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Schools expanding services
School joined the public school division. Like District No. 76, Medicine Hat Catholic is very
Rossler said District No. 76 is happy to be concerned about facilities, and has been lobbying for a
able to offer Christian education as another new high school for years. The division prides itself on
alternative within the division, and was also the range of specialized programming it offers within a
happy to receive the school’s 178 students to relatively small division — French Immersion, a Fine
add to its enrolment. Arts Academy, etc. But Leahy says he fears some of that
“It meant this year we didn’t decline in
programming may have to be cut if the space crunch
enrolment like other divisions did,” Rossler
isn’t addressed soon.
said. “I’ve been saying this for a few years and it’s coming to
Just as in past years, Rossler said the need
pass — if we don’t get relief soon, some of our programs
for new facilities remains one of the biggest
may be lost because we need that space for classrooms,”
issues the division is facing. District No.
Leahy says.
76 has been lobbying for a long time for a
new elementary school in both the south
Prairie Rose School Division
and north to meet the needs of the city’s
NEWS PHOTO EMMA BENNETT
growing population. The recent addition of
Doug Nicholls, superintendent of the Prairie Rose
Medicine Hat and the surrounding area's three school new modular classrooms at George Davison, Webster
School Division, says student results will continue
divisions — Prairie Rose, Medicine Hat School District
Niblock, and River Heights — three schools which have
to be the main priority for the division. Prairie Rose
No. 76 and Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Regional
had the biggest space concerns in the past — has gone
has traditionally received high marks from Alberta
No. 20 Division — serve a total of 12,914 students
part of the way toward addressing the problem. Four
Education’s “Accountability Pillar,” and Nicholls says the
from kindergarten to Grade 12. Two of the youngsters
more modular classrooms are slated to arrive next year.
division is also proud of some of the things it has been
are Grade 4 students Cole Veenendaal and Erin
However, Rossler said it’s only a stop-gap measure.
able to accomplish through the AISI (Alberta Initiative
Schiebelbein from Margaret Wooding School in Redcliff.
With so many schools and students to serve, education
for School Improvement) program. These projects
“Modulars are only short-term solutions, not long-term
is an always exciting, constantly-changing field.
include — among other things — a character education
solutions,” she says.
program as well as the addition of videoconferencing
Medicine Hat Catholic Separate
technology that has allowed the division to bring a wider
Amanda Stephenson
range of programming to its smaller, more isolated
astephenson@medicinehatnews.com
Regional Division
schools.

The election of a new board of trustees in October 2007
One of the challenges facing Prairie Rose is a simple
The Medicine Hat area’s three school divisions serve
— and the subsequent change in senior management
matter of numbers. Seven schools within the division
a total of 12,914 students from kindergarten to Grade
within the division — has led to a redefining of priorities
have fewer than 70 students, making offering complete
12. With that many students — and that many different
for Medicine Hat Catholic. Superintendent David
programming a challenge.
needs and aptitudes — education is an always-exciting,
Leahy says the division’s three main areas of focus are
“We do have enrolment issues in some of our schools —
constantly-changing field.
Catholicity, Achievement, and Relationships. In terms
of Catholicity, the start of the 08-09 school year saw the
enrolment in rural Canada is certainly not increasing,”
establishment of a youth ministry program within the
Nicholls says.
Medicine Hat School District No. 76 school system. A series of town hall meetings aimed at However, the division is taking aggressive action to
One of the most exciting things that has happened in
increasing communication with parents has been part
deal with the problem. In February, two Prairie Rose
Medicine Hat’s public school division recently has been
of the division’s strategy to improve relationships, and
administrators travelled to Mexico in an attempt to
the huge grants Medicine Hat High School and Crescent
Leahy says the division continues to try to address the
recruit international students. The division has even
Heights High School have received for their CTS
issue of achievement — which has been a challenge for
created an English/Spanish promotional video.
(career and technology studies) programs. Between
Medicine Hat Catholic in years past.
Another immediate challenge facing the division is what
them, the two schools have been approved for $473,949 While McCoy High School continues to be one of the to do about full-day every-day kindergarten. Nicholls
to be spread over a three-year period — in addition leaders in the province when it comes to high school says some communities within the division already
to the $300,000 they received in 2008 for the same completion and transition rates, its students’ performance have the program and support it, other communities
purpose. Superintendent Linda Rossler says the board on provincial diploma exams has traditionally been aren’t interested in it. And $250,000 required to offer the
is now hoping to receive funding for health care-related poorer than other area high schools. program is unfunded by the government, with no sign
programs, such as first aid and sports medicine.
“We’re working on getting that level of excellence up,”
that will change anytime soon — making the program a
“That’s so important now that we have an aging Leahy says. “It’s problematic when you’re keeping a lot
major expense for the division.
population and limited health-care workers,” Rossler more kids in high school than a lot of other districts do “One of the challenges for Prairie Rose is to determine
says. . . . those kids, who may have otherwise dropped out, whether or not those dollars should continue to be
Also in 2008, the formerly private Medicine Hat Christian
may not be performing at the same level of excellence as
pulled out of the budget to support full-day every-day
others. But we’re trying to find ways to address that.”
kindergarten,” Nicholls says.
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