<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(62, 62, 62);font-family:articulat-cf, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 1.5rem;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The next Prairie Rose Public Schools board meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the PRPS Division Office in Dunmore. <strong>The meeting</strong><strong style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1;"> will take place at 1:00 PM.</strong></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(62, 62, 62);font-family:articulat-cf, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 1.5rem;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Public Board Meeting Agenda: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TZM16jtrfoyuGKgNz5sxVgA6tmdxlMLJ/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TZM16jtrfoyuGKgNz5sxVgA6tmdxlMLJ/view?usp=drive_link</a></p>

<p>“Are you living the dream? I know I sure am!”</p><p>For Karen Bongaards, 40 years of teaching have given her plenty of reasons to say yes.</p><p>For Lennon Longmuir, that journey is just beginning. And she is already finding the moments that make teaching so meaningful.</p><p>Their careers may be at very different stages, but when they talk about what makes the classroom special, their answers have a lot in common.</p><p>For World Teacher’s Day, Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) celebrates Karen, Lennon and all teachers for the work they do to support students.</p><p>Karen Bongaards is a Grade 5 teacher at Margaret Wooding School and has spent 40 years with PRPS. She began her career at Bindloss School before moving to Schuler, Ralston, and eventually Margaret Wooding, where she continues to teach today.</p><p>“I do enjoy coming to work every day. It’s my happy place,” Bongaards reflects.</p><p>After 40 years, it is still the small moments of student growth that make teaching meaningful. She especially enjoys seeing students gain confidence as the year progresses and realize they can succeed.</p><p>“Just seeing these kids that struggle at the beginning and don’t think they can do it, but by the end of the year, they’ve got it, and they feel really good about themselves. That’s what keeps me coming back.”</p><p>Lennon Longmuir is finding those same meaningful moments in her first year of teaching. She is a first-year music teacher who teaches at both Margaret Wooding School and I.F. Cox School, working with students from junior kindergarten through Grade 6.</p><p>Her path to teaching began with music. After starting piano and taking up drums at age 10, a memorable drum teacher helped spark a passion that eventually led her to study percussion and pursue education.</p><p>Now, she is finding her own rewarding moments in the classroom.</p><p>“I love seeing my students progress, especially when they have those light bulb moments and things click. Knowing that I’ve instilled some confidence or given them a little bit of a passion is what I really love,” Longmuir explains.</p><p>For Longmuir, even something as simple as a student walking through the door with a smile can make a difference. For Bongaards, it is seeing how far a student has come by the end of the year.</p><p>Different experiences. Different stages of a teaching career. But at the heart of it, the same reason to keep coming back: the students.</p><p>On World Teachers’ Day, the stories of Karen and Lennon highlight the important role educators across Prairie Rose Public Schools play in helping students grow, build confidence and discover their potential.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(62, 62, 62);display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:articulat-cf, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Additional information can be found in the September 15, 2026, Board Meeting Agenda packages: </span><a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/prps-public-board-meeting-agenda"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(62, 62, 62);display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:articulat-cf, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">https://www.myprps.com/news/prps-public-board-meeting-agenda</span></a></p><p>--------</p><h3><strong>Organizational Meeting</strong></h3><p>Each fall, the Board of Trustees elects a Board Chair, Vice Chair and other key Board representative positions. In addition to their regular duties, the following trustees will represent Prairie Rose Public Schools during the 2026 to 2027 school year:</p><p>✔️ Patty Rooks, Board Chair</p><p>✔️ Pam Cursons, Vice Chair</p><p>✔️ Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) Representative – Pam Cursons</p><p>✔️ ASBA Alternate – Patty Rooks</p><p>✔️ Public School Boards Association of Alberta (PSBAA) Representative – Darren Howes</p><p>✔️ PSBAA Alternate – Janel Vossler</p><p>✔️ Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) Representative – Pam Cursons</p><p>✔️ Rural Caucus of Alberta School Boards (RCASB) Representative – Nancy Haraga</p><p>------</p><h3><strong>Public Board Meeting</strong></h3><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><p>The Board received several updates as part of the Superintendent’s Executive Report:</p><ul><li data-list-item-id="e4c1fcc95bd92f75084373e7cb7dad3a7"><strong>Yuill School of Agriculture Fundraising:</strong> Approximately $978,000 has been raised since May, with much of the funding coming through naming opportunities and the Raise the Roof Gala. Proceeds from the golf tournament held at the end of August will also contribute to the total. Prairie Rose thanked the organizers, sponsors and donors who continue to support the project.<br>&nbsp;</li><li data-list-item-id="e7ff84f859ffd283d2306fc651ae2adbc"><strong>SafeArrival:</strong> SafeArrival has now been implemented across Prairie Rose schools. The system works with PowerSchool and notifies families when a student has not arrived for class, providing an additional way to support attendance monitoring and accountability for student presence.<br>&nbsp;</li><li data-list-item-id="ee8e798a31b31ba284a99296612f2af4b"><strong>Literacy and Numeracy Supports: </strong>Prairie Rose is implementing new literacy and numeracy screening and intervention requirements under Bill 25. Division teams are coordinating the rollout of required screenings and additional supports to help identify and address student learning needs.<br>&nbsp;</li><li data-list-item-id="efad5960b75808e5d914fa039c8a59c3b"><strong>Jurassic Battery Energy Storage System:</strong> The Board received an update on the Jurassic Battery Energy Storage System near Jenner, an 80 MW battery storage project under development in Cypress County. The system will store electricity and release it back to Alberta’s grid when needed, helping support grid reliability and the continued integration of renewable energy. The project supports the renewable wind energy initiative that Prairie Rose is already a joint partner in through the Alberta Schools Commodities Purchasing Consortium and builds on the division’s existing participation in wind energy.</li></ul><p><strong>Surplus Property</strong></p><p>The Board approved motions declaring two division owned properties as surplus: the former Glen Echo School property and four lots in Bindloss.</p><p>Under provincial requirements, surplus property must first be identified through a Board motion and submitted to the Government of Alberta before the division can proceed with a potential sale or transfer. Declaring the properties surplus begins that process.</p><p><strong>Yuill School of Agriculture Update</strong></p><p>Construction of the Yuill School of Agriculture continues to progress, with roof trusses now being installed. The facility is scheduled to open in September 2027.</p><p>Plans for the school include a storefront, a commercial kitchen designed around the learning environment at Lethbridge Polytechnic, a veterinary lab that can accommodate large animals and a shop with space for students to work on large agricultural equipment. The second floor will include five classrooms with movable walls that can be configured for different learning and gathering needs.</p><p>Prairie Rose is also exploring opportunities for students from across the division to access programming and learning experiences at the facility. Trustees and PRPS staff are scheduled to tour the construction site to see the progress firsthand.</p><p><strong>Education Foundation Update</strong></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools has established an Education Foundation following several months of development work. The Foundation will hold its inaugural meeting this fall.</p><p>The Foundation will provide additional opportunities to support Prairie Rose projects and programming through fundraising and access to grants that have not previously been available to the division.</p><p><strong>2026 Special Olympics Transportation Update</strong></p><p>Trustees recognized the organizers of the 2026 Special Olympics and the significant work involved in hosting the event.</p><p>Prairie Rose supported the event by providing buses and transportation services to help athletes travel between venues. Trustees recognized PRPS transportation staff and bus drivers for the planning and coordination required to ensure athletes were able to get where they needed to go throughout the event.</p><p><strong>Redcliff School Project Update</strong></p><p>Planning continues for the new Redcliff K to 9 school. The current provincial funding supports development of the project to approximately 30 per cent design, including the schematic design, school layout and placement of the building on the site.</p><p>Once this stage is complete and construction funding is approved, an RFP can be issued for the remaining design and construction work. Alberta Education staff are recommending the project move forward for construction funding, with Prairie Rose awaiting further confirmation and timelines. The Town of Redcliff has also begun the process of transferring ownership of the school site to the division.</p><p>Prairie Rose is planning a community process to gather suggestions for the name of the new school, with the Board making the final selection. The Education Foundation will also explore grant opportunities to support development of an artificial turf field at the new school.</p><p><strong>ATB Borrowing Resolution</strong></p><p>Trustees approved the renewal of the annual ATB borrowing resolution, providing up to $750,000 in short term borrowing authority if required. The borrowing authority is renewed annually as a financial planning measure and has not previously been used.</p><p><strong>Locally Developed Courses</strong></p><p>The Board approved the continued use of Competencies in Math 15, previously offered in Prairie Rose schools as Math 10 Prep. The course provides additional time, strategies and approaches for students who may have gaps in previous mathematics learning, with the goal of preparing them for success in provincial Mathematics 10 courses.</p><p>Competencies in Math 15 is available as a three or five credit course and includes learning in number sense, logic and reasoning, measurement, algebra, graphical reasoning, statistics and probability. The course does not fulfill the mathematics requirement for high school graduation.</p><p><strong>Accolades</strong></p><p>Trustees recognized:</p><ul><li data-list-item-id="e567d91faa221a6ebbec7db7442b57169">Fundraising efforts and community support for the Yuill School of Agriculture.</li><li data-list-item-id="ed02dc7f01261feae5a08acc710c28c04">The Transportation Department and bus drivers for their work over the summer preparing routes and transportation services for the start of the new school year.</li><li data-list-item-id="e0e97567ac2141fbafd36de7168592ce4">PRPS transportation staff for their work supporting transportation for the 2026 Special Olympics.</li><li data-list-item-id="e288ea714f7bedaa2528701770f087f89">The Student Experiences team and school staff for their work supporting students and creating environments that encourage student success.</li></ul>

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(62, 62, 62);font-family:articulat-cf, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 1.5rem;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The next Prairie Rose Public Schools board meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at the PRPS Division Office in Dunmore. <strong>T</strong><strong style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1;">he Organizational Meeting will take place at 9:00 AM (15 mins) and the September Public Board Meeting at 10:30 AM.</strong></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(62, 62, 62);font-family:articulat-cf, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 1.5rem;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Organizational Meeting Agenda: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JcJjqN2doRi2s5CyluSb8zBRDDch0EXb/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JcJjqN2doRi2s5CyluSb8zBRDDch0EXb/view?usp=drive_link</a><br>Public Board Meeting Agenda: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uExRPGyfGMo94IQsQzL5MCC_2HWjuuc4/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uExRPGyfGMo94IQsQzL5MCC_2HWjuuc4/view?usp=drive_link</a></p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools has launched the new <strong>MyPowerHub</strong> experience within the PowerSchool Parent app families have already been using. MyPowerHub brings student information, communication tools and other helpful resources together in one convenient location.</p><p><strong>This is not a new app, and you do not need to create a new PowerSchool account.</strong></p><p><i>Same PowerSchool app. Same account. New MyPowerHub experience.</i></p><p>To log in, use the email address you have on file with Prairie Rose Public Schools and your unique PowerSchool password.</p><h3>Important Mobile App Update <i>(reported issues - fix in progress with PowerSchool support)</i></h3><p>The new MyPowerHub interface has just launched in time for the start of the school year, and we are currently working through a few bumps with the PowerSchool support team.</p><p>There are currently two known issues with the PowerSchool Parent mobile app:</p><p><strong>SafeArrival Attendance</strong><br>Reporting an absence through the new MyPowerHub interface in the PowerSchool Parent app is currently not working correctly.</p><p><strong>SchoolMessenger Inbox</strong><br>Families may receive an error when trying to open SchoolMessenger Inbox messages through the PowerSchool Parent app.</p><p>Both issues have been reported to PowerSchool support, and we are working with their team to get them resolved.</p><p>MyPowerHub is working correctly through a web browser. Families can access the web version by selecting <strong>MyPowerHub Parents / Report an Absence</strong> on any PRPS school website or using the link below.</p><p><a href="https://prsd8.guardian.ca.powerschool.com/">Access MyPowerHub Parents / Report an Absence</a></p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Need to Report an Absence?</h3></td></tr><tr><td><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools has launched SafeArrival, a new system for reporting student absences and helping schools follow up on unexplained absences.</p><p>While absence reporting through the PowerSchool Parent mobile app is currently unavailable, families can still report an absence in four ways:</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>1. Call SafeArrival Directly</strong></p><p>Call 1-833-225-4634 and follow the prompts to report your child's absence.</p><p>Tip: Add this number to your phone's contact list as SafeArrival for quick and easy access throughout the school year.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2. Call Your School and Press 8</strong></p><p>Families at all PRPS schools (with the exception of CIS schools) can call their school's regular phone number and press 8 to be connected to SafeArrival.</p><p>Follow the prompts to report your child's absence.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>3. Use MyPowerHub Through a Web Browser</strong></p><p>Visit any PRPS school website and select MyPowerHub Parents / Report an Absence, or use the direct link below:</p><p><a href="https://prsd8.guardian.ca.powerschool.com/">MyPowerHub Parents / Report an Absence</a></p><p>Log in using the email address you have on file with PRPS and your unique PowerSchool password.</p><p>Once logged in, select:</p><p><i>Attendance → SafeArrival Attendance → Report an Absence</i></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>4. Use the SchoolMessenger App</strong></p><p>Families who already have a SchoolMessenger account can also report an absence through the SchoolMessenger app.</p><p>Open the app and select:</p><p><i>Attendance → Report an Absence</i></p><p>Then follow the prompts to submit the absence.</p><p>Note: There is no need to create a SchoolMessenger account if you do not already have one. Once the current PowerSchool Parent app issues are resolved, SafeArrival absence reporting will be available directly through MyPowerHub, allowing families to access this feature along with their other PowerSchool information in one place.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>5. Access MyPowerHub Through Your Phone's Web Browser</strong></p><p>If you are experiencing issues with the MyPowerHub app, you can access the working web version directly through your phone's browser. You can also <i>add a shortcut to your phone's home screen</i> for quick access, just like an app.</p><p><strong>Step 1: </strong>Open MyPowerHub</p><ul><li data-list-item-id="e269f5bb60ebb214d6753d6f24bfd327b">Visit <a href="https://prsd8.guardian.ca.powerschool.com/">MyPowerHub</a> using Safari (iPhone) or Google Chrome (Android).</li></ul><p><strong>Step 2:</strong> Add MyPowerHub to Your Home Screen</p><p><strong>iPhone or iPad</strong></p><ul><li data-list-item-id="ecc38a8e20d597eb2e0eb3227fa8fb12b">Tap the Share button (square with an upward arrow).</li><li data-list-item-id="eb3d3a4374515ca6695612ceb4a62eb74">Select Add to Home Screen (you may need to click View More to see this option).</li><li data-list-item-id="e35adccf60387872a3c8b2898a94ef105">Tap Add.</li></ul><p><strong>Android</strong></p><ul><li data-list-item-id="eab00bc55da4985f61a152f2ea63ee294">Tap the three dots in the top right corner of Chrome.</li><li data-list-item-id="e6ac60b06d471e34154575a51b9ee7230">Select Add to home screen or Install app.</li><li data-list-item-id="e502bdbbaf1a62ad13638e0d7146090a5">Tap Add or Install.</li></ul><p><strong>Step 3:</strong> Access MyPowerHub</p><p>A MyPowerHub shortcut will now appear on your phone's home screen. Tap the icon to open the web version directly without using the mobile app.</p><p><i>Tip: Save your login information using your phone's password manager to make signing in easier.</i></p><p><i>Tip: If when you open My PowerHub you see the old PowerSchool Parent Portal Interface, swipe up on the "app" to close it completely then reopen it.&nbsp;</i></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>What Happens if an Absence Has Not Been Reported?</strong></p><p>If your child is marked absent and an absence reason has not already been reported, SafeArrival will automatically contact you through phone, email and text notifications. You will have an opportunity to confirm the absence through the notification process.</p><p>SafeArrival helps schools identify unexplained absences more quickly while giving families convenient options for reporting when their child will be away.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><h3>About MyPowerHub</h3><p>MyPowerHub works with PowerSchool to bring more of your child's school information and communication tools together in a convenient, user friendly format.</p><p>Depending on your school, MyPowerHub can provide access to information and tools such as:</p><ul><li data-list-item-id="ed2bea7c912b08ea745e264160f307bda">Grades and assignments</li><li data-list-item-id="eebe5fd333f0125af56349248c4980005">Attendance</li><li data-list-item-id="e334e911ec680dff91f026eb6f6bff97f">Newsfeed</li><li data-list-item-id="e450d00a1f1b068bdc7ac953235731c42">Classroom Messaging</li><li data-list-item-id="e0d5fea6520854e7db14104b165de8c11">School calendars</li><li data-list-item-id="e5fd4fb99c3f6fbd67b5c63f1e30d5df7">SchoolMessenger Inbox</li><li data-list-item-id="eb2ae35c3c555249873dfaeab51fbd59a">SafeArrival Attendance</li><li data-list-item-id="ecc1e52bcbcbaa115febec6546f3967ae">SchoolCash Online</li><li data-list-item-id="e611ffd424c8d5f02189b650d570212f2">Transportation information and notifications</li><li data-list-item-id="e67bc350eff0de18827defc5d4953eb2a">Other school and division resources</li></ul><p><strong>Not Every School Will Use Every Feature</strong></p><p>You may see a number of different tiles and features when you open MyPowerHub. Not every PRPS school will use every feature.</p><p>How individual tools are used may vary by school. Your school will provide information about the features it is using and how they will be used.</p><h3>Staying Connected Through MyPowerHub</h3><p>MyPowerHub also provides schools and teachers with new ways to communicate with students and families.</p><p><strong>Newsfeed</strong></p><ul><li data-list-item-id="e76c22592ed1177c52e846de290a22101">Newsfeed allows schools and teachers to share announcements, reminders and updates with families.</li><li data-list-item-id="e05bd1fc693b43b8a290047cb78cd2856">Newsfeed is primarily intended for sharing information rather than having a group conversation.</li></ul><p><strong>Classroom Messaging</strong></p><ul><li data-list-item-id="e4295df7cc0fd3558e1f2d738aedf0b34">Classroom Messaging provides another way for teachers to communicate directly with students and families.</li><li data-list-item-id="e3ff0a28f4b5ed1b814f5ae1c892f924a">Teachers can use Messaging to communicate with their classes or send direct messages. Families can view and respond to messages through MyPowerHub.</li><li data-list-item-id="e5b5f01e29777f396e80b205943be550e">Schools and teachers will provide more information as they begin using these features.</li></ul><h3>Parent Guides</h3><p>Want to learn more? We have developed two guides to help families get familiar with MyPowerHub and its new communication tools.</p><p><strong>MyPowerHub Parent Guide</strong></p><p>Learn what you can find in MyPowerHub and how to navigate the new experience.</p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GYsmQTxUAqjjPZKELQmRcBBxLnZ6zooI/view?usp=drive_link">View the Guide to MyPowerHub</a></p><p><strong>Classroom Messaging Parent Guide</strong></p><p>Learn how to view classroom messages, communicate with your child's teacher and use private messaging options.</p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FiZjuDzM8u23NragJq-W0FpCNGs2nBuG/view?usp=drive_link">View the Classroom Messaging Parent Guide</a></p><h3>Thank You for Your Patience</h3><p>We know the start of a new school year comes with lots of information, and introducing new technology can sometimes come with a few challenges.</p><p>Our team is working closely with PowerSchool support to resolve the current mobile app issues as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the MyPowerHub web version is available and working correctly.</p><p>Thank you for your patience as we work through these early implementation bumps.</p>