April 25, 2022 - The Peace River School Division is passionate about achieving student success and we continually use our Three-Year Education plan as a vehicle to drive our efforts. Our first two goals ensure our students receive outstanding teaching and learning in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy, but I want to take some time to highlight our division’s third goal: All students are successful through inclusionary practices and engaging culture.

From May 2-6 all our schools will be celebrating Education Week and Mental Health Awareness Week. I believe our third goal will demonstrate our commitment to our students overall educational experience and our ongoing dedication to supporting students’ mental health.

This inclusionary goal is further divided into multiple educational outcomes, which include, “We believe in the importance that our students are meeting high expectations in learner outcomes that reflect their individual academic needs and interests,” and also, “We understand that our students’ physical and social emotional wellness needs and interests are met and their academic engagement is increased by ensuring they are learning in a safe and caring environment that celebrates diversity.”  As you can see our third goal does an excellent job at intertwining education and mental health together for our students within the Division.

To achieve these outcomes, PRSD continues to support and implement Wrap Around Services which include trained Social Workers, Project Peace Workers, and Youth Enhancement Support Workers to all divisional students.  The school division also meets our student learner outcomes by providing a Collaborative Response to education that ensures we accurately assess where students are at in their learning journey. We also provide targeted instruction in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy to ensure students continue to learn and be successful.

During Education Week and Mental Health Awareness Week, our students and staff will participate in activities and learning opportunities that highlight the importance of education and mental health in our lives, families, schools, community, and the world. To that end, I am happy to report that we have four teachers within the school division that are volunteering their time to teach Ukrainian students through virtual lessons.  This selfless act truly signifies the importance of public education and why we should celebrate our division’s ability to meet the educational needs of all children.  It also highlights the need for us to understand how important mental health is when thinking about a student’s academic achievements. 

Thank you to students, parents, staff, community members and organizations for your support - the work you do makes a difference, and we appreciate you!  

Adam Murray
Superintendent of Schools