Good News
The Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWPSD)'s Good News is a collection of stories from schools throughout the Division. Stories are published monthly, before the upcoming Board meeting. Please check back regularly for updates.
PWPSD News
JUNE
Congratulations graduates!
Congratulations to all our 2023 graduates! We are very proud of all your hard work and look forward to seeing where your futures take you.
PWPSD News
MAY
KinderSmart at Harry Balfour School
Harry Balfour School's 4-day KinderSmart program still has space! Students attend two full days of Kindergarten and two full days of KinderSmart each week. KinderSmart is led by Kindergarten instructor Jade Huscroft, along with Educational Assistant Teri Laprik.
The two extra days are spent reinforcing Kindergarten concepts and enriching students' learning experience. This month, the students enjoyed a field trip to Avondale Park (the orange park) and planted seeds for Mother's Day, among many other learning activities!
APRIL
Trustees tour schools
Trustees visit the atrium at Harry Balfour School.
Student Council member Sadie McAusland shows PWPSD Trustees and staff around Penson School.
On April 20, Trustees had the opportunity to tour Penson School, Peace Wapiti Academy, Harry Balfour School, and Peace Wapiti Enterprise Centre. Another day of school tours is scheduled for May 4.
Literacy Round Table helps strengthen PWPSD programs
PWPSD's Literacy Round Table is a group of 14 elementary teachers and administrators who share a passion for literacy and student success. These dedicated educators meet regularly for professional dialogue and collaboration; and work together to vet resources, evaluate rubrics for quality content, and participate in student writing sorts. We thank them for their invaluable work as it helps to strengthen the Division's literacy programming.
MARCH
PWPSD Spring Concert set for March 28
FEBRUARY
Pink Shirt Day at PWPSD
Central Office staff show their support for Pink Shirt Day.
Congratulations to PWPSD's Passionate Heart Award recipients!
(Myles Edgar of Beaverlodge Regional High School and Stacy Rorem of Robert W. Zahara School)
(Peace Collaborative Services team members Carolyn Hovey-Johnson and Heather Craigdallie)
A big congratulations to all of PWPSD's Passionate Heart Award recipients and nominees! Three of our nine nominees brought home a Passionate Heart Award from this year's ceremony. Mr. Edgar, Mrs. Rorem and the Peace Collaborative Services team were all recipients of this year's award.
Passionate Heart Awards are given to an individual who demonstrates front line service for two or more years in the following professions:
- Policing Services
- Child and Family Services
- Youth Services
- Social Prevention
- Education
- Social Services
Or to a team that demonstrates exceptional front line service in the following categories:
- Non-Profit Social Agencies
- Teams Providing Social Services
Community conversations a success
February 14-16, students, staff, parents and community members from Beaverlodge, Hythe and Horse Lake First Nation gathered to discuss junior high programming in Beaverlodge and Hythe. Administration, along with third-party engagement consultant Dialogue Partners, heard from nearly 200 individuals on their thoughts about junior high programming in the west-end of the Division, now and for the future.
For more information on junior high programming in Beaverlodge and Hythe, and to stay up-to-date on the engagement process, visit Guiding Our Future.
JANUARY
DECEMBER
NOVEMBER
Staff attend ATLE Conference
Administrative Assistants Sonja Paulson (Hythe Regional School), Amanda White (Eaglesham School), and Renay Morgan (Hythe Regional School)
At the end of October, PWPSD staff attended the Alberta Technology Leaders in Education (ATLE) Conference in Red Deer. Those in attendance participated in learning sessions on PowerSchool, Alberta Education, Professional Resilience, Rycor, Google, and more.
OCTOBER
Orange Shirt Day at PWPSD
PWPSD Trustees and staff show their support for Orange Shirt Day at the September 29 Board meeting.
Trustees excited for the return of school tours
Board Chair, Trustee Lori Grant - Ward 3, with Trapper Wilde at Beaverlodge Elementary School.
Principal Michael Rourke shows off different classrooms at Beaverlodge Regional High School.
The Board meets with Barb Belcourt, Indigenous Liaison, at Hythe Regional School.
October 6 brought the return of school tours for our Board of Trustees. Since the pandemic, school tours had been put on hold. Veteran Trustees were happy to be back in the schools and our newer Trustees, who joined the Board last year, were excited to see where all the action takes place. The Board's first day of tours brought them to Beaverlodge Elementary School, Beaverlodge Regional High School, and Hythe Regional School, where they met with students and staff and had the opportunity to ask questions. The Board is planning another school tour day in the new year.
SEPTEMBER
Follow us on Instagram!
PWPSD is now on Instagram! Follow us @thepwpsd for fun Division updates.
Work on the Harry Balfour replacement school has begun
Aman Builders has been awarded the Harry Balfour Replacement School project, and has begun work at the Five Mile Hall site, which is where the school will be located.
Alternative Education
JUNE
An afternoon of golf
On June 6, Mr. Rob Robinson led a group of students on a journey of athletic development. They spend the morning learning sports theory and then headed to Bear Creek Golf Course where they put their knowledge to the test.
MAY
Celebrating Mom
On May 11, a group of Peace Wapiti Enterprise Centre students attended a floral design class taught by Brandi Baker-Bowen. By the end of the day everyone in attendance had a lovely bouquet to bring home. Special thanks to florist and PWEC parent Maja Baxmann for volunteering her time to help guide the students' creativity!
FEBRUARY
Learning about Information Processing
PWEC students Leland Hornbrook, Deandre Gorsalitz-Ward, and Lanie Collins explore the field of Information Processing with Mr. Quattrociocchi.
PAVE students participate in Indigenous seminar
A number of PAVE students attended a Meet and Greet with the PWPSD Indigenous Education Services (IES) team members before beginning a 5-6 week seminar that will focus on the Medicine Wheel. IES members Rachelle and Alisha will lead the students each week with online presentations. An in-person wrap-up and visit to the Healing Gardens are planned to celebrate the students' learning.
JANUARY
A crash course in English
PWEC teacher Lisa Vanstone leads students through a PWEC English Crash Course, covering multiple skill areas as students prepare to finish their current course and move onto the next level.
For the love of music
PWEC student JesseAnn Baxmann demonstrates her keyboarding skills on the keyboard she and her family have generously donated to the PWEC learning community.
NOVEMBER
Mindful moments
PWEC students have been enjoying the beautiful fall weather by heading out for mindful walks along the Muskoseepi Park trails.
Learning life skills
Brad and Paige from Grande Prairie Volkswagen paid a visit to Peace Wapiti Enterprise Centre to teach the students about the car business, how to buy a car, and lots more!
OCTOBER
Students learn new golf skills
PWEC students hit the links at Bear Creek Country Club as part of their course on athletic development. They practiced some new skills and enjoyed playing a few holes to put those skills to the test!
Truth and Reconciliation through WordArt
Grade 12 K&E students participated in a Truth and Reconciliation activity where they learned about residential school survivors and created art pieces to depict the ideal school. Tristan Smith's piece showcases the characteristics of the individuals who would attend such a school.
SEPTMBER
The Virtual Equine Academy
Grade 11 PWEC student Charlee Park is an avid rider and competitive barrel racer.
Horse enthusiasts in Grades 10-12 have been invited to join The Virtual Equine Academy, where they will explore their passion for horses, while working with a teacher mentor to earn credits toward their high school diploma.
Students explore technology-based programs
Leland Hornbrook and Assistant Principal Rob Robinson set up the facilities.
PWEC students have been exploring technology-based programs such as Multimedia Production and Computer Information Technology. The popularity of the programs had led to a new extracurricular offering for the 2022-2023 school year: PWEC eSports!
Beaverlodge Elementary School
JUNE
STEM Club wrap up
The BES Stem Club wrapped up a successful year with a fun science fair for all to enjoy. Thank you Mrs. Mysko for running such a great program!
Grade 6s head to Edmonton
The Grade 6 students had a great time on their year-end trip to Edmonton! Thank you Mr. Mechanuck, Mrs. Hauger, and our parents for supporting a fantastic experience.
Learning the 7 Sacred Teachings
Thank you to the PWPSD Indigenous Education Services team for their support in our learning of the 7 Sacred Teachings. BES was thrilled to accept a gift from the team, which is displayed in the library for all students to enjoy.
MAY
Grade 5s host annual community event
Grade 5 students invited community members for the annual spring team, where guests were provided with treats, coffee, juice and entertainment.
Bring a friend to lunch
Students enjoy their lunchtime visits with family!
An Olympic visit
Olympic medalist and Beaverlodge Elementary School alumnus Geoff Walker stopped by for a visit!
Patroller of the month
Congratulations Alexis Randall for being named May's Patroller of the Month!
Swimming lessons wrap up
The Grade 4-6 students wrapped up another year of fantastic swim lessons. Thank you to the amazing instructors at the NuVista Energy Centre!
APRIL
Ski trip to Nitehawk
At the end of March, the Grade 5 and 6 students enjoyed a fantastic trip to Nitehawk! Thank you to all the parents who helped out.
MARCH
Tri-Trapper Art Day
Students participated in the Tri-Trapper Art Day, which was modeled around mentorship, leadership, community and fun! The older students worked with the younger students to create art projects that will eventually be put together to become team murals. The finished art pieces were put on display in different businesses throughout Beaverlodge, and the BES Parent Council awarded valuable house points based on what they saw.
FEBRUARY
The science of snowflakes
Kindergarten students have been busy learning about snowflakes. They have beaded, painted, inspected, built, and caught snowflakes, all in the name of science! All this fun has been wrapped around how a snowflake is formed, their symmetry, and how no two snowflakes are exactly alike.
Lego Club inspires teamwork
Students got creative during Lego Club when they had to work together to create unique creatures. They spent three minutes building a body before switching every three minutes to build a head, legs and arms, and finessing the end product. The students came up with some creative ideas!
Patroller of the month
Congratulations Cam DeSchipper for being named January's patroller of the month!
Remembrance Day contest winners
BES would like to congratulate the following students on their winning submissions to the Remembrance Day contest. Well done, we are so proud of you all!
- Isabelle Martin - First Place - Literacy
- Madison Britton - First Place - Literacy
- Grayson Moulds - Second Place - Literacy
- Lane Dunnigan - Third Place - Literacy
- Mae Dunnigan - Second Place - Poster
- Breanne Fletcher - Second Place - Poster
- Ashley Hedlund - Second Place - Poster
- Hayden McDonald - Third Place - Poster
- Emerson Tillotson - Third Place - Poster
JANUARY
Curling rocks!
The Grade 4 students have wrapped up a successful curling unit.
Sam Gauthier draws to the button.
Students wrap up 2022 with Christmas activities
Students got into the holiday spirit with a Christmas lunch, Bingo, and Buddy Reading!
Reid Sandboe tries his luck at Christmas Bingo
Darcilee Lindblom reads to Tayah Heslop
NOVEMBER
Tri-Trapper Days
The students at Beaverlodge Elementary School have been enjoying a little friendly competition thanks to the school's Tri-Trapper Days. From meeting new teammates to crushing Mr. Lojczyc in the Plunger Race, everyone has been having a great time!
Lego Club
Students show off some of their creations during Lego Club, hosted by parent volunteer Harmony Freeman.
BES Nutrition Program receives financial support
Thank you Pembina Gas Infrastructure and IODE for supporting the Snack Shack and Breakfast Bin programs at Beaverlodge Elementary School!
Kaylin Korzenowski and Davis Wells share some of the healthy snacks available.
On behalf of the Leadership Team, Isla Rutherford and Ashley Hedlund accept the generous donation from IODE.
Elle Salon donates to BES
Clayton Bowman and Axl Moran receive a donation from Elle Salon for the Grade 6 trip and the school's hotdog sale fundraiser.
Supporting seniors
The BES Leadership Team head out to support some local seniors and Veterans by shoveling their walkways.
BES honours Remembrance Day
Students and staff thank Andy Meggitt, member of the local Legion, for attending their Remembrance Day ceremony on November 10.
OCTOBER
Patroller of the Month
Beaverlodge Elementary School is excited to have its Patrol Team up and running again! This month's Patroller of the Month was James Longson, congratulations!
BES participates in 4th annual Boogie Race
Many students participated in the annual Beaverlodge Boogie Race, a community cross-country race with a wide range of competitors, that raises money to be put back into the community. After the event Christine Teasdale and Corrie Nordhagen presented a cheque of $800 to Beaverlodge Elementary School!
SEPTEMBER
Students prepare for the end of the world
Grade 6 students kicked off their school year by preparing for the destruction of the Earth. They were tasked with devising a plan that would keep a group of 200 people safe. Through their discussions and debates, vocabulary aligning with their Social Studies unit (government, constitution, society, issues, justice and services) began to emerge. Planning for a person's needs rather than wants, and keeping everyone happy proved to be a challenge!
AMA Patrol Team prepares for a new year
BES is very happy to start the training for the AMA Patrol Team in Beaverlodge. Jaxon Mack and Brayson O'Connell are two of 32 students who took the training to help keep kids safe in the crosswalks.
Beaverlodge Regional High School
JUNE
A trip to the detachment
Mrs. Nordhagen's students enjoyed a trip to the Beaverlodge RCMP detachment as part of their Legal Studies course. The students participated in a tour of the detachment where they checked out the holding cells, and learned the consequences of getting arrested and the procedures accused individuals go through.
Thank you Constable Miller and Constable Jewett for your time and for being very forthcoming about the challenges and rewards of a career in law enforcement!
Students try yoga
Mrs. Nordhagen's students had the opportunity to take part in yoga classes at Raining Relief Aerial Yoga and Rooted Heart Yoga Studio, which is run by a former BRHS student! They participated in aerial yoga using hammocks and a lot of core strength to try inversions, balances, and cool poses. The students also tried restorative yoga where they stretched their tensions and stress away in a gentle yoga practice. The trip helped encourage students to participate in yoga in the future to help maintain a healthy lifestyle without feeling shy or judged.
APRIL
Félicitations! (Congratulations!)
(Back row): Rylan Sudnik, Allison Harcourt, Neala Lafond, Rylan Bartsch
(Front row): Ms. Nordhagen, Delenna Lambert, Lily Jones, Kendra Osmond
The BRHS French 10 and 30 students celebrated passing their DELF A1 and A2 diplomas. DELF exams are internationally recognized French proficiency exams issued by the French Ministry for National Education.
Welcome to BRHS!
Welcome Loik Gernier and Leandre Delore from Lyon, France! Loik and Leandre are Grade 10 exchange students who will be attending BRHS for three weeks as they work to improve their English language skills. They will be staying with Rylan Sunik and his family while they experience living in Canada.
Let the feast begin!
Before the spring break, Foods Studies students enjoyed two blocks of "feasting"! The students had the opportunity to cook a receipt of their choice for their classmates. Many sweets and Easter-themed treats were enjoyed, and the leftovers were shared with friends and nearby classes.
FEBRUARY
Work experience gives students life skills
Students in the Life Skills Programs have been enjoying their community work experience placements. Wyatt R. has been working at Subway, and Anna P. is working at the Beaverlodge Arts and Cultural Centre.
Flag retirement
On February 15, BRHS student and member of the Grande Prairie Army Cadets Unit 2850, Blake B. (second from left), participated in a flag retirement ceremony.
DECEMBER
A Day in the Life of an RCMP Officer
The BRHS Legal Studies class would like to thank Constable Wagner and Constable Stanga for their presentation about being an RCMP Officer. The students learned what it takes to become an RCMP Officer, and what daily life can look like as an Officer in the Beaverlodge community. The class was also given a tour of the RCMP detachment and of the RCMP vehicles.
NOVEMBER
Students named to NWP Wolves Volleyball All-Star teams
Congratulations to Kami Babuik, Jace Lunn, Owen Schmidt, and Ethan Villiger on being named to the NWP Wolves Volleyball All-Star teams! The games will be played at Northwestern Polytechnic on Saturday, December 10.
Fashion fun
Senior Fashion Studies students have been showing off their amazing skills. Laney Smith models her repurposed pair of jeans and new purse!
Cooking with Mrs. Bell
Food Studies students, Darius, Cashton, and Keaton, have been having a great time making new and delicious creations with Mrs. Bell!
Jasmine's perfect hasselback potato.
Leaders of Tomorrow Awards
Students and staff at BRHS are proud to have an ATCO Leader of Tomorrow walking among them. The Leaders of Tomorrow Awards, presented by ATCO and the Grande Prairie Regional Association of Volunteer Organizations, honour outstanding young Leaders in Grande Prairie and surrounding area. These awards are presented in two age categories: Junior (13-15 years) and Senior (16-18 years).
This year's Awards will be presented at the Annual Volunteer Awards Ceremony on December 5, 2022.
BRHS represented at Titans football year end awards
Three BRHS football players were recognized for their excellent contributions to the PWA Titans football team during the year end awards last week. Awards were given out for Defensive Lineman of the Year, MVP, Most Improved Player, and Titan of Tomorrow. Well done and congratulations on a great season!
OCTOBER
Town Council and BRHS students create reconciliation crosswalk
Students at BRHS were invited by Beaverlodge Town Council to participate in the creation of a reconciliation crosswalk; the results are beautiful and impactful.
Cupcake Wars
Cupcake Wars have returned to BRHS! Under the leadership of Foods teacher Tracy Bell, the junior high students baked and decorated their cupcakes keeping with their Halloween theme. Judges were treated to stories, pumpkins, zombies, and some delicious snacks!
SEPTEMBER
Future veterinarian
Anastasia Shalagan has been expanding her volunteer horizons! With the leadership of community member and bird of prey rehabilitator Rex Coupland, Anastasia will have the opportunity to work with native birds of prey in the area. She has done a fantastic job of working toward her goal of becoming a veterinarian!
Bezanson School
NOVEMBER
The Maple Man visits Bezanson
Bezanson School welcomed the Maple Man to share a French presentation for the Grade 4-9 students. He regaled them in song, played the accordion, and taught them how to play the spoons! The Maple Man also filled the school with the tantalizing smell of hot maple syrup, collected from his maple grove in Québec, which he served by pouring over popsicle sticks on ice.
OCTOBER
Breakfast Bins get a boost
A big thank you to the Booster Club for their generous donation toward the Bezanson School Breakfast Bins! In addition to the daily fruit trays that are available, students are welcome to choose between two different breakfast items each morning.
Students' Union
Ms. Galbraith, Student Union facilitator, is excited to spend this year working with Student Union President Logan, Vice-President Madilyn, Secretary Anwyn, Treasurer Rhys, and classroom representatives Grant, Connor, Sloane, Jace, and Khloe.
Trailblazing Bulldog Awards
Students and staff celebrated a number of students for their accomplishments in the first month of school. A big congratulations to Marcus, Briar, Rylee, Sawyer, Madison, Ellie, Ryker, Danica, Laila, Emery, Chasz, Max, Celeste, Dihan, Levi, Hunter, Raeann, and Teagan on a job very well done!
Bonanza School
APRIL
Secure Energy hosts Earth Day cleanup
On Thursday, April 20, Secure Energy hosted an Earth Day cleanup at Bonanza School. The day included fun games, a paper plane building challenge, team building activities, a BBQ, and of course, a cleanup! At the end of the day each student was given a tree to take home and plant in honour of Earth Day.
A piece of cake
Bonanza students participated in a Cake Walk to raise money for new playground equipment. Thank you to all the parents and community members who donated cakes! The students raised $295 and enjoyed some delicious treats!
Thank you Indigenous Education Services!
Bonanza School is very grateful for the excellent learning opportunities provided by the PWPSD Indigenous Education Services team this year. A special highlight was when the extra large Indigenous map made its way to Bonanza. Students in Grades 1-4 even performed a special song they were working on to say thank you to the Indigenous Education Services team for all their hard work and dedication.
Students enjoy the end of winter
Grade 3-6 students enjoy the last bit of winter with an afternoon of snowshoeing!
MARCH
Students compete in Vans Shoes contest
Grade 7/8 students design their own Vans Shoes.
Working together to support local foodbank
Kindergarten to Grade 8 students worked together to bring in canned food items for the local foodbank. Students who donated were able to put their names in a draw to win a gift basket!
Kindergarten spirit days
The Kindergarten students enjoyed learning about Literacy Day and showing off their crazy hair!
Bonanza challenges Savanna on the court
On March 1, students in Grades 5/6, and 7/8 took on students from Savanna School in a friendly game of basketball.
FEBRUARY
Snow cone factory
Students enjoy the cooler weather and get creative with their tools.
JANUARY
Do you hear that?
Grade 3/4 students made their own instruments as they learn about hearing and sound.
Welcome to Santa's Workshop
Grade 1/2 and 5/6 students would like to thank community member Theresa Ackroyd for opening Santa's Workshop (her home) for some festive fun!
NOVEMBER
Teddy Bear picnic
The kindergarten students had a great time during their teddy bear picnic. They spent the day baking their own bear paw cookies and using gummy bears to create graphs.
Grade 5/6 students enjoy their feathered classmates
OCTOBER
Detectives in the making
The Grade 5-6 students have been learning about evidence and investigation in Science. They have been working on handwriting analysis, forensic science research projects, and even casting tracks! It has been a unit filled with many interesting lessons and lots of new knowledge.
Meet Munchie and Babs
The Grade 5-6 students have been working with the school's new robots Munchie and Babs in CTF; while the Grade 3-4 students have been enjoying their Digital Literacy class with Mrs. Simmonds!
SEPTEMBER
A successful start
Bonanza's Kindergarten students had a great, tear-free start to their school year!
Clairmont Community School
JUNE
A trip to the community garden
The Grade 1 students spent some time at the Community Garden where they met farmer Devin who taught them how to plant! They planted pumpkins, potatoes, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and radishes. This group of students will see the fruits of their labour when they harvest the plants in the fall when they get to Grade 2! Thank you to all the hard-working volunteers who made this trip possible and fun for everyone!
MAY
CCS hosts student convention
Last month, Clairmont Community School hosted a student convention; Grade 8 student Lilth Monk sums up the day:
On April 21, we had a student convention where kids all around the school gathered in different groups to learn and do fun activities like yoga, just dance, hiking and card making; those are just a few we did. The school hosts student convention every year to reward the kids and teachers for their hard work throughout the year.
We have the opportunity to do this every year, and I know everyone looks forward to it, because it makes learning new things fun and exciting, and it really helps kids get out of their comfort zones and make new friends. At the end of the student convention day we have a dodgeball tournament where grades go head-to-head into battle.
All this fun took a lot of work to set up and take down. We can thank all the staff for all their hard work, but special shoutout to Miss Abbott and Miss McKean for helping make sure everyone got a class they wanted and for cutting out all the coloured headbands so we knew what team we were on for the dodgeball tournament.
APRIL
CCS Art Show
At the end of March, CCS opened its doors and invited families to view student artwork. Students in Kindergarten through junior high had the opportunity to showcase their hard work and line the walls of their school with their unique pieces. The glowing response from the community has encouraged staff to make this an annual event and students and staff are hoping to grow it even bigger next year!
FEBRUARY
CCS celebrates Literacy Week
While Literacy Day was Friday, January 27, students at Clairmont Community School celebrated all week! Grade 7 student AJ Pardy shares an overview:
Clairmont Community School celebrated National Literacy Day all week!
On Monday, we all had taped a letter to our shirts and spelled words like camp and read. Overall this was very fun.
On Tuesday we had all dressed up as our favourite book character and I saw Spider-Man as a costume and there was a lot more than that.
To sum this all up on Friday the jr. high foods class had made cupcakes and handed them out in the halls where everybody was reading.
JANUARY
CCS Christmas celebrations
Grade 7 student Liam Wolfe shares how Clairmont Community School celebrated the holidays:
This year there were many different activities, treats and celebrations shared and enjoyed by the staff and students at Clairmont Community School. Across all of December there were the 12 Days of Christmas thought out by the junior high Student Council. The 12 Days of Christmas started with a special delivery by Mr. and Mrs. Claus. We had lots of dress up days including: Christmas socks, wacky hair, holiday headgear, Hawaiian Christmas, Team Grinch or Team Ho-Ho, Griswold Christmas and Ugly Christmas Sweaters.
We also had a winterland walk, candy canes delivered by Student Council, the staff of CCS went on a reindeer dash and we had the annual Christmas lunch and dress your best. The last day before the Christmas break was celebrated with a school-wide PJ Day. The Student Council participated in door judging where they toured the school and judged the unique and interesting doors across the different divisions.
The school also had the annual Christmas concert, which CCS hasn't seen for quite a few years. The Grade 5, 6, and junior high bands and various choirs were practicing all afternoon on the 15th for the after school concert. The concert was absolutely packed! The most visitors the school has ever seen. After a wonderful performance from the CCS students and the rest of the 12 Days of Christmas the entire school went on a 18-day Christmas break to return on January 9, 2023 for the rest of the school year.
NOVEMBER
Halloween parade
Story submitted by Grade 8 student Lilith Monk
This Halloween many of our students and faculty got dressed up for our Halloween Parade. The school hadn't been able to do this for three years and I was happy to see how many people got dressed up. We had a little carnival made by a few grade eights and the kids loved it. I know that because when Mr. Bowen was talking all their heads were turned to the carnival. And we cannot forget about the Preschoolers. There are two classes so they walked into some classes showing off their outfits. It was adorable. I can't wait till next year.
CCS honours Remembrance Day
Story submitted by Grade 8 student Brayden Manley
Our school had a school-wide Remembrance Day assembly. We had many students participate and lead the assembly. With Raeleigh Donaldson as M.C., Grade 7-8 JH band played O Canada, 1/2A class recited Little Poppy and 2P sang Sing for Peace and more. After there was a moment of silence, Mr. Falk and Ms. Abbott performed the song In Flanders Fields while the cadets and cubs marched to lay wreaths and a wreath was also laid on behalf of War Amps. The reason our school does this is to honour those who fought for our freedom and so we never forget the sacrifices they made.
Students experience the magic of PARDS
Barret and Tristan enjoy some time riding horses.
Over the past nine weeks, the students had the opportunity to visit PARDS, where they learned about and rode horses. According to Grade 5 student Dominic Hussey and Grade 7 student Mathias Nellis, the best part of PARDS was riding the horses. The school hopes to attend another session in the 2023-2024 school year.
OCTOBER
CCS raises record breaking amount for Terry Fox Foundation
Students and staff at Clairmont Community School have plenty to be proud of this month! Students were encouraged to collect donations for the school's annual Terry Fox Run and the top fundraisers were awarded with a 2022 Terry Fox t-shirt. The class that raised the most donations was also awarded a pizza lunch from Panago and ice cream from the Ice Cream Barn.
The encouragement paid off as the school brought in a total of $8,547.70 for the Terry Fox Foundation, a new school record! Congratulations to everyone who fundraised and participated in such a monumental event!
Top Fundraisers:
Adrian Brochu (Grade 7) - $540
James Balsillie (Grade 1) - $500
Peyton House (Grade 5) - $445
Brody House (Grade 6) - $445
Top Class: 4B - More than $2000
SEPTEMBER
Students celebrate Gratitude Day
On September 21 Clairmont Community School celebrated Gratitude Day by taking a moment to talk about what gratitude is, why it's important, and how to practice gratitude. Students and staff were asked to reflect on what they are grateful for and then wrote these on ribbons that have since adorned the school's fences.
Eaglesham School
MAY
Junior badminton wraps up
On May 15, students participated in a badminton wrap up and everyone had a blast! Thank you Martine Piebiak, Orion Watson, and Alysha Temple for coaching and organizing such a great event for the students!
Gearing up for summer
Students in Grades 3-6 have started their swimming lessons at the Peace River pool!
MARCH
Students spend time in Edmonton
At the end of February, the junior and senior high students enjoyed a cross-curriculum, 5-day field trip to Edmonton! They participated in a mock Legislature and toured the Legislature building, took in the play Anastasia at the Jubilee Auditorium, participated in the Science Olympics where they earned two bronze medals and an Innovator Award, exercised their French speaking skills at The Creperie, toured the University of Alberta campus, and spent an afternoon at the West Edmonton Mall World Waterpark.
Elementary students hit the slopes
On March 2, students in Grades 3-6 enjoyed a day at Little Smoky, where they soaked up the beautiful weather, and participated in a ski lesson. The instructors said they were one of the best groups of the year as far as skill and behaviour. Well done skiers!
DECEMBER
Elfie's back!
Elf on the Shelf has returned to the Grade 3/4 class! Follow Eaglesham School on Facebook to watch Elfie's December shenanigans.
NOVEMBER
Reading Buddies
The junior high Language Arts students created their own children's books and presented them to the Grade 1/2 students during their Reading Buddies block.
A night in the trenches
On November 10, Eaglesham students were joined by retired teacher Mike McKay for a night in the trenches. School staff and volunteers helped the team by providing a warming station throughout the night. After a chilly, but meaningful night outside, the students led the community's Remembrance Day ceremony at the Eaglesham Hall on November 11.
SEPTEMBER
Welcome back!
On September 20 students, staff and families enjoyed hot dogs and hamburgers at the school's Welcome Back BBQ.
Elmworth School
JANUARY
The show must go on!
Thank you to all our students and parents who, despite the cold temperatures on December 21, braved the cold and arrived at the school ready for dress rehearsal in the afternoon and again in the evening for the main event. A Sombrero for Santa, was a big success due to all your dedication and hard work!
SEPTEMBER
Students spend time learning on the land
The junior high students spent the day with PWPSD's Indigenous Education Services at Pipestone Creek Park, where they participated in a Blanket Exercise, which led to meaningful conversation. The students were led through different stations consisting of a forest walk collecting rosehips, bannock on a stick over a fire, and land-based activities utilizing resources from Ever Active Schools.
Harry Balfour School
JUNE
Thank you!
Students in 2H acknowledge the hard work of all the local firefighters through their art.
Growing Plants
The students in 1B participated in the Growing Plants program at Muskoseepi Park. They learned about plant needs, and had the chance to plant their own seeds to bring home.
HBS unveils new logo
Congratulations Eli Krisko for submitting the winning artwork that has become the new Harry Balfour School logo!
MAY
Titanic dress up day
Ms. Vigen's Grade 5 class had a Titanic dress up day! After completing a series of engaging projects that had students writing journal entries, crafting interviews, researching timelines, building the ship, learning how to debate, and more, they enjoyed a fun day to finish off the unit. Students were invited to dress up as their character of study as they watched appropriate parts of the film. It's always a great day when students get to see their characters on film, and the cheering at the end (and wiping of tears!) is always a standout moment.
Community support for new HBS
Participarent commissioned Grande Prairie artist Arki Julius Miraflor for an original watercolour painting of Harry Balfour School. The painting has arrived and will be on display in the new replacement building when it opens in 2024!
HBS hosted its first ever Food Truck Festival and encouraged families to spend the evening eating and playing outside. Between 300 and 400 people from the HBS community came for food and games, and participated in a very successful 50/50 with proceeds going to the new school.
RCMP visits HBS
RCMP Constables visit Harry Balfour School to answer questions and have some fun.
Grade 8s teach P. E.
Mr. Wright's Physical Education 8 class spent some time designing fun games to teach to the elementary students!
APRIL
Art Walk raises money for new school
On Thursday, April 20, students, staff and families gathered for the second annual Harry Balfour School Art Walk and Dessert Auction. Student artwork lined the walls of the gym and silent auction items were on display for an evening of fun. Thank you to all the local businesses, families and staff members for their donations to the silent auction. A pair of tickets to Game 5 between the Edmonton Oilers and L.A. Kings raised over $700 alone! The successful event brought in nearly $2500 for the new Harry Balfour School.
New school, new logo
Over 25 drawings were submitted for the new Harry Balfour School logo. A committee of students, staff, and parents worked hard to choose a winner, which will be sent to a local graphic designer to turn into the school's new logo!
MARCH
Finding their match
Each month, staff at HBS compete in different challenges. For the month of February, each staff member was tasked with finding their match! Given half of a famous duo, they had to seek each other out to complete the famous pair. There were even prizes for the winners!
Junior high champions
The junior high boys finished off the basketball season undefeated, capturing the title of Peace Wapiti Public School Division league champions! A big thank you to coaches Mrs. McDerrmott and Mike Reeve for their dedication and expertise, helping the team reach gold!
Living in a winter wonderland
Students and staff have been spending a lot of time outside and participating in winter activities. The students enjoyed their time skiing, sledding, and skating!
FEBRUARY
Special delivery!
Ms. Vigen's Grade 5 class created special envelopes while the Fine Arts 6 students made Valentine's Day cards to go in them. The special messages were then delivered to each house in the neighbourhood!
Drum Making
HBS was honoured to welcome Natascha Okimaw from the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre to teach students how to make hand drums and the meaning behind them. It was a pleasure to share a memorable experience together.
Food exploration
(Students enjoy yogurt with a variety of toppings)
Meet our Kindergarten Food Explorers! Mrs. Wolstenholme's classes have been participating in a program that's goal is to explore a variety of foods safely and positively.
Love for Whiskers
Ms. Vigen's Grade 5 students "adopted" cats from Whisker's Cat Café for Valentine's Day. They researched their feline friends and what their needs and wants were. The students then gathered donations and headed to the Cat Café. A big thank you to Angie Plante who shut down the café for the special visit to allow one-on-one time with their new friends.
JANUARY
Ready for 2023
To ring in the New Year, the Junior Kindergarten students played a variety of fun games, including Cold Ice Cube where they passed around a giant paper ball that held layers of hidden surprises. They loved strengthening their self-regulation skills in such a festive way!
The New Year also brought the Junior Kindergarten Obstacle Course! The students had a great time showing off their physical literacy. The class will get to enjoy the ever changing obstacle course from now until spring.
Shining bright
Students in 3P have been busy creating some beautiful art pieces including directed drawings of candles with oil pastels. They also worked together to decorate their classroom door with the theme, A Class Full of Stars.
School-wide lunch
Before heading into the holidays, students and staff came together to enjoy a ham, veggies, bun and dessert lunch. Thank you to all the parents who donated to the event and to those who came out to help serve!
DECEMBER
Congratulations Kacey!
Kacey H. was awarded second place for the poster he created for the Royal Canadian Legion's Remembrance Day, Junior - Black and White poster contest.
NOVEMBER
Mr. Groff is Jonathan Groff
For Halloween this year Mr. Groff dressed up as Jonathan Groff, the actor who played King George III in Hamilton. The suggestion was from one of his Grade 8 students whose idea won from roughly 35 entries. In the end, it came down to Jonathan Groff or Fairy Princess Gru, and Groff became Groff largely because the student who entered the idea know all about the fun fact that Mr. Groff would be dressing up as the actor who stole his name.
Bengal Bites now open
New to HBS this year is the student-run canteen! With the assistance of Miss Vigen, Mr. Twelvetree, Miss Odenbach, and Mrs. McDermott, Grade 7 and 8 students are learning how to order, inventory, and cash in and out.
Light it up BLUE
Students and staff showed their support for their colleagues and classmates living with diabetes.
Triple Ball
The Grade 5/6 students have been enjoying triple ball, with the Grade 7 and 8 students acting as peer coaches.
Volleyball wraps up
Congratulations to the HBS girls and boys volleyball teams for both placing third in the GP Comp tournament! All players had a great season! To wrap up the year, the players played against the staff where the first set went to the staff and the second ended in a tie.
Welcome Mrs. Edwards
Mrs. Allison Edwards was inducted into the teaching profession this year.
Remembrance Day at HBS
Grade 3 students made postcards addressed to Brave Soldiers.
Lincoln, Mason, Brynnlee, Amelia, Brody, and Joey recite In Flanders Fields during the school's annual Remembrance Day ceremony.
OCTOBER
NWP volleyball clinic
Northwestern Polytechnic athletes visited the school to host a volleyball clinic for the Grade 7/8 Volleyball option students!
Run Club finishes off strong
The Grade 3-6 Run Club has wrapped up another successful year. Led by Grade 3 teacher Karen Pascut and supported by staff, Mel Hanna, Sabina Gibson, Megan Hutchison, and Kim Carroll, and a number of parents, 30-60 students ran in Muskoseepi Park every Wednesday!
Stone Soup
The Grade 1 and 2 students enjoyed their very own Stone Soup together!
School Family Teams
Students and staff attended their first in-person assembly of the school year! Students were introduced to staff and then put into their School Family Teams. They enjoyed a fun balloon game before splitting into their families to participate in an introductory activity, create a craft, and enjoy a snack.
SEPTEMBER
KinderSmart off to a great start
KinderSmart, a new Kindergarten option offered at Harry Balfour School, allows students to attend four full school days opposed to the regular two. Students spend two days a week working with a Kindergarten teacher, and the other two days with a Kindergarten instructor who works under a teacher's supervision. For $325 a month, students attend Monday to Thursday and enjoy increased instructional time and play at school.
Breakfast Program offered each school day
Thank you to Educational Assistant Melissa Hanna for ensuring that at least three options are offered in the breakfast bins five days a week!
Junior high students participate in Cree language course
Six junior high students from Harry Balfour School have joined the virtual Cree language pilot course being offered by PWPSD's Indigenous Education Services. Barb Belcourt, Educational Assistant at Hythe Regional School delivers three live Cree classes each week via Google Meet. Students then practice and complete their lessons the other two days of the week.
Grade 6 students visit Grande Prairie Friendship Centre
The Grade 6 students spent a wonderful day learning about Indigenous culture. After a scavenger hunt through Muskoseepi Park and a tour through the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre's Healing Garden, students were led by Elder Len Auger in putting up a tipi and learning about its significance.
Helen E. Taylor School
APRIL
Knights enjoy the game
The Grade 5/6 basketball team had a great time at the Sexsmith tournament!
FEBRUARY
Welcome to Starbooks!
Mrs. MacAlister and Mrs. Underwood welcome you to Starbooks! Students from each class made a reservation and "tasted" different books at this pop-up café in the school library. The students also got to enjoy real snacks and beverages.
Local celebrities visit HET
Grande Prairie Storm players, Mrs. MacAlister's former student Dayne Tews, and Hudson Foley, and Paleontologist Dr. Emily spent some time with the students to celebrate Literacy Week.
NOVEMBER
Haunted Halloween
HET celebrated Halloween with a very spooky haunted house!
Mad scientists
Mrs. Martin's junior high science classes did some spooky Halloween experiments.
The Grade 8 students spent their science class making Density Towers and then reversing them.
The Grade 9 students built edible DNA strands.
Helen E. Taylor Remembers
Helen E. Taylor hosted a Remembrance Day ceremony where Grade 5 students read poems.
Hythe Regional School
JUNE
Trees and Forests
One June 1, the Grade 6 students went on a campout as part of their Trees and Forests unit!
FEBRUARY
Rendez-Vous Fur Trade
The Grade 7 students have been exploring the fur trade in Social Studies. They played a game called Rendez-Vous Fur Trade where they acted out being participants in the fur trade.
Valentines for Veterans
Each year, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) invites Canadian schools, individuals, and organizations to make Valentines for Vets. VAC then distributes them to Veterans in long-term care facilities across the country. HRS students in FSL 7A and ELA 7C created original cards with messages of gratitude for Canadian Veterans as a way to show their appreciation in both official languages.
JANUARY
Dare to Care
The junior high students and staff, joined by Kim Edwards from Dare to Care, participated in engaging discussions and sessions focused on bullying prevention and empathy.
NOVEMBER
Take Our Kids to Work Day
On November 2, the Grade 9 students participated in Take Our Kids to Work Day with their parents and hosts.
Earth Rangers
On November 15, Earth Rangers presented an engaging and educational show to students and staff.
OCTOBER
Edible DNA
Mrs. Harris' Grade 9 students created their own edible DNA models while learning about the structure and function of DNA in Science.
SEPTEMBER
Taking things to a new dimension
The Grade 2 students have been hard at work learning about two and three dimensional shapes in Math.
La Glace School
MAY
Hats On! For Mental Health
On May 3, students and staff were encouraged to wear their hats and engage in conversations focused on understanding mental health and the importance of removing the stigma associated with mental illness.
A Day in the Life...
On May 10, the Grade 9 students enjoyed a day in the life of a Northwestern Polytechnic student! They learned about different programs offered including agriculture, nursing, engineering, science, education, and several different trades.
Congratulations Colin!
Congratulations Colin Sandboe for winning the district level Legion Essay Writing Contest!
Thank you La Glace Co-op!
A big thank you to the La Glace Co-op for hosting a cake fundraiser in support of our junior high sports programs! With this year's funds we bought new basketball nets and balls for the boys and girls team.
Playoff fever
Students and staff have been suffering from playoff fever! It's even taken over a whole bulletin board!
Your dream hamlet
On May 17, the County of Grande Prairie's Planning department stopped by to lead a team of junior high students through the process of creating their own dream county hamlet!
FEBRUARY
The La Glace School Family
Leading up to the Family Day long weekend, students and staff all celebrated being a part of the La Glace School family! On February 9, the students went skiing at Nitehawk, a number of parents joined in the fun too!
On February 15, every Gator went skating, spending quality time together at the local arena.
JANUARY
La Glace full of holiday spirit
Thank you to Mrs. Buhler and Mrs. Smith for putting on the very first La Glace School musical! The students enjoyed acting, singing, and dancing to the Christmas musical, Star Bucks. The event was followed by hot cocoa, which was graciously provided by the Parent Council.
Students give back to community
Before the winter break, students and staff at La Glace School held a very successful food drive. Nearly 600 food bank items were donated to the Sexsmith Food Bank before Christmas. Thank you to everyone who donated!
NOVEMBER
Golden Girls
A big congratulations goes out to the girls volleyball team for finishing FIRST at Zones! Thank you Mrs. Moodie, Sadie Barid, and Shaely Moodie for coaching!
Remembrance Day
On November 10, La Glace School hosted another successful Remembrance Day ceremony. Thank you to the organizers Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Richards for creating a beautiful tribute. A special thank you to Steven Chateauneuf for playing the Lament on the bagpipes and to all the families that joined us at the school.
Learning outside of the classroom
Mr. Campbell and Mr. Goleniec took the Grade 7-9 students to the court house to learn and experience a hands-on court setting; and then to the Nordic Trails to enjoy some alternative education programming in Physical Education.
Cosmetology program receives donation
A huge thank you to Kelt Exploration for their $3000 donation to the school's cosmetology program. The school is looking forward to purchasing new mannequins and hot tools for the junior high options programming.
Collecting for the food bank
La Glace School is collecting donations for the food bank until December 3. The school-wide goal is set at 1000 items, and if the students reach it, they'll earn themselves a Christmas movie in the gym!
OCTOBER
La Glace School raises $3855 for Terry Fox Foundation
If the school raised over $2000, the students would get to tape Mr. Goleniec to the wall; each student got to place a piece of tape over him.
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the annual Terry Fox Run and who helped raise $3855 for cancer research! The students ran and walked with enthusiasm during the October 6 event.
Musicians in the making
The Grade 3/4 students made their own guitars to explore pitch and sound in Science. Thank you Mrs. Ottahal for the fun hands-on lesson!
Wrestle Mania
Mr. Goleniec has successful started a wrestling program at La Glace School; 16 junior high students have been learning the proper techniques to grapple safely. The program has been a hit with the students and a great confidence booster for all who partake.
SEPTEMBER
Coding is cool
Mrs. Ottahal's Grade 3/4 class has been busy programming Ozobots from the ATA Library. Ozobots are desk-friendly coding robots that relate to technology and science. The students used colours to program a visual code.
Bonding one step at a time
The Walk Run Club started the year off at the Dreamer's Lake Run, which was an excellent bonding experience for the Grade 4-6 teammates. Thank you to the parent volunteers who made this experience a success!
A visit from Amanda Panda
Students enjoyed a presentation from Amanda Panda, after which each class received individual workshops to learn the proper techniques of hula hooping.
Yoda or Dumbledore?
Court was in order for Mr. Goleniec's Grade 7/8 English students! The class worked in teams to find facts to debate which was better: Star Wars or Harry Potter. They worked on using persuasive tactics to convince the judge of what movie should reign champion for the title of The Best Film of ALL Time.
Peace Wapiti Academy
JUNE
Titans win local jamboree
The PWA Titans have wrapped up spring camp with a tournament in Edmonton, and the local jamboree where they went 3-0!
Foods 10 creates gingerbread houses
A big thank you to Terrie's Custom Cookies for coming out and sharing her expertise about gingerbread!
Photography students travel to Edmonton
The Photography 2/3 students had a blast in Edmonton! They visited the Muttart Conservatory, Edmonton Valley Zoo, and Fort Edmonton Park. The students even had a surprise visit from Ms. Knudtson!
MAY
Rugby team travels to Edmonton
PWA rugby players enjoyed their trip to Edmonton! It was very hot, but they played hard and came out with only a few injuries.
Students gain experience on the job
General Learning Support Program (GLSP) students have been hard at work at Canadian Tire. They started their work experience in January, and have now moved out into the Garden Centre. The students are responsible for stocking, watering and organizing the plants, and helping unload pallets of new stock. The GLSP students have been invaluable to the Canadian Tire staff, and many of them have the potential to apply for a job at the store in the future!
Students compete at Provincial Skills Competition
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the Alberta Skills Competition! Cathrine Schrader competed in the baking challenge, while Hannah Wiens and Reid Leishman competed in Robotics.
Robotics team with Robotics teacher Mr. Hassanali
Alberta loses 3000 skilled trades jobs each year due to employees retiring. The Provincial Skills Competition is a great way for students to network with other students and industry scouts. The students had an awesome experience at the Edmonton Expo Centre!
APRIL
Wrestlers finish strong
(Left to right: Mr. Fontaine, Nathan Kendall, Olivia Bennett, Jayden Hippard, Carson Tonne, Max Foster, and Ms. Bouchard)
Congratulations to the PWA Wrestling team on a great year, and to Jayden Hippard for competing at Nationals in Vancouver and winning GOLD!
Badminton team heads to Falher
Congratulations to the PWA Badminton team for their efforts at the Falher tournament. Katelyn Mazurkewich won GOLD in her division, while Hudson Coulas fought hard in the playoffs. Parker, Aimee, and Alex put up a good fight in the round robin games!
MARCH
Wrestlers compete at Rurals
FEBRUARY
Titans bring home GOLD
The junior boys competed in the Maverick Shootout Basketball Tournament, where they fought their way to the gold medal. They played one tough game against the home team, but with determination and grit came out ahead. In the final, they faced off against their rivals from John Paul II Catholic School, for an exciting end to a great tournament.
Curlers take silver at Zones
(Left to right: Thor Hunter, Riley Mullin, MacKenna Sibbeston, Carter Furgeson, Dylan Stranaghan)
These amazing curlers spent a day in Fahler competing at their Curling Zones, where they finished with silver medals.
PWA Grad Fashion Show
The 2023 PWA Grad Fashion Show saw an amazing turnout on February 5. The students and staff would love to thank all the sponsors who donated to the silent auction, the families who volunteered and the fantastic teachers who helped make the event a huge success.
The grand total raised from the 50/50, silent auction, cookie draw, square draw, and entry fees was an astonishing $11,500!
JANUARY
Grade 9 students learn about the YCJA
Before the Christmas break, correctional officers stopped by PWA to share information about the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) with Grade 9 students. The YCJA is intended to protect the public by holding youth accountable, promoting the rehabilitation and reintegration of youth back into society, and preventing crime. Learn more about the federal Youth Criminal Justice Act on the Government of Canada website.
Outdoor Ed students visit Grande Cache
Mr. Vavrek's Outdoor Education class spent two days in Grande Cache where they put their knowledge to the test and enjoyed the fresh air and snow.
Taking learning to new heights
The Grade 9 students were learning about rate of reactions and took their learning to new heights! Visit us on Instagram to see what happens when you mix Coca Cola and Mentos!
For the love of music
PWA music students are preparing to hit the big stage. (Left to right): Aurora Fisher, Kyle Nowee, and David Watson will be participating in the University of Alberta's Honour Band workshops in early February, and will be performing at the Winspear Centre.
(Left to right): Iva Henheffer and Liam Mahood, who participated in the Alberta Wind Symphony last spring, were once again chosen to perform with the symphony in Red Deer on March 3-5. Congratulations to each performer and to Mrs. Nielsen for instilling the love of music in her students.
Curlers go undefeated
NOVEMBER
Bowling on a budget
The GLSP students have had a very busy month! They were tasked with planning a fun day and one of the students did all the work of booking an afternoon at the bowling alley. They had a fabulous time and showed how to plan an activity, how to research to see if the activity was feasible, and how to make changes to the plan to work within the allotted budget.
Freaky Foods
Foods 20/30 students made some excellent monster cakes and flower bouquets.
Volleyball wraps up
Congratulation to the junior boys volleyball team for winning bronze at Zones in Sexsmith! They had a successful season with three second place finishes and two third place finishes at tournaments throughout the season, and finished third in the league. The junior girls volleyball team finished sixth at Zones at Peace Wapiti Academy, and finished fifth in the league.
The senior boys team is headed to volleyball provincials in Lethbridge on November 23. They will represent the Northwest Zone for 3A schools.
OCTOBER
Truth and Reconciliation at PWA
Leading up to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, students had the opportunity to learn about and lead various initiatives. On September 28, five classes toured the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre's Traditional Healing Garden where they had the choice to make healing salve medicine, their own herbal tea blends, and paint rocks to decorate the garden space.
The Student Leadership Team also launched a #heartgarden initiative. This display is to show love and care for Indigenous residential school survivors, as well as the children who did not make it home. A big thank you to the students and staff for your contributions!
Students visit Cutbank
Dr. Vavrek took the Outdoor Ed. students on a day trip to Cutbank.
SEPTEMBER
PWA competes in Golf Provincials
On September 26 and 27 Peace Wapiti Academy's golf team competed at the 2022 ASAA Provincial Championship. Four boys, three Grade 10s and one Grade 11, represented the school in High River and Turner Valley. They competed as a team, each hole taking the best three scores for a final team score. The boys scored 251 at Zones, held in Valleyview, to earn their spot on the provincial stage.
Penson School
MARCH
Penson students donate teddy bears to GPRHF
Throughout February, Student Council collected over 100 stuffed animals to donate to the pediatric patients at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital. Well done everyone!
FEBRUARY
Literacy Week
Literacy Week was a huge success at Penson! The students enjoyed a book exchange, and stories read by Grande Prairie Storm players, and family members.
Students donate to GPRHF
Throughout the month of February, the Penson School student council worked hard to collect new teddy bears for donation to the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation for children who visit the hospital. Well done!
DECEMBER
Library gets $1500 worth of new books
Penson School would like to thank its families for their overwhelming support during the November book fair. With the support from families the school raised $3000, which allowed $1500 worth of new books to be added to the school's library!
NOVEMBER
3D Children's Charity leaves mark on Penson families
Representatives from the 3D Children's Charity visited Penson School to present to three students.
Skills Alberta visits Penson
The Grade 7-8 students participated in a presentation from Skills Alberta, where Hayley spoke about the different trade sectors and what each trade does; she also showed the students some examples of how to find a job in the skills sector.
Penson hosts Remembrance Day ceremony
Penson School held a very touching and personal Remembrance Day ceremony that included a presentation from Lt. Earl Phillips and a slideshow featuring Penson families that have had members in the military. Thank you to the junior kindergarten students, who painted the poppy that was on stage during the ceremony.
OCTOBER
Penson donates over $3000 to cancer research
First photo: Harlyn with mom Kayla and big sister Kashtyn
Second photo: Harlyn holds up the treatment necklace
Students and staff at Penson School learned what impact their efforts make when they had the privilege to hear from Harlyn, a Penson student, her mom Kayla and sister Kashtyn about Harlyn's journey with cancer. Their bravery and strength was evident through their words and the students found a lot of meaning from their presentation. The school raised just over $3000 for the Terry Fox Foundation, and Eva Rhodes brought home the title of Top Fundraiser with $275. The students earned themselves an extra recess and had the opportunity to choose a teacher to pie in the face!
SEPTEMBER
Strong school spirit
On September 21, Penson School held a pep rally to spread school spirit and get ready for its first volleyball game, where both the boys' and girls' teams played.
Ridgevalley School
MARCH
Pink Shirts & Crazy Hair
On February 22, students wore their pink shirts to show their support in the fight against bullying. It was also Crazy Hair Day and they had a lot of fun showing off their creative hair styles!
100 days of school
Grade 1 students celebrated 100 days of school by dressing up with what they think they may look like at 100 years old!
Musical geniuses
The Grade 3 students participated in a science experiment where they were tasked with creating their own musical instrument using rubber bands. They had to come up with an original idea, and design and create it all on their own. The students really enjoyed it!
NOVEMBER
Students design their own talking sticks
The Grade 2 students learned about talking sticks and the importance of taking turns and respecting one another while discussing topics in class. They then had the opportunity to harvest and design their very own talking stick to use in the future.
RVS honours Remembrance Day
Ridgevalley School hosted its annual Remembrance Day ceremony on November 10.
Boys place at Zones
The junior boys volleyball team brought home the bronze medal from Zones. Ridgevalley School's first volleyball Zones medal in over five years! Congratulations!
OCTOBER
Truth and Reconciliation in Ridgevalley
In recognition of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, students at Ridgevalley School, with the help of Elder Len Auger, raised a tipi in honour of Indigenous history and culture. The Grade 10 students, who received tipi raising teachings from Elder Auger, have taken on the role of stewards of the tipi for the school year. Students and staff alike are looking forward to working with Elder Auger, and the PWPSD Indigenous Education Services team, to broaden their understanding and live up to their commitments made in the school's Land Acknowledgement.
Boats and buoyancy
The Grade 2 students have been putting their buoyancy knowledge to the test with their own plasticine boats. They were tasked with building a boat that floats, holds some weight, and can handle small waves.
SEPTEMBER
Class of 2022 leaves inspirational mark
Thank you to the RVS Class of 2022 and Sunburst Graphics for donating the wrapping of the gym doors, leaving an inspirational reminder of school spirit for current and future students.
Gym receives new bleachers
A huge thank you to the RVS School Council Society and the amazing community support to fund the new gym bleachers!
Try Like Terry
Students participated in the annual Terry Fox Run on Tuesday, September 20.
Robert W. Zahara School
MARCH
Students learn with Pet Partners
Students at RWZ love having the Pet Partner teams visit the school! The students read to their Pet Partners and the animals are extremely patient and kind as they put up with endless cuddles and petting, which helps the students (and staff) regulate. Thank you to Michelle and Polo, Teresa, Polo and Moose, Helen and Tatum, and Kiera and Rosie for stopping by RWZ!
Sacred Teaching of Love
Throughout February students and staff focused on the Sacred Teaching of Love. Using the Pink Shirt Day activities and assembly, they worked on loving each other and themselves. A group of Grade 6 students made a gigantic mirror for students to add positive affirmations to, and on March 1, World Compliments Day, students were challenged with giving three genuine compliments to three people, including themselves. Loving and caring for nature and the environment was also discussed.
Ms. Kimble's Kindergarten class spent time discussing what it means to be kind. They discussed different ways they could be kind and loving to animals. The students decided they would help the birds in the community by building heartfelt bird feeders to get them through the rest of winter.
Rare Diseases Day
February 28 was Rare Diseases Day, but students and staff acknowledged it a day early for Kindergarten student Addison. Addison has a very rare disease called NESCAV Syndrome, a KIF1A-related disease, which is both progressive and degenerative. Because there are only 400 diagnosed cases worldwide, funds for research are minimal.
The RWZ community wants to bring attention not only to Addison's disease, but to this amazing person they have come to know. She works extremely hard each and every day to do many things that others take for granted. She is loved by her school family, and they want to do what they can to support her and other kids just like her.
If you would like to donate to KIF1A research click here. The superhero RWZ is supporting is Addison Brock.
Jump Rope for Heart
Throughout February students and staff were busy choosing easy goals to become healthier as part of the school's Jump Rope for Heart campaign. They could pledge to eat more fruits and vegetables, be more active every day, keep screen time to less than two hours a day, or say "yes" to water and "no" to sugary drinks. Several students chose more than one goal!
On March 2, RWZ held its Jump Rope for Heart Jump-Off to determine the Champion Jumper. The students had lots of practice, with over 500,000 jumps in the five days leading up to the contest. The goal was to see who could jump the most time in 30 seconds. Each contestant was chosen to represent their class, and was awarded a skipping rope and a snazzy new water bottle. The ultimate winner was Bennett Dika from Miss Rorem's 5B class. Way to go Bennett!
The school's Jump Rope for Heart campaign was very successful, and raised nearly $2000!
FEBRUARY
A Monster Surprise
Last month Mrs. Brown's 1B class worked with two Grade 9 classes from Sexsmith Secondary School on a collaboration project. The Grade 1 students read monster books and then drew their own monsters with their Grade 9 partners. What the Grade 1s didn't know was that their Grade 9 partner was going to created a stuffed version of their very own monster! Two weeks after their initial meeting, the SSS students arrived with their unique creations, and the younger students were thrilled!
Donations for RWZ Breakfast Program
Generous donations from Sundown Oilfield Services and Tower Services Ltd. have allowed RWZ to introduce a breakfast program! Headed up by Mrs. Draves and Mrs. Mullen, the program feeds anywhere from 50-100 students each morning. Students head to the flex space where they enjoy food and a little fellowship with other students before starting their day.
All students are welcome to participate in the breakfast program, and they eat together so there is never any judgement. Many of RWZ's families have offered to donate items for this valuable, popular program, and we appreciate everyone's generosity. We'd also like thank Liam Head and Olivia Jobson from SSS for helping set up the program as part of a citizenship project. Olivia still comes each Wednesday morning to help out! We love having former RWZ students in the building!
A visit with MP, Chris Warkentin
RWZ Grade 6 students and teachers enjoyed a visit from MP, Chris Warkentin! The students have been learning about how Canadians are governed and created a list of questions related to Mr. Warkentin's work and life (and social studies curriculum). Mr. Warkentin spoke of his passion for both the Peace Country and advocating for local residents. When he discovered that the students were celebrating Literacy Week he shared that he enjoys reading biographies about influential people and that his favourite book to read his children is When You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Thank you Mr. Warkentin for taking the time to visit RWZ!
The Breadwinner leads to community connections
After reading the book, The Breadwinner, 6C students learned that there are eight refugee families from Afghanistan living in Grande Prairie. Sexsmith resident Lucille Partington is a strong advocate for these women who faced danger from the Taliban. Adele, Rehane, Bibijan, and Nargis shared about their lives before fleeing their country and how they are adjusting here in Alberta.
The students also learned how they can help refugees by contacting our MP with questions or concerns. They brought food and grocery gift cards to help the women, and hope that next time they bring their children to play some games!
Thank you to Mrs. Ochoga for creating opportunities for the students to learn about the world and open their hearts to those around us. And thank you to Mrs. Partington for sharing your time, knowledge, and passion for helping others with our young population.
JANUARY
National Ribbon Skirt Day
On January 4, students and staff at RWZ celebrated the first ever National Ribbon Skirt Day. Piper brought in her own beautiful ribbon skirt, that her Kookum made her when she was just eight years old, to share with her 6C class. Piper's Kookum made the ribbon skirt as she prayed for her own healing and shares, "I was working on my sobriety and getting back into my Cree way of life and identity. I focused on pink and purple to represent [Piper] and part of my helping [her] with traditional teachings."
Thank you Tracey McLean for sharing your knowledge and traditional teachings with the RWZ community. Ribbon skirts were exposed through lessons from the PWPSD Indigenous Education Services team, and we are grateful to Rachelle Bell and the rest of the team for continuing to teach our students and staff about Indigenous culture.
Our Wednesday Warrior
Kindergarten student Addison has been busy motoring through the school on her adaptive tricycle, on loan from another family who had one they were no longer using. The hallways, gym, and flex space provide the perfect spaces for Addison to ride her tricycle, and she always has a big smile on her face (and a little giggle) as she leaves Mrs. Trydal chasing behind her.
Addison was recently featured as a Wednesday Warrior on the KIF1A.org Facebook page. KIF1A.org is a global community dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by KIF1A Associated Neurological Disorder and accelerating research to find a cure.
Community Connections
Before the Christmas break, Miss Lindsay and the 1C class had a wonderful time decorating their very own cupcakes at Crumbs Café and Pizzeria. The children were very impressed with the gingerbread house and loved hearing how it was baked and decorated. "Our Community" is a huge part of the Grade 1 Social Studies curriculum, and the students loved exploring the awesome community of Sexsmith. Thank you Taylor and the staff at Crumbs for being so welcoming and patient with our Grade 1s, they were so excited!
RWZ and SSS learning together
Mrs. Brown's Grade 1 students had the opportunity to work with Mrs. Fedchuk and Mrs. Hartman's Grade 9 classes from Sexsmith Secondary School. They read monster books and drew their own monsters with a Grade 9 partner. The Grade 9 students are now using these drawings to create their final project, a surprise for their Grade 1 partner, which will be presented next month. All the students enjoyed their time together and the Grade 9s are looking forward to the big reveal!
DECEMBER
Spreading Christmas cheer
Meghan and Rachelle from the PWPSD Indigenous Education Services team spent some time at RWZ, spreading Christmas cheer with an Indigenous culture twist. The Grade 1-4 students had a wonderful time creating special decorations and delicious tipis! Meghan has been working hard to help RWZ indigenize the school's learning spaces, and her dedication to our school and students is very appreciated!
What if Christmas doesn't come from a store?
Students and staff have kicked off the holiday season with Grinch Day! Students have been challenged to participate in daily kindness activities to help grow their hearts three sizes, just like the Grinch!
Volleyball wraps up
The Grade 5/6 volleyball season came to an end with tournaments at Whispering Ridge Community School and St. Mary Catholic School. It was great to see the players use their newly acquired skills as they improved with each game. Thank you to Mr. Toews, Mrs. Ochoga, Mrs. Boivert, Miss Rorem, and Miss Christensen for their time, patience, and encouragement throughout the entire season. We would also like to say a big thank you to all the parents who came out to support the budding volleyball players. It was great to have the gym full of people and be able to visit other schools again!
Writer in Residence
On November 30, Canadian author and this year's RWZ Writer in Residence Sigmund Brouwer spent a fun-filled day with everyone! Students in Grade 2-6 participated in a Writer's Workshop, and the whole school spent time with Sigmund at the end of the day, learning about how to make their writing more interesting and exciting. The students left their workshops and the presentation very excited about writing!
Mr. Wilson and his 5C class have a special relationship with Sigmund, and they got the chance to help choose the name of his latest novel! He even promised to name one of his characters after someone in 5C; we can't wait to see who the lucky person will be!
RWZ says farewell to student teachers
Left to right: Miss Murphy, Miss Dolen, Miss Christensen
We love having student teachers at RWZ! Fourth year U of A students Miss Murphy and Miss Christensen are finishing up their practicums with Mrs. Girvan's 4B class and Mrs. Muggaberg's 3B class. Miss Dolan, who is in her third year of the TEN program, is completing her practicum with Mr. Hovdebo's 5A class. The kids love having these young teachers at the schools and we so appreciate the mentorship that our veteran teachers provide. We know these three will be great additions to the profession!
The Movember winner is...
Every student and staff member wore moustaches to their celebratory school-wide assembly.
Congratulations to everyone on a very successful Movember! The RWZ team exceeded its goal and raised over $3000 for men's physical and mental health! The team collected money online and the students and staff chipped in by paying to buy moustache-themed merchandise and vote for their favourite moustache.
The 2022 winner of the RWZ Movember movement is Mr. Hovdebo! Thank you to everyone for voting and helping spread awareness of the importance of talking about our physical and mental health.
NOVEMBER
Movember Madness
Movember 2014 and 2015
Movember 2018
Movember 2019
Movember 2022
Since 2014 Mr. Wilson has been convincing his male colleagues at RWZ to participate in the Movember movement. What started as a trickle of two has grown into a tsunami, with all six of the male staff members committing to grow moustaches to raise awareness and money for men's mental and physical health.
The students and rest of the staff get on board by buying fake moustaches and paying to cast a vote for their favourite stache. Since 2014 Team RWZ has raised over $12,000 for the Movember movement and, more importantly, made it okay for men to talk about their mental and physical health, which is the real goal.
If you would like to support Team RWZ and help them reach their goal click here. You will also get a chance to vote for your favourite moustache on the school's Facebook page at the end of the month. Who will win this year's title? Will it be Mr. C, Mr. Hovdebo, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Toews, Mr. Warr, or Mr. Forney?
Aquatera to the rescue
On October 27 the Town of Sexsmith was put under a boil water advisory, which sent staff into a bit of a panic. However, there was no need for concern as Aquatera was at the school first thing the next morning with a pallet of water for students and staff, and returned the following Monday with even more.
During this time the school was hosting a food drive for the Sexsmith Food Bank. Not only were they able to collect over 1000 food items, but they were able to present a cheque of $178.20 from the water bottles they recycled. Students and staff were excited to be able to pass on the kindness!
OCTOBER
Celebrating five cancer-free years
The entire RWZ community came together to not only blow their fundraising goal out of the water, but to set a new school record! To celebrate Mrs. Rorem's fifth year of being cancer-free, the school set an ambitious goal to raise $5555 for the Terry Fox Foundation. The students and staff worked hard and their efforts paid off with a grand total of $7877! Congratulations Robert W. Zahara students and staff, and a big congratulations to Mrs. Rorem!
1A earned themselves a pizza party as the top K-3 class, raising $795.
5C was the top 4-6 class with a total of $1531, thanks in large part to Evan Sellwood who raised over $1000 himself!
Top fundraiser Even Sellwood with his new Terry Fox t-shirt.
Building connection through food
Food has a way of bringing people together, and that has definitely been true at RWZ. The giant fruit bowl is back, and the students have been excited to be able to wander down to the flex space to get a healthy snack.
Veggie Share returns after a three year hiatus! Families send in vegetables and help create massive trays of colourful goodness for each class.
Mrs. Rose Shmyruk, former Administrative Assistant and Ukrainian egg decorator and translator, made fresh stone soup with the leftover vegetables!
SEPTEMBER
RWZ excited to welcome Ukrainian family
At the end of September, students at RWZ will welcome a new friend all the way from Ukraine. The 1C class has been busy making a welcome poster and slideshow to greet their new classmate. The presentation includes a photo and introduction of each student, and is being translated into Ukrainian so their classmate's parents can help them feel welcomed into the RWZ family.
Connecting with the community
On September 15, the school hosted its Back to School barbeque. RWZ was thrilled to be able to host its families and connect with everyone after so long. A big thank you goes out to the event sponsor, Dynamic Energy, and to Jesse Morgan and Brett Kachmarski, who stood at the barbeque and cooked hundreds of hot dogs and hamburgers for the appreciative crowd!
Reading Buddies
Students are excited to be able to have Reading Buddies this year. The program is a great way to build relationships between the older and younger students, while boosting their confidence and reading skills.
On Fridays we wear red
September 16 was the school's first Red Shirt Day of the school year. Each Friday, students and staff are invited to show their school spirit and rock the school's colour. If you're walking through the halls on a Friday, you might even hear the school's song, "We've got spirit at RWZ. Show Gecko pride and wear your red!"
Rycroft School
APRIL
Mad for math!
Students at Rycroft School enjoyed fun games and camaraderie when the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival made its way to town. Students from Spirit River Regional Academy also joined in on the fun!
The math festival works to empower communities to create magical math moments by creating fun math experiences, developing math games, and training educators how to inspire joy with math.
FEBRUARY
Pink Shirt Day
Students at Rycroft School showed their support in the fight against bullying by wearing their pink shirts on February 22.
DECEMBER
Buck saves the school
Buck, our very own Elf, saved the school from Mr. Grinch!
Savanna School
DECEMBER
Thank you Noree Events!
A big thank you to Noree Events for donating an amazing balloon display for our Christmas concert! It really make the stage 'pop'!
Sexsmith Secondary School
MAY
Band festival success
The SSS bands brought the heat during this year's festival in Grande Prairie. The Junior Band received Gold, and the Senior Band brought home Gold Superior. Well done everyone!
First in Robotics at Provincial Skills Competition
Congratulations to Grade 12 students Mark Ledergerber and Lane Muggaberg for earning Gold with their robotics entry at the Provincial Skills Competition! The team landed in first place after a major win against Strathcona Comp.
Sexsmith Elks donate to SSS Skills team
A big thank you to the Sexsmith Elks for supporting our Provincial Skills team! Their $900 donation helped with the costs associated with the event.
Dissecting hearts
Ms. Connell's Grade 8 students, along with some helpful Grade 12s, got a good look at the inside of a heart.
APRIL
Outdoor Ed visits Jasper
The Outdoor Education class returned happy and slightly exhausted from two days of adventure in Jasper. The class spent a day at Marmot and enjoyed a bluebird hike to Summit Lake. During the hike, two boys successfully cooked a pizza in a backcountry oven, while everyone else cooked some great meals with the Rockies as their view.
Cupcake artists
Before spring break, Mrs. Caldwell's junior high classes baked and decorated cupcakes!
A trip in time
The Grade 7 and Biology 20 students had the opportunity to visit the Philip J. Currie Museum, where they toured the gallery, checked out fossils in the lab, and learned about the dinosaurs that walked the Earth in our area.
Northwest One Act High School Play Festival
At the end of March, Sexsmith Secondary High School Drama students took the big stage at KMSC Law Performing Arts Centre for the Northwest One Act High School Play Festival. They performed, "And Others..." by Dennis Bush.
Congratulations to student directors, Parker Hetman and Holly Huls, and to the entire cast and crew. The group took home Best Ensemble, and Brooklynn Cottrell and Holly Huls were chosen as Stand-Out Performers!
MARCH
Nothing but gold at Curling Zones
(Senior Women - Brylee Girard, Lola Rasi, Hayden Young, and Lexi Collins)
(Senior Mixed - Robert Nelson, Kailey Sparks, Logan Skarberg, and Madison House)
(Junior Boys - Kienan Soll, Seth Maki, Rhys Calvert, and Connor Skarberg)
(Junior Girls - Sophia Rawlings, Kara Peterson, Alli Grant, and Adalei Soll)
Congratulations to all SSS curling teams for winning gold at Zones!
Skiing in Worsley
Mr. Weber and Mrs. Hartman took the Outdoor Education classes on a ski trip to Worsley! The weather was fantastic and everyone had an amazing time.
FEBRUARY
Success at Artic Winter Games
(Jameson Nelson competes in Biathlon)
(Lexi Collins, Hayden Young, Lola Rasi and Brylee Girard prepare to compete in Curling)
Congratulations to the following very very successful students for competing at the Artic Winter Games at the end of January!
- Connor McLaughin - Bronze 3x3km Relay in Biathlon
- Jameson Nelson - Bronze in 6km Sprint in Biathlon
- Kadison McLeod and Ciera Schoeneroth - Gold in Basketball
- Lexi Collins, Hayden Young, Lola Rasi, Brylee Girard - Silver in Curling
- Robert Nelson - Gold in Curling
- Cy Nelson and Linden Zaichkowsky - Silver in Hockey
Ramcharger leads voting for Diesel World Magazine feature
Voting for Diesel World Magazine's Truck of the Month is underway, and the SSS Ramcharger is sitting at the top of the leaderboard! The red 1986 Dodge Ramcharger, named Ramborghini, was submitted to the contest by SSS automotive tech teacher Mr. Clinton Brundige.
There's still time! Submit your vote here.
Mrs. Fedchuk and Mr. Danylchuk are proud fish parents!
These cuties are in the Alevin stage and are active little swimmers! They still need to be kept in their nursery a while longer to ensure their safety. These little fish will grow and be released to a pond in the area. Like all newborns, they've had to overcome some obstacles, but we're happy to report that both parents and babies are doing great!
JANUARY
Teacher Christmas band performs for students
It all started when Mrs. Fedchuck, SSS's band teacher, asked teachers if there was interest in a 'teacher band' to play Christmas music during the last week before the Christmas break. Throughout November, several staff began rehearsing on Wednesdays after school. To spread holiday cheer, students were gifted with candy canes and festive tunes as they entered the school. Overall, it was a great success and it was wonderful to see students start their days with a smile.
Students try wheelchair basketball
Mr. Spence's PE 20/30 class recently took a field trip to the Eastlink Centre to participate in a special class offered by Joseph Sask from the Wolverines Wheelchair Sports Association. It was a great learning experience and a lot of fun!
New medicine wheel taking shape
The Building Construction 20/30 classes were given the opportunity to build a medicine wheel in the school's courtyard. Under the guidance of Cam Palfy, the students learned a lot and gained some hands-on experience. The students excavated, leveled, tied rebar, hauled concrete down the hallway with wheelbarrows, placed, and finished concrete for the medicine wheel. It was a wonderful experience that the students were honoured to be a part of.
The school is working to create an outdoor classroom space with the theme of holistic wellness, centered around the four parts of the medicine wheel: spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental. The wheel will be in the centre and create an opportunity for students and staff to relate their learning and experiences to the four components of well-being. Each quadrant of the circle will correspond to the quadrant of the courtyard where there will be items that connect to the theme of that quadrant such as plants, benches, outdoor exercise equipment, and more.
NOVEMBER
Student impact goes beyond SSS walls
One of the projects that the Interact Club has taken on over the past couple of years is sponsoring a child in Peru; money has been used to help pay for the child's school and to send Christmas gifts. Throughout November the students held a draw for two goodie pails and a bake sale, which raised money to go toward their sponsor child's education.
Silver at Zones
Congratulations to the junior girls volleyball team for winning silver at Zones!
A magical evening
Earlier this year both bands had the opportunity to watch a Broadway performance of Snow White in Grande Prairie and they had an absolute blast!
Senior girls take gold
Congratulations to the senior girls volleyball team for taking gold at the Fairview tournament!
OCTOBER
Welcome to the Health and Wellness Club
Students who want to work out and improve their form in a no judgement, no pressure environment are invited to join the new Health and Wellness Club! Led by Mr. Umbach, students are given the opportunity to learn new exercises and take control of their wellbeing.
Graffiti as art
The Level 1/2 Art 9 group had the opportunity to create their own graffiti tag artwork to apply to the community graffiti board at the Sexsmith Skate Park.
Orange Shirt Day at SSS
On September 29, students and staff participated in Orange Shirt Day activities to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Digging for dinos
Mrs. Kotyk took the Biology 20 and Science 20 students to the Phillip J. Currie Museum for a fun day of bones!
Bowling buddies
On October 11 the PE 20 and 30 students took it to the lanes and knocked down some 10-pins.
SEPTEMBER
Sabres return to the court
The Sexsmith Junior A and B girls' volleyball teams were shining bright as they started their seasons off with two gold medals.
The boys' volleyball team played an excellent tournament, finishing off in a tight bronze medal game loss against the Ridgevalley Raiders.
Spirit River Regional Academy
FEBRUARY
Pancakes galore!
On February 9, SRRA held its second pancake breakfast of the year. The students loved their pancakes, sausages, strawberries and whipped cream!
100 days of school
On February 13 elementary classes celebrated 100 days of school and the Grade 1 and 2 classes showed off their amazing projects about 100! Some students even dressed as 100-year-olds. In the afternoon, Grades K-6 gathered together for STEM challenges to celebrate the big day.
Happy Valentine's Day!
There's not much that tops the excitement and feeling of Valentine's Day in an elementary classroom! On February 14 the students celebrated the special day with fun classroom activities.
JANUARY
Six Days of Christmas
SRRA kicked the holiday spirit into high gear with its Six Days of Christmas. On December 15, students celebrated Think of Others Thursday by bringing in donations for the local food bank. On December 16, they celebrated Fun Friday with a Teachers vs. Students volleyball game. The tight game was filled with excitement, and after two of the best of three matches the students were dubbed the ultimate champions!
Festive Fun
Throughout the week leading up to the Christmas break, students and staff celebrated by wearing cozy Christmas sweaters, festive colours, Christmas hats and headbands, and PJs!
In the spirit of giving
Students were very excited to shop for their friends and family members at the annual Christmas store set up by staff.
Solution Services donates $1500
Thank you Solution Services! SRRA Assistant Principal Daren Pullishy accepts a $1500 donation from Colin Lefley.
Meet Scooter Darius III
Elementary students showed their support for Mr. Pullishy in his recovery from ankle surgery by hosting a knee-scooter naming competition. Submissions included Zoom-Zoom-Zoomy and Darth Scooter, but the ultimate name chosen was Scooter Darius III. The winning class surprised Mr. Pullishy by decorating his scooter complete with balloons, tinsel, and streamers.
Scooter Darius III poses with Mr. Pullishy
NOVEMBER
Another spooktacular Halloween
SRRA had a spooktacular Halloween! The senior high Foods class dabbled in decorating delicious and spooky Halloween treats, while the leadership group worked hard to provide an enjoyable and fear-filled experience through the annual Haunted Hallway. The Grade 2/3 class concluded their poetry unit with a spooky Halloween poetry café, where parents came to drink swamp water, and be amazed by the students' acrostics, limericks, haikus, and rhyming couplets.
Métis Week
The Grade 1-3 students were very excited to take part in the Métis Heroes presentation delivered by the fabulous Indigenous Education Services team. Students learned about what makes a good leader and Indigenous heroes like Louis Riel and Sacagawea.
SRRA hosts Remembrance Day ceremony
On November 10, SRRA honoured Remembrance Day with a school ceremony. Students in the Grade 1/2, Grade 2/3, and Grade 4 classes practiced and performed poems, and elementary classes created art to decorate the gym. The local Girl Guides were the colour guard for the ceremony.
SEPTEMBER
Students welcomed back with pancake breakfast
Staff at Spirit River Regional Academy hosted a pancake breakfast, complete with pancakes, strawberries, syrup, whipped cream, and sausage, to welcome back their students.
SRRA's Teegan Shura takes first place in Dreamer's Lake Run
Grade 10 runner Teegan Shura ran her way to first place in the Senior High Girls category at this year's Dreamer's Lake cross country race.
Teepee Creek School
DECEMBER
$2000 going to new books
Thank you to Mrs. Green's book fair crew for helping make the school's book fair a huge success! They were vital in helping the school raise over $2000, which will be used to buy books for the library.
Students get creative
The Grade 7 and 8 students participated in two classes for their CTF class. They attended the Centre for Creative Arts where they made their own soapstone carvings and pottery, and participated in a workshop at the school where they made leather crafts.
NOVEMBER
Teepee Creek remembers
On November 10, Teepee Creek School hosted its annual Remembrance Day service. Students led the service and were joined by Jon Bartlett and Lorne Scobie from the Army, Navy, Air Force Veterans Unit 389. Thank you to all the families for attending.
Wembley Elementary School
MAY
WES hosts BBQ picnic
On Friday, May 12, WES students enjoyed the beautiful weather during a free BBQ picnic! Staff provided students with hot dogs, cucumbers and juice. Thank you to all the parent volunteers for helping out!
APRIL
We all scream for ice cream!
A big thank you to Wembley's Corner Grocery for donating ice cream treats for the students to enjoy before they left for spring break!
Volunteer tea
Wembley Elementary School hosted all its volunteers for afternoon tea. Everyone who has volunteered their time with the school this year was treated to tea, snacks, and presentations from each grade.
Indigenous mural painted in library
WES was a recipient of the Indigenous Education Services Project Grant. The money allowed the school to invite Natascha Okimaw into the library over spring break, where she painted a beautiful mural for students and staff to enjoy.
MARCH
Students celebrate Family Day
To celebrate Family Day, students invited their families to participate in fun activities such as skating, snowshoeing, and board games; skating was a student favourite! Staff are hoping to bring the students skating on a more regular basis next year! Thank you Bailee Wills who sharpened the school's extra skates, Holly Austin for taking beautiful photos at the arena, and all of the parents who helped tie laces!
Free Hot Lunch
On February 22, students received a free hot lunch of turkey soup, buns, cookies and apples! Everyone enjoyed warming up with a delicious bowl of soup. Thank you Corner Grocery in Wembley for donating the apples!
A visit from HET
At the beginning of March, students from Helen E. Taylor School stopped by WES for an impromptu visit! The older students worked on digital escape rooms with the Grade 3s, read, and made a variety of boats with the Grade 2s for their Boats and Buoyancy science unit.
FEBRUARY
Hot & Cold
Grade 2B students have wrapped up their science unit on Hot and Cold. To culminate the unit, the students constructed a device that demonstrated how insultation works. The class made draft stoppers that can be used to stop the flow of cold air from entering underneath doors in the winter time. Thank you to all the parent volunteers who helped the students make their draft stoppers!
Slumberkins and Worry Woos
Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 had Ms. Vavrek visit their classrooms to present on the Slumberkins and Worry Woos programs. Slumberkins is a story-based social emotional learning (SEL) program geared to students in K-Grade 2. It employs a "Connect-to-Grow" approach that allows students to connect to the basic concepts of emotions, reflect on how they are feeling, practice skills and tools, and finally grow in their emotional competency by feeling empowered, confident and resilient.
Worry Woos is a story-based SEL program that is geared to Grade 3 students. The series was created to help students realize emotions within themselves and others. It supports the notion that while we can all experience the same feelings, not everyone responds to a situation in the same way. The lessons help to develop their knowledge and understanding, as well as learn skills around self-awareness and self-regulation.
February a busy month for Gr. 3s
It's been a busy month for the Grade 3 students! It began with the Amazing Race Peru, where students from both classes were paired up and tasked with solving riddles, and participating in activities related to the country of Peru. There were activities related to sport, storytelling, dancing, food, geo-caching, and mapping. Mrs. Montes even came to take photos of the students with Peruvian backgrounds!
The following week featured a Math activity called the Art Auction! Students had to create two pieces of art at home with a pseudonym. On February 8, all the art was shown in the hallways and students were in awe of the effort that went into creating each piece. Each student was given an imaginary amount of $1000 to use as they bid on any art they wanted, and if they won, it was theirs to take home! The students showed off their number representation and subtraction skills while learning how hard it can be to budget their money to get what they want!
JANUARY
Students top donation goal
The WES students have blown their donation goal out of the water! Students were encouraged to bring in donations for the Wembley Food Bank and the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre and as a group set a goal of 1000 items. The Grade 3 students counted the items from each class every morning and they are happy to report that the final donation count was over 1500!
Grade 3s visit Helen E. Taylor School
The Grade 5/6 students at Helen E. Taylor school invited the Grade 3 students over to build some gingerbread houses! Our students really enjoyed working with the older students. As a bonus, they were able to eat the houses when they were done!
Celebrating the holidays with turkey
On December 22, students enjoyed their first school-wide turkey dinner! We would like to thank the community members who supplied donations for this dinner, and all the parent volunteers who could help out. Since it was a no bus day, we had a lot of leftovers! We were able to donate most of the still warm food to Wapiti House in Grande Prairie. We also froze some in order to make turkey soup later this winter!
DECEMBER
Wembley Elementary School welcomes Odin
Students had a wonderful time meeting therapy dog Odin, and his handler Michelle when they visited Wembley Elementary School. Odin and Michelle will be stopping by the school throughout the year to visit with various students and classes.
Hurray for hot lunch!
Students were excited for the first hot lunch of the year: chicken fingers and spuds! The school will also be planning some free hot lunches over the coming months.
NOVEMBER
Breakfast program offers new options
The Wembley Elementary School breakfast program has expanded to include hard boiled eggs, as well as hummus and pretzels, or carrots. Students also have access to fresh fruit, cheese, granola bars, and yogurt, and are welcome to snack at any point during the day. The hummus and pretzels have quickly become a favourite!
Snowmen at Night
The three-year-old junior kindergarten students have been learning about snowmen and reading the book, Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner. They even made their own snowmen out of playdoh!
It's a teddy bear picnic!
The four-year-old junior kindergarten class had a teddy bear picnic and they were all very excited to bring their stuffed animals to join in on the fun!
OCTOBER
The 7 Sacred Teachings
Meghan Badger from the PWPSD Indigenous Education Services team stopped by the school to present about 'Respect', which is one of the 7 Sacred Teachings. She read stories to the students and handed out fun activity sheets for them to work on. Meghan has also started to create a permanent space in the school library for Indigenous stories and artwork.
Fire Prevention Week
A big thank you to the Fire Department for visiting the school and observing a fire drill. The firefighters reported that the drill was quick and efficient! They also brought their fire engine to show the students, who were all very excited. The firefighters plan to visit the school again later this month to discuss their 'Learn Not to Burn' presentation with the students.
First Veggie Share a success
WES held its first Veggie Share, where each family sent in a bag or container of fresh vegetables. Parent volunteers arranged trays of fresh veggies and dip for each class. The overwhelming support was amazing, and staff and volunteers were able to fill two full fridges of fresh vegetables for the students. Thank you for helping promote community, thankfulness, and giving!
SEPTEMBER
... but what if you fly?
To kick off the school year, each student and staff member was given a pair of feathers to decorate. Together, they created a beautiful set of wings with inspiration coming from the motivational saying, "What if I fall? Oh, but darling what if you fly?" As they decorated their feathers, students and staff were encouraged to decide what the saying meant to them and the answers were heartfelt and encouraging.
Grade 2s make ice cream
Mrs. Goodward's Grade 2 students made their own ice cream as a way to practice following directions! Students reflected on what went right and what they would change the next time they made it. They had enough supplies to make it again the next day, and it turned out even better!
Making models
Miss LaValley's Grade 3 class created models of the Earth's layers using plasticine. It was a fun way to bring art and science together!
Whispering Ridge Community School
JUNE
Sprinting to Gold
Grade 8 student Ryder Monteith broke the division record for 100m and went on to win Zones! Congratulations Ryder!
Strumming around
WRCS's Participarent group purchased ukuleles for the school, and the Grade 4 students are loving spreading music around the building!
Butterfly release
Students in Grades 2 and 3 raised and released butterflies into the wild.
Planning the future
The Grade 7 students learned about municipal planning through the Plan Your County project, where they drafted and planned their own county.
MAY
WRCS celebrates the arts
Whispering Ridge Community School held its first ever fine arts evening, celebrating the artistic talent of the Grade 5-8 Fine Arts students. The school's foyer was transformed into an art gallery for the community to walk through and appreciate the artistic creativity of the young artists. Fine Arts students worked hard to produce an array of pieces in a variety of mediums.
WRCS bands strike gold
WRCS band students in Grades 5, 6, and 7/8 all earned Gold at the Grande Prairie and District Music Festival! Mrs. Buck, the school's band conductor, is exceptionally proud of all the band students for their hard work and rehearsing their pieces for the festival. WRCS's junior high band is now gearing up to compete in the Alberta Band Association's Provincial Festival of Bands in Red Deer at the end of the month. Good luck!
MARCH
Students hit the slopes
(Grade 5 & 6 ski trip to Worsley)
(Junior high ski trip to Jasper)
Grade 5 and 6 students had a blast skiing and snowboarding at Whispering Pines Ski Hill in Worsley, while the junior high students visited Marmot Basin in Jasper. Students on both trips received lessons from certified ski and snowboard instructors to supplement their physical education and wellness learning, and were lucky enough to have beautiful weather on the hill!
Grade 4s travel back in time
The Grade 4 students enjoyed being junior paleontologists for the day during their trip to the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum. Students had the opportunity to supplement what they have been learning in the classroom by creating replica casts of fossils to keep as a souvenir, examining fossils that are millions of years old, and learning what happens to fossils after they get discovered.
FEBRUARY
WRCS celebrates Francophone culture
Ms. Klassen and Ms. Birnie-Browne have been working hard to bring Francophone culture to WRCS. Over the past month, students had the opportunity to experience French-Canadian culture and traditional ways of living during a Voyageur presentation, and the Grade 6 students planned a French carnival for students to enjoy.
Le Carnaval de Québec is an annual event that occurs near the end of winter in Québec City. Filled with fun activities, Le Carnaval de Québec is meant to brighten up the cold, dark winter. After doing some research on the event, the students created their own version. Some of the WRCS Carnaval events included snow sculptures, sledding, maple syrup on a stick, hockey, face painting, a photo booth, and different carnival games. Students of all ages enjoyed participating in Francophone culture and events throughout the month!
JANUARY
Grinch crashes carolling
Students enjoyed getting together in the gym to spread Christmas cheer through carolling, until an unexpected visitor arrived - the Grinch! Luckily the County Peace Officers were in the building to save the day!
Pancake Breakfast
WRCS Participarent group spoiled students and staff with a pancake breakfast! Thank you to all of the parent volunteers who helped make pancakes for the whole school. It was a great day!
Winter wrap-up
Before going on their Christmas break, the Grade 8 students enjoyed a day of minute-to-win-it themed Olympics and a field trip to Crosslink.
NOVEMBER
Remembrance Day at WRCS
Remembrance Day ceremonies were lead by the Student Council President Avyn Riewe and Vice-President Logan Pfefferle. Last Post was played live by Pastor Scott Brayall, and the WRCS Grade 8 band played O Canada and a march while the procession of student ambassadors carried in handmade wreaths. Mrs. Paquin's Grade 2 class recited a poem, and two wreathes with blue and yellow poppies were created to show support and to stand with Ukraine.
Métis Week
WRCS celebrated Métis Week and Rock Your Mocs with a visit from Elder Angie and her daughter Brenda, who beautifully sang the Métis anthem for students and staff. Grade 8 student Avyn Riewe and Grade 3 student Danica Bidwell shared what it means to them to be Métis, while Elder Angie shared her own personal experiences. Students and staff were all inspired by Elder Angie's strength and unique stories and felt truly star struck. A big thank you to Elder Angie and Brenda for visiting the school and for exuding love and care to everyone.
OCTOBER
WRCS raises over $15,000 for Terry Fox Foundation
This year's Terry Fox Run theme was #TryLikeTerry and that is exactly what the students and staff at Whispering Ridge Community School did! Their collective efforts carried them to a grand total of $15,018.40 in donations for the Terry Fox Foundation! Congratulations!
WRCS receives Ryan Wagner Memorial Award
The Ryan Wagner Memorial Award is presented annually by the 3D Children's Society to the school that raises the most money for the 3D Charity Hockey and Soccer Tournament, held each spring. WRCS raised over $4,500, which earned them the title for the 2021-2022 school year.
Wildcats volleyball
The WRCS volleyball teams have been having a great season. The teams competed in the Howler Cup at Northwestern Polytechnic and one of the girls teams brought home gold! The teams enjoy competing in friendly matches against Harry Balfour School and Clairmont Community School. With the season wrapping up in early November, a big thank you goes out to all the amazing coaches!
Upcoming Events
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Last Board Meeting of 2022-2023: Thursday, June 15 at 10:30 a.m.
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Savanna School Graduation: Saturday, June 24
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Last day of school for students: Tuesday, June 27
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Last day of school for staff: Wednesday, June 28
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Peace Wapiti Enterprise Centre Graduation: Wednesday, June 28
Recent Announcements
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Jun. 08, 2023 Whispering Ridge Community School student wins provincial art contest
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Jun. 07, 2023 Harry Balfour School reveals new logo
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Jun. 07, 2023 PWPSD's Trustee McIntosh awarded PSBAA's Special Contribution to Public Education
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May 30, 2023 PWPSD receives $7,000 donation from Iceberg Tournament
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May 25, 2023 New administration coming to three PWPSD schools
Recent Media Coverage
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Jun.12, 2023 Sexsmith 2023 grad class formal photo and valedictorian's video message, Daily Herald Tribune
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Jun. 12, 2023 Whispering Ridge student takes first place in school bus safety art contest, EverythingGP
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Jun. 07, 2023 Art contest leads to new logo for Harry Balfour School, EverythingGP
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Jun. 07, 2023 PWPSD trustee recognized with provincial award, EverythingGP
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May 31, 2023 PWPSD received a large donation to support students mental health, EverythingGP
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May 30, 2023 No changes coming to junior high school programming in Beaverlodge and Hythe, EverythingGP
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May 26, 2023 Graduation events being held in Beaverlodge and Sexsmith, EverythingGP
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May 26, 2023 PWPSD appoints three more assistant principals, EverythingGP
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May 25, 2023 Peace Wapiti School Division board votes to keep junior high status quo for Beaverlodge, Hythe students, MyGrandePrairieNow
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May 24, 2023 Busy time for local high school football players, EverythingGP
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