It’s back to school for 11,000 students and 1,200 staff at Red Deer Public
°®¶¹´«Ã½app is ready and excited to welcome students back to the classroom on September 3, 2024! Since August 26, our dedicated staff have been busy preparing their classrooms and schools, setting the stage for an exciting year of teaching, learning, and inspiring students to reach their full potential.
This year, Red Deer Public will welcome 11,200 students, along with 32 new teachers, stepping into roles left by retirements, leaves of absence and resignations. Notably, 10 of these educators are embarking on their teaching careers. Additionally, 21 new classified staff will join °®¶¹´«Ã½app for the 2024/2025 school year. Last year, Red Deer Public welcomed 10,997 students and saw a similar number of new hires.
“We are committed to ensuring that every student in Red Deer Public has a successful school year, and reaches their full potential,” said Chad Erickson, Superintendent. “Our top priority is to deliver excellence in teaching and learning in every classroom, while encouraging students to explore their passions. °®¶¹´«Ã½app offers opportunities for all students, and we will continue to focus on improving wherever we can by working together.”
Looking ahead to the 2024/2025 school year, Red Deer Public has unveiled new priorities that align with the Alberta Education Assurance Domain. The Board approved the °®¶¹´«Ã½app’s new priorities, which include Student Growth and Achievement; Teaching and Leading; Learning Supports; Governance and Local and Societal Context.
“While Literacy and Numeracy, Equity and Student Success and Completion have been our core priorities, and will continue to be foundations in the classroom, these new focus areas will broaden our approach and enable us to better meet the needs of our students, staff, families, and community,” said Erickson. “These priorities will also guide how we allocate our budget to support the areas that matter most.”
This fall, the Board of Trustees will launch a community engagement initiative focused on budget priorities for the °®¶¹´«Ã½app. Through an interactive exercise, stakeholders will have an opportunity to explore how changes to budget allocations impact the °®¶¹´«Ã½app’s overall financial picture. This initiative will provide valuable insights into the priorities of students, staff, families and the broader community.
“Engaging with our communities is vital to the work of the Board of Trustees,” said Nicole Buchanan, Board Chair. “We are eager to gather feedback through our upcoming community engagement efforts, and to respond thoughtfully to the input we receive.”
Meanwhile, Buchanan expressed optimism about the new school year ahead.
“As we embark on the 2024/2025 school year, we look forward to the opportunities it will bring,” she said. “Our Board is committed to supporting our students, staff, and families every step of the way, and we are excited to see the growth and achievements that will come from our collective efforts.”