As staff and students at Western School Division (WSD) take time with family and friends over the holiday season, WSD Superintendent Stephen Ross reflects on the past year.
"I think a big thing for us over the last year is still getting back to regular school life after the pandemic. So, the student focus, the recapturing of school spirit through clubs, sporting activities, arts clubs and the first regular in-person graduation for years. It seems a very long time ago now that we were talking about the pandemic, but really, we're just getting out of it now."
Ross noted after the 2022 Fall School Board election brought in a new set of Board Priorities.
"Board priorities was a really big thing that our Board of Trustees worked through with stakeholders last spring, and with Garfield Gini Newman, who they worked directly with to set new board priorities, which steer the division for the next few years. Those board priorities are really important to all of our staff and our students and our community as they plan ahead.
Of course, there was a lot of activity on the Capital Project list.
"We were really pleased to have the completion of a three-classroom addition at MCI last year, as well as the completion and grand opening of the MCI Technical Education Center where our piping trades and welding programs are offered. The biggest one probably with capital projects was the awarding and construction beginning with the new school. There was the announcement of the name of the new school and then the determination of grade configuration, which our community was anxiously awaiting to see what the configuration was going to be like."
He added, presently the division is working with staff and families to determine who will be going to the school and work there alongside newly appointed Principal Samuel Jerema, who will get started in the new year to start building the culture of the École Discovery Trails.
The change in Government has had a big impact on education in Manitoba, with new shifts in focus in Education that have an impact on policy directives that are just starting to make their way to divisions.
With all the highlights of 2023, Ross did have one wish for the year.
"Last year, I think a big thing for us that we were very hopeful for was the Funding Review Change that really would have provided a lot more dollars for education, especially in rural Manitoba, but certainly in Southern Manitoba here, and we were disappointed that that funding review didn't go ahead, but that also has us looking ahead to next year and wondering what could be."
More information on Looking Ahead to 2024 with Western School Division Superintendent Stephen Ross will be published in the coming days leading into the new year.
In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, PembinaValleyOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PembinaValleyOnline app.