Today, at our exhibition of learning, grade 5 students shared their research and insights into the habitats and characteristics of their selected animal. The depth of their knowledge and the pride in their projects was apparent. #igniteminds #forgefutures

Today, at our exhibition of learning, grade 6 students prepared and performed a human wax museum where they shared learnings about how people from history have contributed to the world. It takes commitment and courage to do as well as they did. #igniteminds #forgefutures

We are really lucky to have this incredible presentation coming to Redcliff next week. It is free for families to attend and babysitting is provided. #kindlehearts

<p>This past September, on the first day of the school year, Kayl Davies, teacher at Oyen Public School, and her class of Grade 6 students collaborated to create a set of classroom norms, giving the students a voice in the classroom environment they would be part of. Davies took the expectations and grouped them into three core values: respect, responsibility and teamwork. From there, Davies created a contract, and the class held a democratic vote, which resulted in the contract being approved. Most of the students chose to sign the contract and, not only did the process correlate with the Grade 6 social studies curriculum on democracy, but it also provided a great learning opportunity for all involved.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“In classroom economy we have jobs,” explained student Cruz Evans, “such as teacher’s assistant, banker, and homework helper. We also have our Davies Dollars, ranging from five cents to $5, and taxes. We made wallets at the beginning of the year to put our money in, and we can each get paid and taxed.”&nbsp;</p><p>Once core values and a contract were in place, Davies introduced the students to the concept of classroom fines, attaching a printed list to the whiteboard for everyone to reference. Evans explained the fines are for such things as leaving a mess, which will cost 25 cents in Davies Dollars. The student holding the position of teacher’s assistant is responsible for taxing and the money goes to the banker. Each student created a personalized wallet to hold their Davies Dollars and Evans added if a student doesn’t have enough money to pay the fine, they are allowed to go into debt.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Every two weeks, the students are allowed to shop at the classroom store using their Davies Dollars. As a class, the students chose the items, along with the price of each, that would be in the store to provide them with motivation to earn a reward.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Student Jayden Stewart currently holds the position of banker, but his preferred position is errand runner. “I like banking because I’m good at math,” he said. “We buy prizes and other things with the money. Miss. Davies has different board games, puzzles, and squish toys. It’s lots of fun. I’ve gotten some hockey cards, a squish ball and a cup. For errand runner I get to run different errands and hand out hot lunches. I’m pretty good at that because I’m fast.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The classroom jobs change each month, and students must apply for them, stating on their application their first and second choice along with using persuasive language on why they should be selected to hold their desired position.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Evans explained, “at the start of each month, we move our desks around, so we sit by someone else, and we change our classroom job. We must apply for the jobs on sheets Miss. Davies hands us. You write your name, age, grade, and you pick two options, first choice and second, and then there are additional notes to write on why we would be good at the job. My job right now is teacher’s assistant, and I wrote what I’m good at: math for taxing people, I can multitask, and I have a good memory.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Another motivational concept Davies implemented in her classroom is having students earn letters toward spelling the word compliment. “When students demonstrate kind acts, use good manners, or show helpfulness around the school, they may be noticed by other staff members. If a staff member, other than myself, gives the class a compliment for their behavior, we earn a letter toward the word COMPLIMENT. Each compliment equals one letter, and once we’ve collected all ten letters to complete the word, we have a celebration.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Evans and Stewart were excited because the word was almost complete again, which will be the third celebration for the class this year. Students get to vote on the special event they want to have, such as watching a movie, having a classroom party or a pajama day.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s a great way to build a positive classroom community while also reinforcing respectful and kind behavior throughout the school,” stated Davies. “I’m truly enjoying seeing how engaged and empowered the students are through this system. It’s been such a rewarding addition to our classroom community.”&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

🍩 Thursday’s Tasty Treat 🍩 From the bakery downtown Medicine Hat Country Crumbs Bakery & Cafe

Margaret Wooding’s school council meeting will be held this Thursday May 8 at 6:30pm.

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Kristine Vizza who has accepted the position as Vice Principal of Seven Persons School (SPS). Vizza will join the administrative team following the retirement of longtime Vice Principal Joanne MacQuarrie at the end of the school year.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Kristine brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as a dedicated educator in both Prairie Rose and Medicine Hat School Divisions. She is currently the Grade 3 teacher and Softball Academy Coordinator at Seven Persons, where she has demonstrated a strong commitment to student engagement, literacy development, and school-wide improvement.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Kristine holds a Master of Education in School Administration and recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Structured Literacy and Reading from the University of Alberta. Her contributions have also been recognized through roles such as Acting Administrator, mentor teacher, and professional development presenter.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">With a passion for collaborative learning and student-centered approaches, Kristine has played an active role in guiding instructional strategies and fostering a positive school culture. Her experience with Kagan Structures, UFLI training, and literacy initiatives will further strengthen the school’s focus on academic growth and student success.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Please join us in congratulating Kristine on her new role. We are excited for the insight, dedication, and energy she will continue to bring to the Seven Persons School community.</span></p>

🙂 🍪 Thursday’s Tasty Treat 🍪 🙂 Note: these are prepared in Tim Hortons so they are not guaranteed peanut free.

Don’t forget this Wednesday, April 30th Margaret Wooding’s school council will be hosting a lunch for all students and staff members of Margaret Wooding. 🌮

<p>Grade 11 student Keegan Bartsch switched to Eagle Butte High School last year from out of district so he could enrol in the South Alberta Flight Academy (SAFA). “I really wanted to fly planes,” said Bartsch. “It was a dream of mine. I joined a little late, but I’ve caught up with everybody and I’m really enjoying it.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Even though he didn’t know how it would all work out, Bartsch took a risk and is loving being in flight school. Advancing quickly to catch up with his peers, Bartsch completed his solo flight a few months ago and now has logged over 10 hours of flight time.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Even though ground school can be difficult, he is enthusiastic about what he’s been learning. “Flight is very academic, it takes lots of attention and I think that skill translates nicely into the core high school subjects in terms of reviewing notes, discussing topics with others and fully understanding concepts,” explained Bartsch. “Before we take a flight, we have to do a weight and balance calculation of everybody in the aircraft, the weight of the fuel and oil, along with how much fuel we will lose in the air, so physics and math are involved.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In addition to ground school and flight training, Grade 11 flight academy students take a dual credit course through SAIT called Aircraft Systems 1 (ASYS-245). Course instructor Harry Jaeger is an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) who also works with students on the second Vans RV-12 airplane build.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We get one of the modules SAIT has developed to be administered remotely. Students need to pass with the Transport Canada requirement of 70% and an attendance of 90%, giving them credits with both SAIT and in SAFA,” stated Jaeger.&nbsp;</p><p>The course provides an introduction for anyone who wants to become an AME and Jaeger believes it provides a solid foundation for the flight academy students. Ground school covers the fundamentals of aircraft systems and flight controls, but this course delves into the topics with more detail, which Jaeger says will help the students as they transition to flying more complex aircraft.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We just finished up our hydraulics unit and have started our fuel unit. Before that, we had our aircraft systems, which covered different components, key elements and critical points on the aircraft,” said Bartsch. “I’m thinking after I graduate, I might join campus at SAIT and do the full program in aviation engineering. I like the intricacies of engines and how they work and how to make them better. I feel the SAIT course fits me nicely as it emphasises my interests.”&nbsp;</p><p>Bartsch likes the intellectual aspects of the dual-credit course and said Jaeger is a great teacher. Jaeger enjoys having Bartsch in the classroom, describing him as one of the most jovial students he’s ever taught who maintains high test scores and near perfect attendance. Bartsch is willing to try to answer a question even when he isn’t sure of the answer. He is also able to incorporate what he’s been doing in ground school and flying with what is going on in the class, opening that area of conversation for other students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s a community,” said Bartsch. “A very nice, well-packed community, so there is lots of support. If you need it, it’s there. My parents think it is amazing I get this opportunity to fly. SAFA is one of a kind and having a flight school locally in this area is an opportunity lots of people don’t get. I love flying and understanding how an aircraft works is something that interests me. You need a love for it, it’s not something you would just do, it needs to be a passion.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

On April 30, Margaret Wooding’s school council is putting on a lunch for all students and staff members.

Happy Easter from MWS!

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) started the School of Trades this year with Grade 10 students from four schools enrolled. In total, four students from Foremost School, four from Senator Gershaw, 30 from Eagle Butte and 11 from South Central have taken part in the new program. Part of year one is attending full-day introductory sessions in seven different trades at Medicine Hat College (MHC). For South Central students, this means catching the bus at 6:45 a.m. and not returning to Oyen until 5 p.m. or later.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>South Central High School has 11 students – 2 female and 9 male – taking part in the program with another 16 enrolled for next year. Although they have the longest commute, students feel it has been a valuable addition to their high school classes and are grateful for the chance to jumpstart their careers. &nbsp;</p><p>Aside from classes at MHC, this year is about students experiencing different job sites. A field trip Eagle Butte students participated in was at Davis GMC Buick where they experienced different aspects of the dealership, including the automotive service technician area. Additionally, the students spent time with someone from human resources who offered interview advice along with explaining different pathways a student could take in automotives.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Sherry Craven, Student Experience Designer for the School of Trades explained, “next year they choose a cluster, picking one cluster of two trades and they will get equal time, four labs, in each of the two trades. I am also including job shadowing in combination with the classes and each student should also be trying to find an apprenticeship position. They can build most of their hours between Grade 11 and 12 during their summer off. Between Grade 10 and 11, we already have a couple of students who have placements and can start earning their hours.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Alyssa Kulyk from South Central has always preferred working with her hands and finds sitting in a classroom a struggle. With many family members and friends having careers in various trades, along with growing up on a farm, Kulyk is aware of how much those working in the trades contribute.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“They are proud of me for getting into a group of people who are mostly men and not being afraid to get my opinion out there. Many of them say females pay more attention to detail,” stated Kulyk. “It’s been great to explore all the different trades, and we’ve experienced things that are helpful. In heavy duty, we pulled apart a jack for a trailer. Two weeks earlier, the jack on our trailer broke and it would have been great to have the skill then, but it’s also good to know now so I can fix it in the future.”&nbsp;</p><p>Dawn Peers, Principal of South Central, accompanies the students to the college and is excited for this first cohort of students. “I have a bunch of boys of my own who have gone through trades programs and are loving their lives and careers. These kids are on the path to do that as well,” said Peers. “We don’t have the staff to provide a large range of options; we needed something like this because we don’t have that availability. They work with the same instructors my kids had when they went through trades and it’s great to see the female students taking part. There are some female instructors (at MHC) and it’s been amazing for them to see that as well.”&nbsp;</p><p>Dexter Miller wants to focus on both types of automotive training next year. “I am going to take over my dad’s farm. If I am a heavy-duty mechanic, I can fix my own equipment. It’s been good, when we go to the college, we learn what to do in each specific trade. So far, we’ve experienced welding, electrical, heavy-duty mechanic, and pipe fitting is this Friday.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Torynn Ophein, who aims to become a welder, wanted “opportunities out of high school, it gives me a whole bunch of different trades I could do. It’s a lot more (training) than I thought we would get with everything we’ve been doing. I thought it would be more casual, but we are hands-on in the labs.”&nbsp;</p><p>There are different ways a student can approach the program to suit their goals and schedules. If they fast-track, a student can obtain their high school diploma and their year one certification in their chosen trade. “Trades are a four-year program,” explained Craven. “Students can come out with year one, making them highly employable and already gives them a bump in their wages.”&nbsp;</p><p>There is also flexibility to when a student can enter the School of Trades, it doesn’t have to be in Grade 10. “Just taking the introductory classes alone, they are learning many skills and it’s making them more employable. It is amazing what they can do in one day,” stated Craven. “To watch them at the beginning of a welding lab, students who’ve never held a welding torch before are making pieces of art by the end of one day, such as cool flowers out of bolts and bicycles with wheels that turn.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer</p>

Thursday’s Tasty Treat 🐰 🚗 Zooming in just in time for Easter, 🐰 🚙

<p>Additional information can be found in the April 8, 2025, Board Meeting Agenda package: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/april-8-2025-public-board-meeting-20250407174859">https://www.myprps.com/news/april-8-2025-public-board-meeting-20250407174859</a></p><p>------</p><p><strong>Ralston School Presentation</strong></p><p>Serving 60 students from JK–Grade 9, Ralston School continues to thrive through strong community ties with BATUS, Canadian Armed Forces Suffield and local families. With support from a financial BATUS contribution, the school offers diverse programming grounded in the six core PRPS educational core principles of Connect, Care, Create, Communicate, Contribute, and Challenge.</p><p>Highlights from the presentation included a celebration of school-wide events such as the Christmas Banquet, Remembrance Day Service, and the BFBS Big Salute where students collectively ran 282 miles. Creative engagement was evident through initiatives like the “Take One Picture” art project, BFBS student radio broadcasts, and a Remembrance Day shadow play. Academic enrichment is supported by targeted programs such as UFLI, Morpheme Magic, and the Peterson Handwriting method, along with math-focused collaboration with PRPS Learning Coach Cathy Hynes. These efforts have led to noticeable growth in early learning and math achievement. Additionally, students benefit from hands-on learning experiences through 3D boat races, gardening projects, and drone exploration.</p><p>Looking ahead, Ralston School aims to expand its early childhood program, launch VEX robotics, and explore a no-cost sports academy, while continuing to celebrate its strong military and local partnerships.</p><p><strong>Financial Accountability Report</strong></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools' financial position shows a positive adjustment midway through the fiscal year. Revenues are forecasted to come in $1.95 million higher than budgeted, largely due to increased Alberta Education funding, enrollment growth, and various grants including Dual Credit, Mental Health, and Digital Assessment. Additional revenue was also seen from increased academy participation and one-time donations. Investment income rose due to higher interest rates, while rental and service income remained steady.</p><p>On the expense side, total costs are forecasted to exceed budgeted projections by approximately $1.69 million. This is primarily due to increased staffing costs, both certificated and non-certified, as well as additional expenses linked to additional classroom support and transportation infrastructure. However, these increases are partially offset by savings in international programming and internal transportation efficiencies.</p><p>The overall projected deficit has significantly improved, decreasing from ($281,086) to ($25,785). School Generated Funds show a surplus of $177,851, contributing to a total available SGF balance of $1.49 million. Operating reserves are projected to remain stable at $2.46 million, below the maximum allowable threshold of $3.6 million.</p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><ul><li>PRPS 2025 school exhibitions of learning are underway</li><li>Kaleidoscope of the Arts for 2025 is scheduled for May 28</li><li>The kickoff meeting for the new Parkside Jr High School has taken place. The planning stage is underway and the hope is to move to the design stage quickly due to the previous work that had been done around the modernization project.</li><li>Funding has been received for PRPS to have a value scoping assessment done at the two schools in Oyen to determine if modernizations or a single K-12 school would be the best option moving forward in the Town of Oyen.</li></ul><p><strong>Irvine School Field Trip to Quebec</strong></p><p>The board approved the May 2026 field trip request for Irvine School grade 8 and 9 students to tour the historical cities of Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa. During the seven day visit, students will be exposed to Canadian culture by touring the Battle of Plains of Abraham and the Parliament buildings.</p><p><strong>Locally Developed Courses</strong></p><p>The board approved the following locally developed courses for use by PRPS schools:</p><ul><li>Yoga 15</li><li>Yoga 25</li><li>Yoga 35</li><li>Fire Rescue Services 15</li></ul><p><strong>2024-2025 Communications Report</strong></p><p>Director of Communications Angela Baron delivered the 2024–2025 PRPS Communications Report, outlining key strategies for connecting with staff, students, families, and the broader community. Highlights included significant growth in school-based social media engagement—reaching nearly 3 million Facebook views since September—and the expanded use of digital tools like Canva for Education, now supporting more than 3,200 users across the division.</p><p>The addition of a dedicated Content Writer over the 2024-2025 year led to award-winning work and expanded duties such as grant writing and local media contributions. Prior to the start of the 2025-2026 school year, the division will transition online registration to PowerSchool Enrollment for improved parent accessibility and functionality, with new features like Safe Arrival absence reporting, all in one access to forms and grades, and in-portal classroom messaging.</p><p>Other communication-driven projects during the 2024-2025 year included the South Alberta Baseball Academy launch, billboard trailer promotions, new field trip and transportation request forms, and community promotional efforts such as the Redcliff and Oyen area booklets/videos.</p><p>An update was also provided on Alberta’s transition from the FOIP Act to the new Protection of Privacy Act (PPA) and Access to Information Act (AIA). These changes will require increased privacy planning, breach notifications, and extended response timelines. Consideration was given to the continued need for staffing and funding to meet communication and compliance demands.</p>

Just a little reminder this Thursday April 10th, at 6:30 in the library is the school council meeting.

<p><br>The next Prairie Rose Public Schools board meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at the PRPS Division Office in Dunmore starting at 12:45 p.m.&nbsp;</p><p>Board Meeting Agenda Package: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WeAj5ROSch6LAu-JF74NpLz0zD7mRRTi/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WeAj5ROSch6LAu-JF74NpLz0zD7mRRTi/view?usp=drive_link</a></p>

MWS grade 5’s and 6’s showed great sportsmanship and skills at the elementary basketball tourney on the weekend.

🍩 🪺 Thursday’s Tasty Treat 🪺 🍩

Congratulations to our monthly award winners and honour roll recipients.