Guiding Our Future

Thank you everyone who participated in the Guiding Our Future conversation. We are grateful for the high volume of information and feedback.
On May 25, 2023, after reviewing the final report and other important information, the Board of Trustees voted to keep junior high programming in the communities of Beaverlodge and Hythe the same.
Beaverlodge, Hythe, and Horse Lake First Nation students in Grades 7-9 will continue to attend Hythe Regional School.
Final report and supporting documents
- Guiding Our Future Final Report
- Engagement Summary
- Appendix A
- Appendix B
- Appendix C
- Guiding Our Future PowerPoint presentation
- Guiding Our Future presentation (Board meeting recording)
Designing a strong learning community - together
Exploring junior high programming in Beaverlodge and Hythe.
Why this, why now?
Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWPSD) serves many different students, families, and community members and is continually looking to improve and provide the best possible education experience. A student's school experience is impacted by many things including how school grades are arranged, how many students are found within each school, what programs are available, and how long they travel to and from school each day.
In 2020, the PWPSD Board of Trustees received a request from the Beaverlodge Elementary School Council to create a junior high program (Grades 7-9) in the community of Beaverlodge. The possible addition of a junior high program in the community required the Division to assess current programming in the following schools:
- Beaverlodge Elementary School (BES)
- Beaverlodge Regional High School (BRHS)
- Hythe Regional School (HRS)
Guiding Our Future was a project and conversation about working together to map out a sustainable path forward for junior high programming and ensure a positive experience. PWPSD knew that any decision made would have an impact on students, staff, and families, and sought your voice as part of this conversation to ensure the Board of Trustees made informed and thoughtful decisions.
This conversation launched on Tuesday, January 24 and concluded on Friday, February 24, 2023. All input and feedback was collected, analyzed, and shared with Administration, the Board of Trustees, and all participants on April 27, 2023.
On May 25, 2023, the Board debated the possible school configurations and ultimately voted to keep junior high programming in the communities of Beaverlodge and Hythe the same.
What were the possible scenarios?
To support a constructive and effective discussion, PWPSD identified three possible scenarios for parents, students, staff, and community members to review. Each approach had a variety of implications, opportunities and challenges. We asked our school communities to consider each approach along with the pros, cons, and trade-offs for each possible scenario:
- Realign BES K-7 & BRHS 8-12, HRS remains K-9
- Realign BES K-8 & BRHS 9-12, HRS remains K-9
- Leave BES K-6, BRHS 10-12, and HRS K-9
All feedback received on the three possible scenarios can be found in the appendices listed at the top of this page.
Community Conversations
Online:
Parents, students, staff, and community members were invited to participate in our online survey between January 24 and February 24, 2023. They also had the opportunity to brainstorm ideas with us through the online tool All Our Ideas between January 24 and February 3, 2023.
In-Person:
In-person community conversations were held at Beaverlodge Elementary School, Hythe Regional School, and the Horse Lake First Nation Arena from February 14 to 16, 2023.