Some reminders about this week ...

<p>Eagle Butte High School will once again be taking over the Esplanade for several days in early February to put on their latest production. This year the cast and crew are performing Willy Wonka, a musical based on the 1971 movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Grade 12 student Anthony Gallwey, who was also in Elf a couple of years ago, is taking on the lead role year. “I like flashy, iconic roles. That’s where I shine,” stated Gallwey.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>A man like no other, playing Willy Wonka offered some unique challenges and Gallwey felt he could fit the part. “I like to be big and loud. I didn’t know going into it how much work there is to being the lead of a production. I sorted out my priorities and realized this is not something I could slack off about. It’s been four months of hard work, and I think it’s paying off.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Getting into character has been the most difficult part of this role for Gallwey. “Willy Wonka is eccentric, yet he’s still humble about it. He still holds it close to his heart and I can’t just be loud, I have to be loud with a purpose. I’ve never had to think too hard into how much depth a character could have for a play.”&nbsp;</p><p>Every spare moment he has – at home, at school or during the hour commute between the two – is spent preparing for the role, going over his lines and singing the songs. Due to living so far from the school, it’s difficult for him to make all the rehearsals, but he ensures he is still practicing for those four hours when he’s absent.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Singing is what Gallwey enjoys most about being involved in the production. “Being able to sing while jumping across the stage has taken effort, but I have been working hard on that and it’s improving,” he explained. “At the beginning it was rocky, but now I’m singing more as Willy Wonka rather than myself. I feel the music more than the surroundings around it. I’ve been trying to be less of myself when it comes to singing but think more about what Willy’s emotions are and why he would be bursting into song at those moments.”&nbsp;</p><p>To embrace the role, Gallwey has used some method acting, where he attempts to stay in character all the time and get that experience from all those he interacts with. “I’ve tried to think if I was in this situation, but I was Willy Wonka, how would I react to it, to try and get a feel on how he would behave.”&nbsp;</p><p>Almost a year in the making, Gallwey believes Willy Wonka is Eagle Butte’s best production yet and he hopes lots of people will come out to see it. The performance will be accompanied by a pit band, made up entirely of volunteers. “I think it’s great they’ve put all their own time into the production. Their playing is remarkable, and they follow all of us, and we’ve got the relationship worked out,” said Gallwey.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>There will also be specially assigned seats, which Gallwey said will be bedazzled, for those who won golden tickets through a chocolate bar fundraiser. There are still some chocolate bars available for purchase with a few golden tickets left to find.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Ticket sales are going well, and some shows are starting to fill up. Evening performances are being held Thursday through Saturday, February 6, 7 and 8 at 6:30 p.m., with a matinee also scheduled on Saturday, February 8 at 1:00 p.m. Tickets for any of the shows can be purchased at <a href="https://buy.tixx.ca/eventperformances.asp?evt=1524">buy.tixx.ca</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

Here is new information for the concession! We are open Mondays and Thursday 11:50-12:10

This week looks like ...

Congratulations to our boys basketball team! They won silver yesterday at their host tournament. Way to go boys!

This Friday is movie night at school!

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) received a letter from the Honourable Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, in late December informing them that&nbsp;the division will be awarded a Community Initiatives Program Project-Based Grant. PRPS applied for the grant earlier this year to assist in the purchase of a LED media wall for the gymnasium at Eagle Butte High School (EBHS).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We are so appreciative for this grant money,” stated Principal of EBHS Rocheal Howes, “it is going to mean so much for all our athletes and Phys-ed students. Additionally, our entire student body will benefit from having a media wall, which we can use during assemblies, pep rallies, and other school-wide events.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Greg Elgie, who is a Vice-Principal at EBHS, along with the coach for the senior girls volleyball team, said it will be exciting to have the capability of instant replays at games and during practices. “We will use it for practice and game feedback as well as during games and presentations,” explained Elgie. “On senior nights we always have clips of the athletes for fans to see and during games the fans can rewatch the play that just happened. During practices it will be beneficial because if we have a drill we are working on, I can record and put it up on the screen for instant feedback. With the media wall, it will be more interactive, and we can get right back to continuing to work on the drill.”&nbsp;</p><p>Elgie added the team presently must go to a classroom to watch a video and break down a play or drill, then return to the gym to continue practicing. With the media wall available onsite, it will be more efficient in practices for instant feedback. The media wall will also provide the ability for the team to review a previously played game during practice.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Vice-Principal and Athletic Director at EBHS Lyall Foran is always looking for different ways to increase what they can do at the school during athletic events. “Having the capability to promote and showcase our athletes on a continuous basis and to have the live video replay to really engage the fans will make a huge difference for us and increase our capacity as a host anytime we are having an event here. We are really looking forward to that and increasing our capabilities as a whole school. The feedback received thorough instant video replays, along with using it to showcase our sponsors, student athletes and promotional pictures, will add a vibrant flair to our gym,” said Foran.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Grade 11 student Autumn Klaiber is a member of the EBHS senior girls volleyball team and is looking forward to the installation of the LED media wall in the gymnasium at EBHS. “Hat High and Crescent Heights have a one and it’s really nice because they have a big screen with the live streams playing that is a bit delayed, so if someone missed something they can still see the play.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Klaiber feels the media wall provides a different experience for the team and fans. “It’s much more professional and it’s also nice because it provides video footage that can be used to submit to colleges, which is handy. I think it will help improve my game because volleyball is all about form, so getting to view myself during a play helps me see what I am doing wrong and will really help our team improve.”&nbsp;</p><p>This is her second year playing on an EBHS volleyball team and Klaiber was also on junior high teams. “I’ve been playing volleyball my whole life as everyone in my family played, so I was brought up into the sport. I love that it is a team sport, and I get to play with others, it’s not just an individual thing and we have to work together.”</p>

<p>Additional information can be found in the January 14, 2025, Board Meeting Agenda package: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gQJ5UU6d8ubt7QD0pe4d-QiEn9eb8cxP/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gQJ5UU6d8ubt7QD0pe4d-QiEn9eb8cxP/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p><strong>Burdett School Presentation</strong></p><p>Principal Scott Raible presented an update on the progress and initiatives at Burdett School, which primarily serves a Mennonite community. The presentation highlighted the school’s efforts under three themes: Kindling Hearts, Forging Futures, and Igniting Minds.</p><p>Under Kindling Hearts, Raible shared how the school is fostering connections with parents and the community. Students performed a bilingual Christmas concert in German and English, breaking the tradition of separate performances. Other activities include fun hair days, drama productions, and a new music program with performances shared in Bow Island and Burdett. Fitness Fridays, regular therapy dog visits, monthly reading challenges, and a unique program where students teach parents UFLI (a literacy program) further illustrate the school’s commitment to engagement.</p><p>In the area of Forging Futures, the school introduced a new cooking program and two leadership teams while also recognizing students who exemplify integrity and positive character traits. Basketball has become a significant highlight, with most students in grades 6-9 participating on teams and enjoying loud and enthusiastic support at games.</p><p>Under the theme of Igniting Minds, Raible discussed the school’s creative academic initiatives. Students raised funds to bring a speaker from the Eagle Butte Observatory and create their books using Book Creator. Library “book tastings” are further sparking an interest in reading. Under the direction of teacher Angie Angle, STEM is also a big hit with the students. Using Thinking Classrooms and applied learning projects in science and math has greatly increased student enthusiasm for learning.</p><p>Looking ahead, the school has plans to add more hands-on learning opportunities. With approval from the County of 40 Mile, a fully enclosed chicken coop with ten hens will be introduced in March. The school has also been approved to establish honey bee hives and is exploring the possibility of adding cutter bees to their program.</p><p>Learn more about what’s happening at Burdett School by following them on Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/burdettschool">&nbsp;https://www.facebook.com/burdettschool</a></p><p><strong>AgPro Courses</strong></p><p>Nichole Neubauer presented an update on the new AgPro courses, introduced the Prairie Rose Honey project, and shared her vision for establishing a South Alberta Agriculture Academy for high school students.</p><p>The AgPro program focuses on preparing students to become agriculture professionals by connecting them with industry experts and exposing them to diverse career opportunities within the field. Students can enrol in courses such as AgPro Beef, AgPro Crops, AgPro Machinery and Technology (in collaboration with Western Tractor), AgPro Event Planning, and Farm Safety. A new AgPro Business course is also in development, where students will present their projects in a “Dragon’s Den”-style format.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>A Community Foundations Grant is funding the creation of video resources to make the AgPro content more accessible. These videos will allow the program to reach classrooms and school divisions that cannot visit the physical sites featured in the curriculum.</p><p>The Prairie Rose Honey project, a new initiative led by Nichole in collaboration with Sheldon Hill (former owner of Sweet Pure Honey), aims to teach students all aspects of beekeeping. This includes building frames and boxes, caring for bees, harvesting honey, and producing items like candles and lip balm.<br>&nbsp;</p><p>Looking ahead, Nichole envisions a South Alberta Agriculture Academy for high school students. The academy would provide hands-on education in areas such as agricultural business, crop and animal sciences, and the operation and maintenance of heavy equipment. The program would prepare students for immediate employment after graduation by partnering with industry experts. Central to this vision is the creation of a multifunctional building designed to support various agricultural pathways, addressing an education gap that currently exists.<br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Staff Wellness Update</strong></p><p>Tammy Toews, Manager of Human Resources, presented the Wellness Accountability Report, emphasizing the guiding principles of care, fostering connections, and promoting healthy and safe work environments.</p><p>Tammy began by reviewing Extended Disability Benefit (EDB) claims, which are considered long-term leave and fall under Occupational Health and Safety’s EL#14. This policy encompasses both physical and psychological well-being, including mental health.</p><p>With an increase in EDB claims, the focus has shifted toward improving workplace culture. Initiatives include proactive collaboration with school leaders, gathering employee feedback, partnering with the Horizon School Division, and conducting HEARTcare planning discussions and new teacher orientations. Additional efforts include sharing wellness bulletins with staff, providing ongoing resources and updates from ASEBP, and supporting school-based wellness activities.</p><p>A significant development is the implementation of ASEBP’s new sick leave program, which took effect on January 1, 2025. The program has demonstrated improved employee outcomes through active case management and medically supported return-to-work plans. These strategies have been shown to reduce EDB claims, and Tammy expressed optimism that Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) will see similarly positive results.</p><p><strong>Student Wellness Update</strong></p><p>Greg Godard, Division Psychologist, began his presentation by announcing the change of the title Family School Liaison Worker (FSLW) to School Wellness Counsellor (SWC). The division now has seven SWCs supporting schools across PRPS, alongside a school psychologist and a mental health professional dedicated to the South Alberta Hockey Academy.</p><p>In their roles, SWCs provide individual counselling to help students normalize, stabilize, and regulate their emotions while offering coping strategies to help them thrive despite challenging circumstances. Group sessions are also held for students facing similar issues, fostering peer support and helping them realize they are not alone. Additionally, PRPS offers free parent training to strengthen parent-child attachment, with an upcoming online session available to parents.</p><p>A new Crisis Response Manual, developed by Godard, was distributed to all PRPS schools in September. The manual provides guidance on addressing crises or traumatic events. Its purpose is to help schools ensure that students feel safe and supported, facilitating open conversations that promote emotional regulation, stabilization, and normalization.</p><p>Data from September to December 2024 revealed three main wellness concerns among students: anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and family-related issues. Emerging concerns in the PRPS student population include anxiety, overuse of screens, reversed family hierarchies (where children, rather than parents, exert control), and a growing trend of students self-diagnosing, often inaccurately. Godard recommended the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, which examines the impact of social media since 2012 and the decline in free play among children. The book also offers practical solutions to address these challenges.</p><p><strong>Financial Update</strong></p><p>Finance Controller Candice Hintz presented the Financial Accountability Report as of November 30, 2024. Funding from Alberta Education exceeded projections by $543,270, attributed to grant adjustments, increased enrollment, and the receipt of a Dual Credit Grant, Digital Assessment Grant, and Community Grant.</p><p>Additional staffing led to increased salary expenses, with certified staff salaries rising by $45,453 and non-certified staff salaries by $147,751. While total expenses are over budget by $497,795, the overall expected deficit has decreased, reflecting improved financial positioning despite the higher costs.</p><p><strong>Other Items:</strong></p><ul><li>The board approved changes to Policy GP #5 – Board Committees.</li><li>The board approved Introduction to Educational Assistant 35 as a locally approved course for school use.</li></ul>

<p>The January 14, 2025, PRPS Public Board Meeting will take place at the Prairie Rose Public Schools Division Office starting at 12:45 p.m. The meeting is only available in-person.</p><p>The complete agenda package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gQJ5UU6d8ubt7QD0pe4d-QiEn9eb8cxP/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gQJ5UU6d8ubt7QD0pe4d-QiEn9eb8cxP/view?usp=drive_link</a></p>

The week ahead at SPS ...

<p>On Wednesday, December 11, Irvine School held their third annual Miracle Market. The goal this year was to have 4,000 donated items for students to choose from when selecting gifts for others.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“On the Miracle Market Day, every student comes in and they are able to purchase items for their parents or siblings or their grandparents,” explained Principal Trent Rayner. “We have over 25 parents who act as elves and they wrap the gifts. The students are so excited when they get these presents for others, they learn the sense of giving as they aren’t buying for themselves.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Feedback from parent council regarding the Miracle Market was positive, with stories about how grandparents had tears of joy upon receiving the gifts and how enthused children were to be giving a gift they selected and paid for to their family members.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Despite how much work it is to run and organize the Miracle Market, Rayner said, “it is totally worth doing. For the most part, people donate anything they think people could use or would like.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>A large range of items are donated to the school in the week prior to the Miracle Market. Drop off times were during parent-teacher interviews in early December, but gifts were already being donated ahead of that date.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The market was open for the whole school day on December 11 with the younger grades going in first. “The Grade 9s take the Grade 1 students around the market first and help them select gifts. They will ask them what their parents do and other questions to help them select the best gifts to give,” stated Rayner.&nbsp;</p><p>Any gifts that don’t get used are donated to Seven Persons School, who will hold their own Miracle Market. This year, for the first time, anything left over from Seven Persons is being transported to Schuler School so they can also have a market this year. “It is now being shared between schools within Prairie Rose,” explained Rayner.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Money raised from the Miracle Market is being used to put together Christmas hampers for families who need some extra support over the holiday season. Last year, five hampers were delivered to families in the community. The hampers contained a turkey, fruit and vegetable trays along with a selection of other holiday food. Additionally, there were Christmas napkins, plates and other items, such as tea towels.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>During the last week of school, on Wednesday December 18, before the winter break, the school had their second annual Christmas dinner with all the fixings for the entire school. Irvine School has just over 400 students and, along with feeding staff and volunteers, it is a massive undertaking.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We did it last year and it was really good,” stated Rayner. “I brought it to parent council and heard stories about multiple students saying they were so excited because they’d never had a turkey dinner before. It takes between 25 and 30 volunteers with some precooking turkeys and hams and bringing them into the school. We have huge community support to get the dinner organized, cooked and served.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Again, the youngest students were served first with each subsequent grade following. The students took the meal back to their classroom and ate together with their friends and teacher.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

Today, our Grade 6 students had a wonderful time reading with our Grade 1 buddies! It was a heartwarming "Reading Buddy" session where the older students helped the younger ones with their reading, fostering teamwork, patience, and a love for books. The smiles, laughter, and shared excitement were contagious as they bonded over stories and strengthened their reading skills together. What a great way to build a sense of community and support across grade levels #kindlehearts #igniteminds

Exciting news for our Grade 5 students! Today, they had the incredible opportunity to meet with Andre Costopoulos, a professor from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Alberta. During the meeting, they explored fascinating topics about human history, culture, and the role of anthropology in understanding the world. Dr. Costopoulos shared an inspiring message with the students: “Every day we go to school is an opportunity, an opportunity to learn, an opportunity to ask questions.” It was a unique chance for our students to engage with an expert in the field and learn about the importance of studying past societies to better understand our present and future - a direct connection to the Social Studies curriculum. Thank you, Dr. Costopoulos, for inspiring the next generation of thinkers! #igniteminds #forgefutures #prpsd #digitalhumanlibrary

🎉 **Cereal Challenge Results!** 🎉 What an incredible week of teamwork and community spirit at our school last week! The competition between the Clans was intense, but after much effort and dedication, the Badgers came out on top as the winners of our Cereal Challenge! 🏆👏 Together, we collected almost 200 boxes of cereal to support Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub Thank you to everyone who participated, donated, and helped make this challenge a huge success. Your generosity will make a real difference for families in need this holiday season. 🌟 And thank you to the Crew at The Root Cellar for helping unload the truckload. Let’s keep up the great work and continue to show the power of our school community! 💙 #CerealChallenge #kindlehearts #prpsd

Grade 1 had a wonderful time with the Academy of Fine Arts this afternoon, creating festive holiday greetings! #kindlehearts

<p>The Young at Heart Reading Program at Seven Persons School started up in early October of this year. Every other Tuesday afternoon, volunteers, primarily grandparents within the community, come to the school for about an hour and read with or to students from kindergarten through to Grade 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Debbie Penner, who at one time was the librarian at Seven Persons School, was part of the early discussions to begin the group. “The idea was for grandparents to come and read with young children to help with literacy and to encourage reading, which is always a fundamental good thing, but also to work at the community aspect of things. In a small town, it’s really good for young kids to have that connection with older people within the community,” explained Penner. “It builds relationships, but also accountability for young kids. It’s a good idea for small communities to do this kind of thing. We have lots of activities at the hall and churches, so these kids will run into members of the community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Those who are interested can sign up for the days they are available. When they arrive at the school, volunteer's check-in with reception to find out what classroom and grade they’ve been assigned to. Some come each time and go to the same classroom, building stronger relationships with those students. Generally, about six volunteers show up, allowing there to be at least one or two readers in each of the grades.&nbsp;</p><p>“We do whatever the teacher wants, which we love. We will read with the kids or read to the kids, it can be one on one, small groups or the whole class. We don’t have to plan anything, we are just there to facilitate and help the teacher,” said Penner. “I think it is going very well. It’s for grandparents to get involved in the school, many of us have grandkids here. It’s been very successful, and I think the teachers find it a good thing too.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Margaret Cook is another volunteer who arrives regularly for the Young at Heart Reading program. Originally from England – although she left 28 years ago, she still has a marked accent – students get to hear slightly different stories from her. “We talked about wartime last time I was here and that was good. My mum was 11 years old when war broke out so I can tell them about rationing with no candy, sugar, bananas or pineapple,” said Cook. “My grandchildren are more grown up now, the youngest is 13, and I love reading to kids and I love little kids. I’ve been with the Grade 2 class, and they are so much fun. They are very attentive, have lots to say, are well behaved and polite. It’s been a pleasure.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Experienced US Baseball Coach and Mentor to Spearhead New Academy at Eagle Butte High School</strong></p><p>Having experienced great success with the current Badlands Badgers Baseball Academy in Oyen, Prairie Rose Public Schools will be adding another competitive baseball program to the roster. Starting in the fall of 2025, Eagle Butte High School will launch the South Alberta Baseball Academy.</p><p>“The Badgers program was the first academy program offered by Prairie Rose,” says Director of Enhanced Programming for PRPS Darren MacMillan. “Over the years the Badgers have had great success in developing players who have gone on to play collegiate ball in the US. Having a program out of Eagle Butte would have benefits for both teams.”</p><p>Unlike other high school academy sports programs such as hockey, no academy league with official standings exists for baseball. Teams often have to travel long distances just to compete with other schools who offer competitive baseball options. MacMillan hopes that adding another competitive team to the region will support the growth of baseball in the area and possibly result in establishing an academy league in the future.</p><p>“It is a challenge to offer baseball year-round in a country where the weather impacts access to facilities,” adds MacMillan. “In Oyen we are incredibly lucky to have “The Barn” which is a massive 13,000 square foot indoor training facility, and now with the addition of the South Alberta Collegiate building by the airport we have removed one of the bigger obstacles around offering a competitive baseball program.”</p><p>Spearheading the new program will be Marc MacMillan who has an extensive baseball resume in the southern US market. His experience includes Head Coach at Charleston Southern University, Assistant Coach and Director of Operations at the University of Mississippi, and Associate Head Coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Additionally, Marc operates Marc MacMillan Baseball, which provides training camps for children to learn and grow their baseball skills.</p><p>“I am looking forward to being part of this new opportunity to grow baseball at the high school level in southern Alberta,” says Marc MacMillan. “Even though I have lived in the southern US most of my life, I have family in the Medicine Hat and Milk River regions. When I was asked to coach and develop this new program for the South Alberta Baseball Academy, it was my chance to reconnect with my Canadian roots and bring home what I have learned from my time building competitive baseball players in the US market.”</p><p>Earlier this year Prairie Rose Public Schools announced the partnership with the Mavericks baseball organization (WCBL) to develop baseball fundamentals in students from grades 4 - 9. Led by head coach and program director Greg Morrison, the Mavericks School of Baseball now operates at four PRPS schools with 52 students enrolled.</p><p>------</p><p><strong>Other Links and Information</strong></p><p>Badlands Baseball Academy: <a href="https://baseballacademy.myprps.com/">https://baseballacademy.myprps.com/</a></p><p>Marc MacMillan: <a href="https://www.csusports.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/marc-macmillan/215">https://www.csusports.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/marc-macmillan/215</a><br><a href="http://www.cmac23camps.com/Staff">http://www.cmac23camps.com/Staff</a></p><p>Mavericks School of Baseball: <a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/the-mavericks-and-prairie-rose-partner-to-launch-new-school-of-baseball-this-spring-1704825660121">https://www.myprps.com/news/the-mavericks-and-prairie-rose-partner-to-launch-new-school-of-baseball-this-spring-1704825660121</a><br><a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/mavericks-school-of-baseball-is-back-on-the-field-20241003214848">https://www.myprps.com/news/mavericks-school-of-baseball-is-back-on-the-field-20241003214848</a></p>

Thank you to the Fine Arts students who created beautiful ornaments for the Women’s Shelter. #kindlinghearts @myprrd8

One of the most magical days of the year - our annual Christmas Market! Thursday was filled with joy, laughter, and so many smiling faces. A heartfelt thank you to all the amazing volunteers who made this event possible. We couldn’t have done it without you!

The fun week ahead ...