Submitted by Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools
In August 2017 the École Queen Elizabeth School will become a new French immersion and year round education program Kindergarten to Grade 8 school.
Currently there is no playground located at École Queen Elizabeth due to the fact that it has been a junior high school. The Canadian Parents for French organization and the CB McMurdo parent council have begun the plans to erect a playground that will meet the needs of the Kindergarten to Grade 8 students who will begin attending the new École Queen Elizabeth School in August, 2017.
The two parent groups requested board support for the construction of the new playground which will be designed for Kindergarten to grade 8 students. This project is a shared commitment between the two school parent groups and the board of trustees that will enhance the attractiveness of school. It is the hope of the organizers that the timely completion of this project will promote a positive school year start-up. The parent groups have applied for the Community Facilities Enhancement Program grant which is a matching grant that will be maximized by combining Canadian Parents for French, CB Education Booster and Wetaskiwin Regional Public School funds.
The board of trustees determined that they will support this project by contributing $25,000 for the purchase of equipment in support of the playground.
Leaders of Tomorrow
The Leaders of Tomorrow kick-off will be held on January 19, 2017 at the Reynolds Alberta Museum with the actual event being held on April 24, 2017.
Policy revision
Beginning in January of 2017 all board meetings will commence with a Treaty Six land acknowledgement as follows:
“We acknowledge that we are on Treaty Six territory and we recognize all the many First Nations, Métis, Inuit and non-First Nations whose footsteps have marked these lands.”
Maskwacis trustee appointment 2017 municipal election
The municipal election in Alberta is scheduled for October, 2017. The Wetaskiwin Regional Public School Board has had a Maskwacis Cree Nation trustee appointed by the Maskwacis Cree Nation since 2007. Prior to a municipal election the board corresponds with the chiefs of the four bands that constitute the Maskwacis Cree Nation asking them to consider appointing an individual to be their representative on the board of trustees.
The board of trustees has worked hard over the years to remove the barriers indigenous youths and adults face within education. An indicator of the board’s success is that approximately 27 per cent of our student population is indigenous, and of that number approximately 52 per cent come from the Maskwacis Cree Nation.
The board has affirmed its commitment to achieving the level of success it wants for all students with the approval of its Strategic Education Plan and Annual Results Report. As such, it is crucial that the Maskwacis Cree Nation continue to be a full participant in the educational decision-making process within Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools.
Tender accepted for Rosebrier School property
The board issued a request for tender for the purchase of the former Rosebrier School and land. One tender was received with an offer to purchase for $50,000 made by a resident of the community. The board has accepted this offer for the purchase of the Rosebrier School property.