The summer-holiday season is over as Aug. 31, marks the official start of school for all area students.
This week the Westlock News talked to the principals of all of the area’s schools for an idea of what students and parents can expect this school year.
This year will be the second year at the helm of Staples for principal Courtney Lawrance, who said the biggest change this year will be the implementation of the high school redesign program.
The addition of a flex block during the school day is a large part of the redesign program.
“It’s a 40-minute block in the day where students get to choose where they want to spend that time,” she said.
“They can do their homework, they can get extra instruction from their teacher if they need it. Places like the computer lab, the library, the cafeteria all of those are going to be open.”
The flex block will also allow students free time to work on group projects or study for upcoming exams.
For junior high students, the flex block will be more structured, Lawrance said. Students will remain in class with their block two teachers, but will have access to other teachers in subjects they have trouble with through the use of a hall pass system.
Lawrance added that in addition to five new teachers there will be two new assistant principals: Jason Wiks from Pembina North Community School, and long-time R.F. teacher Perry Kulmatyski.
Students at St. Mary School will also enjoy a flex block in their school day, said principal Sheila Glebe.
The school will be implementing the high school redesign program flex block for elementary, junior high and high school students.
Last year, the flex block was part of the schedule for only one day a week.
“This year we’re going with the full initiative, which means that we’re implementing [the flex block] every day of the week,” Glebe said.
Glebe hopes that the change will help students become more engaged and successful in all their schoolwork.
“We’re very optimistic that it’s going to be really helpful in having each student achieve to the very best of their ability,” she said.
For elementary students, a new spelling program is being introduced that places students in groups that match their reading level, regardless of their grade.
“Students don’t necessarily work within their grade groupings ... it can be very fluid,” Glebe said.
Students who have difficulty with certain words can also work with teachers to improve their skills.
Glebe said one of the most important uses of the flex block is credit recovery. Students who struggle in a particular course or received a low grade can use the flex time to catch up on assignments and earn a passing grade rather than repeat and entire course.
“It’s a daunting task to repeat an entire course and it seems kind of unnecessary because they have achieved 50 per cent of the course, so let’s get them through the rest,” Glebe explained.
In addition to the new parking lot, WES principal Pierre Ouimet said they’ll aim to improve the school’s environment.
“We’ve always done those things but we look forward to making the environment and experience as positive as it can be to everybody,” he said.
In keeping with this year’s theme of diversity, Ouimet said he’d like to see the school’s virtues program foster acceptance and respect.
He hopes the program will become more about taking action and said he leaves it to the students to come up with ideas on how they can express the virtue of the month through their actions.
For example, last year Ouimet said students would say hello to someone they normally wouldn’t.
“It doesn’t have to be a big, grandiose thing. It can be something so simple,” Ouimet said. “Little things can make such a huge difference.”
Ouimet said the school will also begin experimenting with a software called Fresh Grade.
“What this is going to allow us to do ... the communication home can be more instantaneous. All the parents need is an e-mail address. The teachers can upload videos, pictures, assessments,” Ouimet explained.
The photos and videos will be sent directly from the classroom to parents’ phones, giving them a real-time view of their child’s classroom and allowing them to send feedback or comments.
New enhanced program options for junior high students will finally be on tap at Pembina North Community School (PNCS) in Dapp this fall.
The two-year modernization of the building has created a new Career and Technology Foundation (CTF) learning space.
The CTF space will offer a designated area for students to have a greater depth of programming, said principal Darcie Eamor.
“We have created a variety of enhanced option programs ... we’re going to have things like cooking, photography, construction, fitness, digital technology,” she said.
The final phase of the two-year modernization have been happening over the summer, said Eamor.
The renovations included landscaping, repaving the parking lot and improvements to the playground outside. Inside the building, the gym has been repainted with school colours and new classroom furnishings have been brought in.
This year sees a small drop in enrolment at PNCS as they have lost a large Grade 9 class and their Kindergarten class are smaller.
However, “our pre-school numbers are very strong and we see this as being a one-year temporary adjustment,” said Eamor.
The school welcomes two new staff members this year: Carling Montgomery, who is their new junior high social studies/CTF teacher, and Mike Ivey, who will be their new junior high math/phys-ed/CTF teacher.
Daryl Chattargoon is also the new associate principal.
Finally, after enduring two years of renovations and moving classrooms, the staff and students of Pembina North Community School (PNCS) will celebrate the completion of the school’s modernization this Wednesday, Aug. 31.
A grand opening ceremony will take place at 11:15 a.m. on the first day of school at PNCS. Alberta education minister David Eggen will be on hand to present a commemorative plaque and give some remarks, along with board chair Jennifer Tuininga.
Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken and Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen will be on hand for the event.
The $6.15 million modernization of PNCS began shortly after the closure of Jarvie School and W.R. Frose School in Fawcett, whose students moved into the former Dapp School.
South in Busby, the school has had a change of principal this year as Raime Drake, former associate principal at Eleanor Hall School in Clyde, takes the helm.
Although Drake doesn’t foresee too many big changes at Busby School, she said keeping its family atmosphere is important.
“Lots of good things were happening here already, so maintaining that [is important],” Drake said.
The first change will be to the calendar, Drake said, as Busby will implement the alternate calendar used by other area schools, which means longer school days but more days off for students throughout the year.
Drake said she hopes to expand the school’s music program and see more participation.
The school will also continue its Character Education Program by reinforcing positive personal behaviour.
“It’s more about their social and emotional learning,” Drake said.
Clyde’s school will also see a change of principal this year as Nadine Marchand, formerly the principal of Busby, takes over.
Marchand said the switch was an opportunity to keep things fresh.
As far as programming goes, Marchand said there are no immediate changes this fall.
“We’re just going to continue on with what has been set up, take some cues from staff and go from there,” Marchand said.
“It’s really about just continuing on with the excellence that has been set up at this school, working with the staff and parents and community.”
Eleanor Hall will also see a new associate principal, a few new teachers and some new program assistants.
Marchand said she is looking forward to a great school year ahead.
