Harry Balfour School provides a full range of educational services to approximately 600 students in Kindergarten through grade 8. Students are drawn from farms, acreages and mobile homes from the area surrounding Grande Prairie.
Harry Balfour School offers a full range of educational programs to students from Kindergarten through grade 8. In addition to provincially prescribed core programs we offer French as a Second Language in grades 4-8, Instrumental Music in grades 5-8, and a range of complementary courses in grades 7-8 focusing on the fine and practical arts. formal technology related courses are mandatory for all students in grades 4-8, and all grades have access to computer technology that can be integrated into the core program. special needs students are accommodated in a variety of integrated and pullout programs depending on individual and group needs. Our Junior High Learning Strategies Program provides unique opportunities to address the needs of students with learning disabilities and/or academic deficits. In 2006-2007 a 31 minute study period for junior high students was instituted during the last period of the day three times a week. all core teachers are available at this time to assist any student needing support in their learning.
Community Resources
Harry Balfour School was one of three pilot sites for an innovative integrated services to children project involving Child Welfare, Social Services, Alberta Mental Health, Mistahia Health Unit, AADAC, FSCC, RCMP, Probation Services, the school and the business community. The success of this project has led to its continuation at Harry Balfour School and its expansion to other schools in Peace Wapiti Regional Division. This "School Community Team: meets every Thursday morning. Please contact the school counselor to access these services. In addition Harry Balfour students have access to increased services through the Student Health Partnership and Children's Mental Health Initiative.
The 2007/2008 school year marked the beginning of a project where each school in Grande Prairie and area was assigned an RCMP officer to act as a resource. As this report is being written, this resource has already proved valuable this year.
HARRY E. BALFOUR - 1893 – 1965
Harry Balfour was born in Gore's Landing, Ontario, and the only son of a Methodist minister. His schooling occurred in several small towns in southern Ontario. Harry completed Grade 12 at Albert College in Belleville, Ontario at age 16. He came west on a "harvesters special" train and worked that summer at Walsh near Medicine Hat, and stayed on to teach school. After Normal school in Calgary, Mr. Balfour taught in the Highlands School in Edmonton. He gained his M.A. from the University of Alberta while teaching at the Highlands School.
In June 1915 he enlisted in the Canadian Army and served in France as in infantry Captain with the 49th. Battalion. (now the Loyal Edmonton Regiment) Mr. Balfour served during World War I. He was wounded twice, quite severely the last time, and taken prisoner. During three years in prison camp, he was allowed to take his B. A. from Cambridge University by correspondence. At the end of the war, he was released to Denmark, where he ran a Red Cross repatriation camp in that neutral country, and met and married his wife, Gerda.
After a six-month stay in Cambridge to satisfy the laboratory requirements, he was granted his B.A., and they returned to Canada. He then taught at Victoria Mr. Balfour taught high school until about 1928 when he was appointed School Inspector in Grande Prairie. After one year, he was transferred by the Department of Education to Edmonton Normal School, when the school was closed he was re-appointed to Grande Prairie. After another 1 to 1-1/2 years in Grande Prairie he became High School Inspector in the southern half of the province with an office in Calgary.
Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, he re-enlisted in the Canadian Army and served as a Staff Officer at military headquarters in Calgary, Ottawa and London, England. He was discharged at the end of the war with the rank of Lt. Colonel, and rejoined the Department of Education. He served again as a High School Inspector and then as Administrator of Schools until his retirement in 1958.
Mr. Balfour retired to live in Lethbridge where he died in 1965.