The Battle River School Division Board of Trustees approved grants in support of two school playground projects at their March 23 meeting. The grants, for $7500 each, will be provided to Bawlf and Chester Ronning Schools.
The Board acknowledged that these grants represent only a small portion of what's required to purchase playground equipment and recognized the importance of community support and generosity to the development of playgrounds.
Student Success
A group of students from C.W. Sears School in Tofield, which serves children in Kindergarten to Grade 4, spoke with the Board about the "Mind Up" program they have been participating in this year. The program helps children understand the functions of different portions of their brain and strategies people can use to control or modify their own behaviour. The students demonstrated strategies for reducing anxiety and lessening anger, and also encouraged Board members and senior staff to "use your pre-frontal cortex to make good decisions".
Disposing of land
BRSD is moving forward with the process of disposing of the land and building that used to be Rosalind School. The area has already been sub-divided to transfer the ball fields and recreation buildings on the site to the Village. As soon as two appraisals have been received, the site will be advertised for sale.
Alberta School Councils presentation
Jacquie Hansen and Wendy Kiever of the Alberta School Councils Association (ASCA) visited Battle River to speak about the ways in which their organization can help local school councils become more effective. BRSD will be sending five school council representatives to the spring ASCA conference and encourages all councils to participate in the webinars and training opportunities the ASCA makes available.
School modernization on the approved list
Battle River School Division is delighted that the number one priority on its Capital Plan List, the modernization of Chester Ronning School, has been approved. The modernization project is on the "unfunded list" which means that no dollars have been allocated to the project at this time, but it will be a priority when government dollars become available. Chester Ronning School is 50 years old this year.
Impact of budget and school fees announcements
BRSD was also pleased to confirm that funds will flow from the provincial government to offset the elimination of instructional material fees that school jurisdictions used to charge, so there will be no negative impact on the budget. There are also minimal changes in other budget categories, so a very small change to the overall BRSD budget for next year. The most significant impact will be caused by a projected decline of about 100 students, due to more students graduating from Grade 12 than are starting school.
Bussing decision
As plans for development progress in the Valleyview West subdivision of Camrose, the BRSD Board made a formal decision to direct all bussing of future students in that neighbourhood to Chester Ronning School.
Kindergarten registration is open
All Battle River schools which offer Kindergarten programs are now accepting registrations for next year.
Sporting success
The BRSD Board took a moment to acknowledge that six teams took part in provincial basketball competition in mid-March, with two of them winning medals. The Hay Lakes Tigers brought home the gold from the 1A Boys final, while the Camrose Composite High Trojans came away from the 3A Boys competition with a silver. Bawlf School hosted the 1A girls' provincial competition, in which teams from Bawlf, Hay Lakes and Viking took part and the Forestburg boys also travelled to the 1A final in Calgary. It was a great season for many teams and we congratulate all of those who took part. Special acknowledgement to the coaches and parent volunteers who make student participation in sports tournaments possible!
