Education
Red Deer Polytechnic recognizes achievements of graduates at 2023 Convocation
Friday, Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) celebrated the Class of 2023 with families, community members and employees attending its 59th Convocation Ceremonies.
“Convocation is the most important day of the academic year, when we come together as a community to celebrate our graduates and all they have achieved,” says Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “I congratulate the Class of 2023 and wish them every success as they start the next chapter of their lives.”
More than 620 of 1,470 eligible RDP graduates from 2023 attended the ceremonies in the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Little Buffalo Drum Group welcomed the graduates into The Fas Gas – On The Run Gymnasium with an Indigenous Grand Entry Song, which was performed to acknowledge and celebrate significant achievements in life.
This year is the first graduating classes of RDP’s Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, Business Certificate, Business Diploma, Business Certificate Skywings and Bachelor of Applied Arts in Film, Theatre, and Live Entertainment – Film Production.
Brittany Parker received the Governor General’s Academic Medal (Collegiate Bronze Level), achieving the highest academic standing among all graduates from Red Deer Polytechnic’s diploma-level programs. Parker completed an Occupational and Physical Therapist Assistant Diploma, earning seven grades of A+ and a GPA of 4.0 during the 2022/2023 academic year.
“To earn the Governor General’s Academic Medal takes hard work, commitment and effective time management,” says Dr. Paulette Hanna, Interim Vice President Academic. “Brittany has demonstrated these important skills throughout her time at Red Deer Polytechnic and we are very proud of her accomplishments. We wish Brittany well as she embarks on her career.”
Parker and the entire Class of 2023 now join an esteemed group of more than 80,000 RDP alumni who are key contributors to industry and communities.
This year, Red Deer Polytechnic granted Honorary Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Degrees to both Dr. James Barmby and Dr. Russell Schnell for providing meaningful impact in Alberta and around the world. They were formally acknowledged at the Convocation Ceremonies.
Dr. Barmby is a respected post-secondary educator and leader who has made significant contributions provincially and nationally. His expertise and advocacy for higher learning have contributed to student success for almost 40 years. Along with his ongoing community involvement, Dr. Barmby is currently Co-chair of the Minister’s Advisory Council on Higher Education and Skills. Dr. Barmby, who was an Art and Design student at the Polytechnic, transferred to university before completing the program. At Convocation, he was also granted a Visual Art Diploma.
Dr. Schnell was recognized for his global contributions to environmental sciences. He was a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that was a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Schnell discovered biological ice nuclei, which are effective initiators of natural precipitation, while working on the Alberta Hail Project. In recent years, he has built Little Free Libraries out of recycled materials and donated them to communities in Alberta and around the world to inspire youth.
Dr. Barmby and Dr. Schnell join a prestigious group of nine other individuals who have also received Honorary Degrees from Red Deer Polytechnic. The Polytechnic first began bestowing this honour in 2014.
More details about RDP’s 59th Convocation, the institution’s second as Red Deer Polytechnic, are available at: rdpolytech.ca/convocation.
Red Deer
St. Joseph High School Celebrates Brody Andrie’s National Boxing Championship Victory
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.
Education
Higher spending on K-12 education does not result in better student outcomes
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
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