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Red Deer College celebrates contributions of retiring Vice President, Michael Donlevy

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From Red Deer College 

Red Deer College celebrates contributions of retiring Vice President, Michael Donlevy

After close to two decades of contributing to the success of learners through his leadership in fund development at Red Deer College, Michael Donlevy, Vice President of Business Development, will be retiring in June.

Donlevy was first introduced to the College through his volunteer efforts as a Campaign Cabinet member, fundraising to build the College’s Library Information Common which opened in 2001. It was through his involvement and strong belief in this initiative that Donlevy realized his desire to be part of RDC’s future successes in a more formal role.

Michael Donlevy has been a member of RDC’s executive team since 2001. During his time at the College, supported by a solid team of colleagues, he has proudly led two ambitious fundraising campaigns for major capital projects and scholarships to support RDC’s students and programs. He also played a leadership role in building and growing a variety of annual successful events, including RDC’s Kings & Queens Scholarship Breakfast, Golf Classic, and Perspectives: Canada in the World speakers’ series, among others.

Key to Donlevy’s success during his tenure has been his knack for building and maintaining meaningful relationships with new and existing donors, sponsors and partners who support the College’s students.

“With the completion of the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, our institution’s transition to a university and the forthcoming appointment of a new President, the time is opportune for me to move to a new and exciting next chapter,” says Michael Donlevy, Vice President, Business Development.

“The experiences I’ve enjoyed during almost 20 years of working with an amazing group of senior administration colleagues, staff and faculty, being part of helping learners achieve their educational goals, has been a true privilege. But also so memorable and humbling, has been the opportunity to engage donors, alumni, partners, sponsors, volunteers and community members. They showed me time and again, their own passion for RDC, their commitment to our students and in many instances, the true meaning of generosity and philanthropy.”

Donlevy’s leadership has resulted in approximately $60 million raised for Red Deer College through philanthropic gifts and sponsorship investments. In addition, more than $1 million in scholarships are now awarded to RDC students each year, thanks to significant growth in endowments provided by the College’s many generous donors.

Among his more recent accomplishments, Donlevy is proud to have established and nurtured new partnerships that contribute to RDC’s Alternative Energy Strategy. Through a variety of energy- efficient initiatives, RDC’s goal is to become a net zero institution, producing all the energy RDC’s main campus will require to power its buildings and infrastructure from sustainable sources.

“Michael is a valued colleague and has served the College and our community well in his leadership role. I appreciate Michael’s vast contributions and tireless efforts to help shape RDC to be the vibrant post-secondary institution it is today, ensuring our students’ achieve success in their studies and in their lives,” says Joel Ward, RDC President & CEO.

Donlevy will retire from RDC effective June 30, 2019. As a passionate volunteer outside RDC already, serving as Chair of organizations such as the Alberta Jubilee Auditoria Society, Westerner Park, Kiwanis Club of Red Deer, and the Red Deer Festival of Trees Sponsorship Committee, Donlevy will continue to place his valuable mark on our region for many years to come. He is looking forward to a change in pace, however, to enjoy more time with his wife Robin and their family, to explore other professional challenges that may present themselves, as well as his unrelenting pursuit of golf.

A reception celebrating Donlevy’s contributions to the College will be held this spring, with details to be announced later.

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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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