GYPSD news
School Highlight - PGMS
Starting this school year, GYPSD’s Board of Trust-ees is pleased to begin Public Board Meetings with different schools sharing good news or special high-lights. This meeting was joined by 5 students and 3 staff from École Pine Grove School in Edson who spoke about their popular drama program as part of the school’s cross-graded options. The students spoke about their enthusiasm of the junior and/ or se-nior drama programs and the various skills and com-petencies they each have developed as part of the program. The school puts on a musical performance as well as participates in zone one act drama festi-vals. This year’s musical is ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and rehearsals have already begun.
Help Name Our School!
Trustees approved the process for encouraging the Edson community to join in the fun to submit possi-ble names for the new replacement school in Edson. Nomination forms will be available on the division’s website or you can pick up hard copies at all Edson schools. They can be emailed to board@gypsd.ca; mailed to the Education Services Centre c/o Nikki Gilks or can be dropped off in the yellow box at all Edson schools.
Provincial Exam News
Learning Services went over the upcoming chang-es to the 201617 Student Learning Assessments (SLAs), Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) and Di-ploma Exams:
SLAs for Grade 3 are still in a pilot phase how-ever our division was not chosen to participate in the pilot this year.
PATs will continue to be written at the Grade 6 and 9 levels.
Two new calculators (fx9750 G Plus & Ti-84 Plus C Silver) are now approved for use on diploma exams.
Quick Facts sheets and Information Bulletins on both PATs and Diploma Exams will be sent home from schools if their child is expected to write one of the exams this year.
Capital Projects Update
Along with a monitoring report on completed summer maintenance projects across the division, Facility Services provided their regular update to the Board on two current capital projects in the division: the modernization project for Grande Cache Community High School (GCCHS) and the replacement school in Edson.
The GCCHS project is continues to move ahead as Phase 2 and 4 were completed and turned over to the school on September 2, 2016. The library was completed at the end of August and staff moved into the new library the first week of September. The paving was completed on September 12, 2016 with landscaping to follow. Phase 5 footings (gymnaisum area) and foundation work and masonry work has started.
The A.H.Dakin/ Evergreen Replacement School project has started to see some construction work begin with a construction fence set up onsite. The site has been cleared and piles started the week of September 12, 2016 followed by foundation work.The project is scheduled for completion by June 30, 2017.
In addition, a small renovation project was started over the summer to the student and staff gathering areas, as well as the installation of new washrooms at Grand Trunk High School in Evansburg.
Other News in Brief
Transportation Services presented their report on school start-up routes and bus safety information. The division currently transports 2,640 students. Director Gail Prokopchuk also reminded the Board that School Bus Safety Week is October 17-21, 2016. The full transportation report can be read on the division’s website.
Ongoing supports and services focused on literacy development greatly assists GYPSD in meeting their goal of one year’s growth for every student each school year. The division’s literacy plan for the 201617 school year includes a divisionwide testing protocol for both reading and writing assess-ments; strategies to improve literacy struggles across different subject areas and continuing to sup-port literacy interventions.
A preliminary look at the fourth quarter Statement of Revenue and Expenses for year ending August 31, 2016 indicates that the expected deficit may be slightly lower than expected.