PWPSD Good News Report - February 2022

PWPSD News

Passionate Heart Exceptional Service Awards go to three PWPSD staff members

Top left to right: Mrs. Sheila Payeur from Clairmont Community School, Ms. Alpha-Dawn Campbell from Beaverlodge Elementary School (left in photo), and Mrs. Debbie Hammel from Robert W. Zahara School (bottom) received their Passionate Heart Exceptional Service Awards on February 14, 2022.

Passionate Heart Exceptional Service Awards are awarded to individuals who demonstrate exceptional front line service for two or more years in policing services, child and family services, youth services, social prevention, education and social services. This year five individuals took home the award. Congratulations to our three PWPSD staff members on being honoured for their exceptional service to our students and families!

 

Pink Shirt Day: Lift Each Other Up

Join us on Wednesday and wear your pink shirt to show your support in the fight against bullying.

Pink Shirt Day is this Wednesday, February 23, and the theme is Lift Each Other Up. 1 in 5 children are affected by bullying, and the Pink Shirt Day campaign’s goal is to raise awareness and funds to support programs that foster children’s healthy self-esteem.

If you are being bullied, or if it’s happening to someone you know and care about, you can talk to your teacher or school counsellor to receive help. If you are being a bully to others, you can also reach out to your teacher or school counsellor today to begin the process of changing your behaviour.

Together, let’s take a stand against bullying. Show kindness, empathy and compassion. Let’s speak out and lift each other up!

 

Kindergarten registration opens March 2

Online registration for Kindergarten opens Wednesday, March 2, for children turning five in 2022. Registration will also open for Junior Kindergarten and any student new to Peace Wapiti Public School Division. To register your child in a PWPSD school, you will need a photo or scan of their birth certificate, and a piece of mail showing your home address, such as a utility bill. Visit www.pwpsd.ca/registration for more information.

 

School News

Alternative Education

Battle Royale: Literature Edition

The Grade 7/8 PAVE students took on the Grade 7/8 Penson students in a friendly literature battle. The optional competition took place while Penson students were learning online, at home. Roughly 20 students participated in the fun activity and the teachers plan to host another battle with their students in the future.

 

Beaverlodge Elementary School

Things are sweet in 3A!

3A students celebrated Literacy Week with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Ronald Dahl. Payton Rolling found a Golden Ticket in her chocolate bar and won the grand prize.

 

Trapper Wilde joins BES students on the slopes

Trapper Wilde was excited to join the Grade 5/6 students on their trip to Nitehawk Adventure Park.

 

BRHS boys’ basketball head coach visits BES students

Mr. Sterkenburg shows off some basketball skills to the Grade 3 students.

Jared Sterkenburg, head coach of the Beaverlodge Regional High School boys’ basketball team, joined the Grade 3A students to share some basketball tips and help them through drills as part of their PE unit. Mr. Sterkenburg, who is Mrs. Sterkenburg’s son, is a former BES student and was happy to share some knowledge.

 

Students cheer on Olympian, BES alumni Geoff Walker

The students and staff at Beaverlodge Elementary School cheered on Geoff Walker and the rest of Team Gushue as they battled it out for Team Canada in men’s curling at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games. Team Canada finished third in the tournament and brought home the bronze medal!

 

Students gain better understanding of their role in the community

Constable Illi, Beaverlodge Elementary School’s RCMP School Liaison, joined Grade 3Alde to talk about their role in the community, treating others well, staying safe, and why bullying is not tolerated. A reminder that kindness wins!

 

Beaverlodge Regional High School

Indigenous Student Council finalizes mural project

The BRHS Indigenous Student Council met with Natascha Okimaw from the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre to finalize plans for the Link Centre’s mural project. Ms. Okimaw designed the mural after consultation and input from BRHS Indigenous students earlier this year. Students learned about the cultural connections to the different parts of the design such as the medicine wheel, the seasons, colour choices, and the different Indigenous groups of Canada, and the symbols traditionally associated with them. BRHS student Kiera Hommy will lead the project, and all students and staff are invited to participate!

 

Off to Provincials

Left to right: Natalie R., Madi W., Nate L., Jace L., and Coach Myles Edgar

The BRHS Mixed Curling Team is heading to Lethbridge March 3-5 to compete in the ASAA High School Provincial Curling Championships after winning Zones. Good luck in the tournament!

 

Bonanza School

Imagination Station

Grade 1/2 students built playgrounds while the Grade 7/8 student created woodcuts in the school’s Makerspace.

 

Literacy fun in Bonanza

From homemade bookmarks for their friends, to travelling to different ecosystems, the students at Bonanza School had a blast reading their way through February! Students took part in a two week reading challenge that brought them to different ecosystems around the world based on the number of books they read. Some even earned prizes for their great enthusiasm and their committed diligence with their reading. Great job!

 

Students dress up for Twin Day!

 

Grade 3/4 class learns about money

The Grade 3/4 students took part in a virtual session with the Junior ATB branch. The Junior ATB program teaches students how money and bank accounts work. They start with the basics like how money is earned and move into activities like how to count different denominations of cash together.

 

Grade 5/6 class busy in Chemistry

The Grade 5/6 students have been busy learning different techniques on how to separate solids in Chemistry!

 

Clairmont Community School

Passionate Hearts all around

Clairmont Community School congratulates Mrs. Payeur on being awarded the 2022 Passionate Hearts Exceptional Service Award! She has been a passionate member of CCS for over 13 years, and has continuously built and inspired connections amongst students, colleagues, and the community.

The CCS Team was also nominated in the team category for their many faces and big hearts that create such an astounding team. Their continued dedication to their students and community is something to be proud of. Well done CCS!

 

Eaglesham School

Eaglesham School ranks in Top 50 for Terry Fox fundraising

Eaglesham students have placed in the Top 50 schools in Canada for their Terry Fox Run fundraising efforts in 2021. The students raised $2097.55 for their school-wide Terry Fox Run held on September 28, 2021. The students’ fundraising total pushed them into 11^th place out of 25 secondary schools that made the list.

 

Harry Balfour School

Students and staff dress up for Literacy Day

Ms. Baker, Chloe Brewster and Cayden Jones dressed up as their favourite books to celebrate Literacy Day!

 

Grade 3s lace up for some physical education

The Grade 3 students visited the Coca-Cola Centre for a fun day of skating.

 

Fresh February air

The Grade 1 students took to the ice in Muskoseepi Park to enjoy the fresh air.

 

Spreading some extra love

Mrs. Hutchinson’s class made some extra special Valentine’s Day cards for the seniors at Emerald Gardens.

Fine Art 6 students also delivered Valentine’s Day cards to their community neighbours.

 

It’s busy in Junior Kindergarten!

Mrs. Lavallee’s Junior Kindergarten (JK) class celebrated the Year of the Tiger with their own furry friends!

The JK students were also busy creating their very own family quilt.

In February, the JK students were introduced to different types of rattles and noise makers, and they even got to make their own beautiful rain sticks!

The class talked about how, like emotions and actions, they can use the coloured Zones of Regulation to gauge sound. They observed that soft and slow sounds are calming, while sharp loud sounds put their bodies on alert. They also discussed which sounds best suit different spaces; for example, low and calm sounds best suit the classroom, while loud noises are fun in the gym when they need energy! Now, to help the students check-in with their own noise levels, the class uses these zones to help them understand when to lower that level, or to congratulate them when their sound level is just right.

 

Boys’ basketball team brings home a win

The Harry Balfour boys’ basketball team took on the Teepee Creek Mustangs and brought home the win! Thank you to Coach Reeve for coaching them to victory, Ms. Gaucher for being the teacher supervisor, and all the parents for cheering them on!

 

Helen E. Taylor School

Let’s taco ‘bout it!

Mrs. Underwood made tacos for Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 27.

 

La Glace School

100 days of school

Students enjoyed their 100^th day of school with fresh pancakes served by their teachers; the Grade 1s even made 100 of them! The Grade 1s also enjoyed a fine motor patterning activity where they made 10 groups of 10 beads.

 

Extra sweet for kindness month

The La Glace School Leadership Team made chocolate chip cookies to hand out to every student in the building!

 

Skating a success

The school-wide skate was a big success as older students were paired up with younger students to help out. The students enjoyed their good old fashioned ice skating and would like to thank the La Glace Agriculture Society for allowing them to use the rink! 

 

Students learn the power of drumming

Andrea Rosenberger visited La Glace School to teach Grade 1-9 students drumming techniques. The energy from the unison drumming sound was amazing!

 

Peace Wapiti Academy

Battle of the Vans

PWA Art 20/30 students competed in S3 Boardshop’s Battle of the Vans competition against St. Joseph Catholic High School and they delivered! Students were given a pair of white Vans shoes and were tasked with designing their own Vans. PWA students Riley Deagle and Odin Monk placed first and third respectively.

 

PWA basketball teams bring home silver

Congratulations to both the Boys’ and Girls’ basketball teams! Both teams earned silver medals at the Grimshaw Trojan’s Invitational Tournament.

 

Grade 11 students experience a day of CALM

Career and Life Management (CALM) Day included various seminars that taught students about insurance, healthy relationships, SAAD, risky behaviours, and sexual health.

 

Sexsmith Secondary School

Watson named Coach of the Year

Since returning home as a Provincial Champion this past football season, Sexsmith Sabres’ Coach Watson has earned the Coach of the Year award. Coach Watson has been presented the 2021 Tier IV Coach of the Year award by Football Alberta who says he is a “fantastic coach and mentor”. Watson says developing as a coach was a process for him, especially when trying to get the best from his players both on and off the field. He coaches with the 3 C's; commitment to self, commitment to the team, and commitment to the community. He is hoping that the success the team had this year will attract more players to his program. Congratulations Coach!

 

Sharing the love

Throughout the school year, on special holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, Sexsmith Secondary has been delivering special gift bags to random students. During each of the five blocks, two students from each grade are called to the office to receive a treat bag filled with snacks and sweets. The students then draw a classroom number where they take a second treat bag and randomly choose a second recipient. The initiative continues to bring smiles to students throughout the school as they wait in anticipation to hear whose name will be called! Thank you to Mrs. Thompson and her junior high helper who put together the 120 gift bags!

 

Sexsmith Secondary students represent at Curling Zones

Sexsmith Secondary students competed at the Curling Zones tournament in Manning on February 15 and 16 and they brought the heat! Students competed in the Senior Men’s, Senior Women’s, and Junior Mixed categories and all three SSS teams brought home the gold! Congratulations!

 

Spirit River Regional Academy

Through the decades

The Graduating Class of 2022 celebrated ‘Decades Day’ on February 11.

 

SRRA gains a classroom

With the growth in population that SRRA experienced at the beginning of the year, came the need for another classroom. Renovations of the old computer room began in October and it has since been transformed into a beautiful functioning classroom. Students were able to start off the second semester in this great new space!

 

Whispering Ridge Community School

Kindne$$ Counts

Cooper Langenecker, WRCS’s Kindne$$ Counts January winner, receives his $50 prize!

 

Students heading to Jasper

The Grade 7 and 8 students will be heading to Jasper for a few days in the mountains next month. Mrs. Fisher has worked extra hard to organize a fun ski trip for WRCS students. Nearly 80 students will fill two buses as they head for the slopes on March 7.

 

All in the name of love

The Grade 6 students organized a ‘Crush’ pop fundraiser for Valentine’s Day to raise funds to go toward the school’s field development. The creative campaign brought in $1850! Congratulations!

 

Learning about the moon

Grade 6 students learned about the different stages of the Earth’s moon using Oreos!

 

Upcoming events

• Pink Shirt Day: Wednesday, February 23
• Kindergarten Registration Opens: Wednesday, March 2
• World Teen Mental Wellness Day: Wednesday, March 2
• Mighty Peace Teachers’ Convention, no school: Thursday and Friday, March 10 and 11
• Daylight Savings Time Begins (spring forward one hour): Sunday, March 13 at 2:00 a.m.
• Pi Day: Monday, March 14
• Substitute Teachers’ Appreciation Week: March 14 – 18
• St. Patrick’s Day: Thursday, March 17
• Professional Development Day, no school: Friday, March 18
• Spirit Sisters Youth Conference: Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19
• Next Board Meeting: Thursday, March 24, 10:30 a.m.
• Spring Break, no school: March 28 – April 1