BTPS Newsletter
May 10, 2024
Superintendent's Memo
Throughout May, I have been watching social media posts from your schools as you continue to highlight the importance of mental health. The past two weeks I have attended the Art Gala hosted by Vermilion is Being Empowered (VIBE), worn a hat for Hats On! For Mental Health, and enjoyed a burger from Wainwright on Wellness’ (WOW) Mental Health Week BBQ. I look forward to seeing what other initiatives take place throughout the month.
As we embrace Mental Health Month, I'm reminded of the critical importance of fostering well-being within our school community. Mental health isn't just a buzzword; it's a fundamental aspect of our overall health and happiness. In today's fast-paced world, we must prioritize our mental well-being just as much as our physical health. Our schools play a pivotal role in nurturing not only academic growth but also the emotional and psychological development of our students.
The theme of this year's CMHA Mental Health Week is “A Call to be Kind” which emphasizes the healing power of compassion. A simple act of kindness can make a world of difference in someone's day, and it's often the first step towards healing. Let's pledge to be kinder to ourselves and to one another, for in kindness lies the true essence of compassion, and in compassion, lies the power to heal.
Be well,
Michelle
In the last newsletter, there was a google form scavenger hunt for you to partake in for a chance to win a prize. Thank you to all who participated. The lucky winner of the draw goes to... Trish Robley!
Check out this edition’s scavenger hunt form for a chance to win.
Board of Trustees
Visit the Board of Trustees advocacy page on our website for more information.
Dewberry School
Frank Robinson Youth Academy of Nature, the Environment and Feeding the World (FRYA)
August, Adrien, and Mr. Lancaster were invited to speak at the launch event for Frank Robinson Youth Academy of Nature, the Environment and Feeding the World. Dr. Frank Robinson was an integral part of launching our Poultry Program and it was such an honour to be able to celebrate his legacy in Agriculture with the launch of this foundation.
The Vermilion Voice featured our school on Page 13. Take a read!
https://www.vermilionvoice.com/pdf
**Any snippet from their article is also really powerful to use too**
Finding Passion in Education
Our grade 9 and 10 students engaged in some unique career explorations. Both in Lloydminster, grade 10 students were able to explore the many opportunities Try-a-Trade had to offer. Students experienced and interacted with automotive, building, electrical, industrial, metal, piping, and service based careers to spark interest and passion for learning.
Meanwhile the grade 9 students ventured to Lakeland College, Lloydminster Campus, to explore the extensive programming the college has to offer. With a guided tour, engaging activities, and information booths, the grade 9 students walked away with additional knowledge and clarity on what careers they may wish to explore.
Numeracy in Elementary
Our elementary students are engaging in creative and innovative activities around math! From creating our our own standard units of measurement to collaborative problem solving, our students demonstrate their love of numeracy in many ways.
Success in Badminton
The water in Dewberry fuels incredible athletes. Our school put on some incredibly strong performances for badminton season. We would love to celebrate:
Presley: 3rd at Zones!
Bauer & Hayze: 1st at Finals!
Jill: 1st at Finals!
Marley & Ethan: 2nd at Finals!
Cade & Blaze: 2nd at Finals!
Superintendent Speaking Competition
We were so proud of August, Ethan, and Liv that represented Dewberry School for the Superintendent Speaking Competition. These students really stepped up and out of their comfort zones to let their passion shine! A special congratulations to Liv on placing second in the competition!
Minute to Win It Fun
Each monthly assembly, we take part in Minute To Win It games. The students play the teachers, and currently the students have a 10-8 score lead. With one month left our teachers are eager and itching to climb back into the competition. That being said, our favourite part of this is the community support our participants receive from their peers. The words of encouragement and applause after a job well done is something we are so proud to have as a part of Dewberry School Culture.
Irma School
Some exciting updates from Irma School!
- We recently hosted the BTPS Badminton Finals. 13 of our BTPS schools were represented in this tournament.
- Our grade 9-12's spent a weekend in April skiing at Sunshine Village.
- Our grade 9 and 10's spent a day at Lakeland College (Try-a-Trade and Gr.9 tour)
- Our elementary classes have had an exciting week. The grade 1, 3, 4's hatched their baby chicks!
Our students in grade 1 have been learning about the needs of animals. The students in grade 3 have been learning about food chains and life cycles of animals. Both of these grades hatched chicks in their classes as part of these units. The students anxiously waited for their chicks to hatch and were fortunate enough to watch the chicks hatch live in the classroom.
Canucks vs. Oilers!
Irma School in Irma, Alberta, Carson Soucy's hometown, is divided on the series!
Check out this article featured on nhl.com that highlights Irma School!
What an incredible achievement for Carson and a proud moment for our school community.
Superintendent's Public Speaking Competition
Buffalo Trail Public Schools hosted the 12th Annual Superintendent’s Public Speaking Competition on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at J.R. Robson School in Vermilion. We hosted over 50 students, staff, parents, and family members while also broadcasting it live to our schools and families who were not able to attend. We had 24 participants this year!
A big thank you to our judges for this years event: BTPS Board Chair, Kara Jackson, BTPS Trustee, Stephanie Cooper, MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright, Mr. Garth Rowswell, and BTPS Innovation Coach, Stacy Jubinville.
Shout out to our amazing MC, Ashlyn Rentz, Wainwright High School student!
Congratulations and a job well done to all participants! It takes immense courage, skill, and talent to stand up in front of people and speak so eloquently. You are all incredible representatives of your schools and communities!
We are pleased to announce the results of this years competition:
Division II (Grades 4, 5, 6)
Gold: Keely Chomik - Mannville School
Silver: Liv Bowman - Dewberry School
Division III (Grades 7, 8, 9)
Gold: Rylan Jackson - Mannville School
Silver: Bree Harbin - E.H. Walter School
Division IV (Grades 10, 11, 12)
Gold: Keaton Xu - Wainwright High School
Silver: Olivia Elder - J.R. Robson School
View our full media release here.
Early Childhood Services
"Lifelong learning starts the moment we are born. The first six years of our lives are a time of unparalleled discovery. We learn about the world around us. Personalities take shape and we begin to lay the foundation of knowledge that will support us as we enter the education system." - Alberta Education
Buffalo Trail Public Schools is committed to assisting our early learners in reaching emotional, social, intellectual and physical milestones and ensuring that they are ready for grade school.
BTPS understands that young children entering school have unique and varied skill sets, based on a variety of factors. BTPS provides many supports and services that are designed to increase every child’s participation in learner outcomes and to meet every child’s diverse learning profile.
Check out all of the great resources and information on our recently updated Early Childhood Services page on our website!
Technology Department
Malwarebytes Pop-up
In BTPS, we use an EDR (Endpoint Detection Response) software called Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes runs in the background to detect all malicious attempts on our BTPS-owned desktops and servers.
If you see a pop-up on your computer similar to this it means that the software is doing its job. You can hit “restart now” or select the drop-down menu to postpone the restart. Once your computer restarts you will be good to go. Our tech team will be notified of these opo-ups and investigate as needed.
If the top bar is green (instead of red), no need to do anything further. The “green” pop-ups are for informational purposes only and will disappear after the Malwarebytes scan is completed.
As always think before you click, but this one is safe.
Learning Services Department
Using common math language and vocabulary within our schools is important. During our last PL session, Jackie shared resources that help support teaching and learning math verbs (K-3 and 4-6). These are an excellent starting point for building a common language within our schools.
KenKen puzzles are a great way to engage students in mathematical thinking. They are customizable and can be used in a variety of different grades! These puzzles can be used as a math warm-up or a fast finisher activity.
Inclusive Learning Department
Lean Into Difficult Conversations, an Evening with Jeremy Allen
The WHS and WES Councils have partnered with the support of the Wainwright FCSS and Family Resource Network to bring this exciting event to Wainwright on May 21.
Please join us for this evening of story telling and discussions as Jeremy helps us improve our difficult conversation skills.
Information about upcoming May MFC programs that will be running throughout Lloydminster & the County of Vermilion River.