Monthly Archives: September 2013

Davidson

Student enrolment up at majority of area schools

Summer is out and school is in for children, teachers and staff across this area.

The kids headed back to class or to class for the first time last Tuesday for the first day of the 2013-2014 school year. Although the first week is always hectic for teachers and staff at the numerous schools to get to know the names that go with the new faces that are suddenly staring up at them, everyone seemed to be excited to get going.

Enrolment numbers at each of the schools remained fairly constant with those from last year and despite a few subtractions and additions to the teacher ranks at each school those who occupied a certain classroom last year are for the most part occupying the same one this September.

Now that the first week is over, it is full steam ahead for the schools to implement any new and previous initiatives that are in place to get the kids learning to the best of their abilities.

Dundurn Elementary School

Jason Hill, principal of Dundurn Elementary School, said there are 151 students enrolled at the pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 school including 27 kids in the Kindergarten class. He said the school is also welcoming one new intern to their teaching ranks this fall as Julie Belina would be helping out with the Grade 5/6 class.

“One of our new goals this year is to provide tools, skills and opportunities of inquiry to improve student engagement and achievement,” said Hill. “Inquiries is a newer focus within the curriculum and we’re hoping (to focus) on technology and use of technology as tools in relation to inquiry.”

Hill said the school got off to a great start this year with their annual opening day pancake breakfast. He said close to 300 people came out for flapjacks smothered with maple syrup including representatives from most of the families that have children enrolled at the school.

Loreburn Central School

Loreburn Central School principal Jill Long said 100 students are enrolled at the Kindergarten to Grade 12 school this year including four in Kindergarten. She said there are no interns at the school this fall, but they do have a new teacher in Blair Frederickson, who is taking up the career development position at schools in Loreburn, Kenaston and Davidson, and a new custodian in Michelle Lafontaine.

Long said there will be a focus on reading and physical health and wellness during the 2013-2014 school year. She said they are also continuing with their Leader in Me initiative this year where priority is placed on teaching kids the seven habits of highly effective students in the 21st Century.

“Our first (habit) is be pro-active,” said Long. “The second is begin with the end in mind. The third is to put first things first. The fourth is think ‘win win’ and seek first to understand and be understood. Habit six is synergize and habit seven is sharpening the saw.”

The principal said they would be hosting a Leader in Me day later this year where they invite people from around the area to come to the school and see what the program is all about. She said the students run the whole day including the assembly and the planning of it.

To read more please see the Sept. 9 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Davidson, Sports

Junior Raiders prepare for upcoming jamboree

Jason Low, head coach of the Davidson Raiders junior football team, has “high expectations” for his second-year club as they head into their first jamboree of the season this Saturday at the Ranch.

“There are a lot of really good athletes in that age group (with) lots of passion for football,” said Low. “Those are the boys when we started the team that we always saw out on their own time on the weekends and evenings playing football in the field. They’re all very excited.”

The Raiders are lining up against squads from Watrous and Outlook at the Ranch, but there is a possibility a fourth team could be added to the bill. After this weekend, the Raiders would head to Watrous for a jamboree Sept. 21 and Outlook for a mini-tournament on Sept. 28.

Low said the junior football program is different from the senior team as coaches are on the field with players during game action and everything during the game is geared towards a developmental process. He said the games are also not structured the same as in senior football, so fans coming out to watch the junior Raiders this Saturday should expect a few differences.

“Davidson offence would have 10 plays in a row against the other team’s defence and (then) they’ll switch,” he said. “The other team will then get 10 plays against (our) defence. They just go back and forth like that. That is how the style of game goes and there is no kickoffs or field goals. It is all running and passing plays. If you get a touchdown the first play, you still get nine more plays.”

Raiders associate coach Trevor Ouellette said games usually last around 45 to 50 minutes and the first one this Saturday should start at about 10 a.m. with the next game at 11 a.m. and the final one at noon. He said there is no score taken during the games and there are no winners or losers.

“The players know the score, but the coaches don’t,” said Ouellette. “We don’t care. It’s purely developmental. The kids play some games and that’s all. There are no standings.”

Ouellette said the junior program is mainly about getting players ready for the jump to senior action. He said these games give the kids an introduction to live contact and also enables the coaches an opportunity to stress safe practices.

Low said these three jamborees should provide a “pretty full day” for the kids involved and he hopes more games would make it onto the schedule before the season ends.

“We should have quite a few games for the boys this year,” he said.

Sports

Six-man football teams vie for top four spot as season starts

Action on the gridiron is set to hit a fevered pitch this Friday as all six senior boys high school football teams in 1A Conference Three begin their regular seasons with a goal of establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with this fall.

Neil Boutin, head coach of the Gull Lake Lions, said they are starting off the season with “moderate to high expectations” and hope to begin their quest for a top four position and subsequent playoff spot with a victory this Friday at the Lion’s Den over the Davidson Raiders. He said everyone on the Lions knows this is a tough league with three or four teams able to challenge for the top spot.

“It’s going to be entertaining and we’re really looking forward to it,” said Boutin, noting this is their first year back in Conference Three after competing in Conference Two last season.

Boutin said they have lost a few starters on defence from last year’s squad, so they’ll be building it by committee. He said the main thing that should keep them competitive this year is their offence.

“My offence isn’t much changed from last year and we could put points on the board,” he said. “We’re in the process of revamping our offence to form a balanced attack. We have a lot of guys who can bring different things to the table.”

Davidson Raiders head coach Jason Low said their starting core of Grade 12 students should give them their “best chance” of having a successful season in 2013 since the Raiders first took the field two years ago. He said the team has had some “really good” practices leading up to their game against the Lions this week thanks to the expertise of new Raiders coach Blair Frederickson.

“He has been a great addition out there helping us run practices and giving us some tips and pointers from what he’s seen and done (with) other teams,” said Low. “We’ve had a real renewed energy to some of our practices and to the mental portion of the team.”

Low said they could run into some trouble if they have a few injuries during the season because of the low number of players on the team, but their dual air/ground offence is going to fit in well with the players they have.

“We’ve got big (and) strong bodies that can run and catch the ball,” he said. “We have really high hopes for our offence this year.”

To read more please see the Sept. 9 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Obituary

obitLePoudre, Paul

LePoudre
Paul LePoudre of Davidson passed away peacefully, with his loving family by his side on Monday, August 12, 2013.
Paul is survived by his sons Julius (Madeliene) LePoudre, Daniel (Joanne) LePoudre; daughters Shirley (Harvey) Buchholz, Deborah (Clarke) Doell, Darlene (Wayne) Nadeau; 13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; sisters Paula Kenny, Leona Gartner, and numerous other family members.
Paul was predeceased by his loving wife Gabrielle; father Jules, mother Marie; brothers Octave, Andre and Clifford as well as young brothers Andre and Octave in Belgium; sisters Mary, Andrea and Suzanna; daughter-in-law Sharon LePoudre and other family members.
Paul was born on June 29, 1917. He was one of 11 children born to Jules and Marie LePoudre originally from Gets, Belgium. Earlier his family had moved to Canada and eventually took up farming in the Davidson area. Nine of their children were raised on this farm. Life was tough. They learned how to work hard from a young age. As a young man, Paul worked as a hired man for a relative or neighbor, giving his paycheck back to his parents. This was done until he reached the marrying age and decided to settle on his own. He met the love of his life, Gabrielle Cool, also of Davidson, and they were married on Nov 14, 1944. They set up their home on a farm near his parents. Here they raised their five children: Julius, Shirley, Deborah, Daniel and Darlene. Paul’s life was blessed indeed. His first love was Gabrielle; his second love was his farm. But with the arrival of family, his greatest love became the love of his family. As children grew up and married he was overjoyed. He loved his sons-in-law and daughters-in-law as his own. As each bought or built homes – he was there helping to build and renovate. He was a very skilled carpenter. Many grandchildren and great-grandchildren were born in the years to follow. Each held a special place in his heart.
Paul and Gabrielle retired from the farm in 1980 and built a beautiful retirement home in Davidson, where they enjoyed many years with family and friends and the numerous family gatherings held here.
After losing the love of his life Gabrielle in 2004, Paul’s life changed. With love and support from his large family – he healed. He grew his big gardens and enjoyed his flowers. He still spent time helping at the farm. The large family gatherings were still held in his home.
During the last of his 95th year, Paul’s health failed and he moved into the Health Centre as a permanent resident. With his excellent care and unfaltering drive to be there for his family – he did reach his 96th birthday.
Paul was a humble, caring and giving man. His strength and faith were so strong. “His legacy to his family and friends is one of love, commitment and steadfastness.”
Prayers were held on Thursday, Aug. 22. The Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Friday, Aug. 23 with Rev. Father Eugene Warnke officiating. Interment followed in family plot, Davidson Cemetery.
Lunch was served by the CWL. Hanson’s Funeral Home was in charge of all arrangements.
If family or friends so desire, memorial tributes may be directed to the Davidson and District Health Foundation, Sacred Heart Church Fund, Sask. Heart and Stroke Fund or the charity of your choice.

featured

Local man helps nab truck thief

A 28-year-old Watrous man, on Friday, Aug. 23, had police on a wild, three-hour chase down highways, prairie trails and across farm fields.
It all ended in Last Mountain Lake, at Etters Beach, where the Mounties finally caught their man by fishing him out of the lake.
The Friday night chase began at about 5:30 when Const. Brendan Fonteyne of the Watrous RCMP detachment responded to a complaint of a suspicious vehicle parked in an alley in Watrous.
That suspicious vehicle turned out to be the truck that was reported stolen from Fast Toys for Boys trailer dealership in Davidson.
Terry Dieno, owner of Fast Toys for Boys, said they noticed the truck, which is a dualee pick up truck they use to tow RVs from Indiana to Davidson, missing the morning of Thursday, Aug. 22.
The thief drove through the fence surrounding the dealership, demolishing about 100 feet of it, to make his escape.
Dieno reported the stolen truck to Craik RCMP.
The next day, Dieno was notified that police had spotted his truck in Watrous.
However, Dieno’s truck didn’t stay in Watrous long.
Fonteyne said when he went to check out the truck, the driver took off, driving south out of Watrous on Highway 668. Fonteyne tried to pull over the vehicle but the driver fled across a grain field south of Watrous where a farmer was swathing. Fonteyne said the suspect then traded trucks, taking the farmer’s truck, a 2013 GMC Sierra, and took off again.
By now, four RCMP cruisers were involved in the chase, with Watrous and Craik RCMP detachments each supplying two vehicles.
Fonteyne said the officers lost sight of the suspect vehicle while he was fleeing across a field, heading back to Davidson.
The thief didn’t stay lost for long.
Dieno said when police notified him that they’d spotted his truck he was about to go flying in his plane, so he offered to look for his truck.
Dieno said he usually flies eastward out of town, but police advised him to go south towards Craik.
While he was still heading east, Dieno said he saw headlights coming down a prairie trail.
He took a look at the truck, but it wasn’t his, so he was about to head south, when he got an update that the suspect had abandoned Dieno’s truck and stole a different one.
Dieno said he asked police for a description of the vehicle and realized he had flown right over top of the thief.
To read more please see the Sept. 2 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Davidson

Council looks into sewer repair

Members of town council expressed a desire to develop a long-term infrastructure plan dealing with sewer pipe restoration at their monthly meeting Aug. 20.

As discussed at the meeting, council is considering entering into a long-term contract with Acme Sewer Service out of Regina to install fiberglass liners in problem sewer pipes in town. Acme Sewer Service has done similar work in Saskatoon, Yorkton, North Battleford and many other cities and towns throughout Saskatchewan.

It would cost taxpayers $49,400 to put in a liner along a whole block. This amount covers everything involved in the job including inspecting the pipe with a camera, installing the liner and pre- and post-video of the job.

The first block that would be worked on in town is a section of Hamilton Street. A sewer pipe along Hamilton Street is in need of repair due to breaks in the pipe and tree roots digging into it.

Council stated at the meeting the advantage of going with this type of work is there would be no need to rip up the street when putting in these liners. The liners are shot into the pipe by an air compressor and harden and contour to the shape of the pipe once they are in.

Installing a liner takes around 10 to 12 hours and comes with a two-year warranty. The expected life expectancy of a liner is 50 years.

There is nothing in the budget to begin the work on Hamilton Street this year, but council stated it could be done in the next budget year. Council intends to hold a planning meeting in November to come up with a long-term infrastructure plan to restore the remaining problem sewer pipes in town.

To read more please see the Sept. 2 print edition of The Davidson Leader.