Education
Red Deer Polytechnic welcomes Patrick Machacek as Vice President, Development & Partnerships
Red Deer Polytechnic is pleased to welcome Patrick Machacek as Vice President, Development & Partnerships.
“This exciting new position will provide leadership toward RDP’s strategic and operational planning, communications and marketing, applied research, extended education, external relations and also guide our partnerships with industry and the community,” says Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “Patrick’s experience and track record speaks for itself, and we look forward to his contributions to RDP and the Red Deer region.”
Patrick has spent his career as a fund development professional. He has more than twenty years leading post-secondary external relations portfolios including roles as the Vice President, Development & Strategy at Olds College; Vice President, Transformation at NorQuest College; and Associate Vice President, Advancement, Communications & Corporate Training at NAIT. During the past two decades, Mr. Machacek has led teams and implemented new business models that have produced significant impact. Through his leadership, he has increased enrolments, market and brand growth, enhanced industry and stakeholder engagement, and raised more than $450 Million in donations, research funding, corporate training, capital grants and other earned revenues.
Patrick received his undergraduate education from the University of Lethbridge (BA) and his MBA from Queen’s University.
“I am very excited to be joining Red Deer Polytechnic at this pivotal time in the institution’s trajectory,” says Patrick Machacek, Red Deer Polytechnic’s new Vice President, Development & Partnerships. “As a polytechnic, there is a tremendous opportunity for RDP to expand its impact for learners, the community
and the province. I look forward to working and collaborating with our dedicated team of faculty, staff, researchers, and external stakeholders, as we continue to evolve and build a world-class polytechnic that serves the needs of learners, employers and industry.”
Mr. Machacek will begin his new role on January 30, 2023.
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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