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News-Oct-11-BM
2022-10-12 20:49:18.372 +0000 UTC
October 11, 2022 Board Meeting Highlights
<p>The complete October 11, 2022 Agenda package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Of5TfqkY2JtbaXAJYjMmXBYsq7wczxDT/view">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Of5TfqkY2JtbaXAJYjMmXBYsq7wczxDT/view</a></p><p><strong>New Brigden School Presentation</strong></p><p>Principal Gayle Vass provided an overview of New Brigden School and highlighted several initiatives and programs taking place at the school. These included student awards and recognition, participation in area sports events and activities with Oyen and Acadia Valley, collaborating with the Agriculture in the North Prairie Rose Possibility project, and maintaining solid and consistent communication with parents/community. In addition to maintaining a strong focus on building early literacy, New Brigden students are always looking for creative ways to give back to their local community, which will be highlighted in the school’s learning exhibition this year. It was also shared that the school continues to grow enrolment, which reached 28 students this year. Examples of wellness, activities, field trips and citizenship were also shared. The full report can be found in the October 11, 2022, Board Meeting Agenda.</p><p><strong>Enrolment Update</strong></p><p>Chief Financial Officer Ryan Boser provided an enrolment update for information. Compared to the preliminary September 7, 2022, count, the division is up another 0.5 FTE of a student. It was noted that enrolment counts for 2022-2023 are overall very positive for Prairie Rose, with a total increase of 47 students compared to the previous year.</p><p><strong>Human Resources Report</strong></p><p>Deputy Superintendent Mark Heinricks provided the annual Human Resources report for information. Overall, PRPS employs 476 employees. It was noted that challenges remain with recruiting new employees in all positions (specifically in the very rural areas). Other highlights of the HR report include; lower on-average class sizes at all grade levels in PRPS (based on the recommendations defined by the Alberta Commission on Learning), increased FSLW support time to assist with mental health and wellness initiatives and projected PRPS salary and benefit costs for the 2022-2023 school year. The full report can be found in the October 11, 2022, Board Meeting Agenda.</p><p><strong>South Central High School Trip to Iceland</strong></p><p>The board approved the South Central High School proposed field trip to Iceland through tour provider Evolve to be scheduled for April 2023. The itinerary includes a day trip to the Golden Circle, a tour of the Hellisheidarvirkjun Geothermal Power Plant, a glacier hike and exploring downtown Reykjavik. The motion was put forward by Lois Bedwell.</p><p><strong>EBHS Cross Country Field Trip to New York/Boston</strong></p><p>The board approved the Eagle Butte High School Cross Country field trip proposal to visit New York and Boston from April 10-18, 2023. In addition to running in a couple of local races, the students will also tour both cities visiting historical locations that include the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Harvard University and the New England Aquarium. The motion was put forward by Shauna VanderSpruit.</p><p><strong>Other Items:</strong></p><ul><li>The board approved an ATB borrowing resolution for $750,000 for 2022-2023.</li><li>The board approved the rewording of GP#2 - Board Role and Responsibilities to change 8.1 to the following:<ul><li>Act as an advocate for the public school system to which we belong and our division.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>The board congratulated Nichole Neubauer for receiving The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal.</li></ul>
Truth-and-Reconciliation-Web
2022-09-26 16:56:49.197 +0000 UTC
PRPS Commemorates Truth and Reconciliation Week
<p>From September 26-29, students and staff in Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) will observe and participate in Truth and Reconciliation week leading up to the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th.&nbsp;</p><p>Respecting the calls to action from Indigenous leaders towards reconciliation in Canada, September 30th is a non-instructional day in PRPS and school facilities will be closed. This is in line with <i>Call to Action 80</i> from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which calls for the establishment of a federal statutory holiday to honour survivors, their families, and communities, to ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.</p><blockquote><p>“As educators, it is our role to listen and reflect on the history and teachings of our Indigenous peoples,” says Superintendent Reagan Weeks. “To do this, not only must we provide opportunities for our students to learn about reconciliation, but we as a staff must also actively participate in the learning and teachings ourselves.”</p></blockquote><p>At the PRPS division-wide staff professional learning day on September 29th, a significant focus will be on building understanding and knowledge related to reconciliation. A keynote session will be led by Cowboy Smithx, a Blackfoot filmmaker from the Piikani Nation and Kainai Nation in Southern Alberta. Smithx is best known for his work on a featured documentary entitled <i>Elder in the Making</i>, which focuses on reconciliation between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal Peoples of Canada.</p><p>Leading up to the PD day, students across PRPS schools will actively participate in their own learning opportunities. This will include Orange Shirt Day, where students and staff wear orange t-shirts to recognize the legacy of the residential school system. Additionally, through partnerships with members of local Indigenous communities, students will participate in traditional activities focused on culture and traditions. These traditional learnings will be enhanced through dedicated literacy centres featuring books and poems about the Canadian Indigenous experience.</p><p>To find out more about specific activities related to Truth and Reconciliation in Prairie Rose, please contact your local school or PRPS Communications.</p>
2022-09-08 21:03:21.643 +0000 UTC
Casting Call for Elf the Musical
<p>Are you a Prairie Rose Public Schools student who loves to sing, act and dance?</p><p>If so, we invite you to be a cast member in the musical theatre production Elf being put on by Prairie Rose and Eagle Butte High School in early December. A parent/guardian &nbsp;and student information meeting is being held on Saturday, September 17th at 11:00 AM at Eagle Butte High School.</p><p>Those students wishing to participate will be a member of the ensemble as chorus members which will include singing, dancing and acting. Parent volunteers are also needed for props, costumes, sets, and backstage. &nbsp;We hope for a parent group that will work in the art room on Saturdays during our rehearsals to prepare for the show.</p><p>Please note the extensive tentative rehearsal schedule below. If your child is unavailable for show times, or a significant portion of the rehearsal times, he or she should decline this invitation. Students involved must be responsible, and committed to our show. &nbsp;This is an Eagle Butte, and a Prairie Rose production, and so all school rules apply at all times of involvement, including rehearsals.</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Rehearsals will be on the following dates from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM.</td></tr><tr><td><ul><li>Saturday, September 17th: parent and student meeting</li><li>Saturday, September 24th</li><li>Saturday, October 1st-long weekend (T &amp; R)</li><li>Saturday, October 8th-long weekend (Thanksgiving)</li><li>Saturday, October 15th</li><li>Saturday, October 22nd</li><li>Saturday, October 29th</li><li>Saturday, November 5th</li><li>Saturday, November 12th-long weekend—extra rehearsals–Principals run-through with band</li><li>Saturday, November 19th-Act I Run Through</li><li>Sunday, November 20th</li><li>Saturday, November 26th-Act II Run Through</li><li>Sunday, November 27th</li><li>Saturday, December 3rd</li><li>Sunday, December 4th-move into Esplanade</li><li>Monday, December 5th-After School Dress rehearsal</li><li>Tuesday, December 6th-Full Day Dress rehearsal</li><li>Wednesday, December 7th-Matinee and Evening Shows</li><li>Thursday, December 8th, Matinee and Evening Shows</li><li>Friday, December 9th, Matinee and Evening Shows</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Please complete the following and bring it to the September 17th information meeting: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/19uHYH_mok3cWo0ECyTc0BbndG2_d2ESb/view?usp=sharing">ELF Participation Consent Form</a>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
NIDP
2022-06-21 14:55:05.499 +0000 UTC
National Indigenous Peoples Day 2022
<p>On June 21st, Prairie Rose Public Schools recognizes <strong>National Indigenous Peoples Day</strong>. In alignment with the summer solstice, the day marks the opportunity for people in Canada to learn more about the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Prairie Rose is proud to learn and be guided by the knowledge of our indigenous community partners and elders. We recognize and celebrate the culture of our 101 FNMI self-identified students and their families.</p><p>More information about the history and importance of National Indigenous Peoples Day can be found on the Government of Canada website: <a href="https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013718/1534874583157">https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013718/1534874583157</a></p><h3>Treaty 4 and Treaty 7</h3><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools acknowledges that we are situated on Treaty 7 and Treaty 4 territory, traditional lands of the Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, Stoney-Nakoda, and Tsuu T’ina as well as the Cree, Sioux, and the Saulteaux bands of the Ojibwa peoples. We also honour and acknowledge that we are on the homelands of the Métis Nation within Region 3.&nbsp;</p><h3>Treaty 7</h3><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools acknowledges the Treaty 7 territory; ancestral and traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy: Kainai, Piikani and Siksika as well as the Tsuu T’ina First Nation, Stoney Nakoda First Nation.</p><h3>Treaty 6</h3><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools acknowledges Treaty 6 territory; the ancestral and traditional territory of the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux, Nakota Sioux, as well as the Métis.</p><p>We acknowledge the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit whose footsteps have marked these lands for generations. We are grateful for the traditional Knowledge Keepers and Elders who are still with us today and those who have gone before us. We recognise the land as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to those whose territory we reside on or are visiting.&nbsp;</p>
2022-06-20 20:29:37.91 +0000 UTC
DR Flight Academy Drone Games
<p>They say third the time is a charm and after being delayed twice during the pandemic, this past weekend the first annual Drone Games took flight at Eagle Butte High School. In total, 16 students and six adults participated in the event which consisted of a trajectory drop, an agility obstacle course, a scavenger hunt and an XBox and flight simulator course. Prizes were awarded for winners in each of the three age categories.</p><ul><li>Grade 9/10: Arabella Allen</li><li>Grade 11/12: Ryan Porter (1st), Grade 11/12: Trigger Ellis (2nd)</li><li>Adult: Dana Marshall</li></ul><p>Prairie Rose would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to our community partners and volunteers who helped make the first annual Drone Games a big success.</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Super T Aviation</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Teri Super<br>Les Little<br>Doug Little<br>Sheri Little</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>QinetiQ</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Catherine Walton<br>Christopher Schneider<br>Deiredre Schneider<br>Erin Murray and Logan Murray<br>Jermaine Hoven<br>Jocelyn Arthur<br>Lukasz Trzcinka<br>Madison Aubry<br>Mike Mulder<br>Sunayan Mullick<br>Telisha Mielke</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Medicine Hat College</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Kevin Shufflebotham<br>Chad Flinn and Alex Flinn</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Canadian Forces Base Suffield</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Major Joe Kemp&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>AB Drones</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Andy Loignon<br>Cody Schenkey</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Other Partners</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Benjamin Weir - BEET / Octal 7<br>Ray Penner - Benchmark Geomatics<br>Marco Jansen - NAV Canada<br>Tammy and Katelyn Rozdeba</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>A big thank you also goes out to all the Prairie Rose staff who came out to support the event and ensure everything ran smoothly.</p>
2022-06-20 15:00:00 +0000 UTC
2022 Redcliff Scholarship Recipients
<p>The Redcliff Scholarship Committee for Advanced Education, is pleased to announce that Eagle Butte High School graduates Eden McCarthy, Erica McCuaig, Breanne Neufeld and Amber Schneider are the recipients of the 2022 Redcliff Scholarship Awards. All four students will be attending post-secondary in the fall, with plans to pursue careers in education, nursing, science and history. Each student will receive one of four 2022 Redcliff Scholarships for $5,000 towards tuition costs for post-secondary studies. &nbsp;</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Eden McCarthy (EBHS)</strong>, plans to attend Medicine Hat College to pursue a career in nursing</td></tr><tr><td>“I will be attending Medicine Hat College in the fall with plans to pursue a career in nursing. It has been my dream for as long as I can remember to become a nurse. My goal is to become a travel nurse and then work in Calgary at the Alberta Children’s Hospital as a paediatric nurse."</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Erica McCuaig (EBHS)</strong>, plans to attend Medicine Hat College to pursue a career in education</td></tr><tr><td>“I will be attending Medicine Hat College in the fall in the education program. My goal is to be an elementary teacher for grades 3 to 6, which will give me the opportunity to inspire and mentor youth in our community."</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Breanne Neufeld (EBHS)</strong>, plans to attend Medicine Hat College to pursue a career in education and biology</td></tr><tr><td>“I will be attending Medicine Hat College for two years then transfer to the University of Lethbridge for three years to earn a combined degree in education and biological sciences. I want to become a high school biology teacher, so I can pursue my passion for sharing knowledge and science."</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Amber Schneider (EBHS)</strong>, plans to attend Medicine Hat College to pursue a career as an archivist</td></tr><tr><td>“I will be attending Medicine Hat College with a plan to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. My goal is to become an archivist, believing that the history of places and events are important to how our society can connect to community.”</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><blockquote><p>“This year’s scholarship recipients were chosen from a group of extremely talented and hard-working individuals,” says scholarship administrator Pat Cocks. “The Redcliff Scholarship Committee is extremely pleased to be able to support these four exceptional students, who showed determination and strength through what was another unconventional school year. The Committee would like to wish them all the best in whatever their futures hold.”</p></blockquote><p>The Redcliff Scholarships were established in 2002 and have been awarded to 47 Redcliff students. &nbsp;The awards are possible thanks to two endowed scholarship funds, that were established and are sustained by ongoing contributions of Redcliff organizations, and present and past Redcliff citizens. &nbsp;A third, Frank King Tribute Scholarship Fund, was announced in the spring of 2018 in memory of the late Frank King, while a fourth was added in November of 2020 to honour the legacy of former Redcliff resident David Jon Thomson.</p><p>If you require further information, please contact Fund Administrator Pat Cocks at the number listed below.</p><p>Pat Cocks<br>Redcliff Scholarship Fund Administrator<br>403-526-0548</p><p>--------------------------------------------</p><h3>REDCLIFF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ADVANCED EDUCATION</h3><p>The <strong>Redcliff Scholarship for Advanced Education “Original Fund”</strong> was launched at the Reunion of the 1944 Grade One Class held in September 2002. The aim was to create an endowed scholarship fund. Ongoing public contributions credited to this fund have been contributed by, or in tribute to, past and present citizens of Redcliff and by Redcliff organizations.</p><p><strong>“The Four Friends Fund”</strong> was established in the memory of the value of the lifelong Redcliff friendships of Jack Fairhurst, Ron Hodges, John Hudak and Gerald Berkhold. &nbsp;This second scholarship is administered parallel to the initial scholarship. &nbsp;It enabled two separate but equal scholarships to be awarded commencing in 2006.</p><p><strong>“Frank King Tribute” </strong>scholarship was made available through the generosity of the family and friends of Mr. King, a former resident of Redcliff and the Chair of the 1988 Calgary Olympic Games.</p><p><strong>“David Jon Thomson Scholarship”</strong> was established in 2020 in memory of David Jon Thomson. Mr. Thomson grew up in Redcliff and was a well-known businessman and a lifelong supporter of higher education.</p><p>The scholarships are to support the brightest and most able Redcliff high school graduates to explore fully their potential. The scholarships have as priorities the student’s financial need and overall abilities. &nbsp;The award criteria include financial need, leadership and citizenship and academic merit, with preference to first year students. Applicants must have been residents of Redcliff for at least their full year of Grade 12.</p><p>Payment of the scholarships are governed as follows:</p><ul><li>There are four separate annual scholarships for tuition at an institution of advanced education to a maximum of $5,000 each.</li><li>The $5,000 scholarship will be applied to the student’s tuition with two equal payments of $2,500 being sent directly to the post-secondary institution in mid-August and mid-December by Prairie Rose Public Schools.</li></ul><p>Comments or inquiries regarding the Scholarship Fund and contributions to the fund can be directed to Ryan Boser, Chief Financial Officer, Prairie Rose Public Schools (403) 527-5516.</p><p><i>The PDF version of the announcement can be found here: </i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c-eEPNiqf9pM2txlfVAb-cWTPdPezXXN/view?usp=sharing"><i>https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c-eEPNiqf9pM2txlfVAb-cWTPdPezXXN/view?usp=sharing</i></a></p>