New Brigden School navigating transition to new K-4 format

By Tim Kalinowski on February 14, 2018.

tkalinowski@medicinehatnews.com @MHNTimKal

New Brigden School principal Gayle Vass spoke to Prairie Rose School Division trustees for the first time this school year, updating those at the public meeting Tuesday about the huge shift her school has undertaken in the past year since being changed to a Grade K-4 school after narrowly avoiding closure in 2017.

“New Brigden School is in transition,” she said. “It gives us a unique opportunity to create a new school from the ground up.”

The school hopes to add a Grade 5 level next year and be a Grade K-6 school by 2019/2020.

Vass presented projected enrolment numbers to trustees, reinforcing the likelihood of that dream. According to figures presented, the school has 10 kids in Grades 1-4, with seven ECS (early childhood learning) students. It is projecting 21 K-6 students by 2021, with another five ECS level students and two students of Junior High age.

“The demographic of New Brigden (the community) is certainly changing as younger families are returning to the area to raise their children on the farm in this area,” said Vass.

Hearty thanks to the bus drivers

Trustee Graeme Dennis moved that the PRSD board of trustees send a hearty thanks to the region’s bus drivers, who braved cold temperatures, blowing snow and icy roads the past week to ensure students got to school and then home safe again.

“They did a fantastic job,” said Dennis.

The board voted unanimously in favour of the trustee’s motion.

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