<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON NOVEMBER 4, 2023.</i></p><p>As part of the Careers Technology Foundations options, Irvine School is now offering all junior high students Life Skills with Certifications. Courses will become available at different times of the school year with a combined babysitting/emergency first-aid and a firearms/hunter education safety courses underway.</p><p>Principal Trent Rayner has wanted to run certification courses for a few years and mentioned the idea to teacher Linda Kraft, who ran with it.</p><p>“We’ve been valuing and getting more and more community partnerships, so another partnership developed between us and Safety Buzz through Linda setting that up,” Rayner said. “We are working with them to make sure most of our junior high students will leave this year being certified in something they can either use practically, for their portfolio or on their resume – anything to help them get a job and help them in real life.”</p><p>The first-aid/babysitting course is full and has a waiting list. Rayner wasn’t sure about it, as the course, while valuable, can be dry, but is pleased with the response. It speaks to how the students are responsible enough to see the value in the course along with knowing how it will set them apart from other junior high students when it comes to getting their first job.</p><p>“The amazing thing is these kids are picking certifications right now when they could be taking other courses, such as active living or low-organized games. That is what has surprised me so far about this,” said Rayner.</p><p>Kraft is excited LSC has taken off so well, with double-digit numbers enrolled in both courses currently offered.</p><p>“I put it out to the kids so anything they are interested in and anything parents see might be a benefit, we are happy to take a look at it,” stated Kraft. “There are so many times when kids or parents say, ‘Too bad you didn’t learn that in school.’ We are offering these real-life skills courses, especially the emergency first-aid, that every single individual can use and could potentially be required for their part-time jobs moving forward.</p><p>“In my health class it ties in nicely because we do portfolios and resume, career/job type stuff, so this is something to help fill their resume.”</p><p>Grade 9 students Odin Jordet, Ethan Bowey and Parker Bellamy all enrolled in the babysitting/first-aid LSC. All three play a variety of sports and enjoy being active, and they are all taking the course with the goal of a well-paid lifeguard job. First-aid is required before they can complete their Bronze Cross in swimming, a prerequisite for the lifeguarding certificate.</p><p>“It’s a good course to have,” stated Jordet. “It will look good on a resume. It’s cheaper (to take) in school and then I don’t have to use my personal time that I like to spend doing sports.”</p><p>Bowey also said it will look good on his resume for future jobs.</p><p>“You need to get your first-aid before you can go do your Bronze Cross, they made that mandatory this year. I’m going to see how far this gets me because it says you need your full first-aid, but I’m going to see if this course gives you a full one,” stated Bowey, who is also interested in the boating course that will be offered later in the year.</p><p>Bellamy talked about how useful first-aid is in a rural environment where an ambulance could be 90 minutes away or HALO needs to be called. He said all but two of the boys in the class have babysat before.</p><p>“I think it’s because most of us have younger siblings. There are people south of us who have little kids and if you get into a wreck with cattle or something, you gotta go babysit for a bit because it’s hard to pack a four- or five-year-old on a horse,” explained Bellamy.</p><p>Driver’s education, referee certification for volleyball and basketball, a boating and water safety course as well as financial literacy are being looked at as future courses. Further down the road, the school is looking into life-skills classes that might not have a certification but are no less useful.</p><p>“How many kids, including my own, know how to sew a button onto a shirt or change a tire? Things I know they should know. If my kids or these kids could come home with 12 different life skills, simple as that, that would help so much moving forward,” concluded Rayner.</p>

This week's parent update. Reminder that Student Led Conferences are Monday/Tuesday this week and no school on Thursday and Friday. Have a great week!

Final home games of the volleyball season this weekend! Congratulations to all our Sr. Teams. Sr. Girls finished 2nd, Sr. Boys won the consolation side, JV Girls were finalists in the consolation side. Great playing by all teams! Last volleyball home games for all our Grade 12 players. Thank you Senior players for your dedication to our teams! #kindlehearts

If you come into Senator Gershaw this weekend you may notice some new seating in our common area! Thank you to Parent Advisory Council (PAC) purchasing some new tables and chairs for our school!

Home Tournament this weekend! All Senior Teams are in action. Come check out some great volleyball in our home gym!

Gator of the week - celebrating student leadership and character. Gator of the week for last week was Dylan! Dylan has been an accountable student in his Grade 12 year working towards a strong finish in high school. He has also been balancing academics and athletics, playing on the Sr. Boys volleyball team filling whatever role has been asked of him! Great job Dylan! #kindlehearts #igniteminds

Senator Gershaw volleyball pep rally was yesterday! Thank you to our student council for organizing. 7 teams with over 65 players accounts for over 30% of our student population taking part in volleyball. With grade 4/5 volleyball starting next week Tuesday we will be over 80 extracurricular volleyball players this season! Also as our junior high season has wrapped up thank you to all coaches, parents, and players for your time and dedication! #kindlehearts

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON NOVEMBER 2, 2023.</i></p><p>Cross-country at Eagle Butte High School is not considered an individual sport, rather coach Darryl Smith creates a team atmosphere to support students of all abilities and levels to be successful.</p><p>“When I talk about the program it’s the idea of having a set of guidelines and meeting the expectation of what came before us and moulding that for us and the legacy of those coming after us. If we don’t do that it falls apart,” explained Smith. “The kids hold themselves to a standard of being appropriate. There is an expectation of honour and respect. The kids here know my expectations and what the team needs.</p><p>“Excellence for us could mean how we act, it could mean how we run, or how we train. I talk about this a lot. Kids will meet your expectations and always step up, always. I don’t think we give them enough credit.”</p><p>Grade 12 student Brianna Finke joined cross-country this year to help her get in shape for other sports, primarily hockey, and because of the fun team culture. Training and competing in cross-country not only helped Finke attain a higher level of positivity, but also increased her stamina for when she is on the ice.</p><p>“Mr. Smith has helped me a lot. He’s taught me how to bring out the best in myself and my energy and put it onto other people, too,” stated Finke.</p><p>Finke wants to continue playing hockey at a post-secondary institution while pursuing a degree in education with the aim of becoming an elementary school teacher.</p><p>Quinn Olson, who has been on the team for three years, has experienced a shift from an observing role in her first year to taking on more responsibility in successive years.</p><p>“Moving up through the years, I took on more of a leadership role guiding the younger kids and then eventually Smith calls you a team captain and I was leading warmup and doing the cheer,” stated Olson.</p><p>In classes now, Olson is less likely to sit back and wait for others to make decisions, rather she takes greater initiative when working on projects while also taking more chances, which supplies greater opportunities.</p><p>Following graduation, Olson is interested in a career in real estate. During her first two years on the team, she qualified for provincials, but only ran in them last year due to the pandemic the year before.</p><p>“There are a hundred-some kids running and if you don’t position yourself at the front, you are pretty much packed in until it all levels out. For the first 1 km, I was stuck between seven to eight different girls and couldn’t get by,” Olson explained.</p><p>This is the second year on the team for Grade 11 student Ryker Weiss, who plays basketball and joined to get ahead on training and enable him to perform at his best when on the court.</p><p>Cross-country is about getting into the right head space.</p><p>“When you are running you feel like you want to give up but if you keep pushing yourself than you’ll realize how far you can actually go,” stated Weiss. “When I practise, I’m right beside Mr. Smith and he’s always pushing me to go further, so I always just think I’m running with someone and if I slow down then they will go in front of me, so I try to keep forward.”</p><p>Shop is his favourite subject and Weiss wants to go pursue a career in carpentry after he graduates. This year, Smith gave Weiss more of a leadership role and he had to pay attention to what everyone on the team was doing, which has helped increase his social awareness and communication skills.</p>

<p><i>Medicine Hat News - BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER ON OCTOBER 28, 2023.</i></p><p>Prairie Rose Public Schools welcomed five Japanese students – Rena Katayama, Hikara Kawano, Kanon Miyake, Natsuka Nishida and Mao Yamanaka – into Eagle Butte classes this month. The students arrived in Canada in early October and have one more week left before flying back home next weekend.</p><p>The students attend Shoin Junior and Senior High School in Kobe, Japan, which was founded in 1892 to educate girls.</p><p>“In today’s globalized world, language skills, such as English, and cultural understanding are crucial,” head teacher Mr. Shinohara wrote in an email. “The study abroad program to Canada is part of the student’s Global program with an aim of deepening their understanding of global reality.”</p><p>The trip allows the students to practise their English skills and learn about different educational systems, which will help them prepare for their future.</p><p>“Japan is known for its homogenous society with Japanese as the primary language, which lags behind countries like Canada and the United States in terms of diversity,” added Shinohara. “Therefore, we aspire to provide students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in Canada’s diverse culture and truly experience the concept of diversity.”</p><p>Principal of Eagle Butte Rocheal Howes said Eagle Butte is excited to have the exchange students at the school.</p><p>“It’s so good for us to have students coming from other cultures and showing us their ways and their food and the way they write.”</p><p>Hikara Kawano liked taking classes, particularly information processing, at Eagle Butte. Two enjoyed music classes the most, another said foods was her favourite and Mao Yamanaka liked cosmetology, which isn’t available at her school in Japan.</p><p>“I feel freedom, especially at school,” stated Kawano. “School in Japan, there are lots of school rules, which is really strict for us. When I am in Eagle Butte, I feel really free so it’s lots of fun.”</p><p>Not having to wear a uniform and being able to wear accessories, such as earrings, were two aspects they liked. The young women weren’t as enthusiastic about the early spell of cold weather and snow, although one made a snowman with her homestay family. Poutine was hands down the favourite Canadian food for all of them.</p><p>Each one has done different activities with their respective host families. The two that stood out for Kawano were playing pickleball and taking a trip to Elkwater.</p><p>Katayama celebrated her sixteenth birthday while she was here and said the day was an unforgettable memory.</p><p>Nishida’s homestay family lives on a farm, which she has never experienced before, and she enjoyed spending time with the animals, including sheep, goats and a llama. The night they arrived it was clear and Nishida said the night sky with all the stars was memorable.</p><p>Yamanaka made T-shirts with her homestay family and she appreciated having a handmade keepsake to take back to Japan.</p><p>Miyake’s host family likes to hike and took her out to Elkwater where they walked one of the trails. She liked the nature and took lots of pictures.</p><p>“The lake waters are so clean,” said Miyake, “I was surprised, there are no plastics.”</p><p>On their return, each must write a report and give a presentation on their Canadian experience, including the differences from Japan and adding in some history of Canada.</p><p>Andrea Pillman is the international homestay coordinator for PRPS and works closely with the school, homestay families and international partner. It is her job to pair up each exchange student with a homestay family and to ensure each international student is successful, safe and comfortable.</p><p>Pillman took the group to Medalta this past Wednesday evening where they had a guided tour of the museum and were going to work with clay. If the roads were good, they are scheduled to travel to Drumheller this weekend.</p><p>The program needs homestay families for Colombian students due to arrive in November and Brazilian students coming in 2024. Contact Pillman directly at 403-502-6244 if you are interested or would like more information.</p>

The SGS Travel Club is excited to share a Little Caesars Fundraiser. Funds will go to the travel club trip planned to Quebec and Ontario in May. You can order online or contact the school for an order form. All orders Due November 17.

November IOC Flipbook. This monthly booklet is developed, edited, and distributed by Senator Gershaw students. We create an online booklet monthly that is linked below for all community members to be informed in what is happening In OUR Community! Follow IOC on Facebook to find more information on what we can offer.

Halloween at SGS yesterday. Many students were dressed up!

Students in Grades 7 and 9 put on a culminating performance of our first round of options classes! The Grade 7 played “Sweet Child of Mine” and the Grade 9 class performed a Halloween drama production. Our grade 4-9 classes got to enjoy the performances! #igniteminds

Gator of the week - celebrating student character and leadership. Gator of the week for last week was Fernanda! Fernanda has been a great friend! She has been helping new students and excelling in class! Great job Fernanda! #kindlehearts

This morning is the last chance for guesses! Bring your $$$ and take a guess to win a jar of candy. Everyone is also invited to the Halloween costume parade at 1120am. Winner of the candy guesses will be announced at the parade.

Sr. Boys and Girls were at the Vulcan Monster Smash tournament this weekend. This tournament has the most amount of teams than any we go to with 28 total teams participating. Annually teams dress-up on Friday - this year the Tune Squad boys were consolation champions! Great job boys! #kindlehearts

This week's parent/guardian update. Have a great week!

Grade 10 Humanities class this week did a globalization gallery walk. Students displayed items of interest and connected it to a key Social 10 concept of globalization. #igniteminds #kindlehearts

Gator of the Week - Celebrating student character and leadership. Gator of the week for last week was Sadie G.! Sadie has been a excellent student and strong leader in the classroom. She has also been helping out with some peer coaching! Great job Sadie! #kindlehearts

How many gum balls, gummies and treats are in the jars? Support our travel club with your guesses. The winner will be announced on Tuesday during the Halloween costume parade.