2006 News Releases

Francophone students with special health needs will benefit from a Government of Alberta investment of $260,000 annually. The funding will be used to establish a Francophone service delivery model tied closely to the province’s existing Student Health Partnerships (SHPs) program.
 

Education Minister Gene Zwozdesky today released his 5-year comprehensive plan, titled “ Schools for Tomorrow”. He also announced details regarding an additional $77 million in second quarter unanticipated surplus funding toward four previously announced school projects.
 

Alberta, November 15, 2006 – Industry Canada and Alberta Education signed a four-year collaborative agreement to enhance science education through video-conference sessions with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
 

After writing, producing, directing, and having their videos voted on by the public, two teams from Lethbridge and Stettler have been named the grand prize winners in the Alberta government’s and Citytv’s Stand Up and Stop Bullying video contest.
 

The Alberta government and Alberta’s schools and post-secondary institutions are joining other provinces and countries around the world to celebrate International Education Week from November 14-17. The annual week-long event is seen as an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international students studying in the province, Alberta students studying abroad, teachers on exchange, and educators who provide a curriculum with an international focus.
 

Bullying should not be a part of growing up. Bullying can have very serious consequences and can hold children back from reaching their full potential. From November 13 to 18, during Bullying Awareness Week in Alberta, Albertans are encouraged to take some time and talk about bullying.
 

Francophone students in the communities of Edmonton, Calgary, Wainwright, Peace River, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge and Cochrane will benefit from the Government of Alberta’s additional investment of $7.3 million in Francophone infrastructure projects.
 

Students and teachers will benefit from the Government of Alberta’s commitment to addressing accommodation challenges through a $34 million investment in additional classroom spaces.
 

Albertans across the province are invited to honour creative, innovative and exceptional teachers or principals by nominating them for a 2007 Excellence in Teaching Award.
 

Alberta Education and the Alberta Home and School Councils’ Association (AHSCA) have released a new resource manual for parents and school communities. The new Alberta School Council Resource Manual is part of the School Council Development Program, which provides workshops and support to parents, school staff, trustees and others on the role and operation of school councils. School councils advise and consult with the principal and the school board on matters relating to the school.
 

Alberta's students continue to achieve strong results on provincial diploma exams and on Grades 3, 6 and 9 provincial achievement tests written in the 2005-06 school year.
 

This year, schools are offering new career-focused courses in Grades 8 to 12, in an effort to keep students in school and better prepare them for the workforce or further education and training.
 

This morning, Centre High Campus hosted the official launch of new resources developed to teach students how to work safely before they enter the workforce.
 

Premier Ralph Klein and Canadian Idol judge Farley Flex will speak to delegates at the province’s first-ever symposium on high school completion. The symposium – part of the Your Future Starts Here consultation to explore ways to increase Alberta’s high school completion rates – is being held at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton on September 24-25.
 

Youth across Alberta are being encouraged to unleash their inner director and create short videos that show a solution to bullying as part of a new provincial contest.
 

Funding to reduce class sizes and an additional $303.3 million for school infrastructure projects are among a few of the highlights as students return to classrooms for the 2006/2007 school year. Notable additions include Alberta Education's new social studies curriculum for students in Grades 4 and 7 and the continuation of the Daily Physical Activity Initiative.
 

An additional $303.3 million will be invested in 15 new schools and 6 new major preservation and modernization projects over the next four years, as well as the purchase of 130 new steel-framed modular classrooms this fiscal school year alone.
 

The Government of Alberta is investing an additional $180 million in our education system, bringing total government support for education in the 2006-07 fiscal year to almost $5.5 billion. School boards will benefit from an additional $61 million in operating support to classrooms and $119 million for school upgrades and renovations.
 

Alberta school jurisdictions will receive an additional $8 million to address the rising cost of transportation. With the increases provided under Budget 2006 and this $8 million, transportation funding for the 2006/2007 fiscal year will increase from $220 million to $240 million – a total increase of $20 million.
 

Alberta communities are being invited to play an active role to help increase Alberta’s high school completion rates. Your Future Starts Here, a province-wide consultation, began in May and June, when youth across Alberta participated in a series of roundtable discussions, and will culminate in a provincial symposium at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton on September 24-25.
 

Work will soon begin on the modernization and expansion of Racette Junior High School in St. Paul following an agreement between the Government of Alberta and East Central Francophone Education Region (ECFER).
 

Twenty-three bursaries and scholarships have been awarded to Alberta’s present and future Kindergarten to Grade 12 language teachers to help enhance knowledge and fluency of second languages.
 

Students at 10 Alberta schools will directly connect to visitors at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, June 30 to July 11 in Washington, D.C, during live interactive video-conference sessions. The sessions will be linked by the Alberta SuperNet and will demonstrate how SuperNet is being used by schools for innovative education projects.
 

Since its launch last June, the S-Team Heroes website has quickly become a popular place for Albertans to learn more about bullying prevention and intervention. Since its launch in June 2005, www.teamheroes.ca has received more than one million visitors.
 

The Government of Alberta launched a new 24-hour helpline for youth as part of a bullying awareness campaign. Young people who are struggling with bullying and are in need of help can call 1-888-456-2323 for support and referral.
 

A new, groundbreaking online project brings visitors into the Alberta Legislature through their home or classroom computer.
 

The recipients of the 2006 Excellence in Teaching Awards Program have been selected and their outstanding contributions to Alberta’s students will be celebrated at a special awards ceremony in Calgary on May 6.
 

The 2006 Excellence in Teaching Awards Program is recognizing 134 Alberta teachers as award finalists, celebrating their outstanding creativity and innovation in our province’s Kindergarten to Grade 12 education system.
 

Alberta's students are benefiting from the addition of quality teaching staff and lower class sizes across the province. For the third consecutive year, the government's investment in the Class Size Initiative (CSI) has made a significant impact on the province's K-12 education system.
 

Support for the Kindergarten to Grade 12 education system will grow to $5.3 billion for 2006-2007, an increase of $330 million or 6.7 per cent over the 2005-06 forecast.
 

Francophone students in Airdrie, Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Brooks will receive new learning environments through a combined government investment of more than $5.5 million for four new capital projects. New schools in Airdrie and Grande Prairie, the purchase of an existing school facility in Edmonton, and a space sharing partnership in Brooks will help meet the needs of Alberta's growing Francophone student population.
 

Schools across Alberta are receiving new classroom spaces to better meet the needs of students, thanks to a $17 million boost from the province.
 

High Level Public School is one of six Alberta high schools testing new resources developed to teach students how to work safely before they enter the workforce.
 

Parkland Composite High School is one of six Alberta high schools testing new resources developed to teach students how to work safely before they enter the workforce.
 

Centre High Campus is one of six Alberta high schools testing new resources developed to teach students how to work safely before they enter the workforce.
 

Lord Shaughnessy, Central Memorial and St. Francis High Schools are three of six Alberta high schools testing new resources developed to teach students how to work safely before they enter the workforce.
 

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