Stoney Nakoda youth in Morley play the guitar with an instructor provided by The Children's Legacy Foundation Gift of Music Program, which is co-funded by Alberta Safe Communities.

The Legacy Children’s Foundation Gift of Music Program offered free music lessons to Stoney Nakoda youth on the Morley reserve last year and 80 per cent of the students involved remained committed to the program and finished the school year.

That 80 per cent success rate has proven to be the magic number across North America, where similar programs have been operating for approximately 20 years.

Darryl Wernham, CEO of The Legacy Children’s Foundation, said because of the success in Morley over the past year, the Province has awarded the foundation $150,000 to expand the music lessons to youth in Eden Valley and Big Horn as well as in Morley for another three years.

“Morley was the first test and it’s so successful we want to help their whole organization,” said Wernham.

Wernham said five youth in Eden Valley will be offered guitar lessons, which cost the foundation approximately $1,000 per year per student.

“We’ll supply the instruments and we have some finances to get them into a recording studio,” he said.

The foundation will consult with teachers at Chief Jacob Bearspaw Memorial School in Eden Valley to determine which five students are the best candidates for the program.

The deal is that as long as they attend their school classes and stay out of trouble, they will be given free guitar lessons and the chance to record in a studio. They will also have the opportunity to connect with people who earn their living making music.

“We try to introduce kids to professionals in the music industry, musicians in a studio, sound engineers,” said Wernham. “We want them to think, ‘Wow, this could be my life.’ We really want to get kids excited about it. We could find a budding Eric Clapton.”

The grant funding for the program, called the Gift of Music, comes from the Alberta Safe Communities initiative.

“What interests Safe Communities is that we looked at programs like this in San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles – those are all gang centrals,” said Wernham. “They have been super successful in two man things: kids stay in school and out of gangs. In Chicago, 46,000 kids have gone through the ‘Guitars not Guns’ program since 1989 and 90 per cent of the kids have finished high school and/or went on to post secondary.”

Finding a way for aboriginal youth to want to stay in school and out of trouble is a positive move in Alberta.

“Research shows that the school drop-out rate in Alberta for aboriginal kids is higher than the rest of the population,” said Wernham. “I’ve talked to people who are concerned about kids getting in trouble, kids getting into gangs and if we can stop that – well, it’s one kid at a time.”

In Eden Valley it’ll be five youth at a time.

To access the program funding the foundation is required to match the $150,000 grant, so fundraising is underway. Foundation members are reaching out to corporations and individuals in surrounding communities for donations.

They are accepting instruments, as well as cash donations.

“It’s awesome, I’m excited about this program because of the results,” said Wernham. “We’re seeing what we’re doing for kids.

“Kids who get involved with music, their grades improve, they score better on entrance exams for universities, they do better in math and literacy – it’s been researched for a long time and it’s really, really neat stuff. They also learn what it’s like to be in a team, because a band is a team. They learn about leadership and they learn about the skills you need to be successful in the workplace, like be focused and on time.”

tneely@okotoks.greatwest.ca

Education Minister Dave Hancock announced Tuesday the provincial government will now fund a 2.92 per cent teachers’ raise this fall.

On Tuesday school boards received an e-mail from Alberta Education Minister Dave Hancock announcing the Province will fund a 2.92 per cent teachers’ raise effective in September. The decision comes on the heels of the Province announcing last year’s deficit has been cut from $3.6 billion to $1 billion.

The Foothills School Division (FSD) will see an additional $2 million fro the Province as a result of the announcement. FSD trustees already passed an interim budget that included cutting 10 teaching job and cuts to support staff and special needs staff. The board also planned to take $500,000 from its reserve funds.

FSD superintendent Denise Rose said the announcement will allow the board to re-evaluate its budget.

“Now its just doing the math and figuring out the dollars and cents,” Rose said. “I think we can soften some of the decisions we made last (school) year.”

She said school principals will be consulted to find out where staff is needed.

The Province making good on its promise to fund the raised has restored confidence in Alberta Education, Rose said.

“The Minister said he’d (fund teacher’s raises) and he came through,” she said. “It builds confidence and trust in the system.”

The division’s secretary-treasurer, Drew Chipman, said he will be working on the budget this summer with other executives to come up with scenarios for the board to consider.

“Hopefully this will mean we can add back in where it is needed and won’t have to dip into our reserves,” Chipman said.

He will be talking with trustees this summer, he said, before they reconvene in September. A final budget does not have to be sent to the Province until Nov. 30.

This is the second time local boards have adjusted their budget while the Province has found money to fund teachers’ salaries. Last September the Province cut $80 million out of its education budget in the midst of the recession, but in March the Province said it had the cash to fund an adjustment to teachers’ salaries. However, Alberta Education did not make a formal announcement the funds were in place until last week meaning many school divisions approved interim belt-tightening budgets this spring not knowing if additional funds were coming.

Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools superintendent Michael O’Brien said financial uncertainty is a part of living in Alberta.

“We would like it to be more consistent and know your funding two or three years in advance,” he said. “Unfortunately, we are tied to an oil economy and its boom or bust.”

O’Brien said the Catholic school division will also be looking at reversing decisions they made to save money, such as cutting back on hiring and taking money from its reserves. O’Brien said they are already seeing a one to two per cent enrollment increase at their four Okotoks schools and will now be able to hire teachers to fulfill those needs this summer.

“We had decided to hold off on hiring until the fall,” said O’Brien. “It is hard to say, but it is a good bet that we will be able to move forward this summer now that we have the money.”

Percy Pegler School teacher Bill Robertson is the Foothills School Division’s Alberta Teacher’s Association representative. He said the uncertainty has already driven some teachers out of the area.

“It’s unfortunate the school division had to plan for these layoffs,” he said. “I know a number of great teachers had to apply elsewhere.”

Robertson said although the minister had always said the money was coming, he found it strange the Province asked boards to deal with it by running deficits.

“What I found a little awkward is this government that prided itself on having balanced budgets and surpluses and savings and they are asking boards to deal with it by running deficit budgets,” he said. “That created an unease and anxiety in a variety of people in the education profession.”

However, Robertson said the announcement boards would receive full funding this fall is positive.

“I’m pleased,” he said. “The kids in the classroom will benefit by slightly lower student to teacher ratios.”

Not only because this is the final graduating class principal Ric Morales will be overseeing before moving on to Red Deer Lake School, but for the sheer talent of the students. Of the four graduating classes Morales has seen, this one was special.

“These guys stand out because when I came here they were in Grade 9,” said Morales.

Oilfields High School principal Ric Morales delivers his speech to graduating students and their parents during the school's 2010 grad ceremony. Rick Northrop/OWW

Prior to becoming principal at OHS Morales was vice-principal at Foothills Composite High School and he said this crop of grads is unlike any other he’s seen before. He has seen them develop and grow over the past four years.

“I think that’s the part Oilfields should take a great deal of pride in, is that we nurture a lot of young leaders by serving and serving unconditionally,” said Morales.

The school’s graduating ceremony held on June 30 was a special event for Morales and the 47 graduating Grade 12 students.

“I was so proud to watch these particular grads graduate,” said Morales.

Morales taught some of the students during a leadership class and he said they left a mark on him.

“I watched them take on projects and develop into some young leadership roles around the community,” said Morales.

OHS has a quite an eclectic group of grads to be proud of this year. Some students are talented musicians, some are future nursing students and some have won academic achievement awards like valedictorian, Luke Kissick who won the Euclid mathematics award and will be attending the University of Alberta next year.

“We do have a high proportion of our kids that are fairly talented and going on in different ways,” said Morales.

Kissick’s mother was also valedictorian of her graduating class and it’s kind of a family tradition. To Kissick, being valedictorian means being hard working and dedicated.

“You’re also a representative of your class so you have to be a good role model and have a good reputation in the community,” said Kissick.

About one week before the actual grad ceremony held in the school’s gymnasium, Kissick found out he had been selected.

Morgan Ptolemy won the Sandul’s Pharmacy bursary given each year to a student pursuing medical studies.

Newell won the RCMP bursary given to a student who represents the values of the RCMP.

Blake Murray was given the faculty award and guest speakers included Black Diamond Mayor Sharlene Brown and past OHS grads, Travis Nelson and Darren Tosh.

rnorthrop@okotoks.greatwest.ca

http://oilfields.fsd38.ab.ca/

Among the award winners were Luke Kissick, who won the Euclid Mathematics Competition after placing in the top 25 per cent of math students nationally, and Tyson Newell, who won the John Standish Scholarship.

Newell said he was surprised to receive the award in front of Oilfields staff and students.

“I felt really honoured to be selected to receive that because there is a tonne of people who could have received it as well,” said Newell.

Oilfields High School students Tyson Newell, left, and Luke Kissick received awards during the school's semi-annual Black and Gold Awards ceremony June 11. Rick Northrop/OWW

The John Standish Scholarship is given to the student who demonstrates depth of character and hard work. This fall Newell will head across the Atlantic to play semi-pro soccer in Leeds, England and study international business at a nearby university.

“Economics has always appealed to me, the way the market works and I thought I would give it a try,” said Newell, 17.

His goal is to play soccer as long as possible while having an education to fall back on. A self-described quiet person, Newell likes to lead by his actions on the pitch.

“More than anything I choose to lead by example more than talking,” said Newell.

Kissick is a natural student who likes the patterns of mathematics by nature. In September, Kissick will be attending the University of Alberta’s engineering program.

“I want to go into astronautic engineering eventually,” said Kissick. “I just think that space would be interesting. Making satellites, making jet propulsion systems.”

The University of Alberta doesn’t have an astronautic engineering program but the University of California at Berkeley does and Kissick would like to transfer there.

“It’s (math is) all patterns and it’s really easy to understand,” said Kissick.

He admitted English is tougher for him and he has to try much harder to get the same grade as he does in math.

Kissick said he was surprised when his name was announced as well thinking one of the other gifted math students at Oilfields must have done better than him.

“I didn’t think I would do the best in the school because there are a couple of really talented kids at math,” said Kissick, 17.

The Euclid Mathematics Competition consists of a 10 question test written April 7 this year that takes approximately two and half hours to write. Each student scoring in the top 25 per cent receives a certificate of distinction and the top five in Canada get a cash prize of $500.

Karen Dahlgren, an English and learning support teacher at Oilfields, said both boys share a natural curiosity and integrity asking teachers questions about how and why things work the way they do.

“Both of them have that real sense of wonder about things,” said Dahlgren. “They are both competent readers, competent writers, strong students. They are just great all-around young men.”

rnorthrop@okotoks.greatwest.ca

Brian Uzick, head of the music department at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS), was responsible for bringing in the guest composer, Julie Giroux.

“A family had donated funds to enrich our band program and we decided to commission a piece that was to be done by a composer,” said Uzick. “I attended an international band and orchestra conference in Chicago and that’s where I met Julie.”

“I wanted the students to learn about the musical process,” said Uzick. “This is a song that is written for them and has never been played by anyone else.”

After its world premiere last Thursday at STS, the piece titled Strathcona Suite will be published for other bands to play.

During Julie Giroux’s four-day visit to the school she worked with the Grades 7, 8 and 9 bands as well as the senior band and the Grade 10 film studies class.

Giroux said this is the first time she has worked with a school in Canada and was drawn to the school’s environment.

“I don’t usually work with this grade level, but I wanted the chance to work with younger students so that they could give me feedback,” said Giroux. “I liked being able to learn what they liked or didn’t like in music and that allowed me to emotionally tap into them.”

The idea of Strathcona Suite came about when Giroux familiarized herself with the area surrounding the school.

“I looked at pictures of the school, students and the area,” she said. “I tried to capture all of those things. The people here have such great energy and I wanted to capture that.”

Strathcona Suite is a piece that is divided into three sections called movements consisting of the seasons fall, winter and spring.

Giroux said the music of the fall section is designed to sound like students are marching back to school against their own will whereas the winter section sounds very cold and crystallized.

“For winter we used a kind of rare technology,” said Giroux. “The instrument we used was a string bass with a bow on a vibraphone, similar to a marimba but with metal keys. It makes very unusual but clear sounds, to me it sounds like ice.”

The final section of Strathcona Suite was made to sound more light and upbeat to complement the sounds of spring.

Composing has always been a life-long passion of Giroux ever since she had her first piece published at the ripe age of eight.

Giroux added she always knew composing is what she wanted to do. She was born in Boston and earned her bachelor’s degree in music performance from Louisiana State University. She has won three Emmy Awards and composed the musical score for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Giroux has also scored for musicians such as Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Jon Bon Jovi, Madonna, Reba McIntyre, Michael Jackson and many others.

Giroux leaves a word or two of advice for those looking to make their way into the world of composing.

“The thing about composing is the only thing you have to do is compose. Just do it. All the time,” she said. “The ones who are truly meant to be composers won’t be able to stop once they start.”

Construction at the school is several months behind schedule, therefore, it will not open this September as expected. The 30-year-old school is currently undergoing a modernization that will see most of the school’s infrastructure replaced. The $4.4 million renovation will include replacing the school’s electrical and mechanical systems and esthetic improvements like new windows, walls, flooring and lighting. The school will also be reconfigured at the entranceway to force visitors to walk past the main office.

Percy Pegler school site supervisor Gary Watson outside the school, where new blocking is being put up.

Work began at the school in July 2009 and was to be completed by the end of August 2010.

However, Foothills School Division secretary-treasurer Drew Chipman said Bayview Constructors Inc, the contractor doing the project, told him last week the work will not be completed on time.

Bayview Constructors Inc. president William Piersanti said there was a number of unexpected delays including structural problems and asbestos in the flooring glue that had to be removed by experts. In total, Piersanti said the project has been delayed six months by work that was not anticipated. Most recently, it was discovered a basement wall needs to be rebuilt, which will mean another two month delay.

“Up to this point Bayview did all it could to try to recoup the lost time by adding staff, working six days a week and longer work hours,” said Piersanti. “We would have made the schedule except that another problem has just been discovered.”

The school, including work in the gymnasium, is now expected to be done by the end of October.

“We want to make sure it is fully completed before we move back in,” said Chipman. “Safety is paramount.”

Chipman said weather this month has delayed some exterior work and the work inside has taken longer than anticipated.

The upper floor is nearing completion, but the lower floor and gym still have a lot of work left to do, he said.

Students who have been displaced from the school for a year will return to classrooms in portables at Percy Pegler and classes set up in the gymnasium at the nearby Okotoks Junior High School.

“Its frustrating,” said Chipman of the delay.

Students from both Okotoks Junior High School and Ecole Percy Pegler School have been using playfields and the Okotoks Recreation Centre for their phys-ed classes.

Letters were sent home with parents this week informing them of the plans for the new school year.

The division postponed renovating Ecole Percy Pegler School for a year after receiving Provincial funding for the project because of soaring construction costs during the economic boom.

By Laura Griffin

Contributor

Something is stirring at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area. There’s lions and tigers and bears oh my!

But don’t worry, the tigers are a type of salamander and the bears and mountain lions are just the kids at play. The Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area is pleased to announce our Nature Safari Summer Day Camps are returning this year.

If your children are looking for an ideal escape this summer (or you are looking for an ideal escape from them) then look no further. Nature Safari Day Camps offer kids the opportunity to connect with the great outdoors the way they were meant to — with the wind in their hair, the sun on their backs and a smile on their face. Our day camps delve into the wonders of the foothills with investigative hikes, hands-on activities and fun-filled eco-crafts. Each day follows a new theme-based adventure, from insects to bears, trees to dirt. Not only will your children be immersed in nature at the present day Cross Conservation Area, they will also have the opportunity to “travel back in time” and discover the fascinating world of the natives and ranchers who used to use the area.

The week-long day camps run July 5-9 and Aug 9-13 for children ages nine to 12 and July 12-16, July 19-23, July 26-30 and Aug 3-6 for children ages six to eight. This is an ideal opportunity for kids who have a natural curiosity about the world around them.

There’s no better way to develop a connection with nature than to dive right in and experience it first-hand at an early age. We allow kids the opportunity to build a relationship with the outdoors that will last a lifetime. Whether it is through sitting peacefully by a pond, playing nature-based games, creating art, or listening to a guest naturalist share their enthusiasm, there is no end to what your children can discover about themselves and the world around them. Another connection that day camps provide is the opportunity for your kids to meet a few more friends their own age.

Speaking from experience, there’s no place quite like the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area to spend the summer and we would love to share the beautiful landscape, fascinating wildlife and unique atmosphere with your children.

For more information, contact Laura at 403-931-2402, email lgriffin@crossconservation.org or visit our website at www.crossconservation.org.

Okotoks elementary and junior high school students now know where they will be attending classes two years from now.

The Foothills School Division (FSD) has shuffled its boundaries in anticipation of a school opening in Okotoks’ southwest neighbourhood of Westmount. To see the new boundaries click here: Okotoks Boundaries

The changes approved by the FSD board of trustees will cause the least amount of disruption to students already in the system, said FSD superintendent Jim McLellan. The biggest challenge was juggling the high number of students living north of the Sheep River in growing subdivisions like Crystal Ridge, Drake Landing and the Air Ranch.

“We have 50 per cent more students north of the river,” said McLellan.

Two elementary schools, Dr. Morris Gibson School and Ecole Percy Pegler School, are located in the north, while Big Rock elementary is the only school on the south side. Dr. Morris Gibson is the highest capacity school in the district. By shrinking its borders, Dr. Morris Gibson School’s enrollment will decrease by 100 students. Also, students living in neighbourhoods currently under construction on the east side of Drake Landing and the Air Ranch will be attending Ecole Percy Pegler School, but will have to drive past Dr. Morris Gibson to get to school.

Trustees also voted to declare Dr. Morris Gibson full when the boundaries change in 2012, which means no students living outside the new boundary will be allowed to attend the school.

Lana Brady has two children who attend Dr. Morris Gibson School. They will continue to attend the school, but Brady said those who will be pushed out should be given some options.

“I think that seems severe,” Brady said of closing the school to out-of-boundary students. “What if your child is going into Grade 6 and then has to change schools for a year and then has to change again for junior high?”

Brady said she is pleased the area surrounding Dr. Morris Gibson School stayed intact.

“I hope it will have a positive impact on the traffic,” she said.

McLellan said Big Rock School will be most impacted and students at that school will decrease from 570 to 308. That school is expected to gain more students, however, from continued development in Cimarron and other nearby neighbourhoods that are currently under construction.

Westmount school will not meet its 700 student capacity and is expected to have 457 students when it opens in September 2012. McLellan said the number of students are from today’s figures and he said Okotoks’ population will continue to grow in the next two years adding to the population of local elementary schools.

He said the division’s next priority will be a school in the north part of the municipality, which would relieve some pressure from rural students who attend Okotoks schools. Currently, there are 30 rural students who attend the three Okotoks elementary schools.

Boundaries have also been set for junior high school in the plan because the Westmount school will go up to Grade 9. The only school that will split when it goes to junior high is Big Rock, with students living in the north half going to Westmount and students living in the south attending Okotoks Junior High School.

FSD secretary-treasurer Drew Chipman said it was important to balance the junior high populations between the two schools.

“We want to make sure we have a fully functioning program at Westmount,” said Chipman. “We need about 50 to 70 students in each grade.”

The number of students affects programming, such as sports teams, he explained.

Volunteer Susan Deike is helping the school put on the Movie Under the Stars event as a fundraiser for its fine arts program.

“This is something for the kids,” said Deike. “The fine arts program is something they enjoy and we wanted to do something that was going to benefit the program, but also different and fun for families.”

The school’s principal Ted Thorne is also working alongside the volunteers. He said the proceeds will go towards new activities within the arts programming.

“We are working to bring in artists to actually work with the students so that they can have an enhanced learning experience that goes above and beyond the classroom,” said Thorne. “We also don’t want to have to charge parents for something that was going to help their kids learn.”

Funds will also be spent on music and drama classes.

Thorne added that there isn’t a set goal of how much the school would like to raise and that whatever amount is collected is a bonus.

There will also be activities and games for all ages before the showing of the movie including: face painting, balloon art, Top Shot Hockey’s Electronic Hockey Net, a petting zoo, crafts, hand-led horse rides and barbecue dinner among other festivities.

Door prizes and a 50/50 draw will also be offered.

“It’s a kind of good old-fashioned western theme with the barbeque of smokies and burgers and the activities we have,” said Deike. “People don’t have to come dressed up in western wear but we are having races at the race track.”

The movie will be shown on a 24-foot by 18-foot weather-proof screen and will go on rain or shine. Viewers are encouraged to dress for the weather.

The movie is a family friendly animated feature but cannot be named, as the volunteer staff would prefer it to be a surprise. The showing is scheduled to begin after the activities at sundown at approximately 9:45 p.m. so people can enjoy the full moon and starry night.

Admission is by donation and pre-movie activities and games begin at 6 p.m. at the Millarville Race Track. For more information visit http://movieunderthestars.squarespace.com

Alberta Education recently released three plans planning the future of education in the province, which called for students to become engaged thinkers and ethical citizens. Rob Anderson Wildrose Alliance MLA for Airdrie Chestermere called the latest plan, Inspiring Action on Education, “flowery edu-babble.” But Foothills School Division (FSD) deputy superintendent Denise Rose said the plan is in line with what FSD already does.

“A lot of what’s part of their principles are also principles and values that we hold true to us in Foothills School Division,” said Rose.

Roberta Labelle instructs a class at John Paul II Collegiate in Okotoks. The province recently released a number of reports which may change the face of education in Alberta. Rick Northrop/OWW

The plans suggest that teachers and school divisions become more learner-centred around the needs of students. Rose said FSD curriculums already have flexible pacing and timing.

“One of the things we have talked a little bit about is continuing to encourage student voice in how they learn, where they learn, when, what,” said Rose.

Each year, students fill out a survey called the Learning Bar to help FSD understand their needs.

The Inspiring Education plan calls for change in several areas to keep up with a changing world. One the areas is early education. Rose said FSD already employs a director of early learning.

“I think we have a good reputation in the community for working with parents and pre-schools in partnership for those early experiences,” said Rose.

The plans could form the basis of a revised provincial school act released next spring.

On July 16, FSD approved an interim upcoming budget that will see $1.5 million cut from areas such as teaching and support staff. The province would like to see the changing face of technology to be embraced in the classroom, even with budget cuts.

“First it’s not about the technology as much as how do you use technology to enhance learning in classrooms and in schools,” said Rose.

By the end of next year, smart-boards-a touch interactive whiteboard- will be in every classroom according to Rose.

Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools (CRCS) superintendent Michael O’Brien said it’s early to tell how the reports will affect the school division or any other in the province. O’Brien said CRCS will meet later in the summer to discuss changes the school board will be making.

“We’ll really get heavily involved in August, September,” said O’Brien.

Alberta Education is set to release five other reports on the state of education in Alberta and future changes to be made.

Rather than be critical of the reports, O’Brien said the government needs to be given a chance to finish their work before he makes a comment like calling the plans “edu-babble.”

“I think we have to give the government a chance and we have to look at the Inspiring Action (plan) and see what happens,” said O’Brien.

With dramatic changes in the world, O’Brien said it was time to review the education system in Alberta to stay competitive in a global economy.

“But I think it’s really important when we prepare people for this world and the next, that we are geared for what the needs are 20 years from now.”

O’Brien said CRCS looks at increased demands by the Alberta Education with less funding as a positive thing and they should look at ways of doing more with less.

“School boards have to be part of the solution not just part of the problem,” said O’Brien.

The Inspiring Action report outlines future changes to the education system in a number of categories such as inclusive education. The next report called Collaboration and Shared Governance is due out July 13.

Both the Inspiring Education and Inspiring Action plans, as well as any other future reports can be viewed on the Alberta Education website at http://engage.education.alberta.ca

rnorthrop@okotoks.greatwest.ca