Prairie Rose Public Schools News Archive

<p>The April 9, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda Package can be found here: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/april-9-2024-public-board-meeting-1712590434996">April 9, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda</a></p><p>---------</p><p><strong>Eagle Butte High School Presentation</strong></p><p>Eagle Butte High School administration, which included principal Rocheal Howes and vice principals Greg Elgie and Lyall Loran, provided trustees with an overview of the school and programming options. It was shared that school staff have broken out into groups and, during PD days, brainstorm opportunities to enhance learning under the four PRPS education goals of ignite minds, forge futures, kindle hearts and First Nations Métis Inuit. Some examples shared include an upcoming field trip to Blackfoot Crossing, where Treaty 7 was signed, a new team of Mathletes who are headed to Edmonton to compete in a Math competition, Alumni Day, where the school invited several former students to speak to students about their current careers, a collaboration between the STEM class and Elkwater to use drones to geo map a section of land, and regular Spirit Days and events where students celebrate accomplishments and promote Talon pride. It was also noted that the school is projecting an enrollment increase for the 2024-2025 year from 497 to 550 students. This will be the highest enrollment count for the school since it opened in the 1990s. The full presentation can be found in the April 9, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p><strong>Executive Report Highlights</strong></p><ul><li>The PRPS Executive team attended the Special Areas Advisory Meeting. The Oyen and area revitalization report was provided at the meeting. The report can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i5iLquthIysuHcUbsSralyDc43ncdm5t/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i5iLquthIysuHcUbsSralyDc43ncdm5t/view?usp=drive_link</a></li><li>Parkside Jr High School will be hosting an open house on April 11th where the public can come and provide input on the design and layout of the school modernization. The event takes place from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. More information about the project can be found here: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/parkside-jr-high-school-modernization-project">https://www.myprps.com/parkside-jr-high-school-modernization-project</a></li><li>The Transportation RFP closes on Friday, April 12th at noon. A public tender opening will take place at the office immediately following. More information and requirements can be found here: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/bus-transportation-rfp">https://www.myprps.com/bus-transportation-rfp</a></li></ul><p><strong>Finance Update</strong></p><p>Finance Controller Candice Hintz provided a fiscal update to the board which represents spending and revenues for 60% of the school year, or 50% of the fiscal year. It was shared that PRPS is expecting revenues to come in $1,263,606 higher than budgeted, while expenses are expected to increase by $1,326,513. The difference will be an increased overall deficit of $62,907 from ($167,381) to ($230,288). The full financial update can be found in the April 9, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p><strong>Upcoming Trustee Meetings:</strong></p><ul><li>ASBA Zone 6 - April 17th</li><li>PSBAA - April 11-12th</li><li>RCASB - June 2nd Calgary</li><li>COSC Meeting with PRPS School Councils - April 9th @ Division Office</li></ul>

<p><i>In the photos: Home Plus student Brynnley Wikkerink of Bow Island completes a Fairy Garden project as part of her homeschooling.</i></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) Home Plus Learning Network currently has just under 50 students enrolled. Most of the programming is a parent-choice model, primarily home education directed by the parent(s). Two options are available, one is to follow a 22-outcome model from K-12 and the other is to follow the Alberta Education curriculum. With the second option, the parents are funded to buy all the resources and are responsible for the education of their child(ren).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Home Plus is more involved in the learning process with the online program where software platforms, such as Seesaw or Google Classroom, are populated with learning materials and education is guided at home. Each student has regular virtual check-in meets with Home Plus where successes and concerns can be shared.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Distance learning is also an option, with some students attending school while living in other countries or long-distance sailing with their parents. Outside of assessment and marking, there isn’t a component for teacher time with distance learning, thus it is more suitable for students who are able to work independently,&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Additionally, there are five students who currently have in-person programming with Home Plus. This is for students who aren’t attending a regular school but require an in-person experience and their schedule, along with if they also have blended online learning, depends on the needs of the student and schedule of the parents.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“There are so many different family circumstances out there and this can fit around various scenarios,” said Principal Carol Carlson.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Home Plus staff are very attuned to mitigating students feeling isolated. “Many home-ed parents bring that up,” stated Carlson. “At the same time, because they are so aware of it, they do a beautiful job of getting their kids involved in things in the community. Many of those kids are in 4-H, sports, their parents have memberships at the Y, or they go to music lessons. They are doing so much and there is an opportunity for them to be around other kids. It inspires what we try to do to support that.”&nbsp;</p><p>Michelle Kuzik is the Behaviour Education Assistant with Home Plus and compiles a regular newsletter that outlines all the events and age-appropriate activities available in the community.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I take the extra time to do the legwork and put it all on an easy document along with a calendar for them to see. We also update what we are doing in school so they can get involved on some of the projects or research going on (such as for Passion Projects),” added Kuzik.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Her role supports unique learning where Kuzik finds strategies and ways to strengthen weaknesses or enhance strengths to build student’s confidence and self-awareness so they can move forward. Kuzik meets with most of her students daily, but the schedule is constantly changing depending on their needs. Some require more support than others and there is often shyness to overcome when there has been in-person learning and a student is now moving to home learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We often support them more in the beginning to get them into a routine,” said Carlson. Helping students establish routines and walking them through how to start their day is a key aspect when joining Home Plus. “Even for online learning, you still start your day with your regular things, whatever that looks like in their household, to stay balanced,” added Kuzik.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Learn more about the Home Plus Learning Network: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/home-plus-learning-network">https://www.myprps.com/home-plus-learning-network</a></p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>The April 9, 2024, PRPS Public Board Meeting will take place at the Prairie Rose Public Schools Division Office starting at 11:45 a.m. The meeting is only available in-person.</p><p>The complete agenda package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13GvNDHmqrOryjMLmMHl1vY95AKERdq_l/view?usp=drive_link">April 9, 2024 Board Meeting Agenda</a></p>

<p>On Monday, April 8, there will be a partial solar eclipse in Alberta. It is expected to begin at 11:48 a.m., peak at 12:46 p.m. and finish by 1:46 p.m. For many of our schools, this partial solar eclipse occurs over lunch hour.</p><p>Although people can safely observe the eclipse by wearing special glasses, the timing of the eclipse, over lunchtime, means students will be playing outdoors for lunch recess and may not take the precautions needed to safely view it.</p><p><i>Out of an abundance of caution</i>, our elementary schools will be adjusting their schedules and activities on Monday to keep students indoors during the time of the eclipse. Students in junior high and high school will follow a regular schedule and will be permitted to leave the school over lunch hour. If parents prefer to have their children in Grades 7-12 stay in the school building, we ask that you have that conversation with your child/ren.</p><p>Learn more about the eclipse: <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/canada/medicine-hat?iso=20240408&amp;fbclid=IwAR3E3wXLGjqdWOXA4GjjVT1WKqx00y6BNqEh0UaqfZ6xbOBkPqkesa2U1F0_aem_AcX5fxy1_kJ0blpYTIyUJAtDfZ7rAokrYTl6mgagWGK3uqONwJKlXuvcVRlJHF8xfeGyAwRWRUdruhcEhWKZ3F3D">https://www.timeanddate.com/ecl.../in/canada/medicine-hat...</a></p><p>Information from the Canadian Association of Optometrists: <a href="https://opto.ca/eye-health-library/solar-eclipse-safety?fbclid=IwAR37r96AQ5He6-A6OaYNGCSv-qsSWRXCOJplrhK5sB9aMeID7kZEZ2_K-wc_aem_AcVpZ4F6GYNOqEEnlrfegpAKCKHndsDylszh8LL8wIG-Adg_Qr8nVaAGUKMa4DEg0feKW8I7T7Ns3zT-_oiGDFk3">https://opto.ca/eye-health-library/solar-eclipse-safety</a></p>

<p><i>In the photos: Recent pictures from the AgPro Beef visit to the Medicine Hat Feeding Company. Also featured, Toby Newton, Livestock Specialist for South Country Co-op Cypress Agro Centre, with first place winners of the low-stress cattle handling system project Alexis Weir and Senya Hietamaa and second-place winners Katelyn Sheppard and KariDee Millington.</i></p><p>The first AgPRO Beef course at Irvine School wrapped up recently with students presenting their final project, a low-stress cattle handling system, to teachers Logyn Jacksteit, Nichole Neubauer and Toby Newton, Livestock Specialist for South Country Co-op Cypress Agro Centre, as the &nbsp;judges. The project aimed at giving students the chance to apply what they learned over the six weeks of the course and was done in groups of two.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Newton was impressed with the quality of all the cattle handling systems presented. “You all did an awesome job, the way you thought about how you laid it out, put water in all the pens, you thought about places for them to calve, the way the alleys work. You’ve all done a marvelous job and I did have trouble finding a first and second place,” Newton told the students. “You’ve taken a lot on board and justified what you’ve done…that is testament to how much you listened.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Even though the girls were outnumbered two to one in the class, both the winning pairs were female. The second-place team, Katelyn Sheppard and KariDee Millington, spent about 30 hours on their project and said they learned lots on the field trips and appreciated being able to apply that information when they were in class.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The first-place team, Alexis Weir and Senya Hietamaa, each won a hat and a $50 Co-op gift card. They didn’t think they were going to win as there were so many good handling systems presented. During the past week before the project presentation, the group worked on their system each day for a couple of hours to perfect it.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The week before the final project, the class took their final field trip to the Medicine Hat Feeding Company where they spent a couple of hours learning about selling and auctioning cattle. After a general introduction, the class headed upstairs to hear about the importance of brands and how they are checked when cattle come in. They also heard how cattle rustling is still an issue, although not so much in Southern Alberta as up north and in Texas.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Outside, the students had a tour of the holding and sorting pens, which took about 20 minutes. Before heading back inside, the group, minus the teachers, gathered on the cattle weigh scale and their combined weight came in a just over 3,000 lbs. Once inside, the students sat in the seating above the auction pen and heard about how much organization and administrative work is required for an auction house to run smoothly. An auctioneer was available, so a mock auction was held, with one student volunteering to be sold.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In previous weeks, the group took field trips to Co-Op Agro Centre, Shortgrass Ranch and Deer View Meats. Various guest speakers also came into speak with the class, including veterinarians, vet technicians and producers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer</p>

<p>The March 26, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda Package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y-xgy0LCIB3GdamNfEvAdP5EqiJcjJdt/view?usp=drive_link">March 26, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda</a></p><p>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</p><p><strong>2025-2028 Capital Plan</strong></p><p>The Board of Trustees approved the 2025 - 2028 Three-Year Capital Plan at a Special Meeting on Tuesday, March 26th with all voting in favour with the exception of Bow Island/Burdett trustee Patty Rooks. The approval of the Capital Plan is a requirement of Alberta Education each year before the end of March. The plan includes four infrastructure priorities for the school division that includes:</p><p><strong>The Parkside Jr High School Modernization Project.</strong> The project received design funding last year. Community consultation and design are underway and will continue throughout 2024, with that project stage wrapping up by the fall. An open house where the community can provide input into the design is scheduled for April 11th from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the school. Construction will not begin until construction funding is received.</p><p><strong>Oyen K-12 School.</strong> The Capital Plan requests a value scoping of the project, which will determine options for progressing with a single K-12 school in Oyen. The community currently has a K-6 and a 7-12 school. The value scoping will look at whether renovating one of the current schools or building a new school would be the best option for accommodating a K-12 school.</p><p><strong>Burdett Replacement School.</strong> Based on the current state of the Burdett School and public input, the Capital Plan proposal outlines the costs of building a new school and demolishing the current school building.</p><p><strong>Eagle Butte High School Facility Expansion.</strong> Despite having received a modernization a few years back, due to increasing enrollment at Eagle Butte High School, increased classroom and gymnasium space is required to meet demand. The project request would increase the school's enrollment capacity from 651 to 825.</p>

<p><i>In the photo: Paige McLean working with Grade 3 student Atley at Schuler School. McLean has been an EA for 15 years. &nbsp;Lisa Newby, who has been an Educational Assistant for over 25 years, working with Grade 3 student Rene at Schuler School.</i></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) was accepted into a specialized training program for educational assistants (EAs) this year. The Educational Assistant Interim Pilot Program was initiated by Edmonton Public Schools last year and was piloted in three school divisions, with 12 joining this year and a plan to have the program in all Alberta school districts next year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Lisa Lindsay, Director of Student Experiences for PRPS said, “we’ve seen an increased response with neurodiverse dysregulated trauma, students who have experienced trauma. How we support them in the classroom is becoming increasingly complex. PRPS did an EA professional development day at the start of the year on August 29 and the EAs loved it. Their feedback was we need more professional learning opportunities to support kids.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>EAs work the most with dysregulated students and more training was needed as the skill set required has not been taught. Lindsay believes the number of students requiring specialized support is increasing each year. Additionally, younger children require this support as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“A student needs to be regulated long before they can be reasoned with, so a dysregulated student is unable to learn. Until a child is regulated and feels safe, we aren’t going to get any learning done and for some of these kids, learning has taken a backseat,” stated Lindsay.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>PRPS can participate in the program at no cost; Edmonton Public only needs feedback on how the program was received. The program involves module work along with virtual community practice, which is ideal for a geographically diverse division like PRPS. Participants will connect with EA coach Cara Motz once a month as part of the community practice to discuss the module work, what they see in the classroom and different scenarios.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Asking each other questions and providing each other support, I think it will help our EAs feel more connected and less isolated,” stated Lindsay. “The responsibility of the EAs is to share what they are learning with their classroom teacher and principal with the hope we can get it happening on a more universal level.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>When PRPS was initially accepted into the pilot program, it was hoped ten EAs would participate. After the notification was sent out about the new training, 27 indicated interest and the student services team decided if the response was that strong, the program would be offered to everyone who wanted to participate. The training began on Feb. 12 and will run for 16 weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Paige McLean and Lisa Newby have both been EAs for many years and currently work at Schuler School as they both live locally. McLean has a love of learning and signed up for the pilot project to help her do a better job.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We are getting away from one to one, it used to be I would work with one or two particular students and now we are trying to work with the classroom as a whole,” explained McLean. “It could be anything from taking a kid to learn some sight words or working on reading or math skills for a few minutes to sitting beside a child to motivate them to get their work done and focus.”&nbsp;</p><p>Newby became an EA after her two eldest children started attending school in Irvine and switched to Schuler School when the family moved. She is hoping to gain more knowledge and is most looking forward to the modules on literacy, autism spectrum and English as a second language.&nbsp;</p><p>“I think the need is the biggest thing, I don’t know if it’s a lot more knowledge and we now recognize there is a need for kids or if it’s just that there are more things going on in families. Previously, it was a very obvious need, such as a physical need of some sort, I remember those were the kids I first worked with and not those struggling with reading,” stated Newby.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Candice Ristau started working as an Educational Assistant at Irvine School in January 2023 after leaving her job with Alberta Health Services. “After day one, I fell in love with working at the school. The highlights for me are when all the kids in elementary come up and ask for a hug. Or when kids are struggling with something in school, and we work one on one or in the classroom together and the kids are successful and have a ‘light bulb moment’ when everything makes sense. I've been blessed with the opportunity to have worked with kids in Grades 3, 4, 5, 6,” said Ristau.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>She believes the pilot program is a step in the right direction in terms of offering supports for EAs within PRPS. Thus far, the modules have reinforced skills EAs already have, which Ristau says boosts their confidence and provides them with extra tools in their back pocket.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Our number one goal should be student success, and with this added knowledge I feel like we are able to support children better and help develop into successful individuals,” stated Ristau. “Not only has being an EA been rewarding work, but I've had amazing opportunities over the last year coaching "A" girls volleyball (Grade 9) and running a developmental Grade 6 boys basketball program with Mrs. Klaiber. I look forward to many more years and hope to help as best I can to help students become who they are striving to be.”&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p><i>In the first photo, Lynnette Copeland with her husband Trevor and two exchange students all holding up their names written in Japanese. In the second photo, Lynnette Copeland with her homestay student Kanon Miyake, who was delighted to carve a Halloween pumpkin, an activity she’d never done before.&nbsp;&nbsp;</i></p><p>Lynnette Copeland teaches junior high at Seven Persons School and this year she and her husband decided to become a homestay family to host exchange students for Prairie Rose Public Schools. Host families have many options to choose from including one month, two months, five months or a full school year. This past October Copeland hosted a Japanese exchange student followed by an exchange student from Columbia in January.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>With no children living at home any longer, Copeland found the exchange students brought life back into the family home. “Every experience was an excitement, she got to wear her hair in a ponytail, and they could wear makeup and jewellery<strong> </strong>if they wanted to. The things we learned were cool; she taught us how to do our names in calligraphy. In our spare room downstairs, we now have them framed,” said Copeland about Kanon Miyake from Japan staying with them.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The group of exchange students and the families also did group activities together, including a trip to Medalta and taking in a hockey game. The October snowstorm was a novel experience for the students, who happily built snowmen in the backyard. The Columbian exchange student, Sara Milena Casanova Rincon, wasn’t so lucky with the weather, as she was here during the deep freeze in January when there wasn’t much snow, so the Copelands took her out to Elkwater to build a snowman and go tobogganing.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We also went on a hike, which was really funny because it’s hard as they don’t wear boots and walking on the trails in Elkwater was tough for her,” explained Copeland.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;The Japanese students were from an all-girls school and the Copelands had the group over for a sleepover one night as it was something they had never done. They set up a campfire in the backyard and had smokies and smores, a food the students really wanted to experience. They also got to participate in their first Halloween and Kanon particularly enjoyed carving her first pumpkin.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We did so many things with them, it was so much fun. Having all the girls come to our house was something that we loved,” stated Copeland. “Kanaan’s English wasn’t as good as Sara’s so we put the translator app on our phones and that made a world of difference because we could communicate and ensured she understood what we were saying. We had two amazing girls, they were respectful, their cultures are respectful, and they were so excited to be in Canada.”&nbsp;</p><p>If you are interested in becoming a homestay family, contact Andrea Pillman 403-502-6244 or andreapillman@prrd8.ca.</p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p><i>Background Information:</i></p><p>In September 2023, Alberta’s government announced a comprehensive and phased approach to engaging with Albertans on new draft social studies curriculum.&nbsp;</p><p>In the fall, Albertans completed more than 12,800 online surveys to provide input on what they would like students to learn in new draft social studies curriculum. Survey results indicated that Albertans believe developing critical-thinking skills and understanding local, Canadian, and global events and global and national history should be key elements of new social studies curriculum.</p><p>Since then, Alberta Education has met with more than 300 education partners, teachers, multicultural organizations, and Indigenous and francophone communities to gather input and inform new draft curriculum development.</p><ul><li><a href="https://open.alberta.ca/publications/draft-k-12-social-studies">Draft K-12 Social Studies Subject Overview</a></li><li><a href="https://curriculum.learnalberta.ca/curriculum/en/s/sss?s=SSS">Draft K-6 Social Studies Curriculum</a></li></ul><p>Albertans can provide input on key learnings within the new draft K-12 social studies curriculum through a feedback form on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alberta.ca/curriculum-have-your-say">Alberta.ca</a>.&nbsp;Feedback will be accepted until April 2, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.</p>

<p>A new equine program at Eagle Butte High School will launch this coming September. Cory Schiebelbein and Cassandra Leung will be teaching the program, which already has close to 10 students registered.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Schiebelbein taught at Senator Gershaw for 20 years and transferred to Eagle Butte this academic year. He starts colts and has worked with horses for the past 20 years so was a natural fit for the new program, which is partnered with Coyote Creek Riding Arena, a short 4 km distance from the school. The best part of the program is students who register don’t need to own a horse. If they do, they can board at Coyote Creek or trailer in and pen the horse for the three days the students are at the arena each week.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Students have the chance to obtain their Level 1, 2, 3 and 4 of their Western Riding Instructors through Certified Horsemanship Certification (CHA) in the USA and will be able to test for those levels once they are 18.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Insurance companies recognize CHA as a viable horsemanship program and understand someone with it knows what they are doing around horses and give insurance deductions for people who are trained with that certification. This company is recognized throughout North America, so students can cross the border to work in the States in camps, equestrian facilities or at ranches. It’s not like we are just letting them ride horses, they are coming away with some certifications that will give them a jump up in the horse industry,” stated Schiebelbein.&nbsp;</p><p>Students will have two hours each school day dedicated to the equine program while still being responsible for all their other required classes. Three days will be spent riding at the arena and two days will be at the school for physical fitness related to horsemanship or working on green certificate books and the CHA manual. Additionally, various guest speakers are booked to come in and speak to the students on topics such as working as a farrier, veterinarian, saddle maker, leatherworker, colt starter, roping, barrel racing and hat shaping. Field trips to Cypress Hills, Historic Reesor Ranch and other destinations are also being planned.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“This whole area is steeped in a ranching history and horses are a big part of that. The program is going to be a positive influence because nothing has been offered before, that I know of, where we can get them CTS credits and certificate credits,” added Schiebelbein. “They are going to come away with so much stuff from this program along with the knowledge of all the clinicians we are bringing in, to have access to that as part of the school program is amazing.”&nbsp;</p><p>Grade 11 student Kiandra Gaetz is excited about the new program and the work Schiebelbein and Leung have done to start it and make it easy for students to do something they love while at school.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We are a school outside the city and lots of the kids who come here rodeo and are doing that sort of stuff. I’ve been riding my whole life, I own horses, rodeo, jackpot, and train,” said Gaetz. “The certificates would be very useful, I could coach, teach, help my clinician who I study under with clinics and make the equine and horse program bigger and better to help people to learn and teach and do everything surrounding horses at school.”&nbsp;</p><p>Leung is aware of the diverse population of students at Eagle Butte and the way the school is unique in bringing different opportunities forward for them to learn and grow.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We noticed this was an area we hadn’t developed as a school yet. This is an opportunity for students to get to spend time at school doing something they love that they’ll hopefully grow into in the future after school. It also involves the community we have around here. We have such a rich resource of knowledge and people who have worked hard to set up some excellent facilities. I love that we are getting to involve the students in building a community and being part of it,” said Leung.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Space in the program is limited so anyone interested should register as soon as possible. For more information, contact Eagle Butte High School at 403-528-1996.&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Heather Gust on accepting the Vice Principal (VP) position at Irvine School.&nbsp;</p><p>Having spent her 17-year teaching career in the Medicine Hat area, Heather began with Prairie Rose Public Schools this past fall as a grade four teacher at Irvine School. Prior to that, she worked as an early elementary teacher and classroom support teacher at Ross Glen and Southview schools. In addition to a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta, Gust has a post-graduate certificate in Reading and Literacy and a Professional Master of Education in Literacy Education from Queen's University. Before obtaining her education degree, she also earned a diploma as a speech-language pathology assistant.</p><blockquote><p>“I am both thrilled and honoured to accept the vice-principalship position at Irvine School,” says Gust. “Becoming part of the Irvine family and Prairie Rose Public School has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career. I am deeply grateful to continue working alongside such a dedicated group of students, staff and families.”</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>"Heather has been a great addition to our Irvine School staff this year and brings many exceptional skills to our education team,” says Principal Trent Rayner. “We are fortunate to have someone with her extensive background in reading and literacy instruction and I look forward to working alongside her as we continue to develop exceptional learning opportunities for students.”</p></blockquote><p>Heather Gust will officially assume the role of vice principal at Irvine School at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. The vice principal opening follows current VP Kerry Watson's retirement at the end of the current school year.</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Deanne Smigelski on her acceptance of the position of Principal of Oyen Public School (OPS), effective the 2024-2025 school year. Smigelski is currently the vice principal at both Oyen Public School and South Central High School.</p><p>A long-time teacher with Prairie Rose Public Schools, Deanne has worked exclusively in the Oyen community for the past 17 years. During that time, she has focused primarily on teaching elementary students in grades JK-5 while supporting teachers and students in all grades through her role as the Inclusive Learning Teacher. In addition to a Bachelor of Education,&nbsp;<i>Smigelski has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Lethbridge.</i></p><blockquote><p>“Having served as vice principal, I've had the privilege of working alongside an exceptional team, witnessing first-hand the dedication, resilience, and passion that define our school community,” says Smigelski. “In this new capacity, I am committed to building on the solid foundation we've established, championing an environment fostering innovation, inclusivity and excellence.”</p></blockquote><p>The administrative re-configuration to a single principal and vice principal for OPS and SCHS started in 2022. Based on parent feedback, the decision was made to re-establish a principal position at both schools starting the 2024-2025 school year. Applications for the South Central High School principalship are currently being accepted.</p>

<p>The 2024 Edwin Parr nominee for Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) is Brooklyn Burzminski, who currently teaches at Eagle Butte High School. She feels honoured to be the nominee for PRPS and says it makes her want to do more and work harder at her job.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I like what I am doing so much, which is potentially making a difference and I want to keep expanding and hopefully live up to the nomination,” stated Burzminski.&nbsp;</p><p>Teaching wasn’t a career choice Burzminski had considered and during high school contemplated either a science or English degree. She took science as there seemed to be more career options available, starting at the University of Saskatchewan before transferring to the University of Alberta (UofA) to complete her pharmacology degree. Career choices were primarily in research, which Burzminski felt wasn’t a good fit as it would be isolating. Remaining in Edmonton long term wasn’t ideal either as she wanted to move back to Medicine Hat to be close to her family.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>While working for a year in healthcare and at an auction house, she considered her options and settled on an education degree after someone recommended it. After exploring this path further, Burzminski realized it was the perfect fit. She decided to remain at UofA for two more years to obtain her degree in education and appreciated how her chemistry transferred along with all her English classes, which she minored in.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Landing the job at Eagle Butte High School has been ideal as she gets to teach Science as well as English classes. Last semester she taught Chem 20 and English 10-1 and this semester she is teaching Chem 30 and Science 10. Initially, she was stressed about her first year of teaching as she’d been told how crazy it would be.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I’ve had an awesome experience, in part because of where I am and I am teaching the perfect job right now. It is exactly what I could have asked for, which I didn’t expect for my first year. All the students have been amazing and I like the work I am doing,” said Burzminski. “I’m working long hours, I come early and stay late because I am a perfectionist, but I enjoy what I am doing and don’t feel like it’s draining on me.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>She’s putting in extra hours to ensure her lesson plans are the best she can make them and to be certain she knows how to teach the material, particularly for Chem 30. Her goal is to make the lessons interactive and find fun activities the students want to do, rather than only discussing what is on the board and giving worksheets to complete.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Additionally, Burzminski attempts to add in cross-curricular lessons between her English and my Science classes, such as reading comprehension strategies in chemistry. Her goal is to make school more relevant and easier to understand for students and to help them understand how material transfers from one subject to another.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In the first semester, Burzminski helped with the Eagle Butte cross-country team and plans to continue her extra-curricular involvement this spring with track and field. “It’s a different experience to be involved with those sports and the school activities,” stated Burzminski. “All of it is fun, so it doesn’t feel like you are being forced to stay when the kids are here.”&nbsp;</p><p>Grade 10 student Talayna Miller was in Burzminski’s English 10 class last semester and is taking her Science 10 class this semester. “She is a caring teacher and thinks about all her students,” said Miller. She’s really amazing and thorough with the material, so she doesn’t just give what is there. She goes beyond and explains it, so we have a good understanding.”&nbsp;</p><p>Grade 12 students Kelsie Pleau-Stewart and Samantha Lentz are both in Chem 30 with Burzminski. All three students talked about how understanding Burzminski is and that she not only cares how students are doing in her class, but also outside of school. They also mentioned her availability for students, including before and after school, and during Tag and her prep period.&nbsp;</p><p>“Whenever a class is missed, I can go back in and she’ll teach a mini lesson and be open to questions,” explained Pleau-Stewart. “She is open to giving us time to work on our assignments in class and offers help if needed and gives us direction if we are doing something wrong. Right now, I have an 83% in the class, normally I’m around the 60% area, so this is a big upgrade for me.” Pleau-Stewart is planning to go to Lakeland College to become a veterinary technician after graduating from high school.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Samantha Lentz, who intends to pursue her post-secondary nursing education in Lethbridge after graduating, feels having Burzminski as a teacher is why she is doing so well in Chem 30.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m sitting with an 87% right now, which I think is great and I have a higher grade now than what I finished Chem 20 with,” stated Lentz. “I like her as a teacher, she cares about each of her students mentally and physically. If you are having problems outside of school, she is always there for you. She is such a welcoming teacher and is easy to talk to.”&nbsp;</p><p>What is key for Lentz is that when she asks questions, Burzminski doesn’t make her feel inadequate and is always non-judgmental. Additionally, each week Burzminski provides old Chem 30 diploma exam questions for the students to attempt. “It’s for us to get a better understanding of what the Chem 30 diploma questions might look like this year, which I find awesome because I struggle with writing diploma exams, so having a small understanding of what diploma questions look like make it so much better,” concluded Lentz.</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p><i>In the photo: Custodian Rhonda Pruden is being interviewed by grade 3 students</i></p><p>Learning about different roles people have is part of the new health curriculum. At the beginning of February, Grade 3 students at Irvine School practiced their interviewing skills on staff to find out about the roles they play in the school, at home and in the community.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Teacher Emily Weimer explained, “It went really well, although a lot of the students were really nervous. Some are new to our school this year, so they haven’t grown up with some of those teachers or seen them around, so that was an added level of pressure. They were relieved when they came back and said it wasn’t so bad or was fun and they enjoyed it once they got to do it. We made pamphlets and drew some pictures to give back to the person they interviewed.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Teegan and Hannah, along with a third classmate, interviewed Rhonda Pruden, a custodian at Irvine School, to demonstrate the process. In the original project, all students interviewed a staff member individually, but last week the three students took turns asking Pruden about her roles and responsibilities. All students admitted they were nervous asking adults about their lives and were surprised by the new things they learned about them.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I liked how we got to interview and how they got to share things about themselves,” said Teegan. “Some people have kids still at home who are like 20.” When asked to say why this was surprising, Teegan replied she thought by that age they would have moved out of the family home.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Hannah enjoyed doing the interviews, although admitted it would have been easier to interview her classmates or friends. “It’s kind of scary asking people about their lives and I was nervous asking a teacher what they do because they are adults.” She was proud and happy with herself once the project was done and said she learnt lots about the teacher she interviewed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“In my job, I am the custodian, so my main job is to keep the school clean and healthy for all the kids,” Pruden told the students. “I think my job as a custodian, I do lots of things more than just cleaning. Sometimes I help kids find teachers, or I’m getting band-aids and other days I’m helping in the kitchen. Sometimes being a custodian, or just working in a school, you might have one job, but you get to do a lot of different things.” She’s been with PRPS at Irvine School for over 16 years and lives locally.&nbsp;</p><p>Purden volunteers on the municipal and local library board and at the Irvine Community Library. &nbsp;She’s been on the municipal board for about six years and the local one for around 10 years. The municipal board concentrates on financing the Irvine and Ralston libraries while the local board focuses primarily on programming.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>The March 12, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda Package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lUUjJNGIu-uZ912-8FA3H32rDPLt2Dgo/view">March 12, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda</a></p><p>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</p><p><strong>School Bus Transportation Request for Proposals</strong><br>Chief Financial Officer Ryan Boser shared that at the end of the current school year, all 87 school bus routes will be at the end of their contracts and will go up for tender. Interested bus contractors can submit bids until noon on Friday, April 12. Packages can be submitted via email or dropped off at any school or the Prairie Rose Public Schools division office. The public tender opening will take place at noon on April 12. More information can be found on the Prairie Rose website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.myprps.com/bus-transportation-rfp">https://www.myprps.com/bus-transportation-rfp</a></p><p><strong>Home Plus</strong><br>The Home Plus Learning Network presentation was postponed. The digital presentation is available in the Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><ul><li>Deputy Superintendent Mark Heinricks announced that Prairie Rose had selected Brooklyn Burzminski as the Edwin Parr nominee for the 2023-2024 school year.</li><li>Superintendent Reagan Weeks shared:<ul><li>PRPS will be working to create a set of guidelines for student use of AI (artificial intelligence). PRPS Instructional Coach Cammie Kannekens will spearhead work on the document.</li><li>Exhibitions of Learning have begun across the school division. To date, Eagle Butte, Ralston, and Senator Gershaw schools have hosted learning events.</li><li>A Hot Wheel racing activity called Gravity Racing has started at Foremost School led by teacher Jay Diemert. The kids bring in their favourite Hot Wheel cars, which they race against each other using a very specific set of race rules on Thursdays at lunch and recess. Around 40 students are involved in the club.</li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>2024-2025 School Calendar</strong><br>The board approved the 2024-2025 School Calendar. It was noted that the school start date will be after the Labour Day long weekend and that most holidays and PD days are closely aligned with the neighbouring school divisions. The calendar can be found here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/prps-board-approves-2024-2025-school-year-calendar-1710272988070">https://www.myprps.com/news/prps-board-approves-2024-2025-school-year-calendar-1710272988070</a></p><p><strong>Technology Accountability Report</strong><br>Manager of Technology Wayne Rossler presented the annual Technology Report for information. Part of the report focused on an overview of the different technology distributed across the school division, which includes one-to-one Chromebooks for all students in grades 4 and up. It was shared that the division continues to have some challenges with damaged Chromebooks coming back for repair. The school division only charges for the cost of the parts and takes care of the labour internally. The other significant technology initiative over the past year has been the migration from Smartboards to Viewsonic Interactive Display Boards across the school division. Forty-five boards have been deployed to date. Feedback from the schools about the new boards has been positive, and the technology team is in the process of mounting the boards on the walls of the classrooms from the moveable carts they are currently on. The full technology report can be found in the March 13, 2024, Board Agenda package.</p><p><strong>Locally Approved Courses</strong><br>The board approved locally developed courses Musical Theatre 15-3, 15-5, 25-3, 25-5, 35-3 and 35-5. Approval of these courses allows high schools to provide additional course credits to students who participate in high school musical productions (dance, drama, music).&nbsp;</p><p><strong>School Field Trip Approvals</strong></p><ul><li>The board approved the Ralston School field trip request to Super T Aviation for grades 4 and 5 students on March 28, 2024. The trip will include learning about the theory of aerodynamics with the DR Flight Academy students and a flight in a 30-minute plane ride above Medicine Hat.&nbsp;</li><li>The board approved the South Central High School field trip to Belize from April 16 to April 25, 2025. The trip will focus on social studies, biology and international foods curriculum and include visits to the Maya Forest Cooridor, Mayan Ruins of Carocol and the Belize Barrier Reef. Students will also get to experience a bird banding and bat mist-netting workshop, and visit the Smithsonian research centre at Carrie Bowe Caye.</li></ul><p><strong>ASBAA, PSBAA, RCASB</strong><br>No reports.</p>

<p>At the March 12, 2024, public board meeting the PRPS Board of Trustees approved the 2024-2025 school year calendar.</p><p>Simplified phone friendly version (screenshot to your phone photos for quick access): <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ms_t0mYokHg1PSedRUpPnxYqRycOAM4/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ms_t0mYokHg1PSedRUpPnxYqRycOAM4/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>PDF simplified version: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jb5x4W408mBZGSZnTOr2p7wfQqHaUucS/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jb5x4W408mBZGSZnTOr2p7wfQqHaUucS/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>Full detailed version: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vX7GU9uMSTLgY3bS-NXher3R_DxhdRlF/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vX7GU9uMSTLgY3bS-NXher3R_DxhdRlF/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><i>Above photos: Corinne Aupperle at IF Cox School and Muhamed Ibrahimovic at Eagle Butte High School&nbsp;</i></p><p>Corinne Aupperle is a substitute teacher with Prairie Rose Public Schools, primarily at IF Cox School working across all the grades. She enjoys returning to the same school for the familiarity of the environment and knowing the students in the class she is covering.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>After teaching in rural Saskatchewan for 30 years, Aupperle retired early to move to Medicine Hat when her daughter got pregnant. She took a few years off to enjoy being a grandmother before becoming a substitute teacher, which she’s done for the past seven years. It took a while to get her name out, but she was fortunate to be recommended to IF Cox as she lives in Redcliff.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I can work when I want and not work when I have other things to do. I can take a holiday, or I can spend time with my family. A huge benefit is when the day is done, I’m done. There is no planning, no extracurricular, no report cards or parent-teacher interviews. I do some marking just because I know how busy teachers are, but if I’m busy I don’t even have to do that. It’s wonderful to just walk out the door,” said Aupperle.&nbsp;</p><p>Even though there are numerous substitute teachers, there are many days where not many are available. Sometimes Aupperle subs at McCoy for the Catholic division, which is enjoyable in a different way than being in an elementary school. There are days, such as last Thursday, where she is already scheduled to be in one school and has several calls from other schools who need a sub.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“You can see by just being in there it’s lots of fun and you can engage with the kids,” explained Aupperle. “What’s beneficial for me is, moving from Saskatchewan, I didn’t know anybody, and this is a way to connect with the community. I can be at Costco and there are kids who know me and then I get to know their parents to say hello. I can walk down the street and if there are people out, it’s a rare time a child doesn’t recognize me. That is a benefit and is a good way to get involved with the community.”&nbsp;</p><p>Muhamed Ibrahimovic taught Language Arts for six years in his home country of Bosnia before immigrating to Canada in 2015. While he was working on getting his diploma accredited by Alberta Education, he taught ESL at Medicine Hat College and for Saamis Immigration. His diploma was accredited in 2021 and he’s been subbing since then. One of those schools is Eagle Butte High School. He also has casual employment as a Correctional Peace Officer, which often results in full-time hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“The flexibility is really nice and you get to pick and choose the schools you like best. You have that luxury because I don’t know if subbing can be a full-time job because work is not always guaranteed,” explained Ibrahimovic. “At this school I like it because the students are respectful, the staff is appreciative and I’m really enjoying it. I’m not doing it for the experience or financial benefit, I just enjoy it here.”&nbsp;</p><p>He prefers subbing in high schools because he appreciates working with students who understand on a higher level and can go into more depth on topics. “Being a sub, I have to follow a sub plan, but with high school, I can incorporate what I know and enrich the lesson here and there while still following the plan,” said Ibrahimovic.&nbsp;</p><p>One of the challenges of being a sub is the last-minute calls and needing to be somewhere right away, although sometimes there are a few days or even a few weeks' notice. “I’m glad this Substitute Appreciation Week exists, and schools are showing they love their subs,” stated Ibrahimovic. “Many people don’t know how challenging it can be to be a sub, sometimes you are thrown into the fire.”&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer</p>

<p>The March 12, 2024, PRPS Public Board Meeting will take place at the Prairie Rose Public Schools Division Office starting at 11:45 a.m. The meeting is only available in-person.</p><p>The complete agenda package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lUUjJNGIu-uZ912-8FA3H32rDPLt2Dgo/view?usp=drive_link">March 12, 2024 Board Meeting Agenda</a></p>

<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Complete award details and links to the online nomination form can be found via the link below.&nbsp;</p><p>2024 Trustee Awards of Recognition Criteria: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmHl007KfoQOoghtP7nP34u27uT2cCWF/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmHl007KfoQOoghtP7nP34u27uT2cCWF/view?usp=drive_link</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>For the second year in a row, PRPS trustees will recognize students who contribute to a culture of excellence in their schools. The 2024 Trustee Awards are about community spirit and are for those students who go the extra mile. “We want to empower all pockets of students and hope this award will target another group,” explained Trustee Shauna VanderSpruit. “Last year, the awards were well-received, and every school had two recipients. This year we would love to see more nominations come from teachers or administration for students who are deserving of this award.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Mindy Straub is now attending Eagle Butte High School and received a Trustee Award from Schuler School in June 2023. She describes herself as being very sociable and getting along with the students across all grades as she’d known them for years.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I feel I was really good with the younger kids because they all liked me,” stated Straub. “On certain mornings, we would get together in the gym and do different literacy activities. The older kids would pair up with the younger kids for reading or word work and that’s why I’d get to spend time with younger students. At recess, if a kid was sad or something, I usually ended up helping and supporting them.”&nbsp;</p><p>Jason Fehr, also attending Eagle Butte this year, received a Grade 9 award from Prairie Mennonite School. He and many of his classmates enjoyed playing games, an activity not permitted on school-issued Chromebooks. To motivate himself and other students, Fehr created a time on Fridays where students could play games competitively against each other if they completed all their schoolwork. &nbsp;As a result, students were less inclined to play games during the week.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;“It made them want to work harder” explained Feher, “so they would be able to do that. You would have to do well on all your schoolwork to participate.” There were about 70 students at the school and about 25 or 30 of them would show up for the competitive gaming times.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;“That ended up working out pretty well, they still do it to this day,” said Fehr, who also added, “during recess, I would be outside and play with the younger kids, showing them some tips on basketball. We’d usually play two versus one because they were younger, not on a team or anything, just personally for fun outside.”&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Trustees are also looking for nominations for the Community Champion for Education. Any member of the public can submit a nomination for this award which recognizes an individual or organization that goes above to provide exceptional learning experiences and opportunities for students. &nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;To submit a community award nomination, click here: <a href="https://prrdweb.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9B51bgE6XE90VFQ">https://prrdweb.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9B51bgE6XE90VFQ</a>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p><i>Photo: Dana Marshall stands next to Terry Super from Super T Aviation after completing her commercial pilot's test</i></p><p>It’s no small feat getting a commercial pilot’s license, particularly if it's on the side to a number of other roles, such as teaching chemistry, physics and math at Eagle Butte, being co-lead of the DR South Alberta Flight Academy, the local ATA president, a mother, rancher, and a volunteer wildland firefighter with the Cypress County Elkwater Fire Station. However, almost three years from when Dana Marshall did her discovery flight, she has done just that.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Marshall has no plans to become a professional pilot as she wants to remain a teacher, but after encouragement from Super T and Superintendent Dr. Reagan Weeks, she decided to train towards a commercial pilot’s license, which is a prerequisite for getting an instructor’s license. &nbsp;Marshall and Katelyn Rozdeba, the other co-lead of the flight academy, are the certified teachers of the program but are unable to teach ground school or flight training without an instructor’s license. They are responsible for all aspects of the academy aside from flight training, such as ensuring the students fulfill curriculum credits, organizing field trips, first-aid, and other non-flight training events.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The flight exam for a commercial license is very similar to that for a private license except the pilot must be more precise in their flying. The ground school portion or written exam is vastly different. “There is a ton more knowledge to learn for the commercial written exam,” explained Marshall. “They say it is one of the toughest exams you can write in Transport Canada.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The pilot needs a minimum of 200 hours flying time with at least 100 of those hours as piloting command time, which is flying solo. Additionally, they need a certain amount of instrument flying time where the pilot wears a helmet to block their vision, so they are flying by instruments alone, with an instructor beside them, to simulate flying in a cloud.&nbsp;</p><p>“I like to fly with my kids if they are up for it, I have an 11 and a 5-year-old. Now they are bored with it, so a lot of the time, I message the students to see if they want to go flying, if they want to hang out and go for a trip,” said Marshall. “All those solo hours get lonely after a while so it’s better to fly with someone. I’ve taken a few staff members and a few students up.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Marshall sat the written exam on April 4, 2023, and passed the flight exam on September 1, 2023. Since then, she’s been flying off the needed hours and checking off the rest of the required boxes. “With the private you can do either/or first,” explained Marshall. “With the commercial, they want the written passed first and then you do the flight test. You can do the flight test as early as 150 hours and then you just get all the other flight hours in.”&nbsp;</p><p>Marshall kept a logbook of her flight hours, and a pilot training record also shows which instructor was supervising and what Marshall was working on. Transport Canada requires this because when the submission is made for the commercial license, Super T must prove she completed all the requirements.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I flew all around Alberta, Saskatchewan and went to BC a couple of times. Part of the commercial is a 300 nautical mile flight from your starting point to the destination and there are approved routes you can do. I went to Yorkton, Saskatchewan and you have to stop twice, at two places that aren’t your destination. You have to stop for gas anyway, so I stopped in Regina, Yorkton and then at Regina on the way back. It’s all about gaining more experience, getting to more airports, being able to be in different types of airspace, that is what they are trying to teach you by having these certain rules,” stated Marshall.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Medicine Hat and Lethbridge have a flight services station because they aren’t busy enough to have a tower. Marshall had never been in Class D airspace before or talked to a tower, but she had to when she landed and departed from Regina.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Class C airspace, which is very busy, would-be Calgary International, Springbank and Edmonton International. There are multiple different frequencies you talk to, there might be an outer frequency, an inner frequency when you are coming in then you must dial in a new radio station once you land to talk to ground control, it’s a whole bunch of different pieces of training. For the night rating, we get to land at Calgary International. I had an instructor with me and that was my first ever experience with Class C and it was overwhelming because they spit stuff out of you and their instruction is at 100 miles an hour and you are not only flying the plane, but you are also trying to take down their instructions. Landing is a higher stress situation, a critical moment of flight, and you have to write down where they want you to exit, taxi to and your frequencies and instructions. You need a plan ahead of time in order to be able to catch it all.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>For the moment, Marshall is reveling in completing her commercial license training. Currently, Super T has a new grant where they can train up to 15 instructors. “I might try to take advantage of that, but I also don’t want to take that opportunity away from a young pilot that wants the instructor rating to go onto an airline job. I have no plans to become an airline pilot, so for me to take up a spot someone else could use, I would feel rotten about that. I’m sitting back and enjoying and letting my brain chill out for a while and not being in constant training like I have for the past three years,” concluded Marshall.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>