Blackfalds first high school, Iron Ridge Secondary Campus, is in its first year, opening to grades 9-11 this past September.
Principal Ed Coles explains things have gone without a hitch.
“Kids are in classes, credits are getting earned,” he said. “The smooth process has definitely been a highlight. It's been smoother than I expected.”
Coles said there is still a lot of room for expanding programming, which includes sports, as the school won’t have a Grade 12 class until next school year.
“Some sports we weren’t able to run, such as handball and boys’ volleyball. We're looking forward to expanding our programs next year, once we have another 150 students,” said Coles. “But we did run our basketball programs this year and introduced our Cree jerseys which have Bison written in Cree syllabics. We also have our new football helmets in, and that’s exciting for the football team next year.”
Academically, the school has already initiated a culture of success and supporting other students.
“Initiatives like the peer tutoring program have been great for students,” said Coles. “This involves more than just homework help; it includes teaching problem-solving skills.”
IRSC also had students participate in unique opportunities like an engineering camp at the aviation museum in Edmonton.
High school students from Blackfalds used to have to travel on the bus to attend school at École Secondaire Lacombe Composite High School in Lacombe.
With the opening of IRSC that has changed. From September to now, Coles said it hasn’t taken long for students and staff to take ownership of the school, creating their own identity for IRSC.
“Our grand opening was a big event to get that identity started off on the right foot. We’ve also launched an online swag store, which is quite popular among the students. It helps give them a sense of identity, which is especially important,” he said.
With the school six months old already, Coles said community feedback has been positive, and parents are engaged in the school.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. People are thrilled with our programming and the state-of-the-art facilities, especially our CTS wing. We have a parent council that is plugged in and excited about the school,” noted Coles, adding that parents, students and staff all have their eye on continuing the school’s firsts next year.
“We're focusing on preparing for our first graduating class in the 2025/26 school year. The Class of ‘26. We are ensuring we have the right staff to offer a full range of programs, including advanced sciences and physics. We're always looking forward to improving and expanding our offerings.”
**With information from Wolf Creek Public Schools
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