interact with post-secondary students who they may aspire to emulate in the near future. I am very grateful to our staff who were able to pitch in to support the community as a whole and to support the competitors in their pursuit of addressing a problem that is very real in our area. One of the most exciting things was the competition challenge was designed around a very tangible problem our families face across Prairie Rose. It’s very exciting to see the cutting-edge work being done to address prairie fires.”&nbsp;</p><p>The competition, which has been held for the past 15 years, provides teams with real-world challenges they must address using UAS technology. Teams were responsible for designing and building their own UAS system prototype to demonstrate during the competition and the task for this year was wildfire detection and response. Teams are comprised of students from various academic programs, providing them with the expertise needed to successfully design, construct and operate their UAVs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>2025 marks the first year the competition was held in Western Canada and, with over 170 students competing this year, the first obstacle was transporting the team members and equipment. The Universite de Sherbrooke Miniature Aerial Vehicle team chose to drive their UAV and equipment to Medicine Hat, driving 24 hours on the first day and completing the trip after stopping in Kenora, Ontario for the night.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>On Friday, each team gave an oral presentation where they introduced their team, outlined their design process and introduced the UAV’s they would be using to complete the two tasks. On Saturday, the task was wildfire surveillance where the teams needed to find hot spots, simulated by LED emitters. On Sunday, after all teams were provided with the location of the hot spots, the task was to transport water to each one. The flying was all done at the Len Holden Memorial Airfield, home of the Medicine Hat Rc’ers.&nbsp;</p><p>The Queen’s Aerospace Design Team’s presentation closed with Jake Campbell explaining to the audience the large number of crashes their fixed-winged UAV, the one they were going to use for wildfire surveillance, had sustained. The final crash, into a tree, resulted in the drone being destroyed. On Friday of the competition, the team was testing their water-drop UAV, which also crashed and wasn’t repairable, resulting in the team being unable to fly over the weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Campbell, who is entering his final year of electrical engineering at Queen’s University, said, “we spent the year designing two drones, so we had a fixed-wing drone and a few videos of it flying very well. When we initially started testing, our motor was undersized, so we weren’t getting enough lift. Our last crash put our airplane into a hundred pieces, it pretty much exploded. No fires or anything, we tried to prepare for that.”&nbsp;</p><p>The general consensus amongst the judges was the wildfire surveillance task would be the easier of the two, but this didn’t end up being the case. There were three hot spots in the field, but the teams who did find hot spots only managed to find false ones.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Our day 1 survey task proved exceptionally difficult,” said lead judge Katrina Cecco at the awards banquet. “I never imagined when we were developing this con ops (concept of operations) over the summer as a team that the water bucket transport by drone would be easier than the basic aerial survey for which we gave you very obvious red balloons, visible from the flight line.”&nbsp;</p><p>Several teams received awards at the banquet, with the energy in the room celebratory and enthusiastic throughout the evening. The winner of the competition was the University of Waterloo Robotics Group (WARG) who brought three drones to the competition and, in the words of one of the organizers, knocked it out of the park on Sunday by using two drones in sequence to transport water to the hot spots. Many of the teams are reforming after dissolving during the pandemic and WARG is no exception. Started in 1997, they are now in their fifth year as a renewed design team.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>WARG faced some tough issues on Saturday with interference and were unable to get all three drones in the air at the same time. The first drone went out and got lost and needed to be retrieved by truck. The team tried to get the other two going but only managed a short flight with the third drone. On Sunday, the team put one drone in the air, and had it hover in a waiting pattern while the second one lifted off, collected water, and took it away. Once it was clear of the water barrel, the waiting drone came in to collect water and this pattern was repeated multiple times until one of the drones decided to remain at the barrel, causing a congestion problem with the other drone.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>Second place went to the University of British Columbia Uncrewed Aircraft Systems design team. This team’s drone sustained a fire on Friday during a test flight, but they managed to still fly on Saturday, recording numerous hotspots, although all were false. On Sunday, they were the first team to fly and managed to make one successful water drop. Their UAV managed to fill with a second load of water before the drone toppled off the top of the barrel, causing it to lose all propellers and a camera.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>The Blackbird UAV team from Carleton University took third place. On Saturday, their UAV flew well, but the team only took it halfway across the field before circling to look for hotspots. On Sunday, they picked up water a couple of times before deciding to play it safe and brought their drone back for a successful landing.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Phase 1 of the competition involves each team submitting design reports. The rules for the competition are set in the summer, student teams register in November, and the design reports are submitted in mid-January, providing a checkpoint for judges to see the progress teams have made. The reports are scored on different criteria, one being how they plan to attempt the two tasks. “The designs continue to evolve throughout the year and sometimes teams show up with drones that don’t quite look like what was in the report,” said lead judge Katrina Cecco. For Phase 1, first place went to the University of Victoria AERO team, second to the University of Waterloo Robotics Group third to the University of Toronto Aerospace Team.&nbsp;</p><p>The Innovation award also went to the University of Toronto Aerospace Team, who made much progress in autonomous mode and impressed the judges with their display of intention and the great design they had for payload.&nbsp;</p><p>McGill Drones and Vertical Flight Society took home the award for perseverance. When flying UAVs, a perfect flight plan rarely comes to fruition due to a variety of reasons, such as wind gusts, hardware fails, and software bugs. The judges saw all teams displaying impressive technical skills, creative problem solving and engineering excellence. The judges found McGill’s ability to adapt, improvise and overcome adversity made them exceptional and while the team didn’t have the smoothest journey throughout the competition, they kept persisting rather than giving up.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The Judges Award went to the University of Victoria AERO team. The Judge’s Award is given out for any criteria, which changes from year to year, the committee has been impressed with on a particular team. “This year it goes to a team that excelled for many reasons,” Cecco told the audience at the banquet.&nbsp; “They didn’t have an optimal flight performance as planned, but they were some of the most impressive in terms of preparation, organization of operations, including the use of checklists, safety features, modular and transportable design of their UAV, along with cool design innovations. Their water collection system was very fast and was suspended under the drone but could detach to allow for emergency landings. The amount of forethought and planning that went into this system and its operation was truly impressive for a team founded in 2022.”&nbsp;</p><p>Polytechnique Montreal Zenith team took home the award for team spirit, which acknowledges a team’s impact on the overall spirit of the competition. The Zenith team stood out as keeping their spirits up and boosting the energy of all present after their drone crashed and damaged the water collection system. On Sunday, the team showed up with an improvised water collection system consisting of a water bottle and a golf ball. Following this success, they proceeded to keep the entire crowd out at the field energized, enthused and engaged.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>There were a couple top students in this year’s graduating class at Senator Gershaw and Mary Reusser was somewhat nervous if she was going to be the one to come out with the highest grades.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“There is always a chance, you never know if someone else is going to sneak in there,” said Reusser. “It was a really good feeling when I was told. As much as grades aren’t an accurate representation of someone’s intelligence, it’s the only thing universities look at and I wanted to get into a good university. I also love learning, so working hard at it isn’t difficult. Learning is fun.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Reusser received early admission into the University of Calgary engineering program and her goal is to pursue biomedical engineering. “It’s building robotic limbs or organs for people,” explained Reusser. “I have an older brother who is disabled, and I’ve seen first-hand how we need more advanced technology to help him live better. My friend’s younger brother had some biomedical engineering students work with him, and I saw the good it did. I’ve always been interested in creating and building along with the maths and sciences. I thought it was the perfect mixture of all of that.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Aside from concentrating on her schoolwork, Reusser loves track and field, particularly discus and shotput, which she said require different mindsets to excel in. “It’s hard to explain, it almost exhilarating in a calming way. Once you get good at discus, it’s mostly muscle memory and the movements are going so fast. Shotput is a different mindset, for discus you need to be as loose as possible but also strong, which is really hard to do because as soon as you try to do something hard or fast, you tense up. As soon you tense up in discus, it goes straight into the ground. You need to be loose and fast and throw it as hard as you can and once you get to that point, it’s relaxing,” stated Reusser.&nbsp;</p><p>Another sport she finds relaxing is swimming and while she was never on a swim team, she and her brother competed as independents in the Alberta Summer Games a few years ago. She said swimming came easy to her and one of her summer jobs is as a lifeguard at Foremost Pool, which has taught her how to cope with stress under pressure, extensive first aid and to manage rowdy teenagers.&nbsp;</p><p>Additionally, she and her two brothers played sledge hockey for several years in Medicine Hat. “My older brother wanted to join. Me and my other brother thought it would be nice to play a sport all together where we are all on equal footing, so we all joined the team. We played that for around six years. We convinced my friend’s family to join and brought in another family, so brought a bit of Bow Island to Medicine Hat to play sledge hockey. When I first started, we were a small team that lost at every tournament. Last year, we were in a tournament in Calgary against higher ranking teams and did well.”&nbsp;</p><p>Her other summer job is at the same still her father works at. She completed her class 4 power engineering certificate before starting Grade 12 last year so she would move beyond being only a general labourer. Both lifeguarding and working at the still are good summer jobs and she was hoping that was how she was going to spend the next two months. However, she found out last week she will be having knee surgery next week, which has a 16-week recovery time. “By the time I enter university, if all goes well, I will be into the sport readiness phase. That’s probably the best timing so I’m not hobbling around the campus.”</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Payton Duffield is the valedictorian this year for South Central High School. Since entering high school, her focus has been on achieving high grades. It was always her hope to be valedictorian, but she didn’t know how close the race was and was surprised to find out in early April she had succeeded.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I was pretty excited. I’ve been working toward it for a long time, so it was nice to know and kind of relieving,” said Duffield.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Accepted into the Bachelor of Nursing program, Duffield will be attending Medicine Hat College in September. A nursing career path appealed to Duffield after she started taking a Healthcare Aide dual-credit program at South Central, a partnership between Prairie Rose Public Schools and Northern Lakes College.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m almost done that. I have three courses left and I should be done by this summer. I’ve been working at the long-term care here in Oyen since last June with some other classmates. Being there really helped me realize nursing is what I want to do,” explained Duffield.&nbsp;</p><p>Her family moved to Oyen from Big Stone when Duffield was younger and she has completed all her schooling at Oyen Public School and South Central High School. Duffield is somewhat nervous about going to college because she has a close relationship with her parents and is worried about getting homesick.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>However, she has some family living in Medicine Hat and said her parents drive to the city about once a week and thinks it will make the transition easier. Once she graduates with a Bachelor of Nursing, Duffield is looking forward to returning to Oyen.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Nursing is a job I could do in Oyen,” said Duffield, “They are always looking for nurses so it’s a pathway to working in my rural community. The first two years will be at Medicine Hat College, then I switch to being a University of Calgary student, but I can still take those courses at the college. I’m not much for big cities.”&nbsp;</p><p>Over the summer, Duffield plans to work as much as possible at the long-term care facility. She is currently a casual staff member and primarily works evenings and weekends, although she is expecting her hours to increase during the summer when full-time staff take time off.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>When asked what she finds most rewarding about the job, Duffield said, “being able to help. I know I’m helping, and I think the experience has made me a better person.”&nbsp;</p><p>The highlight of her high school years is achieving valedictorian. “I will miss all my friends and the teachers here. We have such good connections with the teachers. It helps that half of them are parents of my friends, so we see them outside of school. It will be hard to adjust to that, when I go from seeing my friends for the past twelve years each day to not seeing them as often. A couple are also attending Medicine Hat College in other programs, so that is nice to know.”&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer</p>

<p>Additional information can be found in the May 13, 2025, Board Meeting Agenda package: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/may-13-public-board-meeting-20250512174737">https://www.myprps.com/news/may-13-public-board-meeting-20250512174737</a></p><p>------</p><p><strong>Executive Report Summary</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Division PD Day:</strong> Planning is underway for a division-wide professional development day, which will mark the official launch of the new five-year strategic plan. All Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) employees are invited to attend. The day will include a reflection on the past education plan, a vertical mapping session, and three-hour workshops centered on the new strategic themes: Ignite Minds, Forge Futures, and Kindle Hearts.</li><li><strong>Exhibitions of Learning</strong> are now wrapping up across the division. These events have been very well received and provided an excellent opportunity for communities to engage with their local schools. The Board extends congratulations to all students and staff for their hard work and creativity.</li><li>Training for the upcoming transition to digital&nbsp;<strong>Provincial Achievement Tests</strong> (Grades 6 and 9) and&nbsp;<strong>Diploma Exams</strong> through Vretta has been completed.</li><li>Planning for the&nbsp;<strong>2025–2026 school year</strong> is well underway. There will be an increase in funding to better serve students with complex needs.</li></ul><p><strong>2025-2030 Strategic Education Plan</strong></p><p>The Board was presented with the new five-year strategic plan which will be unveiled to staff at the upcoming PD Day. Input for the plan was gathered through school leader feedback, staff consultations, student engagement, and visits to municipal partners. The plan builds on the strengths of educational initiatives while aligning with Alberta Education priorities, including preparing students for the transition from high school. As part of the approval for the new strategic plan, the division earmarked $500,000 ($100,000 per year) to help support implementation ensuring flexibility and sustainability.</p><p><strong>Calgary Schools</strong></p><p>PRPS Public Board Meeting, the Board of Trustees announced that an agreement had been signed with Calgary-based schools, OBK and AJ, to join the school division starting the 2025-2026 school year. Both OBK and AJ schools are currently operating under the Palliser School Division. The addition of the two schools to Prairie Rose will bring approximately 1,600 to 2,000 new students into the school division. Prairie Rose was one of several school divisions approached by Alberta Education to be considered for the partnership. PRPS’ role will be to provide administration and K-12 instructional direction to the schools.</p><p><strong>South Alberta School of Agriculture</strong></p><p>Superintendent Reagan Weeks shared that Prairie Rose, Medicine Hat College, Neubauer Farms and Cypress County continue to explore the development of the South Alberta School of Agriculture (SASA). With more than 25 letters of support for the endeavour from local businesses, the initiative is part of PRPS’ Collegiate application proposal aimed at preparing high school students for future careers in agriculture. By combining systems-based thinking, real-world projects, expert mentorship, and innovative technologies, the program seeks to offer students both high school and post-secondary-level opportunities. The centre would be developed on land leased from Cypress County and located in proximity to Eagle Butte High School.</p><p><strong>Superintendent Contract</strong></p><p>Board of Trustees approved the re-appointment of Superintendent Reagan Weeks for a new five-year contract, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030.</p><p><strong>Commendations</strong></p><p>The Board recognized several outstanding contributions across the division:</p><ul><li><strong>Jonathan Dunlop</strong>, Athletic Director at Foremost School, for completing 40 km of highway cleanup with his family in support of the school’s athletic program.<br>&nbsp;</li><li>Facility upgrades at&nbsp;<strong>SCHS Gymnasium</strong>, including lighting, flooring, paint, and curtains.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Senator Gershaw Schools'</strong> Exhibition of Learning for its strong community engagement.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Nichole Neubauer</strong>, for her ongoing advocacy and support of PRPS agricultural initiatives and student programming.</li></ul><p><strong>Additional Items</strong></p><ul><li><strong>ASBA</strong>: Spring General Meeting is scheduled for June 1–3.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>PSBAA</strong>: Angela Baron presented on&nbsp;<i>Sharenting</i> , trustees attended an MLA reception featuring 20 MLAs; Spring Assembly to be held in Calgary.<br>&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Rural Caucus</strong>: Scheduled for June 1 in Calgary.</li></ul>

<p>The next Prairie Rose Public Schools board meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the PRPS Division Office in Dunmore starting at 12:45 p.m.&nbsp;</p><p>Board Meeting Agenda Package: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wE9TcXpJLVkY5Nu1M6JduQs52F37hNd6/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wE9TcXpJLVkY5Nu1M6JduQs52F37hNd6/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>There were a few students at Eagle Butte High School vying for the position of valedictorian, but in the end, Deacon Martin came out as the clear winner. “That was good because it pushed me to be better,” stated Martin. “A lot of the times, I get one wrong or 0.5 off and I think I should have got that. I feel good and proud of myself. There isn’t a whole lot else to say. The hard work paid off for sure.”&nbsp;</p><p>Martin joined the South Alberta Baseball Academy this year in lieu of taking any other options, which allows him to play baseball each day at school. “I’ve been playing since I was about nine or ten in house league and little league. I’m not the best, I play it for fun and just to get out there,” said Martin.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Glad for the warmer weather and to be able to play outside, Martin said he didn’t enjoy having to be at the South Alberta Collegiate complex at 7 a.m. during the colder months. He does acknowledge it was good to have a jump on the season and the early mornings paid off. He has mostly played first base but has moved into pitching this year. Playing baseball is fun for him and he said there is just something about the game that appeals to him. Martin likes to stay active and enjoys playing golf and working out when not playing baseball.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Next year, Martin will enter the engineering program at the University of Calgary. His academic strengths are math and the sciences, and he refers to himself as being a fan of physics. “It’s a natural next step,” said Martin. “I don’t have a particular passion. I don’t really know what I want to do but I know I would be good at engineering because I can problem solve.”&nbsp;</p><p>His family lives on an acreage near Golden Sheaf Park and Martin knows it will be a significant change moving into dorms at the university and living in a city where he doesn’t have any family connections. “My younger brother and I have a kind of co-joined room at home, so we are almost like roommates. It will be a big jump with all strangers and a shared bathroom on one floor,” stated Martin. “The University of Calgary engineering had a high dropout rate, so now they’ve put in new programs to help first year students through it, so I’m looking forward to that. All the first-year students will be taking the same classes together, so it will be more like high school.”&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>This past September, on the first day of the school year, Kayl Davies, teacher at Oyen Public School, and her class of Grade 6 students collaborated to create a set of classroom norms, giving the students a voice in the classroom environment they would be part of. Davies took the expectations and grouped them into three core values: respect, responsibility and teamwork. From there, Davies created a contract, and the class held a democratic vote, which resulted in the contract being approved. Most of the students chose to sign the contract and, not only did the process correlate with the Grade 6 social studies curriculum on democracy, but it also provided a great learning opportunity for all involved.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“In classroom economy we have jobs,” explained student Cruz Evans, “such as teacher’s assistant, banker, and homework helper. We also have our Davies Dollars, ranging from five cents to $5, and taxes. We made wallets at the beginning of the year to put our money in, and we can each get paid and taxed.”&nbsp;</p><p>Once core values and a contract were in place, Davies introduced the students to the concept of classroom fines, attaching a printed list to the whiteboard for everyone to reference. Evans explained the fines are for such things as leaving a mess, which will cost 25 cents in Davies Dollars. The student holding the position of teacher’s assistant is responsible for taxing and the money goes to the banker. Each student created a personalized wallet to hold their Davies Dollars and Evans added if a student doesn’t have enough money to pay the fine, they are allowed to go into debt.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Every two weeks, the students are allowed to shop at the classroom store using their Davies Dollars. As a class, the students chose the items, along with the price of each, that would be in the store to provide them with motivation to earn a reward.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Student Jayden Stewart currently holds the position of banker, but his preferred position is errand runner. “I like banking because I’m good at math,” he said. “We buy prizes and other things with the money. Miss. Davies has different board games, puzzles, and squish toys. It’s lots of fun. I’ve gotten some hockey cards, a squish ball and a cup. For errand runner I get to run different errands and hand out hot lunches. I’m pretty good at that because I’m fast.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The classroom jobs change each month, and students must apply for them, stating on their application their first and second choice along with using persuasive language on why they should be selected to hold their desired position.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Evans explained, “at the start of each month, we move our desks around, so we sit by someone else, and we change our classroom job. We must apply for the jobs on sheets Miss. Davies hands us. You write your name, age, grade, and you pick two options, first choice and second, and then there are additional notes to write on why we would be good at the job. My job right now is teacher’s assistant, and I wrote what I’m good at: math for taxing people, I can multitask, and I have a good memory.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Another motivational concept Davies implemented in her classroom is having students earn letters toward spelling the word compliment. “When students demonstrate kind acts, use good manners, or show helpfulness around the school, they may be noticed by other staff members. If a staff member, other than myself, gives the class a compliment for their behavior, we earn a letter toward the word COMPLIMENT. Each compliment equals one letter, and once we’ve collected all ten letters to complete the word, we have a celebration.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Evans and Stewart were excited because the word was almost complete again, which will be the third celebration for the class this year. Students get to vote on the special event they want to have, such as watching a movie, having a classroom party or a pajama day.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s a great way to build a positive classroom community while also reinforcing respectful and kind behavior throughout the school,” stated Davies. “I’m truly enjoying seeing how engaged and empowered the students are through this system. It’s been such a rewarding addition to our classroom community.”&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Kristine Vizza who has accepted the position as Vice Principal of Seven Persons School (SPS). Vizza will join the administrative team following the retirement of longtime Vice Principal Joanne MacQuarrie at the end of the school year.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Kristine brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as a dedicated educator in both Prairie Rose and Medicine Hat School Divisions. She is currently the Grade 3 teacher and Softball Academy Coordinator at Seven Persons, where she has demonstrated a strong commitment to student engagement, literacy development, and school-wide improvement.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Kristine holds a Master of Education in School Administration and recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Structured Literacy and Reading from the University of Alberta. Her contributions have also been recognized through roles such as Acting Administrator, mentor teacher, and professional development presenter.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">With a passion for collaborative learning and student-centered approaches, Kristine has played an active role in guiding instructional strategies and fostering a positive school culture. Her experience with Kagan Structures, UFLI training, and literacy initiatives will further strengthen the school’s focus on academic growth and student success.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Please join us in congratulating Kristine on her new role. We are excited for the insight, dedication, and energy she will continue to bring to the Seven Persons School community.</span></p>

<p>Grade 11 student Keegan Bartsch switched to Eagle Butte High School last year from out of district so he could enrol in the South Alberta Flight Academy (SAFA). “I really wanted to fly planes,” said Bartsch. “It was a dream of mine. I joined a little late, but I’ve caught up with everybody and I’m really enjoying it.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Even though he didn’t know how it would all work out, Bartsch took a risk and is loving being in flight school. Advancing quickly to catch up with his peers, Bartsch completed his solo flight a few months ago and now has logged over 10 hours of flight time.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Even though ground school can be difficult, he is enthusiastic about what he’s been learning. “Flight is very academic, it takes lots of attention and I think that skill translates nicely into the core high school subjects in terms of reviewing notes, discussing topics with others and fully understanding concepts,” explained Bartsch. “Before we take a flight, we have to do a weight and balance calculation of everybody in the aircraft, the weight of the fuel and oil, along with how much fuel we will lose in the air, so physics and math are involved.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In addition to ground school and flight training, Grade 11 flight academy students take a dual credit course through SAIT called Aircraft Systems 1 (ASYS-245). Course instructor Harry Jaeger is an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) who also works with students on the second Vans RV-12 airplane build.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We get one of the modules SAIT has developed to be administered remotely. Students need to pass with the Transport Canada requirement of 70% and an attendance of 90%, giving them credits with both SAIT and in SAFA,” stated Jaeger.&nbsp;</p><p>The course provides an introduction for anyone who wants to become an AME and Jaeger believes it provides a solid foundation for the flight academy students. Ground school covers the fundamentals of aircraft systems and flight controls, but this course delves into the topics with more detail, which Jaeger says will help the students as they transition to flying more complex aircraft.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We just finished up our hydraulics unit and have started our fuel unit. Before that, we had our aircraft systems, which covered different components, key elements and critical points on the aircraft,” said Bartsch. “I’m thinking after I graduate, I might join campus at SAIT and do the full program in aviation engineering. I like the intricacies of engines and how they work and how to make them better. I feel the SAIT course fits me nicely as it emphasises my interests.”&nbsp;</p><p>Bartsch likes the intellectual aspects of the dual-credit course and said Jaeger is a great teacher. Jaeger enjoys having Bartsch in the classroom, describing him as one of the most jovial students he’s ever taught who maintains high test scores and near perfect attendance. Bartsch is willing to try to answer a question even when he isn’t sure of the answer. He is also able to incorporate what he’s been doing in ground school and flying with what is going on in the class, opening that area of conversation for other students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s a community,” said Bartsch. “A very nice, well-packed community, so there is lots of support. If you need it, it’s there. My parents think it is amazing I get this opportunity to fly. SAFA is one of a kind and having a flight school locally in this area is an opportunity lots of people don’t get. I love flying and understanding how an aircraft works is something that interests me. You need a love for it, it’s not something you would just do, it needs to be a passion.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) started the School of Trades this year with Grade 10 students from four schools enrolled. In total, four students from Foremost School, four from Senator Gershaw, 30 from Eagle Butte and 11 from South Central have taken part in the new program. Part of year one is attending full-day introductory sessions in seven different trades at Medicine Hat College (MHC). For South Central students, this means catching the bus at 6:45 a.m. and not returning to Oyen until 5 p.m. or later.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>South Central High School has 11 students – 2 female and 9 male – taking part in the program with another 16 enrolled for next year. Although they have the longest commute, students feel it has been a valuable addition to their high school classes and are grateful for the chance to jumpstart their careers. &nbsp;</p><p>Aside from classes at MHC, this year is about students experiencing different job sites. A field trip Eagle Butte students participated in was at Davis GMC Buick where they experienced different aspects of the dealership, including the automotive service technician area. Additionally, the students spent time with someone from human resources who offered interview advice along with explaining different pathways a student could take in automotives.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Sherry Craven, Student Experience Designer for the School of Trades explained, “next year they choose a cluster, picking one cluster of two trades and they will get equal time, four labs, in each of the two trades. I am also including job shadowing in combination with the classes and each student should also be trying to find an apprenticeship position. They can build most of their hours between Grade 11 and 12 during their summer off. Between Grade 10 and 11, we already have a couple of students who have placements and can start earning their hours.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Alyssa Kulyk from South Central has always preferred working with her hands and finds sitting in a classroom a struggle. With many family members and friends having careers in various trades, along with growing up on a farm, Kulyk is aware of how much those working in the trades contribute.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“They are proud of me for getting into a group of people who are mostly men and not being afraid to get my opinion out there. Many of them say females pay more attention to detail,” stated Kulyk. “It’s been great to explore all the different trades, and we’ve experienced things that are helpful. In heavy duty, we pulled apart a jack for a trailer. Two weeks earlier, the jack on our trailer broke and it would have been great to have the skill then, but it’s also good to know now so I can fix it in the future.”&nbsp;</p><p>Dawn Peers, Principal of South Central, accompanies the students to the college and is excited for this first cohort of students. “I have a bunch of boys of my own who have gone through trades programs and are loving their lives and careers. These kids are on the path to do that as well,” said Peers. “We don’t have the staff to provide a large range of options; we needed something like this because we don’t have that availability. They work with the same instructors my kids had when they went through trades and it’s great to see the female students taking part. There are some female instructors (at MHC) and it’s been amazing for them to see that as well.”&nbsp;</p><p>Dexter Miller wants to focus on both types of automotive training next year. “I am going to take over my dad’s farm. If I am a heavy-duty mechanic, I can fix my own equipment. It’s been good, when we go to the college, we learn what to do in each specific trade. So far, we’ve experienced welding, electrical, heavy-duty mechanic, and pipe fitting is this Friday.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Torynn Ophein, who aims to become a welder, wanted “opportunities out of high school, it gives me a whole bunch of different trades I could do. It’s a lot more (training) than I thought we would get with everything we’ve been doing. I thought it would be more casual, but we are hands-on in the labs.”&nbsp;</p><p>There are different ways a student can approach the program to suit their goals and schedules. If they fast-track, a student can obtain their high school diploma and their year one certification in their chosen trade. “Trades are a four-year program,” explained Craven. “Students can come out with year one, making them highly employable and already gives them a bump in their wages.”&nbsp;</p><p>There is also flexibility to when a student can enter the School of Trades, it doesn’t have to be in Grade 10. “Just taking the introductory classes alone, they are learning many skills and it’s making them more employable. It is amazing what they can do in one day,” stated Craven. “To watch them at the beginning of a welding lab, students who’ve never held a welding torch before are making pieces of art by the end of one day, such as cool flowers out of bolts and bicycles with wheels that turn.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer</p>

<p>Additional information can be found in the April 8, 2025, Board Meeting Agenda package: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/april-8-2025-public-board-meeting-20250407174859">https://www.myprps.com/news/april-8-2025-public-board-meeting-20250407174859</a></p><p>------</p><p><strong>Ralston School Presentation</strong></p><p>Serving 60 students from JK–Grade 9, Ralston School continues to thrive through strong community ties with BATUS, Canadian Armed Forces Suffield and local families. With support from a financial BATUS contribution, the school offers diverse programming grounded in the six core PRPS educational core principles of Connect, Care, Create, Communicate, Contribute, and Challenge.</p><p>Highlights from the presentation included a celebration of school-wide events such as the Christmas Banquet, Remembrance Day Service, and the BFBS Big Salute where students collectively ran 282 miles. Creative engagement was evident through initiatives like the “Take One Picture” art project, BFBS student radio broadcasts, and a Remembrance Day shadow play. Academic enrichment is supported by targeted programs such as UFLI, Morpheme Magic, and the Peterson Handwriting method, along with math-focused collaboration with PRPS Learning Coach Cathy Hynes. These efforts have led to noticeable growth in early learning and math achievement. Additionally, students benefit from hands-on learning experiences through 3D boat races, gardening projects, and drone exploration.</p><p>Looking ahead, Ralston School aims to expand its early childhood program, launch VEX robotics, and explore a no-cost sports academy, while continuing to celebrate its strong military and local partnerships.</p><p><strong>Financial Accountability Report</strong></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools' financial position shows a positive adjustment midway through the fiscal year. Revenues are forecasted to come in $1.95 million higher than budgeted, largely due to increased Alberta Education funding, enrollment growth, and various grants including Dual Credit, Mental Health, and Digital Assessment. Additional revenue was also seen from increased academy participation and one-time donations. Investment income rose due to higher interest rates, while rental and service income remained steady.</p><p>On the expense side, total costs are forecasted to exceed budgeted projections by approximately $1.69 million. This is primarily due to increased staffing costs, both certificated and non-certified, as well as additional expenses linked to additional classroom support and transportation infrastructure. However, these increases are partially offset by savings in international programming and internal transportation efficiencies.</p><p>The overall projected deficit has significantly improved, decreasing from ($281,086) to ($25,785). School Generated Funds show a surplus of $177,851, contributing to a total available SGF balance of $1.49 million. Operating reserves are projected to remain stable at $2.46 million, below the maximum allowable threshold of $3.6 million.</p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><ul><li>PRPS 2025 school exhibitions of learning are underway</li><li>Kaleidoscope of the Arts for 2025 is scheduled for May 28</li><li>The kickoff meeting for the new Parkside Jr High School has taken place. The planning stage is underway and the hope is to move to the design stage quickly due to the previous work that had been done around the modernization project.</li><li>Funding has been received for PRPS to have a value scoping assessment done at the two schools in Oyen to determine if modernizations or a single K-12 school would be the best option moving forward in the Town of Oyen.</li></ul><p><strong>Irvine School Field Trip to Quebec</strong></p><p>The board approved the May 2026 field trip request for Irvine School grade 8 and 9 students to tour the historical cities of Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa. During the seven day visit, students will be exposed to Canadian culture by touring the Battle of Plains of Abraham and the Parliament buildings.</p><p><strong>Locally Developed Courses</strong></p><p>The board approved the following locally developed courses for use by PRPS schools:</p><ul><li>Yoga 15</li><li>Yoga 25</li><li>Yoga 35</li><li>Fire Rescue Services 15</li></ul><p><strong>2024-2025 Communications Report</strong></p><p>Director of Communications Angela Baron delivered the 2024–2025 PRPS Communications Report, outlining key strategies for connecting with staff, students, families, and the broader community. Highlights included significant growth in school-based social media engagement—reaching nearly 3 million Facebook views since September—and the expanded use of digital tools like Canva for Education, now supporting more than 3,200 users across the division.</p><p>The addition of a dedicated Content Writer over the 2024-2025 year led to award-winning work and expanded duties such as grant writing and local media contributions. Prior to the start of the 2025-2026 school year, the division will transition online registration to PowerSchool Enrollment for improved parent accessibility and functionality, with new features like Safe Arrival absence reporting, all in one access to forms and grades, and in-portal classroom messaging.</p><p>Other communication-driven projects during the 2024-2025 year included the South Alberta Baseball Academy launch, billboard trailer promotions, new field trip and transportation request forms, and community promotional efforts such as the Redcliff and Oyen area booklets/videos.</p><p>An update was also provided on Alberta’s transition from the FOIP Act to the new Protection of Privacy Act (PPA) and Access to Information Act (AIA). These changes will require increased privacy planning, breach notifications, and extended response timelines. Consideration was given to the continued need for staffing and funding to meet communication and compliance demands.</p>