Category Archives: featured

featured, Loreburn

Seven Habits taking root for Loreburn kids

Darrah Langager (left) and Rachel Stamnes paint a cow design as part of a totem pole in the art classroom, one of several stations open to visitors during Leadership Day at Loreburn Central School on Thursday.
Darrah Langager (left) and Rachel Stamnes paint a cow design as part of a totem pole in the art classroom, one of several stations open to visitors during Leadership Day at Loreburn Central School on Thursday.

By Joel van der Veen

LOREBURN — From household chores to hockey, Loreburn students are finding that the Seven Habits can work their way into just about everything they do.

Grade 7 student Derek Griffin, who just finished peewee hockey season a few weeks ago, said he could put Habit No. 6 — “Synergize” — to practical use on the ice.

“We want to score on the other team and win the game,” he explained, so synergy with his teammates is the best way forward.

Griffin said the habits don’t always come to him naturally like they do for some. In his case, they’re more of a reminder of the way he should be doing things.

“They’re there when you need them,” he said. “To some people it’s very effective.”

Griffin and his schoolmates played host to roughly 70 guests as Loreburn Central School held its fourth annual Leadership Day on Thursday.

The event is organized by students to practise their leadership skills and to show how they put the Seven Habits into action.

It’s been five years since Loreburn staff and students began integrating the “Leader in Me” program and the habits into their school curriculum and culture.

“It’s a process and we are learning more and more as we go,” said principal Jill Long. “We have come a long way together.”

The program is aimed at changing schools in three main areas: teaching leadership directly to students and integrating it into lessons; empowering staff and students to have a voice in their schools; and making students active agents in their learning.

The crowd on Thursday morning included parents, community members, Sun West School Division board members and visitors from other schools.

The event was designed with a “Decades” theme, featuring retro decorations.

“It’s so neat just seeing the kids getting up and doing their thing,” said Long, adding that having to play host was forcing some students out of their comfort zones, with positive results.

For the full story, please see the April 3 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, featured

Heinrich to sing on provincial stage

 

Geena Heinrich sings a solo during the Central Saskatchewan Music Festival grand finale concert.
Geena Heinrich sings a solo during the Central Saskatchewan Music Festival grand finale concert.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — She’s starting to feel more at home on stage — and just in time, too.

Vocal student Geena Heinrich is set to perform at a provincial music competition in Saskatoon in June, following her successful performance at the local level last week.

As she said Wednesday, it’s taken a long time for her to feel comfortable singing before an audience.

“It’s my last year performing and I actually don’t hate performing now,” she said following the Central Saskatchewan Music Festival grand finale concert in Davidson.

“I was just really shy. I didn’t mind when literally no one was there.”

Heinrich, a Grade 12 student at Davidson School, will be performing the song “Memory” from the musical Cats.

She received a recommendation from adjudicator Alicia Woynarski.

Heinrich is the first performer from the district festival to move on to the provincial level since 2007 —  ending a decade-long drought, in the words of festival president Nancy Wilkins.

A longtime piano student, she has studied voice under Cheryl Dolan for the last four or five years.

Dolan said this is her first time preparing a student for provincials.

“This is all going to be new for me,” she said Thursday, adding that she is making plans for Heinrich to rehearse the piece with Joy McFarlane, an instructor with particular expertise in musical theatre.

Dolan had high praise for her student, saying that with her high soprano vocal range, she would likely have success in any genre she tried.

“She’s a really neat young lady,” said Dolan. “She’s been just fun to teach, easy to teach, and has an incredible, beautiful tone.”

She also affirmed that Heinrich is feeling more relaxed on stage this year than she ever has before.

Heinrich said Wednesday she is feeling a little nervous, but also excited to broaden her horizons.

Her current plan after graduation is to attend film school for animation in Vancouver, but she also hopes to continue pursuing her other artistic interests.

Accompanying Heinrich during her festival performances was pianist Pearl Unger.

For more coverage of this year’s Central Saskatchewan Music Festival, see the April 3 edition of The Davidson Leader.

Dundurn, featured

“Person in distress” was an ice fishing shack

Emergency responders were called to Highway 11 south of Dundurn around 2:30 a.m. on March 25 after a report of a possible person in distress. They arrived on the scene and found an ice fishing tent and chairs.
Emergency responders were called to Highway 11 south of Dundurn around 2:30 a.m. on March 25 after a report of a possible person in distress. They arrived on the scene and found an ice fishing tent and chairs.

By Joel van der Veen

DUNDURN — Early Saturday morning, eight members of the Dundurn Emergency Services Team (EST) responded to a call of a possible person in distress.

A driver had phoned 911 after seeing what they believed was a body laying on the side of Highway 11, south of Dundurn just before the hill at Blackstrap.

Members were dispatched to the scene on March 25 around 2:30 a.m. They didn’t find a body, but they did manage to rescue an ice fishing tent and a pair of chairs.

Speaking to the Leader last week, fire chief Laura Friesen said they don’t want to deter people from calling for help in the event of an emergency.

“We will respond to emergencies, no matter what they are,” she said.

However, she said, it’s also helpful when people check things out and get the basic information before they call 911.

This way, they can ensure there is an actual emergency, as well as providing the pertinent information to dispatchers.

The Dundurn EST issued a message on Facebook that same day with a similar message.

“When in doubt, always, ALWAYS call 911,” the message stated. “It is better to be present and not needed, than to be needed and not present.”

Friesen said the circumstances can go both ways, noting she is aware of other situations where emergency responders weren’t contacted.

“I understand why people don’t want to stop,” she said. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

Dispatchers sometimes receive calls about cars or trucks parked on the side of the highway, only to find that the vehicles have left by the time responders arrive. Friesen estimated they receive roughly one of these calls per year.

The post also advised that the owner of the ice fishing tent and chairs can pick up their property at the Dundurn Fire Hall.

Friesen said they’re not sure how the equipment ended up on the roadside, noting that it may have fallen off of a passing vehicle. It’s also possible the owner was from out of town.

As of Wednesday the owner had yet to claim their tent and chairs, she said, adding with a laugh, “I think after (our) rant they may be too embarrassed.”

Davidson, featured

Plenty of style at spring dance recital

Avery Ebenal faces a team of dancers — from left, Macy Palmer, Brooklyn Ruehlen, Jesselynne Palmer, Hannah Gust, Meghan Allan, Mackenzie Beck, Brookelynn Wick and Bella Thomson — in the opening jazz dance, "Enough."
Avery Ebenal faces a team of dancers — from left, Macy Palmer, Brooklyn Ruehlen, Jesselynne Palmer, Hannah Gust, Meghan Allan, Mackenzie Beck, Brookelynn Wick and Bella Thomson — in the opening jazz dance, “Enough.”

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Family, friends and guests filled the gym at Davidson School for last Sunday’s spring dance recital.

The students of the Davidson Dance Club presented a 90-minute show on the afternoon of March 19.

The program featured a total of 30 performances in a variety of styles, including jazz, ballet, tap, creative movement, hip hop, lyrical and musical theatre.

In past years, the spring recital was held at the end of the season, typically in May.

This year, organizers decided to bump it up by a couple of months, giving students the chance to practise their routines before going on to competitions.

“You are their very first audience,” said Kelly Allan to the capacity crowd.

Allan served as master of ceremonies along with Richelle Palmer, introducing each performance.

The club had 74 dancers registered this year. Most of the students live in Davidson, with a small number travelling from Kenaston, Elbow and Craik.

Irene Williams of Regina was the sole adult instructor this year, spending two nights in Davidson each week during dance season.

Tiara Shaw, Emily Read and Sarah Allan also served as instructors, while Hannah Gust, Avery Ebenal and Chase Lyn Dean were teacher-helpers.

For the full story and a full page of photos, please see the March 27 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

Davidson, featured

STC closure a blow for local bus riders

The STC bus bound for Regina is seen leaving the Davidson bus depot in this file photo.
The STC bus bound for Regina is seen leaving the Davidson bus depot in this file photo.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — For Gloria Williams and others like her, the STC is more than just the bus. It’s a means of independence.

Williams, a Davidson resident, said she regularly uses the bus to travel to Saskatoon or Moose Jaw for medical appointments, or to buy material for her quilting.

Since the local bus stop was moved to the east side of Highway 11 five years ago, she’s had to ask people for rides there and back, something she hates doing.

“There’s nothing worse than pestering people,” said Williams. “I want to go and do it on my own.”

For Williams and those like her, the province’s announcement Wednesday that the STC would be shut down by the end of May was a significant blow.

Crown investments minister Joe Hargrave said Wednesday that the government would end operating and capital subsidies to the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) for the coming fiscal year.

The company will close as a result, with freight being accepted for delivery until May 19 and passenger services ending May 31.

In a news release, Hargrave said the subsidies from the government had reached “unsustainable levels.”

Ten years ago, the government paid $25 in subsidies per passenger, but the cost has since increased to $94 per passenger.

The STC would require $85 million in subsidies to continue operating over the next five years, Hargrave said, adding that the government believes that money would be better spent elsewhere.

Arm River MLA Greg Brkich echoed those sentiments in an interview with the Leader on Wednesday afternoon, saying the government could not keep subsidizing STC at that level.

“How long are we going to keep doing it every year?” he said. “You have to make some tough decisions.”

Brkich said he recognized it would affect residents in his riding — maybe one or two in each town, he guessed.

Williams said she was angered by the announcement. She knows other people in town, both seniors and younger residents, who rely on the bus.

For the full story, plus additional coverage of the 2017 Saskatchewan provincial budget, please see the March 27 edition of The Davidson Leader, or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.

featured, Kenaston

Modern learning on display as Kenaston School hosts expo

Grade 4 student Kash Ringdal demonstrates iPad apps to his uncle Luke Ringdal and Chantalle Bussiere during Kenaston School's learning expo on Thursday.
Grade 4 student Kash Ringdal demonstrates iPad apps to his uncle Luke Ringdal and Chantalle Bussiere during Kenaston School’s learning expo on Thursday.

By Joel van der Veen

KENASTON — To older eyes, the school of the 21st century may seem somewhat foreign, and each classroom looks a little different.

Open the door, and you might find students working in groups or on their own, under a teacher’s direct supervision or at their own pace.

They may be paging through a textbook or using a tablet or computer to guide their learning.

Even the posture is different. They might be sitting behind a desk, curled up in a cozy chair or even sprawled out on a yoga mat.

“A lot of people don’t quite get what we do in school these days,” said Kenaston School principal Greg McJannet. “They want to know how learning happens nowadays.”

That was the impetus behind the school’s first-ever learning expo, held Thursday night with upwards of 150 people in attendance.

McJannet described the event as a student-led showcase of what modern learning looks like in Kenaston.

Rather than forcing all students to learn the same way, the new approach recognizes that each one learns differently. Teachers become facilitators, allowing students to guide their own education.

Thursday’s event was planned in much the same way, McJannet said, explaining, “We really place the onus on kids to share and talk about what they learn with parents.”

The afternoon began at 3:30 with scheduled teacher and parent conferences.

Afterward, chili and buns were served by the Grade 9 practical and applied arts class, with the meal sponsored by the Kenaston School Community Council (SCC).

The expo kicked off with a performance by the circus club, featuring plate spinning and acrobatic acts.

Dr. Guy Tétrault, director of education for Sun West School Division, spoke about the division’s Personalized Electronically Blended Learning (PeBL) initiatives.

“It’s a very different world out there,” Tétrault remarked. “You as parents want us to ensure that your kids are ready for it.”

Kenaston SCC chairperson Tara Rink also spoke about the council’s role and activities, later introducing the other council members and encouraging interested people to attend their annual general meeting on April 26.

Afterward, parents and other guests toured the school, visiting classrooms where students had set up stations and demonstrations.

For the full story, please see the March 27 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.