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Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School presents Legally Blonde The Musical

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Elle Woods is making her debut in Red Deer as Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School presents Legally Blonde The Musical.

Shows run March 12-13 and March 16-17 at Red Deer Polytechnic.

“The aim is to offer students a new style, genre or era of musical theatre each year, so that by the time they graduate they have experienced a variety of styles. Last year, we worked on Annie, so this year, Legally Blonde came from wanting to do something a little more contemporary. It’s got a pop-rock score and some more challenging content, which the high school students were excited for,” said Tara Koett, Teacher at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School. “The show is based on the film, which is based on a book.”

According to Lindsay Thurber’s website Legally Blonde The Musical is, “A fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde The Musical, follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances – this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!”

“It’s really campy and self aware, ridiculous and clever. For those familiar with the movie, it’s quite similar and maybe a little cheekier,” said Koett. “It’s been a lot of fun, it’s very high energy, and it has a really beautiful and empowering message.”

About 70 students (and two canine actors) are involved in the production, which includes the cast, pit band, and technical theatre students. Koett added the students are giving their all.

“It’s been a really steep learning curve given the fact that in the past two years, their learning has been interrupted because of the pandemic,” she said. “It’s daunting and so exciting to see them start to revisit the skills they haven’t had the chance to use. It’s also the first time in two years that we’ve been able to have our cast and the pit band performing together. It’s really exciting and the energy is palpable.”

Koett said she encourages people to purchase tickets, even if they don’t have a connection to the school community.

“If you love live theatre and you love to laugh – the breadth and depth of work that these students have accomplished is incredible,” she said. “Our pit band is playing the same score that a Broadway Pit Orchestra would play; they are working so hard. The cast and technicians are also working so hard – I am amazed every day. The quality of their work is exceptional.”

 

Tickets are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit the Red Deer Polytechnic ticket website, or https://www.rdpsd.ab.ca/lindsaythurber/_ci/p/82938. For a sneak preview of the process, follow @thurbertheatre on Instagram or Facebook.

Red Deer

St. Joseph High School Celebrates Brody Andrie’s National Boxing Championship Victory

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News release from Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools 

St. Joseph High School (SJHS) is thrilled to announce that Grade 12 student Brody Andrie has been crowned the National Champion in the 57 KG youth division at the prestigious Canada Cup & Junior Youth Canadian Championships. The championships were held at the Genesis Centre in Calgary from March 20 to March 24, 2024.

Brody, a dedicated member of Team Alberta and a fierce competitor from the Shadow Box Boxing Club in Lacombe, has achieved a remarkable milestone by winning gold in his division. This victory not only highlights his outstanding skills and dedication to the sport of boxing but also marks him as the first central Alberta boxer to be crowned a national champion in decades.

Reflecting on his victory, Brody shared, “This win is not just for me but for everyone who has supported me along the way. I’m proud to bring this championship back to Lacombe and hope to inspire other young athletes in our community.”

SJHS Principal, Gary Gylander, expressed his admiration for Brody’s achievement, stating, “Brody’s success is a testament to his hard work, perseverance, and the support of his coaches and community. We are incredibly proud of him and look forward to seeing what the future holds for this outstanding young athlete.”

This is a historic moment for both Brody and central Alberta, shining a spotlight on the talent and potential within our community.

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Education

Higher spending on K-12 education does not result in better student outcomes

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From the Fraser Institute

By Derek J. Allison

Higher levels of per-student spending do not achieve higher student scores on standardized tests, either internationally or among the provinces, finds a new report published today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

“Just spending more on K-12 education does not lead to better student outcomes,” said Derek J. Allison, Fraser Institute senior fellow and author of School Spending and Performance in Canada and Other High-Income Countries.

The study compares provincial per-student spending on K-12 education in 2018 (the last year of comparable data) to other high-income countries in the OECD and to performance on the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

It finds that higher per-student spending levels are not associated with stronger academic achievement. In fact, in 2018, 10 countries—or one third—of the high income OECD countries included in the analysis spent more per student than Canada but achieved significantly lower PISA scores.

Similarly, among the provinces, Saskatchewan was the highest per-student spender among the provinces but ranked 8th out of 10 on PISA scores. Manitoba was the second-highest per-student spender and recorded the lowest PISA scores nationwide. Conversely, British Columbia was the lowest spender per student in Canada and achieved the fourth-highest PISA scores.

“The evidence is clear—simply spending more on established K-12 schools without finding new and better ways to help kids learn will not improve student outcomes,” Allison said.

Provincial per-student spending (2018) compared to core PISA score

Province                                          Spending                  Core PISA score

Saskatchewan                                Highest spender      8th
Manitoba                                         2nd                             Lowest PISA score
Alberta                                             3rd                              Highest PISA score
Nova Scotia                                     4th                              5th
Ontario                                             5th                              3rd
New Brunswick                               6th                             9th
Quebec                                              7th                             2nd
P.E.I.                                                 8th                             7th
Newfoundland and Labrador      9th                             6th
British Columbia                            Lowest spender      4th

Click here to see the full report

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