We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Huge shout out to everyone who attended our grade 9 Farewell ceremony! We will be sending out individual links to families to access the photos taken. Please return all textbooks to your teacher as soon as you are completed the course or done using them to avoid potential future textbook replacement costs. Your support getting all items returned is greatly appreciated. Have a great last week! #gogreen

Mr. B. Spady Principal & Mrs. K. Porter Assistant Principal

Congratulations to the following Next Step students for being Scholarship recipients!

Hassan Patel & Luka Schmidt – Konica Minolta Award

Rachel Braz & Jason Fairlie – Kevin Gaetz Award

Kevin Gaetz
Students will be awarded a monetary amount from the Edmonton Community Foundation for the Kevin Gaetz Award, which recognizes and supports students in their pursuit of post-secondary education. This award will be given to a student who:

• meets the entrance requirements for the program of post-secondary studies to be supported;
• has a financial need that would restrict the student’s ability to pursue such post-secondary studies; and

Konica Minolta
To acknowledge deserving students in need of support to pursue their career, education and learning goals. The scholarship recognizes and supports students who have overcome some level of adversity to graduate from senior high and continue their learning in any capacity. Students who demonstrate a strong work ethic, optimism, resilience, knowledge and success in their pursuit to achieve their Alberta High School Diploma or Alberta High School Certificate of Achievement may be nominated.

Later this week, you’ll receive an email from communications@eips.ca via Survey Monkey, asking you to complete an online survey as part of the ongoing public consultation on French Immersion programming within the Division. Up to this point, consultation has focused on families whose children attend French Immersion programs—in Fort Saskatchewan, Ardrossan and Sherwood Park. The Division is expanding its consultation to families and staff in other specialized and regular programs in Sherwood Park because two of the potential solutions presented may affect EIPS boundaries and programming throughout Strathcona County.

Within the survey, EIPS will use a combination of video and documents to detail three potential ways to enhance programming by balancing elementary enrolment, addressing enrolment pressures and boosting retention at the secondary level.

EIPS opted to use an online survey as opposed to an in-person engagement meeting for the following reasons:

• Not all stakeholders are available to attend in-person sessions and are therefore unable to participate in discussions taking place. By reaching out to all stakeholders via video and supporting documents, EIPS is able to provide the same information to everyone.
• The survey can be filled out at a time and date convenient for each stakeholder. As the online engagement includes video presentations, supporting documents and survey questions, participants should plan on dedicating at least 30 minutes to complete all the sections. The survey will remain open for one month (from June 16 to July 13).
• The use of the online survey will ensure the feedback is gathered through a fair and comprehensive process. Data will be disaggregated so the input from each stakeholder group is given equal consideration.

Once the survey closes, the Division will send all the data to a third-party consultant who’ll spend the summer analyzing your feedback and developing a report for the EIPS Board of Trustees to review in the fall.

NOTE: While the Board of Trustees will make a final decision this fall about the best possible solution, no changes will take place until 2026-27—when the Sherwood Park replacement school is ready for occupancy.

Elk Island Public Schools

The results are available for the 2022-23 EIPS Annual Feedback Surveys: For Parents and Caregivers and For Students. The surveys included a series of questions related to the three priorities outlined in the EIPS Four-Year Education Plan: 2022-26 (Year 1).

Next Step Parent & Caregiver areas of strength:

• There is open and honest communication within my child's school. (82.35% strongly agree, 11.76% agree)
• My child's individual needs are met. (74.29% strongly agree, 22.86% agree)
• School staff care about my child. (86.96% strongly agree, 8.70% agree)
• How satisfied are you with the quality of education your child's receiving at school? (79.41% strongly satisfied, 16.18 % satisfied)
• How satisfied are you with the leadership at your child's school? (85.51% strongly satisfied, 8.70% satisfied)
• In your opinion, has the quality of education your child's experienced improved, stayed the same or declined in the past three years? (75.36% improved, 8.70% stayed the same)
• How satisfied are you with opportunities provided to be involved in your child's education? (66.18% strongly satisfied, 29.41% satisfied)
• The school keeps me informed about my child's progress and achievement. (79.41% strongly agree, 19.12% agree)

Next Step Student areas of strength:

• I can openly and honestly communicate with teachers, staff and students at my school. (50.89% Strongly agree, 46.43% agree)
• At school, my individual learning needs are met. (56.14% Strongly agree, 41.43% agree)
• At school, I’m encouraged to do my best. (62.61% Strongly agree, 34.78% agree)
• The staff at my school care about me. (75.44% Strongly agree, 20.18% agree)
• How satisfied are you with the quality of education you’re receiving at your school? (62.28% Strongly agree, 31.58% agree)
• How satisfied are you with the leadership at your school? (62.28% Strongly agree, 28.07% agree)
• In your opinion, has the quality of education you’ve experienced improved, stayed the same or declined in the past three years? (77.19% Strongly agree, 13.16% agree)
• I’m learning the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be successful in life. (26.96% Strongly agree, 67.83% agree)
• I feel supported by my school as I prepare for life beyond high school. (26.96% Strongly agree, 66.96% agree)

The feedback gathered will help our school and the Division measure its progress toward meeting the priorities and goals outlined in the EIPS Four-Year Education Plan and develop strategies to better serve students and the community moving forward.

Next Step Parent Results: Next Step Parent Survey Results 2023
Next Step Student Results: Next Step Student Survey Results 2023