Message from the Board Chair
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
As we begin a new school year, I want to extend a warm Black Gold welcome to you all. Whether you are returning or joining us for the first time, we are excited to have you in our school community.
Our theme for this school year is Visible Learning, which focuses on making the incredible progress being made in our classrooms clear for everyone to see. We believe every student’s journey is unique, and we are committed to inspiring and supporting each student in reaching their full potential.
In keeping with our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, the Board proudly raised the Treaty 6 and Métis Nation flags at the Division Office, and in all our schools across the Division. This meaningful act symbolizes our dedication to fostering understanding, respect, and unity within our schools and communities.
The Board was also excited to officially open Ohpaho Secondary School in September. This school not only helps to address the growing enrollment pressures in Leduc, but also provides a vibrant space where students can thrive, explore their passions, and prepare for a bright future.
Our Beaumont schools are also facing rapid growth and enrolment pressures, and we are working hard to advocate for the Province to make a funding announcement for a new high school in their upcoming budget.
On behalf of the Board, I want to express gratitude to our hardworking teachers and support staff for your tireless dedication to public education. You are the heart of our schools, and your passion continues to shape the future of our students in remarkable ways.
To our students—this is your year! Embrace every opportunity to explore new ideas, challenge yourself, and discover your potential. Remember, learning is not just about what happens in the classroom, but also about how you grow as individuals and community members.
I look forward to an exciting year ahead filled with learning, friendship, and personal growth. Let’s make the 2025-25 school year one of the best yet!
Sincerely,
Esther Eckert,
Board Chair
Ohpaho Secondary School grand opening
On September 24, the Board of Trustees were joined by MLA Brandon Lunty, City of Leduc Mayor Bob Young, project partners, special guests, students and staff for a special ceremony to celebrate the official opening of Ohpaho Secondary School in southwest Leduc.
“The opening of Ohpaho Secondary School is an exciting moment for our school community,” said Board Chair Esther Eckert. “This school not only helps to address the growing enrollment pressures in the community, but also provides a vibrant space where students can thrive, explore their passions, and prepare for a bright future.”
2024 Inspiring Success Award
Please join us in congratulating this year’s Inspiring Success Award of Distinction winner – Mr. Chris Fensky, Physics teacher at École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School (ESBCHS) Physics Teacher,
The Board was pleased to present Fensky with the award because of his tireless work to improve Physics instruction within the school division. He has developed and shared many lab activities with colleagues across Black Gold, and has offered valuable professional development sessions.
Chris has also mentored the Science 10 teachers to help them better teach Physics concepts. For smaller schools with fewer resources, he has created videos of the labs and step-by-step worksheets with photos and data that can be used for student analysis.
“Chris’ greatest strength lies in his ability to foster relationships with students and staff,” said one nominator, BJ Butler. “As he walks through the hallways, he greets individuals with a smile on his face, asks about their latest endeavors, listens intently to their answers, and cheers them on. He has an incredible memory for detail and he makes everyone feel seen.”
September school enrolment update
The Board is pleased to report that the school division experienced steady growth in student enrolments for the 2024-25 school year. As of mid-September, total enrolment was 13,464, which was a 0.83% increase from spring projections and a 2.7% increase from the previous year.
This increase in enrolment from spring projections translates into additional funding of approximately $900 thousand, and in response, the Board has taken the following steps:
- Approved additional instructional staff allocations to schools with increased enrolments.
- Adjusted allocations to school budgets for supplies, substitute teachers, and library resources based on the revised enrolments.
- Increased allocations have been made to Student Services, Information Technology, Education Technology, and other instructional programs.
- Provided Human Resources with contingency funds to support additional staffing needs at schools as required.
The Division will continue to monitor and update enrolment data throughout September to ensure that resources are appropriately allocated to support student success.
Board advocacy priorities
The Board of Trustees holds advocacy for public education as one of their key responsibilities. The following areas of priority are where we are currently focusing our efforts to best serve the needs of our students.
1. Support for Growing Communities
Capital Construction: There is an urgent need to address school enrolment growth pressures in our rapidly growing urban communities (Leduc, Beaumont) through increased capital announcements in the Provincial budgets.
Our top capital priority is a new high school for the city of Beaumont. École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School – the community’s only high school – is now at 101% utilization and is projected to reach 120% utilization by September 2026.
While the City of Beaumont has committed to provide a serviced land site for a new school, we are still waiting for design and construction funding. The Government of Alberta must announce a new high school for Beaumont in its recently announced school construction accelerator program.
2. Support for Career Development
Sustainable Dual Credit Program Funding: The Board is advocating – through the Alberta School Board Association – for the Government of Alberta to provide a sufficient, sustainable and equitable funding structure for dual credit programming to support proven success in pathways to post-secondary education and workplace training in addition to the existing start-up grants and enhancement grants.
The requested funding will support students in gaining valuable hands-on experience and preparing for careers in high-demand industries and the skilled trades.
4. Support for Inclusive Education and Mental Health
Addressing Classroom Complexity: We will continue to advocate to the Province about the need for increased funding for professional services to address classroom complexity in a timely manner:
Due to a sharp increase in coded children with learning disabilities, behavioral challenges, language barriers, special education needs, and students with medical and physical needs, additional funding will enable schools to provide better support for these students. Supporting students who are developmentally dependent on adults and need additional assistance from professional disciplines such as speech language pathologists, physical therapists, psychologists, mental health nurses, and others, ensures all students have the opportunity to succeed.
Support for Sustainable and Equitable Funding
Weighted Moving Average (WMA): While we appreciate the predictability of funding with the WMA, it does not fully fund student enrolment growth because the number of funded students is always less than the actual number of students in the school system. As WMA funding allocations are partially based on enrolment from previous years, we are always lagging behind when trying to meet the needs of current students.
The Province needs to fund school authorities based on the number of students as measured in the fall of each year, to help boards match the number of students with the number of teachers, support staff, and other resources necessary to support student success.
Honouring our commitment to Truth & Reconciliation
On August 28, the Board of Trustees acknowledged their commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and respect for Indigenous cultures by proudly raising the Treaty 6 and Métis Nation flags at the Division Office, and in all Black Gold schools.
“The flags symbolize our recognition of the Treaty rights of Indigenous peoples, our shared history, and our acknowledgment of the historic and ongoing impacts of colonization,” said Board Chair Esther Eckert. “It is a meaningful act that reflects the Board’s dedication to fostering an inclusive environment for all students, staff, and community members.”
The flag raising ceremony underscores Black Gold’s broader commitment to reconciliation, which includes the hiring of an Indigenous Lead Teacher, professional development for staff on Indigenous issues, curriculum updates that incorporate Indigenous perspectives, and partnerships with local Indigenous communities.
Meet our new Instructional Coach – Indigenous Lead
Please join us in welcoming Michael Swampy, our new Instructional Coach – Indigenous Lead, to the Black Gold family.
Michael is a member of the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta, and is new to the Division and to Leduc. He was a teacher previously at Maskwacis Education School Commission where he spent the last seven years teaching a variety of subjects, but has a passion for Physical Education and Wellness.
In this new and exciting role, Michael will collaborate with administrators and teachers to integrate Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum, offer professional development, and recognize important events such as National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Making learning visible in our schools
For the 2024-25 school year, the Black Gold School Division is continuing with the implementation of the Visible Learning framework, which seeks to help teachers teach better and students learn better so that students are actively engaged in their own learning and teachers are continuously working to improve their efficacy.
Our educators agree that prioritizing the framework’s proven practices can enhance student engagement and motivation. Instead of just telling students what to know, the Visible Learning approach encourages teachers to help students understand what they’re learning and why it matters.
Our teachers will be there every step of the way, giving students clear feedback on progress so that they can keep improving.
Visible Learning recognizes the importance of catering to the diverse needs of students. By implementing strategies that allow for differentiation, our teachers can better address individual learning styles, abilities, and interests, thereby promoting greater inclusivity and equity in their increasingly complex classrooms.
It also promotes collaboration among students and encourages peer-to-peer interaction and learning, which helps the students better understand concepts, improve communication skills, and foster camaraderie within the classroom.
Through its transformative approach to education, Visible Learning holds the potential to revolutionize the educational landscape to ensure that all Black Gold students have the opportunity to exceed what they thought was possible to equip them for success in a rapidly changing world.
Calmar Collegiate Secondary School groundbreaking
The Black Gold School Division’s Board of Trustees joined elected officials and educational and industry partners at a groundbreaking ceremony on August 1, 2024, to mark the beginning of construction of a new addition to Calmar Secondary School, which will provide local and area students with clear pathways into post-secondary education and careers in the skilled trades and other fields.
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