Chris Sigurdson

An ice rink for everyone to enjoy

Winter may be cold here in Winnipeg, but that doesn’t stop Louis Riel School Division students from enjoying the outdoors. Two schools in Ward 2 – École Marie-Anne-Gaboury and Hastings School – share a playground, and this year they’re sharing an ice rink. It’s actually two rinks combined as one. The unique design has a hockey rink on one side, complete with blue and goal lines and a curling rink on the other, complete with painted rings. It even features an oval skating track around the two rinks for speed skating.

A whole-community approach to education

Last month, members of the Louis Riel School Division board of trustees were happy to tour the René Deleurme Centre (RDC) which shares a building with Lavallee School in Ward 2. A few years ago, the LRSD board reimagined the Deleurme Centre as a community learning facility, as part of our ongoing commitment to equity in education. The area it serves is diverse, containing complex poverty and many newcomer families. The process began by consulting with local families and Elders as well as developing relationships and identifying needs.

Some say that schools should stick to the three Rs — rigour, relevance and relationships — but we believe that the best way to improve educational outcomes for students is to provide a whole-community approach to education by creating a hub of activity for kids and families. And a hub of community activity it certainly is!

Language is crucial, so RDC has English-language programs not just for students but also adults in the community. During our recent tour, we looked in on one of the classes and it was great to see the determined learners. The adult classes are supported by the Neighbourhood Immigrant Settlement Worker team. The NISW team helps permanent resident newcomer and refugee families throughout LRSD with their transition to life in Canada. Support for newcomer families is so important to ensuring the academic success of our students.

Nutrition is also key to learning. In addition to providing cooking and nutrition classes, RDC has a community cupboard to provide breakfasts and snacks.

The magnificent snow fort at ÉMAG

Now that spring is officially here, it’s time to remember some of the wonderful ways the community used snow to spread joy and help us all through a pandemic winter.

The staff and students at École Marie-Anne-Gaboury built a fantastic snow fort and outdoor classroom in front of the school which drew nationwide attention. The original impetus for the snow fort was the tradition of creating elaborate snow sculptures to celebrate Festival Du Voyageur.

Tyler Milloy, principal at ÉMAG, and Joel Bohemier, physical education teacher, canvassed the students and it soon became clear they wanted to create a usable structure as their project.

In February, over 400 students in kindergarten to Grade 8 worked together to design and build the magnificent snow structure with help and direction from Joel Bohemier.

A friendly rivalry lives on in LRSD

Are you a Lion or a Lancer? Do you wear red and white or black and gold?

The part of St. Vital that makes up Ward 2 in the Louis Riel School Division has long been defined by the friendly rivalry of its two high schools — Glenlawn Collegiate and Dakota Collegiate, separated by just a short drive down St. Mary’s Road.

Glenlawn is the older school, first opened in 1930, and its present site at Fermor Avenue and St. Mary’s Road was opened in 1950, the same year  the great Red River flood devastated much of St. Vital. The flood hit the Elm Park neighbourhood around the new building very hard. At the time, St. Vital was a municipality and still not a part of Winnipeg and the new school sat at pretty much the outer limit of Winnipeg suburbs.

As St. Vital grew and became the city of St. Vital, those suburbs pushed south. A new high school in the south end was needed. 

The shows must go on

One of my favourite things about being a trustee for Louis Riel School Division’s Ward 2 is attending the amazing musicals that our high school teachers and students put on each year.

As graduation season has officially come to a close at the end of this unusual second half of the school year, I would like to reminisce about the three shows I was able attend this year. I thoroughly enjoyed the cheeky version of The Princess and the Pea called Once Upon a Mattress at Dakota Collegiate; the very fun and lively Seussical: The Musical at Glenlawn Collegiate and that old standard, Grease, at Collège Jeanne-Sauvé.

The thing I love about high school musicals is that they are such massive, school-wide efforts. What you see on the stage is just the tip of the creative iceberg. Planning, costumes, set design, the band, stage managers — the list of jobs that make these plays possible is endless. The crowds of smiling faces that come out onto the stage for final bows show just what a massive group effort it is to stage a musical.

And then, of course, there’s the amazing effort from the onstage performers, from the lead players to members of the chorus. It takes so many rehearsals to get it just right on show night. I’m always amazed at the level of talent of our students to pull off such professional quality shows. (Full disclosure: my daughter played Marty in Grease at CJS.)