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Your Independent Local Newspaper Established in 1918 VOLUME 104: ISSUE 31
www.tofieldmerc.com
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022
Holden Rural Academy to open in Fall Education Minister Adriana LaGrange grants conditional approval MOUSH JOHN Editor
The Holden Rural Academy is a step closer to reality with conditional approval granted by the Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange. The school has been granted a school authority number. One of the main organizers and principal persons driving the project, Karla Janzen said that they have been working closely with educational consultant Kevin Van Lagen, the Prairie Principal to guide them through the next steps toward opening. “We have been in conversation informally with Kevin since February of 2020,” she said. “He is familiar with our project, and has a lot of insight into the needs of rural schools and communities. He will be assessing our programming to determine which aspects can be delivered in the Holden school building and make recommendations for upgrades, both immediate and for the future.” According to Janzen,
Van Lagen will also evaluate venues in the community that would be suitable for programming as well, assisting them in interpreting the letter from the Minister of Education, to ensure compliance with the conditions set out. hen will give guidance in finding a suitable superintendent, and assess staffing needs to provide a quality education within the charter. “Working with Kevin to determine our needs will be part of our budget process,” Janzen explained. “The new funding manual was just released this week; his recommendations will guide us in preparing our budget, and to determine if we need to raise any additional funds. “We need to know how many students will be attending, and we are working with Alberta Education on the registration process. Our next steps will include finding a superintendent, hiring a secretary-treasurer and then begin the hiring process for a principal and teachers.” Janzen said that these
are all part of the conditions prior to opening the school, even though there are no further application submissions needed. “Before we have a launch event, we would like to be able to have a superintendent in place, and be able to communicate clearly about how the school will operate and what we are offering,” she added. “Bringing a school back to Holden will positively impact the community; adding a high school back to the area will definitely have a positive impact on both Holden and Ryley communities, giving students the option of staying together until Grade 12. “There are so many things that need to happen at once! We have not yet planned our big launch event.” Janzen also mentioned that there are several new charter schools in Alberta that are doing really well and are beacons in the community. For instance, the New Humble Community School and STEM Innovation Academy were approved last year and
opened in September; and Calgary Classical Academy and Holden Rural Academy are conditionally approved to open this fall. Change Health Alberta announced that they are planning to apply for a charter school at the YWCA Camp Yowochas property in Fallis. There are currently 15 charter schools operating in Alberta, with New Humble and Valhalla being the only other rural charters. “We think that our programming will attract families to the area, benefiting communities of Ryley and Holden,” Janzen noted. “Surrounding communities will also benefit from the choice in education presented by the Holden Rural Academy.” Janzen said that the Holden Rural Academy will be a tuition-free public charter school for grades 7 to 12, offering education that is relevant to rural students, and addresses the need for more practical, hands-on applications, and developing a comprehensive set of skills for workplace success.
Local industry influencer speaks to students of GETT program
Sabrina O’Brien MOUSH JOHN EDITOR
Tofield’s Sabrina O’Brien, a local industry influencer spoke to students from 600 schools as part of the Girls Exploring Trades and Technology (GETT) program held throughout March. As a Red Seal Steamfitter working out of Local Union 488, prima-
rily out of the greater Edmonton area, O’Brien said that it was a great opportunity for her to speak to girls who wanted to take up her trade. “There were videos from female industry influencers in a wide variety of skilled trades,” she said. “My speech highlighted why Continued on Page 16
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