Education
Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools launches LIFE CHANCES 50/50 LOTTERY
Creating life chances for students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 and beyond, the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools launches its third annual LIFE CHANCES 50/50 LOTTERY. Get your tickets for a chance to win up to $25,000 in cash prizes! Sales end Tuesday, October 3, 2023 with the draw taking place on Thursday, October 5, 2023.
More than 10,400 tickets were sold totalling $23,330 during last year’s LIFE CHANCES 50/50 LOTTERY. A resident of Edmonton took home the prize.
Ticket packages include:
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25 for $50
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10 for $25
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1 for $10
“From giving kids a Bright Start to school to reconnecting with students so they graduate and cross the Finish Line, the Foundation helps students who face challenges in school and makes things better,” said Kristine Plastow, Chair of the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. “We motivate struggling students and inspire them to read and write through Reading College. For students who come to school without basic needs, we give them that needed Step Up.”
Hundreds of students have benefitted from various programs through the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. Nearly 80 students have ensured they have the best start to Kindergarten via the Bright Start program; more than 700 students have increased their reading and writing skills through Reading College; and more than 500 students, who otherwise wouldn’t have due to various barriers in their lives, have graduated thanks to the Finish Line program. These are just a few examples of the programs that give kids a life chance through the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools, and which directly benefit from tickets purchased through the LIFE CHANCES 50/50 LOTTERY.
“All of these programs make a real difference in the lives of kids and help them reach their full potential,” said Plastow.
The Foundation also supports community initiatives which impact thousands of students to enrich their learning. None of these are funded so the Foundation counts on community support to make these Above and Beyond projects happen.
“None of these programs are possible without the generous support of our community,” said Plastow. “We encourage the community to purchase tickets and to give kids a life chance.”
To purchase tickets, click here. For more information on the programs through the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools, click here.
Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Finance Nate Horner, and Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides issued the following statement.
“Yesterday, the Provincial Bargaining and Compensation Office wrote to the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and formally requested an agreement to enter an enhanced mediation process.
“This process would have ensured that students returned to the classrooms on Monday, and that teachers returned to work.
“Negotiating would have continued with the ATA, Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) and a third-party mediator to propose a recommended agreement.
“We are very disappointed that the Alberta Teachers’ Association refused this offer. Teachers and students should also be disappointed.
“PBCO made this offer to the ATA because the union has not made a reasonable offer and this strike is impacting students. Alberta’s government is trying to put kids first and bring an end to this strike.
“The offer of enhanced mediation provided a clear path to ending it.
“We want the same things as the ATA: More teachers. More pay for teachers. More educational assistants. And more classrooms.
“This strike has gone on too long and we are extremely concerned about the impact it is having on students.
“We are willing to consider further options to ensure that our next generation gets the world-class education they deserve. After about three weeks, a strike of this nature would reach the threshold of causing irreparable harm to our students’ education.
“The ATA needs to do what is right for its members, and for all Alberta students.
“If it refuses to do so, we will consider further options to bring this strike to an end.”
Diploma exam update
November diploma exams will be optional for students.
With instructional time in schools disrupted due to the teacher strike, the November 2025 diploma exams will now be optional for students. Students who wish to write a diploma exam may request to do so, and their school boards will accommodate the request.
The optional diploma exams apply to all schools provincewide. These exams will still take place on the currently scheduled dates.
Students who choose not to write the November diploma exams can still complete their courses and graduate on time. Their final grade will be based entirely on the school-awarded mark provided by their teacher.
Choosing not to write the November diploma exams will not affect a student’s ability to apply to, be accepted by, or attend post-secondary institutions after graduation.
No changes have been made to the January and June diplomas and provincial achievement tests.
Quick facts
- Students are automatically exempted from writing the November diploma exams but can request to write them.
- School boards must allow the student to write the diploma exam if requested.
Alberta
Premier Smith addresses the most important issue facing Alberta teachers: Classroom Complexity
Premier Danielle Smith is posting this response to a media question about Classroom Complexity.
While Albertans are hearing a lot about capping class sizes, Premier Smith says it might be a much better idea to talk about capping “complexity”.
The challenges teachers face in today’s classrooms are recognized, and work continues toward practical solutions that address their concerns.
Achieving a fair and reasonable agreement that best supports students remains a top priority. pic.twitter.com/o4UCt7sDoU
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) October 16, 2025
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