We had a blast on Friday afternoon for our annual Jump Rope for Heart. The fundraising link is open for another 2 weeks: https://click.pstmrk.it/3s/jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca%2F50839/z9pU/jv2yAQ/AQ/b8166252-09c4-4ca9-8092-78927b1feb88/1/Qf-I3rosru

Our baseball/softball school will start next Tuesday, February 6th. More information will be sent out to registered students by the end of the week. Register soon!

Take a look at the week ahead ...

Great opportunities for our students.

Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year will open next week for Seven Persons School. 👇

Here is how the week ahead is looking ....

Thank you SAHA for coming to play Gaga Ball with our Grade 6’s and work in our JK, Grade 3 and 4 classrooms. #igniteminds #kindlehearts

We have one week left until Jump Rope for Heart! If you haven't done so yet, please sign your child up to collect donations here: https://jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca/50839 Kids have pledged to jump rope for one hour to raise money for the Heart and Stroke foundation. The more money that students raise and they can receive gift cards in return for places like Amazon, Walmart, Indigo.

Come and join us Seven Persons School . You will be so glad you did😊

<h3><strong>Trades education for regional high schools</strong></h3><p>A new educational opportunity for regional high school students is on the horizon, thanks to a collaborative partnership between Medicine Hat College (MHC) and Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS).</p><p>Starting in Fall 2024, Prairie Rose and MHC will launch the Southeast Alberta School of Trades. This initiative will expose students to seven trades disciplines in Grade 10, then narrow their focus on two trades the following year. The final year of high school would involve pre-employment or first year apprenticeship programming.&nbsp;</p><blockquote><p>&nbsp;“The partnership between Prairie Rose and Medicine Hat College has allowed us to expose our students to in-demand career training while in high school,” says Assistant Superintendent Boyd Craven. “We’ve seen this with the Health Care Aide Program, where there is a significant need in rural communities. We know this is the same for trades positions and we are excited to offer this option to grade 10 students across the school division.”&nbsp;</p></blockquote><p>The program is open to students from rural high schools in Bow Island, Dunmore, Foremost and Oyen who will attend classes onsite at MHC for a full day every two weeks to access labs, equipment and instruction.&nbsp;</p><blockquote><p>“I am thrilled about this new opportunity with Prairie Rose Public Schools, which demonstrates a significant stride towards enriching trades education in our communities. This collaboration is more than just an educational alliance; it's a commitment to opening doors for our youth, right from the K-12 system, into the world of skilled trades,” says Chad Flinn, dean of trades and technology at MHC.&nbsp;</p></blockquote><p>The concept received a high level of support from across the region and will help shed light on the potential within trades professions, adds Flinn.&nbsp;</p><blockquote><p>“This partnership aims to provide young minds with the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to pursue a fulfilling career in trades, contributing to both their personal growth and the development of our economy. Together, we are setting a new standard for trades education in Canada, ensuring our students are not just ready for the workforce, but are trailblazers in their chosen fields.”</p></blockquote><p>A South Alberta School of Trades information night will be held at MHC on February 13, 2024, from 5 – 7 p.m. for PRPS teachers, students and parents/guardians to explore trades programming and facilities.</p><p>Read more about the program: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/18z1pXkBO-e5l5BZXOx9GNuoLkInUK4Jb/view?usp=drive_link">South Alberta School of Trades</a></p>

Hope you are staying warm! Reminder there are no busses running tomorrow but we are open and ready to learn!

Wow!!! So proud of you Sydney Baedke@ Seven Persons School. We knew you’d make your dreams come true!

The meeting is this upcoming Monday at the school. All interest families are encouraged to attend.

We've been told that the division is considering extending this program to Seven Persons if there is sufficient student interest. We encourage all interested families to attend the information session next week 👇

<p>The January 9, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda Package can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xfSaApkqnkNaP3j0aLaCWSiHJuYC2mnE/view?usp=drive_link">January 9, 2024, Board Meeting Agenda</a></p><p><strong>Schuler School Presentation</strong><br>The principal of Schuler School, Lyle Kennedy, provided an update on the school's learning goals, emphasizing educational programming and promoting a strong sense of community. Feedback from school stakeholders highlighted the importance of parent engagement, diverse student opportunities, student voice, and the staff's dedication to making a difference. One of the school's primary education goals is to enhance literacy skills through methods like the science of reading, UFLI, and a vibrant library run by the school's administrative assistant and librarian, Janice Herman. Efforts to promote a positive culture include regular interactions with stakeholders that focus on being "for our community, with our community, as our community." It was also noted that the small school has expanded its sports offerings to include volleyball, basketball, curling, mini basketball, badminton, archery, and track and field options. Additionally, it was shared that the school was recently successful in securing a wellness grant for $10,000, which could go towards funding a greenhouse, outdoor fitness equipment, guest speakers, or even hosting community wellness events. The full presentation can be found in the January 9th Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p>Story about Schuler School by the Medicine Hat News:&nbsp;<a href="https://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2024/01/11/schuler-schools-new-principal-has-been-building-off-past-successes/">https://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2024/01/11/schuler-schools-new-principal-has-been-building-off-past-successes/</a></p><p><strong>Executive Report</strong><br>In the monthly executive report, Superintendent Reagan Weeks shared that the school division was announcing two exciting new sports programs for both baseball and softball. The new Mavericks School of Baseball will begin this spring and will be offered to students in grades 4-9 who attend Irvine School, Schuler School and Senator Gershaw School. The new South Alberta School of Softball will kick off at Seven Persons School this spring and be offered to female students in grades 4-9. It was also shared that two new drone offerings are being developed for students. One is a semester-long course offered in partnership with the Medicine Hat College. The other is a joint initiative with Cypress County, a two-day drone course centred around agriculture and livestock in Seven Persons on March 12th and 13th.</p><p>Mavericks School of Baseball:&nbsp;<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></p><p>South Alberta School of Softball:&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWI4f0bnqEM2iOt1-OUx9cnOuKUT9mfN/view?usp=drive_link">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWI4f0bnqEM2iOt1-OUx9cnOuKUT9mfN/view?usp=drive_link</a></p><p>Story on Drone Courses by the Medicine Hat News:&nbsp;<a href="https://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2024/01/11/prps-revamps-its-drone-program/">https://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2024/01/11/prps-revamps-its-drone-program/</a><br>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Building Operations and Maintenance Report</strong><br>Director of Building Operations and Maintenance Darrell Drefs provided his annual report to the board for information. One of the biggest challenges continues to be the Operations and Maintenance budget, which ran a deficit for the 2022-2023 year ($150,000). Drefs contributes the deficit to several factors including increased utility costs for power and water, additional mechanical costs added in schools compared to previous years, which cost more to run, reduced federal subsidies for summer students (grounds crews), higher insurance costs, and vehicle and fuel costs. Some of the listed priorities for the current year include updating the mechanical rooms at Oyen Public School, replacing the gym roof at Foremost School, upgrading the Senator Gershaw treatment room, and refinishing the SGS gym floor. The other notable project is the Parkside School Modernization, which is currently in the design stage. The division hopes to complete design plans by the fall of 2024, with construction beginning in the spring of 2025. The complete Building Operations and Maintenance Report can be found in the January 9th Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p><strong>Wellness Report</strong><br>Tammy Toews and Greg Godard presented the Wellness Report for information. Toews gave an overview of employee wellness strategies for the year, including the development of new policies (disconnecting after work hours, workplace diversity, discrimination and harassment training) and the division-wide PD day held last fall with a primary focus on the dimensions of wellness. The division also has a wellness BINGO in January, February and March to promote self-wellness for employees. On the student side, School Psychologist Greg Godard provided an overview of the Student Support team, which consists of Family School Liaison Workers (7), a mental performance professional, behaviour intervention specialists (2), himself (school psychologist) and three service dogs (Timber, Luka, Iain). It was shared that the four most commonly referred cases to the FSLW team are related to anxiety, emotion regulation, and family and peer relationships, which is similar to what the team saw last year. It was also shared that overwhelming pressure on junior and senior high students, sleep problems, use of inappropriate language, social drama, and cyber and in-person bullying are the most common trends school mental health counsellors are seeing in today's youth. The complete Wellness Report can be found in the January 9th Board Meeting Agenda package.</p><p><strong>Other items:</strong></p><ul><li>The board approved proposed updates to policies GP#3 Chairperson's Role, GP#7 Regular Board Meetings, GP#8 Board Organizational Meeting, and GP#9 Executive Sessions (In-Camera) as presented.</li></ul>

This 👇 is such an amazing opportunity for our students and for Seven Persons School. We look forward to chatting with interested families next Monday at our information evening at 6:00 p.m.