The following Good News Report from Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWPSD) and its schools will be shared at the upcoming Board meeting on Thursday, January 16, 2020.
PWPSD News
PWPSD schools celebrate Family Literacy Day
2019 Camp Read at Clairmont Community School.
Family Literacy Day, celebrated annually on January 27, is a national awareness initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada. Some PWPSD schools extend the event to a week of literacy activities, or celebrate on an alternate day. Literacy Day 2020 encourages families to "Take 20" by incorporating 20-minute literacy activities into everyday family activities, such as singing karaoke, following a recipe to make a batch of playdough, or creating a different ending for a favourite story. Families can find additional tips in the Family Literacy Day 2020 Resources webpage and from the following school-based activities.
| School | Date / Time | Details |
| Beaverlodge Elementary School | Week of January 20 | This year's theme is "Unplug and Play". Along with the school's annual book swap, students and staff will participate in a bingo card format of literacy activities that encourage families to get together to unplug and play. |
| Bezanson School | January 27,
7:00 - 8:15 p.m. | Family Reading Night in the gym. Bring flashlights, favourite books and blankets. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies. |
| Ridgevalley School | January 27 | Combined Spirit Day and Family Literacy Day with staff and students dressing up as their favorite author or character. |
| Rycroft School | January 27 - 30 | Planning is underway for daily literacy events, including a Character Dress Up Day and book swap, wrapping up with family activities on Thursday afternoon. |
| Teepee Creek School | January 24,
12:15 – 1:45 p.m. | Dress up as your favourite book character. Activities for parents and students include a literacy walk, book scavenger hunt, crossword puzzle, word search, map activity, math colouring sheet, and a mad lib sheet. The event will close with "Flashlight Friday" in the gym. Students and parents will read their favourite book in the dark using flashlights. |
| Woking School | January 27 - 30 | Daily reading in the hallway from 10:30 - 10:50 a.m. Monday, January 27, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.: Students will rotate through literacy stations throughout the school. Tuesday, January 28: Dress up as your favourite book or movie character. Thursday, January 30, 2:15 - 3:30 p.m.: All classes will play board games in the gym. |
Trades Café at GPRC on February 19
The Grande Prairie Construction Association welcomes high school students to a Trades Café at GPRC on February 19. In the past, the Trades Café has provided opportunities for students to meet with business representatives from the residential and commercial construction industry to learn about construction trades and occupations, including carpentry, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and glazier.
Engaged in the Future – BRHS students tour GPRC
Eighteen students from Beaverlodge Regional High School (BRHS) toured GPRC on December 11, 2019, part of the Engaged in the Future program that exposes students to local post-secondary opportunities. GPRC Student Recruitment Coordinator Jackie de Montarnal based the tour on interests identified by the students. The group toured departments and met with professors and staff in Fine Arts, Business Administration, Engineering, Upgrading, Student Services, the On-Campus Friendship Centre and more. The tour included a lunch and students left equipped with booklets, contact information, and a gift from the GPRC Indigenous Services Team. Also along for the tour were BRHS Principal Anna Nelson, Indigenous Liaison Miranda Belcourt, PWPSD Indigenous Education Coordinator Brigitte Benning, Inclusive Education Learning Coach Mandy Funk, Elder Success Coach Peter Joachim, Cultural Navigator Eva Chatelain, and members of the Horizon Group Care Home.
Upcoming events:
School News
Alternative Education
PWEC offering one-credit workshops
Peace Wapiti Enterprise Centre (PWEC) is offering a series of credit-based workshops January through March. The workshops will be held at PWEC, located in the business district of the Royal Oaks subdivision at 11735-105 Street, Unit 106 in Grande Prairie. Contact PWEC register or to learn more about the credits.
- New Year – New You: One-credit fitness course, Friday, January 17.
- Communica-Stic Companions: Friday, January 24, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. This one-credit course will help students master concepts to deepen their communication and relationship with animals.
- Nutrition and Wellness: One credit, Wednesday, February 5.
- Yoga Workshops: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on three Fridays – February 7 and 21, and March 13. Attend all three days to receive three credits.
- Other upcoming non-credit events:
- Junior high fun fitness day: Friday, January 24, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Eastlink Centre.
- Junior high day focusing on relationships: Friday, February 14.
Beaverlodge Elementary School
California dreamin' on such a winter's day – BES beach party to support local needs
Students and staff at Beaverlodge Elementary School will donate two dollars to wear flip-flops and Hawaiian shirts during a special beach party fundraiser at the school on Thursday, January 16. Proceeds will be directed to the Beaverlodge Food Bank, Beaverlodge Victim Services, and the Beaverlodge Fire Department. The event, hosted by Classroom Champions and the school's Grade 6 Leadership team, will feature fun activities during physical education classes, including a hula-hoop contest, beach volleyball, water balloon toss, coconut bowling, limbo, a photo booth, and more. Participants can also purchase ice cream, iced tea, lemonade and "freezies" during the day.
La Glace School
My LuvPak Fundraiser
Grades 1-9 students at La Glace School are collecting items for My LuvPak, a local organization that provides a backpack of essential items to needy children in Alberta. The school is hosting a friendly competition in which the first team to collect the required list of items will be rewarded with a movie and popcorn in the gym.
Santa's Workshop
Mrs. Moodie and Leadership Team members Jinaya Summach, Kiawna Summach, Nathaniel Wilson, and Rose Patershuk hosted a Santa's Workshop in the gym prior to Christmas break. The event provided an opportunity for students to purchase gifts for their loved ones, including crafts, treats, gently used objects, and cards. During the event, students also moved through Christmas craft stations. Half of the $450 raised from the successful event will be donated to the students' chosen charity, Bandaged Paws, while the other half will go to the school's sports teams.
Peace Wapiti Academy
First local PWA Band Camp happening next month
PWA Band students will participate in a full-day camp hosted by the GPRC Music Department on Thursday, February 20. The first half of the day will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with student-musicians receiving instruction from clinicians, including instructors from the GPRC Music Department. A group rehearsal with a guest conductor will form the afternoon portion of the day, wrapping up at 3:30 p.m.
Students complete Green Certificates
Left-right: Ty Dorscheid, Erica Cowger, teacher Ms. Schipper, and Kaylee White. Missing from photo: Kacie Vandemark.
Four PWA students have completed the requirements to achieve their Green Certificate in their chosen field of agriculture. The certification opens up educational and career opportunities in the agriculture industry.
Custom robots on the move at PWA
Left-right: Grade 10 students Gabriel Nellis and Kaylea MacMillan, Grade 11 student Dason Rueckert, and Grade 12 students Jaden Jabs and Jackson Davie.
Students in Mr. Hassanali's robotics class built custom robots, ranging from catapults, rubber band shooters, a fan, and an elevator. Some run autonomously using programmed sensors. Robotics students can compete at the Regional Skills Canada Competition in Fairview in April, with gold medalists advancing to provincials in Edmonton.
The reward for receiving the most votes in the graduation fundraising event was a pie in the face for Mrs. Gerard, Ms. Houlder and Ms. Bednard at PWA's January assembly.
Ridgevalley School
Boat building reinforces science lesson
Left-right: Grade 2 student Jewel Balisky proudly displays her birch bark canoe with her dad, Wade, and classmate Colby Terrico. Right: Testing the buoyancy of a birch bark canoe.
Grade 2 students built birch bark canoes after completing a science unit on boats and buoyancy before the Christmas break. Parent and grandparent volunteers enjoyed joining the class to test the boats.
Rycroft School
Farm safety presentation
Left: Students attempt to zip jackets, fasten buttons and tie shoes with one arm. Right: Kindergarten students enjoy a story on farm safety.
Rycroft students learned about safe farm practices during presentations by Alberta Farm Safety on January 10. In addition to machine and ATV safety lessons, the presentation also included the experience of doing basic tasks with one arm (pictured), communicating with someone who cannot hear or is autistic, and what a concussion feels like and the symptoms to watch for.
Sexsmith Secondary School
Childcare Option class creates books for local daycare
Students from the SSS Childcare Option class have been gaining practical experience at the nearby Sexsmith Early Child Development Centre and created storybooks to share with the children.
Upcoming events:
- January 21: SSS Junior High drama presents 21 Guaranteed Ways to get Detention at 7:00 p.m. in the gym. Free admission.
- January 22: SSS Junior High drama presents Alice in Wonderland at 7:30 p.m. in the gym. Free admission, but donations at the door are welcome.
- February 20: Have a Heart Day. In past years, the school has hosted a "Hoops for Heart" three-on-three basketball tournament made up of student and teacher teams. This year's event will expand to include sessions for kids to participate in activities of interest. Cost to participate is $10 per person, to be directed to the Heart and Stroke Foundation and another local charity, to be determined.
- February 28-29: SSS welcomes PWPSD teams to register to compete in the Sabres Invitational Junior High 'B' Basketball Tournament. Contact alisonlario@pwpsd.ca for more information.
Teepee Creek School
Christmas Carnival generates close to $2,000 for school breakfast program
The TCS Christmas Carnival saw parents, students and staff enjoying an afternoon of socializing as they decorated cookies, made crafts, played Christmas games, and took photos with Santa. During the event, the TCS School Council hosted a raffle and silent auction, resulting in approximately $2,000 for the school's breakfast program.
Wembley Elementary School
Grade 7 students lead collaborative hour with WES students
Prior to the Christmas break, Grade 7 students from Helen E. Taylor School spent an hour working collaboratively on crafts with Wembley Elementary students, learning from each other. WES Principal Erika Walsh said, "It was great to see their ability to work so nicely with each other. The Grade 7 students organized and prepared the entire lesson, and facilitated the activity. Our staff were blown away by their ability to lead."
Telus World of Science offers hands-on learning
Grade 1 student Dylan Guynup proudly displays his creation during the Telus World of Science "Build It" session.
Wembley Elementary students enjoyed hands-on science learning with presenters from the Telus World of Science who visited the school on December 10-12. Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 students received individual class lessons related to their curriculum. Topics ranged from building structures, to exploring patterns, and understanding what colour is and how we see it. To celebrate the end of three exciting days of new learning, students and staff attended a fire and gas presentation that included a fire cyclone, creating brightly coloured flames, and solving a gas mystery. WES Principal Erika Walsh expressed thanks to the event sponsor, Encana, who through their generosity, have helped bring science to life in a brand new way for the young students.
Whispering Ridge Community School
Kev's Kids, Secure Energy provide funding for PARDS programming
Local children's charity Kev's Kids has donated $2,720 to fund Peace Area Riding for the Disabled Society (PARDS) programming for a group of students at WRCS this year. Secure Energy Services (pictured with PARDS program participants) also presented a generous donation of $1,250 to the program. Many thanks to both organizations for supporting our students.
WRCS students enjoyed a pancake breakfast prior to Christmas break, organized by the school's Participarent group. Cooks included volunteers, PWPSD Deputy Superintendent Darren Young, and Peace Officers.
Upcoming events:
- January 24 - 25: WRCS will host the second annual Hoops Basketball Tournament.
- January 30: Afternoon of Community Pride Time events will see students and staff breaking into their "prides" to participate in literacy-based activities.
- Junior High Options classes taking their learning on the road: In January, students in the Athletic Enrichment Option will visit GPRC. The Health Option class will visit to Kinesis Physiotherapy.
- Also in January: Kindergarten classes will visit the Grande Prairie Public Library.
Recent Media Releases
Recent Media Coverage
- Jan. 14, 2020 Your voice matters – Complete the Accountability Pillar Survey
- Jan. 14, 2020 Free PWPSD diploma exam tutorial sessions underway, Central Peace Signal
- Jan. 13, 2020 Bused students in Grande Prairie exempt from diploma exam due to weather, 2day FM
- Jan. 13, 2020 School bus cancellations for January 13, Everything GP
- Jan. 13, 2020, All school buses cancelled, 2day FM
- Jan. 08, 2020 Free diploma exam tutorial sessions offered for PWPSD students, Reach FM
- Jan. 07, 2020 Spirit River Regional Academy students aiming to raise $6,000 through graduation bottle drive, Central Peace Signal
- Dec. 27, 2019 PWPSD in need of spare bus drivers, 2day FM
- Dec. 19, 2019 County to give out $2.7M to community groups in 2020, 2day FM
- Dec. 19, 2019 County council approves $2.7M in grants for local organizations, Town & Country News
- Dec. 18, 2019 Bezanson School evacuated after fire alarm, Daily Herald Tribune
- Dec. 17, 2019 Spare bus driver shortage tops annual report at PWPSD, Reach FM
- Dec. 17, 2019 Evacuation due to fire alarm at Bezanson School – students and staff safe, Reach FM
- Dec. 17, 2019 Staff, students safe after evacuation at Bezanson School, 2day FM
- Dec. 17, 2019 St. Joe's Celtics fall short in single digit loss to Peace Wapiti Academy Titans, Daily Herald Tribune
- Dec. 17, 2019 PWPSD grapples with $1.7 million budget deficit, Central Peace Signal
- Dec. 17, 2019 Bonanza School marks 35 years of Club Moo, Central Peace Signal
- Dec. 16, 2019 County Council approves $2.7 million in grants for local organizations, County of Grande Prairie
- Dec. 13, 2019 Helen E. Taylor music students make Canadian Music Class Challenge top 10 list, 2day FM
- Dec. 12, 2019 Youth of the Week: Carter Furgeson, Whispering Ridge Community School, Town & Country News
- Dec. 12, 2019 Sexsmith student wins Christmas card contest, Town & Country News
- Dec. 10, 2019 Canadian Music Class Challenge 2019: National top 10s revealed, CBC Music
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