<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Deanne Smigelski who has accepted the position as vice principal of Oyen Public School (OPS) and South Central High School (SCHS). The vice principal role is a new position in Oyen where the focus will be on providing leadership support to the principal across two school communities under the newly created joint leadership model.</p><p>Deanne is a longtime teacher with Prairie Rose Public Schools having worked exclusively in the Oyen community for the past 15 years. During that time she has primarily focused on teaching elementary students in grades JK-5, while supporting both teachers and students in all grades through her role as the Inclusive Learning Teacher. In addition to a Bachelor of Education, Smigelski also has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Lethbridge.</p><blockquote><p>“I am very excited to welcome Deanne to the Oyen leadership team,” says Oyen Public School principal Jason Duchscherer. “Her background in developing high yielding instructional strategies with a focus on literacy, coupled with her knowledge and passion for the Oyen community make her an excellent fit for the role. I look forward to working with her as we continue to build amazing opportunities for all Oyen students.”</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>“I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to start a new path,” says Deanne Smigelski. “The future of OPS and SCHS as a unified school community is one I am looking forward to being part of and supporting. I am hopeful for what's to come for our small-town schools.”</p></blockquote><p>Deanne Smigelski will officially assume the role of vice principal of OPS and SCHS on August 24, 2022. The transition to the new combined leadership model comes following the retirement of current SCHS principal Jean Kimber at the end of the current school year. Jason Duchscherer was recently announced as the new principal of both schools, starting next fall.</p>

HOME GAME tonight @ 5:30 for our SCHS baseball team vs Taber! ⚾️ On the badger Diamond. Come on out to cheer on our Scorps! 🙌

Reminder: Parents of Grade 11’s - please send a pan of squares or a dozen cookies to the school on Thursday! Thanks so much!

It’s GRAD WEEK at SCHS 🎓 and you can feel the energy in the building! Check out our graduates & their future plans in this brochure! ❤️🖤 *PARADE: Line the streets of Oyen if you’re able to on Friday, May 20 @ 7:30pm as we will have our graduates on display in a parade around town. Parade route to follow on our FB page soon! *LIVESTREAM: Stay tuned to our FB page for the link to watch the live-streaming of our graduation Ceremonies on Friday beginning at 6:00pm.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Please Call Heather Norris if you can help! Sat. May 21 Badlands Badgers vs Oyen Eagles Games 1:00 pm & 4:00 pm Grad Presentations/Billet Appreciation 3:30 We need a 50/50 person and Concession Volunteers 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm 3:30 pm -5:00 1. 1. 1. 2. 2. 2. 3. 3. 3. 4. Call or text Heather @ 403 664-0917

Trevor will present to students from OPS, SCHS, WPS, NB and ARC during the school day. Parents and Community members please join us @7:30.

Great trip to Edmonton for a Biology field study with 34 high school students! Beautiful day for a RiverWatch tour!

Our SCHS baseball team plays their first HOME game today @ 5:30 on the Badger field. It’s a beautiful day for ball! ⚾️ Come on out to the ball Diamond to cheer on our players! Go Scorps!!!

LAST CALL- Hot Lunch- Friday, May 13- Spaghetti & Meat Sauce! Get your orders in through SchoolCash!🍝😋

<p><strong>Irvine Agriculture Discovery Centre</strong></p><p>Prior to the May 10th public board meeting, the media, trustees and Cypress County officials were invited for a tour of the new Irvine School Agricultural Discovery Centre. As part of the tour, officials were asked to participate in some of the chores students are responsible for at the Agriculture Centre including cleaning the goat pen, feeding the baby calves, collecting eggs from the chicken coop and working in the garden. The initiative is a joint school project between Prairie Rose Public Schools and program founder Nichole Neubauer of Neubauer Farms. Photos of the tour are available on the Prairie Rose Public School Facebook page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PrairieRosePublicSchools/posts/5207103409372267">https://www.facebook.com/PrairieRosePublicSchools</a></p><p><strong>Ralston/Redcliff Proposed Attendance Area Changes</strong></p><p>The Prairie Rose Public Schools Board of Trustees approved the application for proposed changes to the Ralston/Redcliff attendance boundary. It was noted that the request affects the designated school attendance area for only a couple of families (who are already meeting a bus to Redcliff) and will have minimal to no impact on Ralston School, as the majority of land in the proposed area is leased and cannot be purchased. Attendance area requests come forward to the Board for review and consideration once each year, as per the Board Monitoring Schedule.</p><p><strong>The PRPS Board approved the following administrative items:</strong></p><ul><li>The 2022-2023 Board Monitoring Schedule</li><li>Changes to the Board/Teacher Advisory Committee policy to clarify the maximum number of trustees that may sit on the board</li></ul><p><strong>The PRPS Board approved the following school field trips:</strong></p><ul><li>South Central High School Grade 9 Field Trip to the Inter-Varsity Pioneer Camp in Rocky Mountain House from May 4-6.</li><li>South Central High School Biology 20/30 Field Trip to Edmonton to participate in RiverWatch from May 11-12.</li><li>Irvine School Grade 9 Field Trip to Cypress Hills (Saskatchewan) to Treeosix Adventures on June 17th.</li></ul><p>Additional details regarding the board items listed above can be found in the May 10th PRPS Board Meeting Agenda package: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qizqmwwXA33lf2f7Qqjvn75ZTGKrkTh5/view?usp=sharing">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qizqmwwXA33lf2f7Qqjvn75ZTGKrkTh5/view?usp=sharing</a></p>

<p><i>Boyd Craven announced as new Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services for Prairie Rose Public Schools</i></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Boyd Craven who has been chosen as the successful candidate for the role of Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services.</p><p>Currently working as the Eagle Butte High School principal, Boyd Craven is a long-time employee of Prairie Rose with an extensive teaching and leadership background. Throughout his 18-year teaching career with Prairie Rose Public Schools, Boyd has worked in school administration for the past 15 years, first as vice-principal of Ralston School, then vice-principal and principal at Parkside Junior High School and most recently as principal at Eagle Butte High School. In addition to a Bachelor of Arts and Education, he also holds a Master of Education with a focus on Educational Leadership.</p><blockquote><p>“I am excited to welcome Boyd to the Prairie Rose leadership team,” says Superintendent Reagan Weeks. “Boyd has a strong background in building positive school cultures that support a teamwork approach to learning. As Prairie Rose continues to create exceptional opportunities for students, his leadership and collaborative approach will be instrumental in executing our division education plan.”</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>“During my years as a school leader, I have witnessed deeper learning and academic excellence occur when students are given the opportunity to engage in learning they love and have a passion for,” says Boyd Craven. “In my new role as Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services, I look forward to being part of a leadership team that is continuously striving to find new ways for students of all ages to be innovators and find success through access to these opportunities.”</p></blockquote><p>Boyd Craven will make the transition from Eagle Butte to the Assistant Superintendent position at the end of the current school year. The Eagle Butte High School principal position will be posted in the very near future.</p>

<p>The next public board meeting for the Prairie Rose Public Schools Board of Trustees will take place on Tuesday, May 10th starting at 12:45 pm. The meeting will be streamed online and held in-person in the Irvine School library.</p><p>Due to limited space at the meeting location, attendees are encouraged to join via the online stream: <a href="https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MzQwZWRhOGQtOWEyNS00NzYzLTg3NzgtYjAwZTM3YmU3YTk4%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22c1a7f361-4369-4e63-af8a-db541e2c097b%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2248a6a9b8-2a7b-494f-9523-0206f91ffcad%22%2c%22IsBroadcastMeeting%22%3atrue%7d&amp;btype=a&amp;role=a">Click here to watch the live stream</a> (<i>Once you click the link, click cancel on the pop up, watch on the web instead, join anonymously.)</i></p><p>The meeting agenda can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qizqmwwXA33lf2f7Qqjvn75ZTGKrkTh5/view?usp=sharing">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qizqmwwXA33lf2f7Qqjvn75ZTGKrkTh5/view?usp=sharing</a></p>

Happy Mother's Day!! For those of you who cannot make it to tomorrow's School Council Meeting - in person in the Library Learning Commons @ 7:30 - here is a zoom link. Jean Kimber is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: School Council Meeting Time: May 9, 2022 07:30 PM Edmonton Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/97392766130?pwd=NHZMdVFYTjZrSWh2TUpTYVdQeklJZz09 Meeting ID: 973 9276 6130 Passcode: FcZ9aP

HOT LUNCH: next Friday, May 13! Spaghetti & Meat Sauce. Place orders on SchoolCash :)

<p><strong>Bring a toonie to school on May 5, 2022 to support the 2026 Special Olympics!</strong></p><p>The City of Medicine Hat is pleased to confirm Special Olympics Canada has approved Medicine Hat as the host city for the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.specialolympics.ca/">Special Olympics Canada Summer Games</a> is a national sporting event for Canadian athletes with an intellectual disability.&nbsp;</p><p>From 2022 to 2026 school divisions in Medicine Hat have been asked to participate in a small annual fundraiser to support the 2026 Special Olympics. Each student is asked to bring a toonie to school on May 5 as an act of kindness for this worthy cause. The organization will collect coins directly from schools the following day. This fundraiser will continue in the first week of May for the next five years.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.medicinehat.ca/en/news/city-of-medicine-hat-eager-to-host-2026-special-olympics-canada-summer-games.aspx#:~:text=Medicine%20Hat%20%E2%80%93%20The%20City%20of,impacts%20resulted%20in%20a%20cancellation.">City of Medicine Hat eager to host 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games</a>&nbsp;- Media Release</p>

<p>Prairie Rose Public Schools would like to congratulate Jason Duchscherer who will assume the role as principal of both Oyen Public School (OPS) and South Central High School (SCHS) in Oyen, starting fall 2022. The announcement comes following the retirement of Jean Kimber at the end of the current school year as principal of South Central High School.</p><blockquote><p>“Combining the leadership roles allows the two schools in Oyen to continue forward on the path towards a future of one amazing K-12 school,” says Duchscherer. “Both OPS and SCHS have already made steps to connect and build programming that enables a smooth transition for students as they move from elementary to junior high and onto high school, so this further supports that work.”</p></blockquote><p>The move towards a unified school community is something both OPS and SCHS have been working towards for the past few years. Following a community consultation in 2019, the Board of Trustees added a new K-12 school in Oyen to the Prairie Rose Public Schools Capital Plan. Last spring, both schools collaborated on their school rebranding projects and established a single vision statement of developing confident, engaged and caring citizens. Both schools have also focused on building opportunities where students are learning alongside each other through programming such as the South Alberta Hockey Academy and the Badlands Junior Badgers program.</p><blockquote><p>“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Jean Kimber who has contributed tremendously to the education of countless students and wish her well in her next adventures. Jason Duchscherer takes on this newly structured role with a breadth of experience and a passion for rural education,” says Superintendent Weeks. “We have other schools in the division that operate under a similar model and it has worked very successfully in building a community of one school, despite being in different buildings. To further support the transition to one administrative position, a vice principal role will be added in Oyen to ensure leadership resources are maintained.”</p></blockquote><p>Duchscherer will officially assume the role of principal of both OPS and SCHS at the start of the 2022-2023 school year. The vice principal role will be posted later this spring.</p>

<p>Families living in the Redcliff area may have started hearing about a new program called Roots and Wings. The program aims to provide flexibility and ease of access to Redcliff students and their families for basic needs such as clothing, baby formula, and non-perishable food.&nbsp;</p><p>Eagle Butte teacher Scott Raible came up with the idea for the program when he was tasked with finding an initiative for his Masters degree that helps fill an identified gap for students. As a teacher he says he often sees that families can be hesitant to access the many supports already available in communities due to accessibility issues. The Roots and Wings program is aimed to remove those barriers to ensure that no Prairie Rose family in Redcliff goes without.</p><blockquote><p>“The process is quite simple,” says Raible. “Our school staff keep an eye out for those who may require assistance and information is provided directly to families via our Family School Liaison Workers. Families can also reach out to the schools directly and initiate support. All the family has to do is make an appointment and come “shopping”; selecting the clothing and food items that they need. There is absolutely no cost and no forms to fill out. If they need something we don’t have, we will find a way to get it.”</p></blockquote><p>Raible says the new program is growing and word of mouth is getting out in the community with many people providing donations. This support is greatly appreciated and is vital to ensuring continued success of the program. Currently those who wish to donate non-perishable food, can do so at the Redcliff Library and at the Redcliff Youth Center.</p><blockquote><p>“The entire purpose of Roots and Wings is to ensure that every student and their family in Redcliff has access to what they need to be successful. The program is organic in that we know each school has different needs. The staff at IF Cox, Margaret Wooding and Parkside have been essential in ensuring that we can be prepared when a family reaches out to us for assistance.”</p></blockquote><p>The program is currently only available to students who attend IF Cox, Margaret Wooding, Parkside Junior High, and Prairie Mennonite Alternative School and operates out of the old Redcliff Mennonite Alternative School. Families can call their local Redcliff school to get details on accessing the Roots and Wings program.</p><p><strong>Program sponsors:</strong> Prairie Rose Public Schools, Redcliff Library, Redcliff Youth Centre, The Salvation Army, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, The Mustard Seed, Little Munchkins.</p><p><strong>Program contact:</strong> Scott Raible, [email protected]</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><figure class="image"><img src="/images/860873c1-d07f-401e-b9c3-4999dbfb0568?fingerprint=20260708T1800Z" alt=""></figure></td><td><figure class="image"><img src="/images/030ab9da-99af-4a10-a384-490ca5aa3159?fingerprint=20260708T1800Z" alt=""></figure></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>