Thank you ScotiaRise for sponsoring our Student Spotlight! #Studentspotlight #scotiarise #mhcollege #prairierosesd8 #mhpublicschools

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON DECEMBER 6, 2023.</i></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools has received a clean financial audit, with statements presented to the board on Nov. 28.</p><p>Board chair Lois Bedwell was on the audit committee and stated she learned a lot during pre- and post-audit meetings. Accounting firm MNP LLP gave PRPS a clean audit and was impressed with the work done by the financial team. Controller Candice Hintz touched on three of the main schedules in her presentation.</p><p>Last year, PRPS received new and initial funding, but only for a few months, and this year it is available for the full 10 months of operations. Badlands Baseball Academy has been incorporated into PRPS operations this year and the division was approved for collegiate funding for the South Alberta Flight Academy.</p><p>New this year is the assets retirement obligation (ARO), estimated at a $4.6 million cost to deal with any asset retirement obligation, such as asbestos and septic tanks, at the end of useful life. Most assets are in the schools, which Alberta Education will likely fund when the time comes, but since it’s not confirmed, PRPS must record this cost as a liability. With the ARO, it makes the total liabilities higher than total assets, resulting in a net debt amount due to that change in accounting policies.</p><p>Actual revenue was $1,549,994 higher than budget due to increased funding from Alberta Education, increase in fees, increase in interest income, additional donations and ASBIE (Alberta School Boards’ Insurance Exchange) equity return.</p><p>Actual expenses were $1,360,545 over budget, which was due to increased support for programming, additional professional development, increased utility costs and expenses incurred due to increased funding.</p><p>CFO Ryan Boser asked the board to approve a motion, which was carried, prior to approving the audited financial statements.</p><p>“In order to fund the deficit this year and get our reserves down below the maximum, which we successfully did, it does require a reserve transfer to move $1,003,458 from restricted operating reserves to unrestricted operating reserves. Essentially what that means is we are moving just over $1 million from our restricted reserves into operations to fund that deficit, and that was part of our plan all along.”</p>

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON DECEMBER 5, 2023.</i></p><p>For K-3 students at I.F. Cox School in Redcliff, there is a new Prairie Rose Possibilities project available called TNT, or Try New Things.</p><p>Parents wanted to see broader programs in the school and this project offers opportunities for students to take part in different areas of interest. Another benefit is children engage with different teachers as well as students from other grades while participating in their chosen courses.</p><p>The project aligns with kindling hearts by bringing a sense of well-being to both students and staff. It allows staff to offer courses in subjects they are passionate about and gives students a choice of what topics they want to engage in. It also provides an opportunity to bring parents and stakeholders back into the school post-pandemic. It ignites minds by providing high yield strategies, co-operative learning, executive functioning skills and non-linguistic representation.</p><p>Additionally, by cultivating wonder, strengthening partnerships with stakeholders and offering prospects for deeper learning, the program is forging futures.</p><p>The program started with teaching staff offering courses and has grown to include support staff and a divisional lead. First-year education students from Medicine Hat College, a retired teacher who is a watercolour artist, the Mavericks baseball team, along with men’s and women’s sports teams from the college have all come into the school.</p><p>There were 92 parent responses from a survey and 100% were positive, with comments focused on how much they were looking forward to sessions restarting again this year.</p><p>Trustee Patty Rooks stated the program was a great way to create a sense of community, and while she is aware it creates extra work for the teachers, it is appreciated.</p><p>The school is having a Christmas fair and fun night and many groups have been working on products to sell, such as baked items, ornaments and watercolour paintings. The fair will take place Dec. 6 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and the school is in the process of choosing a charity to donate all proceeds to.</p>

<p>The November 28, 2023, Board Meeting Agenda Package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IXInzuN7EFDeKlyOezLkvCr58mlAWksf/view?usp=drive_link">November 28, 2023 Board Meeting Agenda</a></p><p><strong>PAT and Diploma Results</strong></p><p>Assistant Superintendent Boyd Craven presented the 2023-2024 Prairie Rose results from the PAT (provincial assessment testing grades 6 and 9) and Diploma (grade 12) exams for information. It was noted that Prairie Rose students did very well in most areas compared to the provincial results.&nbsp;</p><p>Some highlights of the report include:</p><ul><li>The divisional PAT results were higher at the acceptable level than the province in every subject.</li><li>Overall, the diploma acceptable standard increased from 71% to 77%.</li><li>There was an overall increase in the diploma standard of excellence from 10.9% to 11.8%.</li></ul><p>The full report can be found in the November 28, 2023, Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p><strong>IF Cox Presentation</strong></p><p>IF Cox School Vice-Principal Tracy Frank provided an overview of the school’s Prairie Rose Possibility program called TNT or Try New Things. The program runs in six-week cycles, with each student getting to choose two options during that time frame. Some options available to students have included sign language, coding, pickleball, virtual reality, running, pinata making, magic tricks, field trips and more. The options are chosen based on staff interest and their passion for sharing with the students. Outside community members are also brought in to offer additional subject options. The program was developed to offer opportunities for younger students to engage in areas of passion and interest, much like they do at the junior high level. It was also shared that TNT classes are not grade-specific, but students from K-3 all participate together in their chosen subject areas. This has helped transition students between grades and the Redcliff schools as they get to know students outside their direct peer groups. The full presentation can be found in the Board Meeting Agenda package for November 28, 2023.</p><p><strong>Cypress County Ag Conference</strong></p><p>Trustee Graeme Dennis commended Cypress County on successfully hosting the Ag Connections Conference on November 22, 2023. Community partner Nichole Neubauer and the Irvine School ADC students were also congratulated for their presentation at the conference. It was noted that a lot of great work is happening in agriculture, which has been intertwined with learning in PRPS.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>PRPS Executive Report</strong></p><p>Superintendent Reagan Weeks shared the executive report with the board, highlighting several exciting and upcoming initiatives across Prairie Rose Public Schools.&nbsp;</p><p>Some of the highlights include:</p><ul><li>Recent Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence winner and Ralston School teacher Jocelyn Encinas will spearhead a new Prairie Rose Possibility program focused on robotics at Ralston School.</li><li>PRPS Instructional Coach Cammie Kannekens was invited to attend the Google for Educators conference in Ireland to represent PRPS at Google headquarters</li><li>PRPS will launch an expanded drone program with new partnerships for training specific to the agriculture industry. The training will take place at the airfield in Foremost.</li><li>The DR South Alberta Flight Academy is touring CFB Cold Lake to learn more about the Canadian military aviation program.</li></ul><p><strong>Audited Financial Statement</strong></p><p>Board Chair Lois Bedwell provided highlights from the MNP audit report. Overall, PRPS was given a clean audit from MNP. The full report can be found in the November 28, 2023, Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p>Total revenues for the 2022-2023 school year amounted to $55,697,369.</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>K-12 Instruction</td><td>$39,151,322</td></tr><tr><td>Plant Operations and Maintenance</td><td>$6,035,008</td></tr><tr><td>Transportation</td><td>$6,234,628</td></tr><tr><td>System Administration</td><td>$2,220,085</td></tr><tr><td>External Services</td><td>$28,084&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>Total expenses for the year totalled $56,416,818.</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>K-12 Instruction</td><td>$39,039,516</td></tr><tr><td>Plant Operations and Maintenance</td><td>$7,294,079</td></tr><tr><td>Transportation</td><td>$5,905,299</td></tr><tr><td>System Administration</td><td>$2,106,651</td></tr><tr><td>External Services</td><td>$33,926</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>The total operating deficit for the 2022-2023 year came in at $719,449, a planned deficit amount to get division reserves under the allowable 4.42% of August 31, 2022 expenses ($2,374,703). Operating reserves now sit at $2,228,252. Trustees approved a motion to move 1,358,000 from restricted to unrestricted to cover the deficit. The 2022-2023 financial statements were approved as presented.</p>

<p>The November 28, 2023, PRPS Public Board Meeting will take place at the Prairie Rose Public Schools Division Office starting at 10:00 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/1IXInzuN7EFDeKlyOezLkvCr58mlAWksf/view?usp=drive_link">November 28, 2023 Board Meeting Agenda</a></p>

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON NOVEMBER 23, 2023.</i></p><p>The cosmetology 20/30 class at Eagle Butte High School will be holding a Cuts for Cancer fundraiser on Dec. 1. Teacher Ingrid Rose explained the fundraiser hasn’t been done at the school for a few years, but they are excited to bring it back.</p><p>The students are nervous yet excited about the prospect of working on people rather than mannequins.</p><p>“They just finished learning hair cutting and layering and they will wash and cut. I’ve already talked to the Canadian Cancer Society and all the proceeds will go there and there might be one person who pays $5 and another who pays $100. Last time I had it, we had our superintendent and he had no hair here (on top) but he put in a hundred bucks, it’s just a donation and it’s good for us to help the community,” said Rose.</p><p>Grade 12 student Ryeanna Jones said, “I like it because I have a lot of people I’ve lost to cancer in my family so I think this is a very good fundraiser. This brings light to the struggle with it (cancer) because it’s such a worldwide thing and a lot of people deal with it.”</p><p>Lana Giles, also in Grade 12, added, “I think cancer touches everyone … who knows at least one person close to them that has been affected by it, so I think it’s important to recognize it even at a high school level, it’s a conversation we need to have.”</p><p>Cuts for Cancer is on Dec. 1 from 10-11: 30 a.m., and those who wish to participate are asked to book in for their cut beforehand by calling the school at 403-528-1996.</p><p>“I’m really excited and nervous at the same time. I really like being in this class,” said Grade 11 student Hope Burkitt, who is in her second year of cosmetology.</p>

Workplace Certification took place to today for our students for free! #firstaid #forklift #safetybuzzcampus #prairierosesd8 #mhcollege #mhpublicschools

Reminders: November 8 - Coulee Collegiate is closed for our Professional Development Day. November 8 - MHC Open House November 10 - Coulee Collegiate is closed for the PRPS Wellness Day.

Spread the word! The Medicine Hat College Open House is on Wednesday, November 8. Come by to learn about the MHC programs, apply for a program (without paying the application fee) AND enter to win a $1000.00 tuition credit. Medicine Hat College Prairie Rose Public Schools Medicine Hat Public School Division

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON NOVEMBER 4, 2023.</i></p><p>As part of the Careers Technology Foundations options, Irvine School is now offering all junior high students Life Skills with Certifications. Courses will become available at different times of the school year with a combined babysitting/emergency first-aid and a firearms/hunter education safety courses underway.</p><p>Principal Trent Rayner has wanted to run certification courses for a few years and mentioned the idea to teacher Linda Kraft, who ran with it.</p><p>“We’ve been valuing and getting more and more community partnerships, so another partnership developed between us and Safety Buzz through Linda setting that up,” Rayner said. “We are working with them to make sure most of our junior high students will leave this year being certified in something they can either use practically, for their portfolio or on their resume – anything to help them get a job and help them in real life.”</p><p>The first-aid/babysitting course is full and has a waiting list. Rayner wasn’t sure about it, as the course, while valuable, can be dry, but is pleased with the response. It speaks to how the students are responsible enough to see the value in the course along with knowing how it will set them apart from other junior high students when it comes to getting their first job.</p><p>“The amazing thing is these kids are picking certifications right now when they could be taking other courses, such as active living or low-organized games. That is what has surprised me so far about this,” said Rayner.</p><p>Kraft is excited LSC has taken off so well, with double-digit numbers enrolled in both courses currently offered.</p><p>“I put it out to the kids so anything they are interested in and anything parents see might be a benefit, we are happy to take a look at it,” stated Kraft. “There are so many times when kids or parents say, ‘Too bad you didn’t learn that in school.’ We are offering these real-life skills courses, especially the emergency first-aid, that every single individual can use and could potentially be required for their part-time jobs moving forward.</p><p>“In my health class it ties in nicely because we do portfolios and resume, career/job type stuff, so this is something to help fill their resume.”</p><p>Grade 9 students Odin Jordet, Ethan Bowey and Parker Bellamy all enrolled in the babysitting/first-aid LSC. All three play a variety of sports and enjoy being active, and they are all taking the course with the goal of a well-paid lifeguard job. First-aid is required before they can complete their Bronze Cross in swimming, a prerequisite for the lifeguarding certificate.</p><p>“It’s a good course to have,” stated Jordet. “It will look good on a resume. It’s cheaper (to take) in school and then I don’t have to use my personal time that I like to spend doing sports.”</p><p>Bowey also said it will look good on his resume for future jobs.</p><p>“You need to get your first-aid before you can go do your Bronze Cross, they made that mandatory this year. I’m going to see how far this gets me because it says you need your full first-aid, but I’m going to see if this course gives you a full one,” stated Bowey, who is also interested in the boating course that will be offered later in the year.</p><p>Bellamy talked about how useful first-aid is in a rural environment where an ambulance could be 90 minutes away or HALO needs to be called. He said all but two of the boys in the class have babysat before.</p><p>“I think it’s because most of us have younger siblings. There are people south of us who have little kids and if you get into a wreck with cattle or something, you gotta go babysit for a bit because it’s hard to pack a four- or five-year-old on a horse,” explained Bellamy.</p><p>Driver’s education, referee certification for volleyball and basketball, a boating and water safety course as well as financial literacy are being looked at as future courses. Further down the road, the school is looking into life-skills classes that might not have a certification but are no less useful.</p><p>“How many kids, including my own, know how to sew a button onto a shirt or change a tire? Things I know they should know. If my kids or these kids could come home with 12 different life skills, simple as that, that would help so much moving forward,” concluded Rayner.</p>

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON NOVEMBER 2, 2023.</i></p><p>Cross-country at Eagle Butte High School is not considered an individual sport, rather coach Darryl Smith creates a team atmosphere to support students of all abilities and levels to be successful.</p><p>“When I talk about the program it’s the idea of having a set of guidelines and meeting the expectation of what came before us and moulding that for us and the legacy of those coming after us. If we don’t do that it falls apart,” explained Smith. “The kids hold themselves to a standard of being appropriate. There is an expectation of honour and respect. The kids here know my expectations and what the team needs.</p><p>“Excellence for us could mean how we act, it could mean how we run, or how we train. I talk about this a lot. Kids will meet your expectations and always step up, always. I don’t think we give them enough credit.”</p><p>Grade 12 student Brianna Finke joined cross-country this year to help her get in shape for other sports, primarily hockey, and because of the fun team culture. Training and competing in cross-country not only helped Finke attain a higher level of positivity, but also increased her stamina for when she is on the ice.</p><p>“Mr. Smith has helped me a lot. He’s taught me how to bring out the best in myself and my energy and put it onto other people, too,” stated Finke.</p><p>Finke wants to continue playing hockey at a post-secondary institution while pursuing a degree in education with the aim of becoming an elementary school teacher.</p><p>Quinn Olson, who has been on the team for three years, has experienced a shift from an observing role in her first year to taking on more responsibility in successive years.</p><p>“Moving up through the years, I took on more of a leadership role guiding the younger kids and then eventually Smith calls you a team captain and I was leading warmup and doing the cheer,” stated Olson.</p><p>In classes now, Olson is less likely to sit back and wait for others to make decisions, rather she takes greater initiative when working on projects while also taking more chances, which supplies greater opportunities.</p><p>Following graduation, Olson is interested in a career in real estate. During her first two years on the team, she qualified for provincials, but only ran in them last year due to the pandemic the year before.</p><p>“There are a hundred-some kids running and if you don’t position yourself at the front, you are pretty much packed in until it all levels out. For the first 1 km, I was stuck between seven to eight different girls and couldn’t get by,” Olson explained.</p><p>This is the second year on the team for Grade 11 student Ryker Weiss, who plays basketball and joined to get ahead on training and enable him to perform at his best when on the court.</p><p>Cross-country is about getting into the right head space.</p><p>“When you are running you feel like you want to give up but if you keep pushing yourself than you’ll realize how far you can actually go,” stated Weiss. “When I practise, I’m right beside Mr. Smith and he’s always pushing me to go further, so I always just think I’m running with someone and if I slow down then they will go in front of me, so I try to keep forward.”</p><p>Shop is his favourite subject and Weiss wants to go pursue a career in carpentry after he graduates. This year, Smith gave Weiss more of a leadership role and he had to pay attention to what everyone on the team was doing, which has helped increase his social awareness and communication skills.</p>

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON OCTOBER 28, 2023.</i></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools welcomed five Japanese students – Rena Katayama, Hikara Kawano, Kanon Miyake, Natsuka Nishida and Mao Yamanaka – into Eagle Butte classes this month. The students arrived in Canada in early October and have one more week left before flying back home next weekend.</p><p>The students attend Shoin Junior and Senior High School in Kobe, Japan, which was founded in 1892 to educate girls.</p><p>“In today’s globalized world, language skills, such as English, and cultural understanding are crucial,” head teacher Mr. Shinohara wrote in an email. “The study abroad program to Canada is part of the student’s Global program with an aim of deepening their understanding of global reality.”</p><p>The trip allows the students to practise their English skills and learn about different educational systems, which will help them prepare for their future.</p><p>“Japan is known for its homogenous society with Japanese as the primary language, which lags behind countries like Canada and the United States in terms of diversity,” added Shinohara. “Therefore, we aspire to provide students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in Canada’s diverse culture and truly experience the concept of diversity.”</p><p>Principal of Eagle Butte Rocheal Howes said Eagle Butte is excited to have the exchange students at the school.</p><p>“It’s so good for us to have students coming from other cultures and showing us their ways and their food and the way they write.”</p><p>Hikara Kawano liked taking classes, particularly information processing, at Eagle Butte. Two enjoyed music classes the most, another said foods was her favourite and Mao Yamanaka liked cosmetology, which isn’t available at her school in Japan.</p><p>“I feel freedom, especially at school,” stated Kawano. “School in Japan, there are lots of school rules, which is really strict for us. When I am in Eagle Butte, I feel really free so it’s lots of fun.”</p><p>Not having to wear a uniform and being able to wear accessories, such as earrings, were two aspects they liked. The young women weren’t as enthusiastic about the early spell of cold weather and snow, although one made a snowman with her homestay family. Poutine was hands down the favourite Canadian food for all of them.</p><p>Each one has done different activities with their respective host families. The two that stood out for Kawano were playing pickleball and taking a trip to Elkwater.</p><p>Katayama celebrated her sixteenth birthday while she was here and said the day was an unforgettable memory.</p><p>Nishida’s homestay family lives on a farm, which she has never experienced before, and she enjoyed spending time with the animals, including sheep, goats and a llama. The night they arrived it was clear and Nishida said the night sky with all the stars was memorable.</p><p>Yamanaka made T-shirts with her homestay family and she appreciated having a handmade keepsake to take back to Japan.</p><p>Miyake’s host family likes to hike and took her out to Elkwater where they walked one of the trails. She liked the nature and took lots of pictures.</p><p>“The lake waters are so clean,” said Miyake, “I was surprised, there are no plastics.”</p><p>On their return, each must write a report and give a presentation on their Canadian experience, including the differences from Japan and adding in some history of Canada.</p><p>Andrea Pillman is the international homestay coordinator for PRPS and works closely with the school, homestay families and international partner. It is her job to pair up each exchange student with a homestay family and to ensure each international student is successful, safe and comfortable.</p><p>Pillman took the group to Medalta this past Wednesday evening where they had a guided tour of the museum and were going to work with clay. If the roads were good, they are scheduled to travel to Drumheller this weekend.</p><p>The program needs homestay families for Colombian students due to arrive in November and Brazilian students coming in 2024. Contact Pillman directly at 403-502-6244 if you are interested or would like more information.</p>

Congratulations to Hannah Philbert, our Student Spotlight. Thankyou to Scotia Rise for the Swag Bag! #scotiarise #StudentSpotlight #prairierosesd8 #mhcollege #mhpublicschools

Happy Halloween from the Coulee Collegiate staff #halloween #lumberjacks #prairierosesd8 #mhcollege #mhpublicschools

<p>At an event on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, the Prairie Rose Public Schools Board of Trustees presented the <i>2023 Community Champion for Education</i> awards. The award recipients were nominated by both community and PRPS staff and chosen by the PRPS Board of Trustees Advocacy Committee.&nbsp;</p><p>Criteria for the award was a community member, organization, or business that has made a significant and sustained contribution to education in Prairie Rose. Submissions included a short write up about the nominee along with how they made a contribution to forwarding the school division's Education Plan which includes:</p><p><strong>IGNITE MINDS:</strong> The nominee supports a culture of learning and academic excellence through their contribution to the school community.</p><p><strong>FORGE FUTURES:</strong> The nominee cultivates curiosity, wonder and possibility in the minds of students through their contribution to the school community.</p><p><strong>KINDLE HEARTS:</strong> The nominee supports wellbeing and connection to service through the contribution to the school community.</p><p>Congratulations and thank you to this year's award winners!</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Super T Aviation</strong></td><td><p>Under the guidance of Teri Super, Les Little, Doug Little and Sheri Little, the incredible partnership between Super T Aviation and Prairie Rose Public Schools with the DR South Alberta Flight Academy (SAFA) has not only provided students with the unique opportunity to earn a private pilot license while still in high school but has also given them so much more – a community, a sense of belonging, and a tribe they can call their own.</p><p>Thanks to Super T Aviation, students have soared high in the skies and self-esteem, walking a little taller and beaming with the pride of achieving something meaningful. In a world where loneliness and isolation can be all too common, programs like the South Alberta Flight Academy are vital. They remind us that the best antidote is finding 'our people.'</p><p>Beyond just flight skills, SAFA students have learned life lessons and built lifelong friendships. It's no small feat to design a high school program, but Super T Aviation did it seamlessly, enriching the lives of our students.</p><p>Thank you, Super T, for giving our students wings and being an outstanding community partner!</p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Nichole Neubauer</strong></td><td><p>From igniting the minds of our students with the creation of the Agricultural Discovery Center (ADC) to providing immersive agricultural programming aligned with their curriculum, Nichole's unparalleled dedication has made a monumental impact at Irvine School and Prairie Rose Public Schools.</p><p>Nichole's vision for a student-led ADC and her exceptional organizational skills and unyielding passion has given our students an invaluable hands-on learning experience. Her direct involvement – from working side-by-side with students, teaching them vital skills, to imparting straightforward curriculum concepts – embodies what it truly means to be a Community Champion.</p><p>Thank you, Nichole Neubauer, for sharing your passion, experience, leadership and knowledge with our students!&nbsp;</p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Willie Desjardins</strong></td><td><p>Willie's commitment to empowering student-athletes, enhancing their strengths and igniting a passion for hockey through the South Alberta Hockey Academy (SAHA) is inspirational. His generosity in supporting the reduction or elimination of fees for SAHA academy students who need it most and contributing to various Prairie Rose initiatives speaks volumes about his dedication to community.</p><p>Despite the challenges of bringing top-notch coaching to rural areas, Willie's many hockey connections mean that every student has an equal opportunity to shine and receive high-quality training. The positive feedback we've received about the Academy's impact on student relationships, athletic development and community service is a testament to his vision and hard work.</p><p>Willie, thank you for your leadership and vision around creating exceptional opportunities for student-athletes, no matter where they live. We couldn't be prouder to recognize you as a PRPS Community Champion!&nbsp;</p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Paulette Heller</strong></td><td><p>Paulette Heller was a long-serving member of our Prairie Rose Board of Trustees and, despite stepping away from board duties many years ago, she continues to "Kindle Hearts" across Prairie Rose as one of our biggest advocates. You will often see Paulette volunteering and soliciting interest and donations for the annual Kaleidoscope of the Arts event, where all PRPS students can showcase their talents in the fine arts. Additionally, Paulette continues to follow and support the ever-evolving growth of our local schools and attends multiple fundraising events each year. These events provide funds to support field trips, school purchases and other student-focused opportunities.</p><p>Thank you, Paulette, for being such a strong supporter, advocate and volunteer with Prairie Rose Public Schools. We appreciate your ongoing commitment to our programs and students!&nbsp;</p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>Read the write up in the Medicine Hat News: <a href="https://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2023/10/26/prps-board-honours-community-champions-for-education/">https://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2023/10/26/prps-board-honours-community-champions-for-education/</a></p>

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON OCTOBER 19, 2023.</i></p><p>Between the September and October meetings of the board for Prairie Rose Public Schools, two staff members received awards, including director of communications Angela Baron.</p><p>The award will be presented to her during the national conference of the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education, which takes place near the end of October.</p><p>“She (Baron) has received a BRAVO! Award for the work on revamping all the school’s logos and marketing pieces. That was a massive undertaking in a very short amount of time,” superintendent Reagan Weeks told the board at the Oct. 12 meeting.</p><p>Baron explained that each year the association puts out a call for award applications. Those who have completed communication projects that they believe could be deserving of an award are encouraged to apply.</p><p>“This year, in the summer, we did this really cool project with all the schools,” said Baron. “We rebranded all the schools. I took that project and did a write-up on all the things we did, why we did it, what were some of the results we saw with the changes. That goes to a number of judges, and they evaluate it. I got an email saying our project won and I will find out at the end of October what category of award it is.”</p><p>The project was around providing consistency in the overall brand of PRPS. Prior to undertaking this project, many of the schools were using different fonts and formats.</p><p>“Your first impression, if you are a parent, is where is the consistency when you have things going all over the place. It doesn’t set the stage with what you want to represent yourself as when you are attracting new students. Eagle Butte was the last one we got done at the end of June and it took us about 18 months to get through them all.”</p><p>PRPS contracted with the design company Flag Five, which worked with all the schools to complete the graphic design aspects of the project.</p><p>“I feel good,” stated Baron. “I haven’t submitted anything for years. It’s always so busy and it’s work to make a submission. You have to outline the criteria and show how you evaluated it. There are lots of pieces of evaluation, so it’s not something you do lightly.”</p><p>Jocelyn Encinas, a teacher at Ralston school, is the second award winner within PRPS. She is one of the 2023 recipients of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Only 50 teachers across Canada receive this award each year. Look for an interview with Encinas in an upcoming edition of the News.</p>

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON OCTOBER 18, 2023.</i></p><p>On Monday, rural power provider EQUS CEO Andy Metzger, along with staff members, gathered at the EQUS Medicine Hat facility to present a $25,000 cheque to the Agriculture Discovery Centre at Irvine School. The cheque was received by Irvine principal Trent Rayner, vice principal Kerry Watson and ADC co-ordinator Nichole Neubauer.</p><p>The funds were raised over the past year as part of EQUS Community Connection, an employee-driven initiative that raises funds in support of the rural communities EQUS serves.</p><p>The ADC will use the funding to develop a set of agri-food toolkits. The aim of the kits is to bring a hands-on agriculture learning experience, such as the one ADC students receive, into schools and rural communities across the province that are served by EQUS.</p><p>“The Agri-Food Toolkits will be curriculum-linked and filled to the brim with hands-on materials and interactive activities that will get students excited about the amazing Canadian Food System,” said Neubauer. “The toolkits will form the ADC’s agriculture resource lending library. Educators will be able to borrow and then return the toolkits at no charge.</p><p>“We are thrilled to partner with EQUS to help bring agriculture into classrooms in communities throughout Alberta.”</p>

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON OCTOBER 17, 2023.</i></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools’ Badlands Baseball Academy has been running for about a dozen years and continues to attract players from across the country. This year’s team is comprised of five players in Grade 10, six in Grade 11 and eight in Grade 12, arriving at the academy from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta.</p><p>From September through to the middle of October, the team plays about 35 games before spending the winter practising five days a week at an indoor facility in Oyen. In the spring they are back outside and normally play between 45 and 55 games to conclude the year. The team travels around Alberta and B.C. and play multiple tournaments in the U.S. each year.</p><p>Head coach Nolan Rattai moved over to Badlands Baseball after previously managing the Medicine Hat Mavericks.</p><p>“The aim (at Badlands) is to prepare them to be able to go succeed in college down south,” stated Rattai. He added that nearly all players from the academy manage to secure scholarships in the States.</p><p>Badlands Baseball Academy employs a full-time massage therapist and works with a strength trainer and nutritionist. Players choose to come to the academy because there is “better competition, better coaching, more resources,” said Rattai. “Just a better environment to prepare yourself for college and play better teams.”</p><p>All players on the team attend South Central High School in Oyen. The players’ final block of each school day is scheduled for baseball.</p><p>“In season we go six times a week and in the off season, five times a week,” said Rattai. “It’s at least two hours each time we go. In season, you’re looking at least 15 hours a week, and out of season, 10-12 hours.”</p><p>There are several ways for players to find their way to Oyen. Both Rattai and pitching coach Zach Zinc travel the country each year watching baseball, and if they see a player they like, they will approach them to discuss coming to Badlands. Other players interested in the academy will send in a video and if Rattai likes what he sees, he will go watch them play. Alternatively, a player can also travel to Oyen for a tryout.</p><p>Dryden Pidlisny is in Grade 12 and this is his third year with Badlands. He is originally from Burstall, Sask. and has played ball since a young age.</p><p>“I was looking for somewhere to play more baseball all year and I found out about Oyen,” Pidlisny said.</p><p>During his time at the academy, Pidlisny says his game has immensely improved. He plays second base and explained, “It gets lots of action on the diamond and you have to pay attention to lots of different things.”</p><p>Pidlisny doesn’t have any concrete post-secondary ambitions yet, but definitely has his eyes on playing ball at a college down south.</p>