Prairie Rose Public Schools News Archive

<p>The 15th annual Kaleidoscope of the Arts is coming up on Thursday, May 30 at the Esplanade and will be on from 10 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The morning workshops are open to all students within Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS). For elementary students there are art and music workshops. The art workshop will include anime and character design along with Indigenous beading and storytelling. Fun in the Music Classroom is being run by Justine Wilks, choral director at Medicine Hat College. Tiffany Molin and Ann Morrison will put together a presentation on this workshop where the students will be participating in fun, games, singing, and body percussion. All teachers who bring their students to Fun in the Music Classroom will receive a copy of the presentation so they can continue to use it after Kaleidoscope.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The art workshop for senior and junior high students, which is already fully booked, is alcohol ink with Kameko Ballantyne from Eagle Butte and Brian Sloan from Parkside. Local musician Greg Herman is running a singer/songwriter workshop for junior and senior high students that will take place in the Medicine Hat Public Library.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In the afternoon, all students will gather in the Esplanade auditorium for a show, which will include choirs from different schools along with students from Parkside School performing a scene from this year’s play. Tiffany Molin will bring the choir from the Seven Persons Academy of Fine Arts and Ron Mason, who teaches music at I.F. Cox and Margaret Wooding schools in Redcliff, will also be bringing a choir for the show. Additionally, some students will be performing solos. Last year, Morrison had upwards of 20 students audition for three solo spots at the 2023 Kaleidoscope.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Over 200 students are already registered for the afternoon show, which will be repeated in the evening for those parents and community members who are unable to make it during the day. The event is free to the public and everyone is welcome. Last year, the lower level of the auditorium was full, and the upper level needed to be opened for the evening performance and Morrison is hoping for a larger turnout this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The silent auction, which was added to Kaleidoscope last year, will be running again beginning at 5 p.m. New this year, bidding for the silent auction will start online two weeks prior to the event. The auction items can be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KaleidoscopePRSD8/">Facebook at Kaleidoscope of the Arts PRPS</a>. The final bids on Facebook will become the opening bids on May 30.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>While the silent auction is running, students will be busking in the studio theatre, just inside the main entrance. Upstairs, Karen Dion will be holding the year-end art showcase, featuring hundreds of pieces of art from the Academy of Fine Arts in Seven Persons. Those viewing the artwork will be treated to busking by elementary students. There will be sparkling juice along with cheese and crackers available for attendees on both levels and this portion of the evening will run from 5 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. Additionally, in the gallery theatre there will be an exhibition featuring artwork from students within both Medicine Hat Public School Division and the Catholic Board of Education.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We are really excited to have Kaleidoscope again, it’s such a good opportunity to celebrate the fine arts and for us to get together. We are such a spread-out division, the fact that we can get Ralston, Burdett, Seven Persons and other schools together is something. Each of us, in our schools, ends up being our own little island and when we get together you see what other people are doing in their own classrooms and what the students are doing,” stated Morrison. “The students love seeing each other. Some of the kids I have at Eagle Butte had Mr. Mason in elementary and will help in his ukulele workshop. They get to see the kids who are in I.F. Cox or Margaret Wooding and get to help their previous teacher run the workshop and see what the choir they used to sing in is now doing.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>With only a few months left in the school year, Prairie Rose schools will soon be sending out their&nbsp;<strong>2024-2025 Returning Student Demographic Update</strong> forms to those who indicated they will be returning to Prairie Rose Public Schools in the fall. These forms are more detailed than the pre-enrollment forms you completed back in February and&nbsp;are required as part of the official student record. With our new&nbsp;<i>School Engage&nbsp;</i>system, all the information in the forms will be automatically populated for you from our student database (PowerSchool). You will be asked to confirm all the information on file for each student is correct and sign off on the form. If we don’t have information on file the field will be blank and you will be asked to complete it.</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>What to do when you receive the email notification.</strong></td></tr><tr><td>When you receive an email notification that a new form has been assigned to you, please log into your PowerSchool Parent portal, choose the&nbsp;<i>School Engage</i> option and complete any ‘Incomplete Forms’.&nbsp;This is exactly the same process as we did back in February. As a reminder, you&nbsp;<strong>CANNOT</strong> use the&nbsp;<i>PowerSchool</i> app to access&nbsp;<i>School Engage</i>. It&nbsp;<strong>MUST</strong> be done from a browser window. It is recommended you do not use a phone to complete the forms, as the form we will be sending out is longer than the one back in February and will be easier to complete on a computer screen.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>What if I can’t remember my login information?</strong></td></tr><tr><td>If you have trouble logging into&nbsp;<i>PowerSchool</i>, you can choose the Forgot Password option. All Prairie Rose parent account logins are set to be the email address you have on file with us. If you do reset your password, please be patient. It can take several minutes for the email reset confirmation to come through and it is also good practice to check your junk/clutter folders. If you run into any issues, feel free to reach out to our&nbsp;<i>PowerSchool</i> support for assistance (kristalester@prrd8.ca).</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

<p>Nancy Haraga is more than halfway through her first term as Ward 6 trustee (Foremost area) for Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS). At the time of the elections, Haraga put her name forward after a friend suggested the idea. “I took a leap of faith and put my name in, explained Haraga. “As a parent you don’t understand how a school division is run, but as a trustee it is something I really enjoy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>While being a trustee during the final months of government restrictions due to the pandemic was challenging, it’s been up and up since then. “We were doing what we were supposed to do, which is making education decisions for the children of the division, that’s what I put my mind to because this is about the kids,” stated Haraga.&nbsp;</p><p>Getting out and meeting people and having conversations with teachers, school and division staff, parents and community is the most enjoyable part of the job for Haraga. “I’ve always thought that as a trustee it’s very important to be active in the communities. This is where you find out what’s going on in the community and most of the time, we can resolve many questions or concerns beforehand. Communication is key to every aspect of life and I’m so grateful for our parent council and staff at Foremost School. I’m biased when I say we have the best, but I know throughout Prairie Rose we have an amazing group of staff, including custodians who do an amazing job at keeping our schools clean. Happy staff, Happy kids.”&nbsp;</p><p>Haraga, who grew up in Foremost, is now a fourth-generation rancher in Skiff, along with her husband, where they run 400 head of cattle, 80 head of sheep along with laying and boiler chickens. “We raise our own meat and butcher our own chickens. I don’t like to be part of the killing or gutting but will sit in the kitchen and clean them,” said Haraga. “We get about 70 eggs a day from our laying hens and the boilers, we usually do about 40 a year. We start with 40 and usually the coyotes take a few.”&nbsp;</p><p>Most of the ranch work is done on horseback and getting the work/life balance right while also being a trustee has some challenges. Haraga is also a licensed hair stylist but discovered last winter this isn’t the right time for her to be returning to that work, not with being a trustee, helping on the ranch and raising three children, who are in Grade 4, 6 and 8 at Foremost School.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Haraga has visited most of the schools in her ward and some in other wards and intends to try to visit each school within PRPS by the end of her first term.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I love seeing the different dynamics, I went to Ralston for the first time this year for their Exhibition of Learning and met most of the staff and students. That is a different culture and dynamic than what I’m used to in Foremost. I’d like to get up north and into the Oyen area because as a new trustee I haven’t been into those schools. I’ve been trying to make a point of meeting parents and staff because I think that is really important for them to know the board is here to support them at every aspect,” explained Haraga.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Her kids are heavily involved with Foremost School, her daughter in school sports and her two sons with the South Alberta Hockey Academy. Having constructive conversations with parents is important to Haraga. A huge advocate for the students, Haraga continues to work for what is best for them so they can succeed after Grade 12.&nbsp;</p><p>She is interested in bringing Prairie Rose Possibilities into all schools, such as Burdett where she feels the AgPro programs - Western Tractor, beef and crops – would be a good fit there along with the health care aide program. With so many opportunities available, it only takes time to develop the program and find a champion within each school to bring new possibilities to students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I think the programming Reagan and the school division are doing is phenomenal and I love that there are these options for children because, growing up in a rural community, it was always a question why we couldn’t have certain programs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>I like that the education they are providing is for everybody and is rural and urban based. Just because you are a city kid, doesn’t mean you can’t become an agronomist or get into the agriculture world. I think it’s great what they are doing and I’m excited to see what the future holds in PRPS and I’m glad my kids are right in the middle of it and my oldest is already experiencing the John Deere program and I know they are looking to get the AgPro in Foremost as well. I’m glad my kids are on the cusp of it so they can start to experience some of that as well,” concluded Haraga.&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Jacalyn Poncelet on accepting the principal position at New Brigden School.</p><p>With 24 years of teaching experience, Jacalyn joins Prairie Rose after teaching most of her career with Saskatchewan Rivers School Division, and most recently Medicine Hat Public Schools for the past 6 years. Having worked primarily with elementary students throughout her career, Jacalyn also has a strong background in numeracy and literacy working as a Math Coach for four years and having implemented customized individualized intervention programs that focused on targeting lagging literacy and numeracy skills and social emotional learning. She has a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan with a focus on elementary learning.</p><blockquote><p>“I am very excited and grateful to be joining Prairie Rose and New Brigden School. Having grown up, and taught most of my career in a rural community, I wholeheartedly value the shared 'village' focus. I look forward to continuing to foster the family atmosphere that currently exists and collaborating with the staff, students, families and New Brigden community. As a collective, we will continue to develop amazing learning opportunities for students to become leaders in learning and in life.”</p></blockquote><p>Jacalyn will officially assume the role of principal at New Brigden at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. The opening follows current principal Gayle Vass’s retirement at the end of the current school year.</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Dawn Peers on her acceptance of the position of Principal of South Central High School (SCHS), effective the 2024-2025 school year.&nbsp;</p><p>A long-time teacher with Prairie Rose Public Schools, Dawn began teaching in the Oyen area back in 1995 as a temporary ECS teacher in Acadia Valley. After filling in at Oyen Public School (OPS) for two years, she moved over to South Central High School (SCHS) where she has taught since 2002. In addition to teaching, Dawn has filled the positions of acting principal, academic advisor, ILT, and work experience supervisor. She has also taken a role in supporting the Badlands Baseball Academy students and families as they transition to South Central. Dawn holds a Bachelor of Education and Arts degree from the University of Lethbridge with a major in Physical Education and minors in Social Studies and Biological Sciences.</p><blockquote><p>“I feel very privileged to be the new school principal at South Central. With the support of the dedicated SCHS staff and valued members of the Oyen community, we will continue to celebrate and explore the distinctive opportunities of our rural area and guide our students towards achieving excellence. In this new leadership role, I am excited to build on the strong foundation that empowers responsible and dedicated SCHS students through academics, sports and other school activities. South Central High School is a place where great things happen, and I am thrilled to be part of it.”</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 single administrative position at both schools starting the 2024-2025 school year. Deanne Smigelski was announced as the new principal of Oyen Public School earlier this year.</p>

<p>An administrative assistant’s job encompasses more than most people realize; they can often be counted on to help anywhere there is a need. “On any given day, I could pay bills, nurse an injured child, wipe tears away from a heartbroken student or teacher's face, schedule classes for a visiting presenter, and also answer phones,” said Lori Maser who has been working at Irvine School since 1996.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Being at the front end, they greet everyone who comes into the school, interacting with students, staff, parents and the community. While making the job hectic at times, it also provides a connection to everyone and is something they love. Overall, administrative assistants aim to keep everyone informed, ensure they have what they need and help the school or division office run smoothly.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Janice Herman has worked at Schuler School for the past 19 years, first as an Educational Assistant (EA) before moving into her role as an admin. “The thing I love most about where I work is that it is a rural farming/ranching community. I grew up very similar to our students so I can relate to that rural lifestyle. I love our parent/student community and feel privileged to contribute as an Admin Assistant at the school.”&nbsp;</p><p>Chelsea Sept at Ralston School is appreciative of the friendships she’s made with her colleagues. She enjoys helping with the big events at the school and watching a multi-layered idea come together. “The kids are the best part of my job! I love hearing the funny stories or things the kids decide to share with me in the office. I love being able to brighten their day and the enthusiasm from the kids is infectious and always makes my day! “&nbsp;</p><p>Michelle McHugh, who has been with PRPS for 23 years, worked at Ralston until 2022 and is now at Irvine School. She enjoyed meeting families from different countries while at Ralston and felt a connection with them as both her father and husband were in the British army. Irvine School has much to offer, and she loves the community and the farm.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I do the Nutrition Program as well at the school, so I make 400 snacks a week for the students and staff. I also work part-time as an EA so I'm in the foods class two times a week with the junior high. I love receiving little messages from students which I post around my desk,” stated McHugh. “I make birthday announcements and play Stevie Wonder "Happy Birthday to You" most mornings to staff and students. It's lovely to hear other students wish staff and students Happy Birthday on most days as you may not know it's someone's birthday without the announcements. I also do the Facebook Page, website, newsletters, registrations and numerous amounts of school messenger posts.”&nbsp;</p><p>Kelly Herrmann was an EA for 17 years at various PRPS schools before taking over the position of administrative assistant at Prairie Mennonite Alternative School (PMAS) five years ago. Watching students learn new things and being in a new school are highlights both she and Janice Herman share. In addition to her admin assistant duties, Herrmann is responsible for the library at PMAS, organizes the monthly hot lunches and enjoys participating in outside supervision and watching the students on the playground.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“When we were located in Redcliff at RMAP, we did not have a library. Over the last 5 years, I have been developing our school library from scratch with donations from our other PRPS schools and the Medicine Hat Library, as well as purchasing new books slowly along the way. I supervise video conferencing classes with our Grade 9 students, as well as have library classes with the entire school,” said Herrmann. “Communication is very important for a school to run, so a big part of my job is to try to make sure all staff and students are aware of the parts that they need to know. I have made a calendar in the staff room on a large white board for the staff to be able to see at a glance what is coming up, and keep it updated as best I can. Because of our unique situation with our families being Low German Speaking Mennonites, our method of communication has to be handled differently than a typical school. Most of our parents do not use email, or most online programs that other schools use (school cash, registrations) so the ability to communicate has to be handled differently. Also, the language barrier makes it harder to communicate. Building trust is very important since I need to help them with any forms that need to be filled out. I have assisted families with passport applications, registration forms and other government forms that they may need assistance with as well as reading/translating online government surveys.” &nbsp;</p><p>Katie Ritz, who is finishing up her second year of working at Jenner School, summed up her role nicely. “I love our little school. It's more than a community, it's a home, its family. We see these students from newborns all the way to Grade 12 graduation and beyond. I am the doer of all things for our school. Whether it's finding books for kindergarten kids, helping with Grade 9 options class, being the banker at fundraiser time, treat/ goodie buyer. I will help anywhere and everywhere.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two mathlete teams from Eagle Butte High School, the Denominators and Casual Mathletes, competed at the Totem Torus Math Competition in Edmonton on Thursday, April 11. The teams drove up the day before and got to spend time together as a group at the mall during the evening. The teams were made up of those students in the Grade 12 calculus class who wanted to attend the competition.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Questions could be from every grade level between 7 and 12 with a solo competition where a calculator was allowed, a team portion in groups of six solving 25 questions in 45 minutes without calculators and then a relay in groups of three, where the previous person’s answer corresponds to the next person’s question.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“They choose harder questions because they wanted to challenge you, but they wanted something that anyone in each grade could solve,” said Arabella Allen. “It wasn’t questions from the curriculum, just trying to think out of the box.”&nbsp;</p><p>The student’s scores compared well with other public-school students from across Alberta, but Allen stated they’d gone for the experience and not to win. After graduating this year, Allen plans to go to Carleton University for the aerospace engineering program.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I didn’t study at all or review anything, I probably should have and I likely would have done better,” said Jordan Vandor who will attend the University of Alberta for mechanical engineering in September. “I went for fun, it’s not for marks so it’s easier to do because there isn’t that stress of having to get it right. The relays were fun, the solos were better than the team ones, that was the worst one. I’m retired now, I’m a one-hit wonder.”&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p><i>In the photos: South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue (SEASAR) present to students on how to stay safe in the outdoors. The Medicine Hat Rattlers running team put students through a warm up exercise.&nbsp;</i></p><p>---</p><p>For Education Week 2024, Margaret Wooding School has been doing different activities. Inspirational video clips of student speakers or famous people the students would know about were played in each class during the morning. The video was followed by a discussion led by the teacher. “A reflective process on the video they watched and to think about their own living and who they are and their own growth along with setting goals,” explained Principal Craig Corsie. &nbsp;</p><p>Representatives from South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue (SEASAR) came to the school to present to the Outdoor Education class, one of the options students can sign up for that run on Wednesday afternoon. &nbsp;</p><p>“We learned a lot about what to do if you are lost in the woods,” said Lilly, who signed up for Outdoor Education because she likes plants and finds being outside in nature relaxing. Classmate Hailynn also joined the option because she likes being outside in Nature, with the coulee are by the river one of her favorite places. &nbsp;</p><p>The girls helped each other remember the top four strategies to use when in the wilderness: to tell a parent where you are going, stay put and hug a tree (if lost), stay warm and dry, and lastly to listen to the search and rescue people who respond to the call. &nbsp;</p><p>“It’s an expert voice and good content for the kids,” explained teacher Robyn Harrington, “with just starting a new term, it introduced being in the outdoors and how to keep safe. The students get a certificate for it as it’s an accredited course across Canada. SEASAR is a community-based group that potentially kids might be interested in down the road to connect with and possibly volunteer with,” explained Harrington. “One of the girls in the class, her mom volunteers with search and rescue and I didn’t know that.”</p><p>When asked if there was anything they wanted to add, Lily said, “they taught us how to put on these tinfoil blanket things to keep warm.” Hailynn jumped in to say, “and they also taught us to get lots of big branches and make an X, an SOS or an arrow pointing to where you are,” added Hailynn.</p><p>Each morning, the school has been playing a game of bingo just for fun. Different clubs at the school were showcased, with the coach and four student athletes from the Medicine Hat Rattlers running team coming to the school to demonstrate stretches, warm up exercises, and running games to students of the Margaret Wooding running club. The Rattlers also brought some swag with them to pass out to the students, including balls, mini-sticks and lanyards. &nbsp;</p><p>Josh, Peyton, and Nash are all members of the running club and agreed the games were the best part. All joined the club because they like running, with Josh and Peyton preferring short-distance competitions. Nash prefers running in a group because it’s more fun and said he likes a mix of both short and long-distance running. &nbsp;</p><p>“There was this one game where everybody was it, but to tag someone you had to tag them below their knee and when you get out, all the people you tagged are back in,” explained Josh.</p><p>Nash added, “they taught us this warmup where everyone lies on their stomachs and someone runs between them and the person you were next to, after you’ve done a full lap, you lie down back beside them, and they have to get up and do the same thing.” &nbsp;</p><p>This is the second year the Rattlers have visited the running club. “We got to do a bit more because it was outside. Yesterday, we had to shift things because we had to be inside (due to the rain and snow), but it was still fun. Another thing they did at the end was field some questions from the kids and they had a chance to talk about what it’s like to be a Rattler,” concluded Harrington, who supervises the running club. &nbsp;</p><p>Education week culminated in the Margaret Wooding Learning Exhibition, which ran throughout the school day and then again in the evening, making it a long day for students and staff. On Friday, Corsie said everyone was going to take a breath and have some relaxation time to acknowledge all the hard work everyone put in to make the 2024 Education Week and the Learning Exhibition successful. &nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer</p>

<p><i>In the photos: Parents, school leaders, and PRPS trustees get a hands on experience with vermicomposting during the recent Council of School Councils meeting.</i></p><p>-----</p><p>On Tuesday, April 9, the Council of School Councils had their spring meet up at Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) division office. Representatives from the parent councils of Bow Island Elementary, Burdett, I.F. Cox, Margaret Wooding, Parkside, Ralston, Schuler, Seven Persons and Warren Peers schools were in attendance. The evening started off with a supper before moving into the activity for the evening. Roxanne Doerksen of TRAD Worm Industries joined the meeting with enough supplies for attendees to pair up and create a functional vermicomposting bin.&nbsp;</p><p>“This was an activity they could learn that the students can do at schools. We are hearing lots about schools building outdoor learning areas. This is the time of year with it being spring and this is curriculum related so why not get the elementary students engaged? The compost can be used in outdoor or flower gardens they are building in the schools,” said organizer of the evening Trustee Patty Rooks. “There is lots of cross-curricular learning here that can be taken back to teachers and it’s a great way to get parents engaged with those teachers where they can show them what they are learning and possibly volunteer in the classroom. You never know what may transpire between what we’ve created here with the parent councils, the parents and the school community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>At the last meeting in fall 2023, the activity was chair yoga and the PRPS therapy dogs were brought in. A discussion took place about resources available in the schools, such as Family School Liaison Workers (FSLWs). “The aim was to get the word out because the more our parents know and can share with their councils, the more they can engage parents and utilize the resources we have and just engage the whole community so much better,” explained Rooks.&nbsp;</p><p>After the activity there was a short break before Karen Blewett, Community Development Officer with Alberta Arts Culture and Status of Women, gave a presentation on designing effective meetings with a focus on creating agendas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Rooks feels lucky that the PRPS Board gave her free reign to design the Council of School Councils meetings. The purpose of the meetings is to engage all parent councils from across the district and have them come together to have a learning opportunity. Rooks wanted to create a format that was engaging with topics and activities those in attendance could take back to their schools. She also wanted to enhance, improve and/or build upon their knowledge by providing them with tips and strategies, particularly those schools with new councils.&nbsp;</p><p>It was a good turnout with representatives from schools who have never attended the meeting in the past. “I’ll be honest, it can be scary to come to a new meeting you’ve never been to before, but I’m proud of them for coming and picking up on those tips. I’ve watched them throughout the night engaging with other parents and asking for some feedback. That’s what tonight is about as well, is talking to your peers and learning how they are successful or not successful,” concluded Rooks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer</p>

<p>Alberta Education is conducting a province-wide survey to gather input from parents and staff about the impacts of cellphones in schools. Feedback on the topic is being accepted until May 3, 2024.</p><p>Link to the survey: <a href="https://your.alberta.ca/cellphones-in-schools/survey_tools/en">https://your.alberta.ca/cellphones-in-schools/survey_tools/en</a></p><p><strong>Background:</strong> In Alberta, and in many other places across the world, student cellphone use is increasing. Cellphones have the potential to be powerful teaching aids that, when used appropriately, can improve learning outcomes. But there are significant risks and concerns with inappropriate cellphone usage. They can be a distraction to students in the classroom and disrupt a student’s learning and can impact student safety through bullying or harassment.</p><p>The purpose of the survey will be to gather feedback on the following topics:</p><ol><li>What concerns about student cellphone use in schools does your organization have?</li><li>What does your organization see as the benefits of student cellphone use in schools?</li><li>What concerns do you have about potential restrictions on student cellphone use in schools?</li><li>What benefits do you see with potential restrictions on student cellphone use in schools?</li><li>What concerns do you have about province-wide restrictions around student cellphone use in schools?</li><li>What benefits do you see in having province-wide restrictions around student cellphone use in schools?</li><li>Is there anything the department should be aware of if school authorities were asked to amend their codes of conduct to restrict cellphone use in schools?</li><li>Is there anything the department should be aware of if school authorities were asked to adopt or approve goals and standards to restrict cellphone use in schools?</li><li>If the department requires school authorities to amend codes of conduct or adopt/approve goals and standards related to cellphone use, how much lead time is required to make this happen?</li><li>Ontario and Quebec have exceptions to their cellphone use restrictions (unless authorized by a teacher for educational purposes; for health and medical reasons; or to support special education needs.) Would you support similar exceptions if a cellphone restriction were implemented? Are there other exceptions to be considered?</li><li>Are there any other considerations regarding cellphone use in schools that should be considered in developing a policy?</li><li>Is there anything else you would like to share about cellphone use in schools?</li></ol><p><i>Note: This survey is being distributed on behalf of Alberta Education. Prairie Rose Public Schools does not have any input into the questions or access to the results. Questions regarding participation can be sent to Alberta Education&nbsp;</i><a href="https://www.alberta.ca/education-guide-alberta-education-contacts"><i>https://www.alberta.ca/education-guide-alberta-education-contacts</i></a></p>

<p>In the photos: Sophia Wever, Wellness Committee leader. Students taking part in a Painter Girl session. Students are playing a version of jacks using rocks which is an Indigenous team building game.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>---</p><p>As the oldest member of the Wellness Committee at Senator Gershaw School, Sophie Wever became the leader of the group. The idea for the committee sprang out of the annual leadership conference Wever and fellow members of the leadership group at the school attended back in November 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;“We took away from that day and planned it all out,” explained Wever.&nbsp;</p><p>“Every year they do the healthiest school cup and plan out what the school will do to be healthy. It’s not a competition, just how they ensure we are having good wellness in our school as that is becoming a more popular thing in Alberta. We like to take away from that day because it gives us a bunch of ideas and gets us thinking of things we could do in our school.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The Wellness Day, which took place the day before Easter weekend, was split into 40-minute sessions with time for breaks between each one. Healthy protein and how a healthy diet can affect one’s wellness was covered with students making protein balls in the home economics room. Representatives from Miywasin Centre were in the gymnasium for Indigenous team building games. Ever Active Schools were running yoga sessions, and Painter Girl offered the chance for students to discover some creative fun. Teachers and staff also got to take part with members of the Wellness Committee leading them in a variety of activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The Wellness Committee is composed of elementary and junior high students at the school, who were supported by teachers and school administration along with the parent advisory council.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s all elementary and junior high run and that is what we wanted to do because it brings more opportunities for the younger kids to be in our Wellness Committee in our school,” said Wever. “I was a little nervous at the start but after we had our intro and we went over everything, I’m excited now. We’ve done so much planning and scheduling with our group that it’s surreal we actually made it happen. It’s wonderful, I’m so happy now, it turned out great. The last week was crazy, I had surgery on my knee in February. We were going to have our wellness day in February, but due to that we changed it around. It’s been chaotic for sure, but it’s coming to play really well.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The biggest challenge for the committee was planning the schedule for Wellness Day and creating groups that account for differing student characteristics and having enough variety so there was at least one thing each student would find enjoyable. Each group was composed of 30 students and feeding them all also had to be taken into account.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“For my wellness, it’s been great because I get to see how much the kids love it. They came in this morning and were excited about what group they were in and all the fun stuff they get to do. That has been satisfying for me and how I get to make someone’s day and see them excited about it and it makes me so excited. I am a scheduler and I loved scheduling this day,” stated Wever.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>She hopes Wellness Day will become a yearly event at Senator Gershaw and is hopeful the younger students on the committee, some in Grade 4 who were responsible for making posters, will continue on. “It’s really nice to see they want to keep doing it too,” said Wever. “I’m so glad it all worked out and I’m so thankful for everyone that has been helping because I was raised that when you put the hard work in, good things come. After seeing this and putting all my hard work in, and we get to see all the kids enjoying it, it’s such a good feeling, that feeling of achievement.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Other members of the Wellness Committee at Senator Gershaw include Makaya Porteous, Mila Wever, Leah Pinchin, Gage Hintz, Henson Oldenzijl, Spencer Kramer, Lacey Thacker, and Evan Veilleux.&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<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>