Over the past few weeks, our Girls Basketball team has hosted a grade 1-5 basketball camp. Today after school, on their last night, with the gym packed with fans, they showed off their skills. We are going to have great basketball teams in the future 😁! Thank you girls for volunteering your time to work with our budding basketball champions. #kindlehearts #forgefutures #gowolfpack

<p>The March 12, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda Package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lUUjJNGIu-uZ912-8FA3H32rDPLt2Dgo/view">March 12, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda</a></p><p>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</p><p><strong>School Bus Transportation Request for Proposals</strong><br>Chief Financial Officer Ryan Boser shared that at the end of the current school year, all 87 school bus routes will be at the end of their contracts and will go up for tender. Interested bus contractors can submit bids until noon on Friday, April 12. Packages can be submitted via email or dropped off at any school or the Prairie Rose Public Schools division office. The public tender opening will take place at noon on April 12. More information can be found on the Prairie Rose website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.myprps.com/bus-transportation-rfp">https://www.myprps.com/bus-transportation-rfp</a></p><p><strong>Home Plus</strong><br>The Home Plus Learning Network presentation was postponed. The digital presentation is available in the Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong></p><ul><li>Deputy Superintendent Mark Heinricks announced that Prairie Rose had selected Brooklyn Burzminski as the Edwin Parr nominee for the 2023-2024 school year.</li><li>Superintendent Reagan Weeks shared:<ul><li>PRPS will be working to create a set of guidelines for student use of AI (artificial intelligence). PRPS Instructional Coach Cammie Kannekens will spearhead work on the document.</li><li>Exhibitions of Learning have begun across the school division. To date, Eagle Butte, Ralston, and Senator Gershaw schools have hosted learning events.</li><li>A Hot Wheel racing activity called Gravity Racing has started at Foremost School led by teacher Jay Diemert. The kids bring in their favourite Hot Wheel cars, which they race against each other using a very specific set of race rules on Thursdays at lunch and recess. Around 40 students are involved in the club.</li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>2024-2025 School Calendar</strong><br>The board approved the 2024-2025 School Calendar. It was noted that the school start date will be after the Labour Day long weekend and that most holidays and PD days are closely aligned with the neighbouring school divisions. The calendar can be found here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.myprps.com/news/prps-board-approves-2024-2025-school-year-calendar-1710272988070">https://www.myprps.com/news/prps-board-approves-2024-2025-school-year-calendar-1710272988070</a></p><p><strong>Technology Accountability Report</strong><br>Manager of Technology Wayne Rossler presented the annual Technology Report for information. Part of the report focused on an overview of the different technology distributed across the school division, which includes one-to-one Chromebooks for all students in grades 4 and up. It was shared that the division continues to have some challenges with damaged Chromebooks coming back for repair. The school division only charges for the cost of the parts and takes care of the labour internally. The other significant technology initiative over the past year has been the migration from Smartboards to Viewsonic Interactive Display Boards across the school division. Forty-five boards have been deployed to date. Feedback from the schools about the new boards has been positive, and the technology team is in the process of mounting the boards on the walls of the classrooms from the moveable carts they are currently on. The full technology report can be found in the March 13, 2024, Board Agenda package.</p><p><strong>Locally Approved Courses</strong><br>The board approved locally developed courses Musical Theatre 15-3, 15-5, 25-3, 25-5, 35-3 and 35-5. Approval of these courses allows high schools to provide additional course credits to students who participate in high school musical productions (dance, drama, music).&nbsp;</p><p><strong>School Field Trip Approvals</strong></p><ul><li>The board approved the Ralston School field trip request to Super T Aviation for grades 4 and 5 students on March 28, 2024. The trip will include learning about the theory of aerodynamics with the DR Flight Academy students and a flight in a 30-minute plane ride above Medicine Hat.&nbsp;</li><li>The board approved the South Central High School field trip to Belize from April 16 to April 25, 2025. The trip will focus on social studies, biology and international foods curriculum and include visits to the Maya Forest Cooridor, Mayan Ruins of Carocol and the Belize Barrier Reef. Students will also get to experience a bird banding and bat mist-netting workshop, and visit the Smithsonian research centre at Carrie Bowe Caye.</li></ul><p><strong>ASBAA, PSBAA, RCASB</strong><br>No reports.</p>

Yesterday, we welcomed Dave Welton from Nation Lacrosse to teach all of our Gr. 1 - 9 students some skills and get a taste of a wonderful sport! What a great day. Thank you Mr. Pruden for organizing. #kindlehearts #igniteminds #wolfpack

<p>At the March 12, 2024, public board meeting the PRPS Board of Trustees approved the 2024-2025 school year calendar.</p><p>Simplified phone friendly version (screenshot to your phone photos for quick access): <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ms_t0mYokHg1PSedRUpPnxYqRycOAM4/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ms_t0mYokHg1PSedRUpPnxYqRycOAM4/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>PDF simplified version: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jb5x4W408mBZGSZnTOr2p7wfQqHaUucS/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jb5x4W408mBZGSZnTOr2p7wfQqHaUucS/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>Full detailed version: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vX7GU9uMSTLgY3bS-NXher3R_DxhdRlF/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vX7GU9uMSTLgY3bS-NXher3R_DxhdRlF/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The March 12, 2024, PRPS Public Board Meeting will take place at the Prairie Rose Public Schools Division Office starting at 11:45 a.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/1lUUjJNGIu-uZ912-8FA3H32rDPLt2Dgo/view?usp=drive_link">March 12, 2024 Board Meeting Agenda</a></p>

As we further the discussion of our community in grade one, the students were wondering about the height of a variety of buildings in town. We wrote a note to the Seven Persons Fire Department with some questions. They were amazing and sent us videos with all of the information our class was curious about. #kindlehearts #igniteminds

Here is the happenings for the short week ahead ...

<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Complete award details and links to the online nomination form can be found via the link below.&nbsp;</p><p>2024 Trustee Awards of Recognition Criteria: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmHl007KfoQOoghtP7nP34u27uT2cCWF/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmHl007KfoQOoghtP7nP34u27uT2cCWF/view?usp=drive_link</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>For the second year in a row, PRPS trustees will recognize students who contribute to a culture of excellence in their schools. The 2024 Trustee Awards are about community spirit and are for those students who go the extra mile. “We want to empower all pockets of students and hope this award will target another group,” explained Trustee Shauna VanderSpruit. “Last year, the awards were well-received, and every school had two recipients. This year we would love to see more nominations come from teachers or administration for students who are deserving of this award.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Mindy Straub is now attending Eagle Butte High School and received a Trustee Award from Schuler School in June 2023. She describes herself as being very sociable and getting along with the students across all grades as she’d known them for years.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I feel I was really good with the younger kids because they all liked me,” stated Straub. “On certain mornings, we would get together in the gym and do different literacy activities. The older kids would pair up with the younger kids for reading or word work and that’s why I’d get to spend time with younger students. At recess, if a kid was sad or something, I usually ended up helping and supporting them.”&nbsp;</p><p>Jason Fehr, also attending Eagle Butte this year, received a Grade 9 award from Prairie Mennonite School. He and many of his classmates enjoyed playing games, an activity not permitted on school-issued Chromebooks. To motivate himself and other students, Fehr created a time on Fridays where students could play games competitively against each other if they completed all their schoolwork. &nbsp;As a result, students were less inclined to play games during the week.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;“It made them want to work harder” explained Feher, “so they would be able to do that. You would have to do well on all your schoolwork to participate.” There were about 70 students at the school and about 25 or 30 of them would show up for the competitive gaming times.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;“That ended up working out pretty well, they still do it to this day,” said Fehr, who also added, “during recess, I would be outside and play with the younger kids, showing them some tips on basketball. We’d usually play two versus one because they were younger, not on a team or anything, just personally for fun outside.”&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Trustees are also looking for nominations for the Community Champion for Education. Any member of the public can submit a nomination for this award which recognizes an individual or organization that goes above to provide exceptional learning experiences and opportunities for students. &nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;To submit a community award nomination, click here: <a href="https://prrdweb.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9B51bgE6XE90VFQ">https://prrdweb.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9B51bgE6XE90VFQ</a>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

Today the culinary arts chefs travelled to Mexico. On the menu - homemade flour & corn tortillas, pork & shrimp filling, guacamole, pico de gallo, lime crema, and refried beans. Followed by churros with a spicy chocolate sauce. These chefs are fantastic!!!

Get your Decade on! Our Student Council has organized a Decades Dress-Up Spirit Week for next week. It's going to be groovy :) #kindlehearts #wolfpack

BAKE SALE - March 11. For the past two years our Grade 3 classes have been pen pals with a school in a small Tanzanian village. They have also been fundraising to support the needs of the school and community, including building a cistern to hold water so people don’t have to spend hours and hours walking to get water, building a new roof for the school, and other school repairs. Mrs. Dola returned last week from a trip to this village where she was able to see firsthand the difference our kids are making in the lives of their Tanzanian friends. Mrs. Dola gave a presentation of her travels to the grade 3 & 4 classes. The students are even more excited to keep up the fundraising efforts so they can improve the school and village even more! #kindlehearts #forgefutures #igniteminds #wolfpack

<p><i>Photo: Dana Marshall stands next to Terry Super from Super T Aviation after completing her commercial pilot's test</i></p><p>It’s no small feat getting a commercial pilot’s license, particularly if it's on the side to a number of other roles, such as teaching chemistry, physics and math at Eagle Butte, being co-lead of the DR South Alberta Flight Academy, the local ATA president, a mother, rancher, and a volunteer wildland firefighter with the Cypress County Elkwater Fire Station. However, almost three years from when Dana Marshall did her discovery flight, she has done just that.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Marshall has no plans to become a professional pilot as she wants to remain a teacher, but after encouragement from Super T and Superintendent Dr. Reagan Weeks, she decided to train towards a commercial pilot’s license, which is a prerequisite for getting an instructor’s license. &nbsp;Marshall and Katelyn Rozdeba, the other co-lead of the flight academy, are the certified teachers of the program but are unable to teach ground school or flight training without an instructor’s license. They are responsible for all aspects of the academy aside from flight training, such as ensuring the students fulfill curriculum credits, organizing field trips, first-aid, and other non-flight training events.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The flight exam for a commercial license is very similar to that for a private license except the pilot must be more precise in their flying. The ground school portion or written exam is vastly different. “There is a ton more knowledge to learn for the commercial written exam,” explained Marshall. “They say it is one of the toughest exams you can write in Transport Canada.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The pilot needs a minimum of 200 hours flying time with at least 100 of those hours as piloting command time, which is flying solo. Additionally, they need a certain amount of instrument flying time where the pilot wears a helmet to block their vision, so they are flying by instruments alone, with an instructor beside them, to simulate flying in a cloud.&nbsp;</p><p>“I like to fly with my kids if they are up for it, I have an 11 and a 5-year-old. Now they are bored with it, so a lot of the time, I message the students to see if they want to go flying, if they want to hang out and go for a trip,” said Marshall. “All those solo hours get lonely after a while so it’s better to fly with someone. I’ve taken a few staff members and a few students up.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Marshall sat the written exam on April 4, 2023, and passed the flight exam on September 1, 2023. Since then, she’s been flying off the needed hours and checking off the rest of the required boxes. “With the private you can do either/or first,” explained Marshall. “With the commercial, they want the written passed first and then you do the flight test. You can do the flight test as early as 150 hours and then you just get all the other flight hours in.”&nbsp;</p><p>Marshall kept a logbook of her flight hours, and a pilot training record also shows which instructor was supervising and what Marshall was working on. Transport Canada requires this because when the submission is made for the commercial license, Super T must prove she completed all the requirements.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I flew all around Alberta, Saskatchewan and went to BC a couple of times. Part of the commercial is a 300 nautical mile flight from your starting point to the destination and there are approved routes you can do. I went to Yorkton, Saskatchewan and you have to stop twice, at two places that aren’t your destination. You have to stop for gas anyway, so I stopped in Regina, Yorkton and then at Regina on the way back. It’s all about gaining more experience, getting to more airports, being able to be in different types of airspace, that is what they are trying to teach you by having these certain rules,” stated Marshall.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Medicine Hat and Lethbridge have a flight services station because they aren’t busy enough to have a tower. Marshall had never been in Class D airspace before or talked to a tower, but she had to when she landed and departed from Regina.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Class C airspace, which is very busy, would-be Calgary International, Springbank and Edmonton International. There are multiple different frequencies you talk to, there might be an outer frequency, an inner frequency when you are coming in then you must dial in a new radio station once you land to talk to ground control, it’s a whole bunch of different pieces of training. For the night rating, we get to land at Calgary International. I had an instructor with me and that was my first ever experience with Class C and it was overwhelming because they spit stuff out of you and their instruction is at 100 miles an hour and you are not only flying the plane, but you are also trying to take down their instructions. Landing is a higher stress situation, a critical moment of flight, and you have to write down where they want you to exit, taxi to and your frequencies and instructions. You need a plan ahead of time in order to be able to catch it all.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>For the moment, Marshall is reveling in completing her commercial license training. Currently, Super T has a new grant where they can train up to 15 instructors. “I might try to take advantage of that, but I also don’t want to take that opportunity away from a young pilot that wants the instructor rating to go onto an airline job. I have no plans to become an airline pilot, so for me to take up a spot someone else could use, I would feel rotten about that. I’m sitting back and enjoying and letting my brain chill out for a while and not being in constant training like I have for the past three years,” concluded Marshall.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

<p>It may still look and feel like winter, but the greenhouse at Senator Gershaw School in Bow Island is now fully planted for the season with a few cucumbers ready to be picked.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“The greenhouse has been operating for a couple of years now and we've been learning through trial and error with what works. What we’ve found is if we start too soon, we get too many bugs from the summer,” explained Principal Scott Angle. “Now, what we do, is we wait until there has been a good solid freeze before we move any plants in.”&nbsp;</p><p>The school partners with Stigter’s Greenhouses in Redcliff who provide propagated plants around the second week of January. “We’ve found we aren’t successful if we don’t use the propagated plants and because we aren’t a big enough bulk purchaser, we can’t buy them on our own. As a result, we have to partner with a greenhouse to make it happen,” stated Angle.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Even though it’s small, the greenhouse is operated along the same lines as a commercial greenhouse. Angle is learning alongside the students as the teacher who began the program transferred to another school. “We worked together lots and I was the one who knew the most about it, so I took over,” said Angle. “The tomatoes and peppers need to be pruned and I need to learn how to do it properly, but I’m going to work with Jeff Stigter on that and figure it out.”&nbsp;</p><p>Growing in the greenhouse are peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers in coconut bags and there is a small hydroponic unit for lettuce. Over the next few weeks, younger students will start planting seeds for the school garden west of the school.&nbsp;</p><p>There are between five to eight students who choose the greenhouse option each year, which is the perfect number as it allows those most interested in the program to join. Additionally, the work in the greenhouse can be done most effectively by a smaller group of students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Grade 9 students Alia Babcock and Gage Hintz both signed up for the greenhouse option this semester.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I think it’s a good option because it produces and gives us something fun to do by getting your hands dirty, doing extra projects and watching your plants grow,” said Babcock. For her, the biggest challenge is putting lots of effort into plants that aren’t thriving only to have them continue to fail.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Hintz joined the greenhouse as he does aquaponics – germinating plants on top of an aquarium where the fish provide the nutrients - and gardening at home. He enjoys how much faster plants grow in the greenhouse compared to an outdoor plot. “The hydroponics we’ve never done before, which is cool, we helped set that up. The hardest thing was getting the pump working right to get water to the system.”&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer&nbsp;</p>

Here is what's going on the week ahead ...

Our girls basketball team played hard and won bronze at Zones for their efforts! So proud of our #Wolfpack #kindlinghearts #forgefutures

It was swag day for our School of Softball. Looking great everyone!

You sure did break out! Well done CREW!

Pink Shirt Day was yesterday. Look at these kids rocking their pink shirts that shout out how kind they are! Followed by a grade 4-6 CREW writing ideas to spread kindness.

Our A Boys Basketball team won silver in their league. What a phenomenal achievement after last season where the boys did not win a league game. Just shows the perseverance of our #wolfpack

<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><figure class="media"><oembed url="https://vimeo.com/782597223?share=copy"></oembed></figure><p><i>Promotional video featuring students in the Foremost Rodeo Academy.</i></p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>The Rodeo Academy at Foremost School is now in its second year with 11 students enrolled, two who are from the Medicine Hat area and billet in town. Recently, the Academy put out feelers over social media to find out if there is enough interest from students in the Medicine Hat area to run a bus out to Foremost School each day.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“This is our second year and over the past two years we’ve had lots of enquiries from all around the province,” stated Principal of Foremost School Corey Steeves. “This year we have two students who attend from the Medicine Hat area and billet in town and a couple of students transferred from the Horizon School District.”&nbsp;</p><p>Connor Harty is in Grade 12 and finds the most challenging part of the Rodeo Academy is staying focused and taking opportunities as they arise. Alternatively, being involved with the academy helps motivate Harty to get his schoolwork done early so that he can go to practice because he knows he won’t have time after.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Grade 8 student Roan Bosch was born and raised on a ranch bull yard and joined the academy to improve his roping skills. “When we do roping and steer wrestling, you are riding up to a calf you have to brand or treat. You can rope them, flip them and get them treated and it helps to know how to do that,” explained Bosch. Feedback from the instructors is incredibly helpful for Bosch and he’s learned to overcome his fears and make a run without overthinking.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Kendyl Hollingsworth used to barrel race but now focuses on goat tying and breakaway roping. “The year I started Rodeo Academy I was leaning towards the livestock end of rodeo and was getting out of barrel racing and entering the roping side,” she stated.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>While it was a long process, Hollingsworth persevered and has seen lots of improvement in her technique. “I didn’t know how to swing a rope about a year ago and now I’m competing with the girls in high school rodeo,” said Hollingsworth. “I think it helps push me to do my schoolwork because if I’m going to practice, I’m finishing my schoolwork first. That kind of thing helps me keep in track.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Brittney Chomistek began teaching at Foremost School two years ago just as the Rodeo Academy was launching. With a lifetime of rodeo experience and as the 2018 Miss Rodeo Canada, Chomistek is able to bring the connections she made on the circuit into the school to provide different opportunities for students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Outside of instructing at the Rodeo Academy, Chomistek teaches Grade 2 and is thrilled about how the academy filters down to the younger kids. “We let them go rope dummies sometimes, or we’ll have the high school kids teach them how to tie goats. There are kids who have never been around horses and just want to be a part of it, so it’s also building that sense of community,” explained Chomistek.&nbsp;</p><p>Based in Medicine Hat, she thinks the commute out to Foremost each school day is worth it. While the roads can be challenging at times, this year has been much easier now that her dad, Guy Chomistek, is also teaching at the school and they commute together.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Chomistek is a huge advocate for Prairie Rose Public Schools and what the division offers all students. When she talks about the academy to those on the pro circuit, they often respond by saying they might have tried harder in school, or stayed in school, had they had an option such as the Rodeo Academy to look forward to most days.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“What I love about Prairie Rose is that we have all these specialized areas in all these other communities that allows us to have other kids involved,” stated Chomistek. “The division goals of fostering futures and igniting minds, that’s what we are doing with these academies while also keeping them accountable in school. We hold our academy kids higher than average students because we expect them to be attending their classes, we expect them to be doing their best, whatever their best is. We’ve taken away practices because we want a well-rounded student athlete, which is what PRPS promotes.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>It’s important to note that not all students in the rodeo academy have their own horse and gear. “It’s about giving kids experience in rodeo and our western heritage while also giving them practice so they can see if this is an avenue they want to pursue or not, which is another beautiful thing about it,” concluded Chomistek.&nbsp;</p><p>By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer</p>