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Back to school for students of year-round schedule at St. Patrick’s Community School

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Mrs Reed and Mrs Ward can’t wait to see students for the first day of school! @rdcrs

News release from Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools

St. Patrick’s Community School prepares for an exciting new school year with staggered entry

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools  is thrilled to announce the opening of St. Patrick’s Community School, our year-round school, for the upcoming academic year, 2023-2024. The first day of school will commence with staggered entry on August 14 and 15, 2023. All students, both new and returning, will unite on August 16, 2023, for a day filled with excitement and learning.

Our year-round school is designed to provide students with a comprehensive and enriching educational experience throughout the year. With this innovative approach to learning, students will have more frequent breaks, which will enhance their retention and ensure a seamless continuation of their educational journey.

Staggered Entry Days:

August 14 and 15, 2023, have been assigned as staggered entry days to allow a smooth transition for students, parents, and staff. This approach allows teachers to provide personalized attention to each student and ensures that students become familiar with their new learning environments before the entire school comes together on August 16.

Meet the Staff Night:

On August 16, 2023, the school will host a special “Meet the Staff” evening, where students and their families will have the opportunity to get acquainted with our dedicated staff members. This interactive event will foster a strong sense of community and help build meaningful connections between families and the school.

Safety in School Zones:

As the new school year begins, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools urges all drivers to exercise extreme caution and remain attentive while driving through playground zones. With students returning to the classroom, it is essential to be vigilant, obey posted speed limits, and stop for school buses as required by law. Ensuring the safety of our students is our collective responsibility, and we appreciate the cooperation of our community in maintaining safe school zones.

“We are thrilled to embark on this exciting journey of year-round learning at St. Patrick’s Community School,” said Mandy Reed, St. Patrick’s Community School principal. “Our dedicated team of educators is committed to providing a nurturing and stimulating environment that will inspire our students to reach their fullest potential. We look forward to welcoming both familiar faces and new students and families to our campus on August 16 for a fantastic start to the new academic year.”

For more information about our year-round school and the upcoming school year, please visit www.stpatsschool.ca, or contact the school at (403) 343-3238.

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools serves over 10,085 students in 21 schools in Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Rocky Mountain House, Innisfail, and Olds. It also supports the learning of over 600 students in a Home Education Program. The Division is committed to serving children and parents with a complete offering of learning opportunities delivered within the context of Catholic teachings and within the means of the Division.

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Education

Support a young reader through the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign

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Smile Cookies are coming to a Tim Hortons near you!

We know you missed those delicious chocolate chip cookies with the big blue eyes and bright pink smiles! And we are so thankful Tim Hortons is bringing its Smile Cookie campaign back next week!

Helping struggling students become readers of potential is exactly what local Tim Hortons stores want as proceeds for its Smile Cookie campaign, which runs April 29 – May 5, will be directed to Reading College, a project of the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools.

“We set up this amazing and fun summer program for kids in Grade 2 where they learn to love reading, and gain the skills to continue their growth as learners. Reading is the foundation for success in school and life. If we can help further develop their skills and instill a love for reading, it creates a lifetime of difference for that child. It will make a difference for them, make a difference for their families and make a difference in their life experiences. That’s the beauty of Reading College,” said Superintendent of Schools, Chad Erickson. “Last year, we had 67 graduates of the Reading College program who were incredibly engaged and able to excel and improve their reading abilities over the month of July, setting them up for further success.”

“The Smile Cookie Campaign is a great opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of literacy. It really does create life chances for students. Reading College is made possible through great support from our community and Tim Hortons – we could not operate it without this support,” said Kristine Plastow, Foundation Board Chair. “I encourage the community to get out there and buy their cookies next week!”

From April 29 – May 5, Tim Hortons restaurant owners in Red Deer will generously donate proceeds from sales of a special smiling chocolate chunk cookie to support the Reading College program through The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. The $1.50 treat helps community programs across Canada in the cities where they are sold. This year, 10% of funds raised from Smile Cookies will support the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps, of which more than 100 students from Red Deer Public Schools will attend.

Join us for Smile Cookie Day May 4

“We invite the community to join us for our Smile Cookie Day on May 4 at the Tim Hortons on Thomlison Avenue in Red Deer,” said Plastow. “We have partnered with the Red Deer RCMP, Emergency Services and the Alberta Sheriffs. Come and sit in a firetruck or police car, meet local emergency responders and buy a delicious Smile Cookie, while supporting a great cause!”

“We are excited to bring back the Smile Cookie campaign this spring. On behalf of all Tim Hortons’ restaurant owners and team members in Red Deer, I would like to thank our fantastic guests for their loyalty, generosity and support of the campaign,” said Tanya Doucette, Tim Hortons Restaurant Owner in Red Deer. “We are thrilled to support The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools and their Reading College program. With funds raised we are helping students learn to read, which will ultimately help set them up for a lifetime of success. During Smile Cookie Week, we welcome all Red Deerians to buy a delicious freshly-baked Smile Cookie in support of a great cause, which helps benefit children in our community.”

Help us promote the campaign by ‘liking’ Red Deer Public Schools on Facebook and ‘following’ us on Twitter, both under @rdpschools. You can also find us on Instagram @reddeerpublicschools.

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Red Deer

Expelled member of Red Deer Catholic School Board will have judicial reviews heard May 1-3

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News release from The Democracy Fund

TDF and James Kitchen Defend School Board Trustee Monique LaGrange

Briefs were filed in Monique LaGrange’s case on the week of April 8, 2024.


RED DEER: The Democracy Fund (TDF) has partnered with lawyer James Kitchen to represent former school board trustee Monique LaGrange as she takes The Board of Trustees of Red Deer Catholic Separate School Division to court for kicking her off the Board because they took offence to one of Ms. LaGrange’s social media posts.

Mr. Kitchen filed two applications for judicial review in December 2023, challenging the Board’s decisions to penalize Mrs. LaGrange and disqualify her from sitting on the Board. Mr. Kitchen has now filed his briefs, which lay out in detail how the Board’s decisions are procedurally unfair and unreasonable and should be overturned by the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta.

The two judicial reviews will be heard virtually by a Red Deer judge over the course of a three-day hearing on May 1-3, 2024, starting at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, May 1. Members of the public are encouraged to attend by accessing this link.

In Alberta, judicial reviews are heard on the basis of a record of documents compiled and submitted to the Court by the decision-maker, which is supposed to include everything presented to the decision-maker at the time the decision was made. In this case, Mrs. LaGrange had submitted to the Board 33 pages of emails and letters from Albertans who supported her. At first, the Board failed to provide these supportive emails and letters to the Court, but that changed when Mr. Kitchen filed an application to compel the Board to do so. Redacted versions of these emails and letters, which are also quoted at length in the briefs, can be viewed here, starting at page 113 of 169.

Mrs. LaGrange was democratically elected to the Board in 2021. Despite this, the Board expelled her because she allegedly failed to comply with sanctions imposed on her by the Board in September 2023 for posting a meme to her Facebook account that some people found offensive. The impugned meme depicted two side-by-side photographs, one of children holding swastika flags and the other of children holding pride progress flags. The meme, which drew much support but also some disapprobation from the community, included a caption stating, “Brainwashing is brainwashing.”

The Board asked Mrs. LaGrange to apologize for the meme, which she declined to do because she believed she had done nothing wrong. In speaking to the Western Standard, Mrs. LaGrange stated, “I was elected to stand up and protect our children, and that is what I am doing.” Among other things, the Board, on September 26, 2023, ordered LaGrange to undergo sensitivity training at her own expense for allegedly breaching their code of conduct by posting the meme and to refrain from making public comments about sexual minorities in her official capacity as a Trustee.

The Board subsequently alleged Mrs. LaGrange had breached some of these sanctions and voted to disqualify Mrs. LaGrange as a trustee.

TDF and lawyer James Kitchen have chosen to defend Mrs. LaGrange to defend the free speech rights of all Canadians, especially in the context of statements made by democratically elected representatives.

To support Mrs. LaGrange, please consider making a tax-deductible donation on this page.

About The Democracy Fund:

Founded in 2021, The Democracy Fund (TDF) is a Canadian charity dedicated to constitutional rights, advancing education, and relieving poverty. TDF promotes constitutional rights through litigation and public education and supports access to justice initiatives for Canadians whose civil liberties have been infringed by government lockdowns and other public policy responses to the pandemic.

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