School Information

Mission Statement

“With Enthusiasm and Support
We Challenge Learners to Achieve Their Highest Potential
And Develop into Responsible and Caring Citizens.”

Vision

“Improving our world, one student at a time.”

Values

At Iron River School, we Value:
Passion for Learning,
Accountability,
Mutual Respect,
Collaboration.

At Iron River School we value the essential virtues of: 

• Respect,
• Empathy,
• Kindness,
• Fairness,
• Self-Control,
• Tolerance,
• Conscience.

At Iron River School, we Believe:

• Each and every person can learn and has the opportunity to learn; 
• Students and staff are entitled to a safe and caring learning environment;
• Stakeholders should have opportunities for meaningful involvement;
• Education is everyone’s responsibility.

Our Mandate 

At Iron River School we provide our students with a broad educational program that helps them:

• Develop knowledge, skills and attitudes in all subject areas;
• Demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in problem solving and decision making;
• Demonstrate competence in using information technologies;
• Know how to learn and work independently and as part of a team;
• Develop desirable personal characteristics and the ability to make ethical decisions;
• Demonstrate initiative, leadership, flexibility and persistence;
• Realize the need for lifelong learning.

We also prepare students to make positive contributions to society through communities, the workplace, and/or post-secondary studies.
(From Curriculum Handbook for Parents, 2007-2008, Alberta Education pg. 31)

In addition to these learning goals we believe it is important for our students to:

• Read for information, understanding, and enjoyment;
• Write and speak clearly and accurately;
• Learn about the history and geography of Canada and the global community;
• Recognize the importance of responsibility and take pride in accomplishments;
• Evaluate their own endeavors and continuously strive to better them by showing that they live the essential virtues of Respect, Empathy, Kindness, Fairness, Self-Control, Tolerance, and Conscience.

BY SELMA STRUS (NEE BACHOFFER)

A new era in education began on September 2, 1955 when the Iron River Centralized School opened its many doors for the first time. Gone forever from this area was the one room school housing students from grades one to eight or nine, with one teacher or supervisor in charge of the education of all grades. For some time, parents from Sandy Rapids to Lessard, realizing the importance of a high school education for their children, had been expressing the need for a rural high school in their area, where all children could have the opportunity of completing a grade twelve education while living at home. Many bright youngsters had to be content with a grade eight or nine education because funds were lacking to board them away from home to receive a high school education.

After two well attended general meetings in 1954 and with the active support of W.S. Scott, local trustee; J. Sylvestre, Superintendent of Schools for the Bonnyville School Division #46; and Mike Luciak, a divisional trustee; the Department of Education gave its approval for the construction of a new centralized school to be constructed in the area to house students from grades one to twelve. The centralization combined the schools of Jolly, Merton, Harold Lake, Bevin, Willow Trail, Forest Stream, Osborne Lake, Churchvelt, Wendel, Sandy Rapids, Balm Tree and Iron River.

Care to Learn Preschool is a provincially-licensed organization located in nine schools in Northern Lights Public Schools.

We are a developmental preschool, providing learning, growth and play opportunities for pre-Kindergarten aged children through music, arts and crafts, games, physical activity, early math and literacy centres, and more.

Our preschool program is designed to support families in their efforts to provide their preschool-aged child with the following essential skills:

• independence;
• decision-making;
• imagination and creativity;
• sense of community;
• communication;
• learning through exploration;
• problem-solving;
• feelings of value and self-worth;
• and relating to others.

We offer many options for parents to choose from.

For more information about our Care to Learn Preschool program, please visit the NLPS Care to Learn Preschool page.

All Northern Lights elementary schools offer a full-day of programming for Kindergarten students five days a week.

We enhance the provincially-mandated half-day Kindergarten curriculum with a Kindergarten Extension program based on Flight: Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Curriculum Framework to provide students with a full-day Kindergarten experience.

The Kindergarten curriculum is taught by a certified teacher. The Extension program is provided by our Extension Educational Assistants (EA’s).

How the time spent in each part of the program is divided up during the day may look slightly different at each school. For example, at some schools students may spend the morning focusing on the Kindergarten curriculum with their teacher, and the afternoon on the Flight curriculum with their Extension EA. At other schools, the teacher and EA may alternate throughout the day. Each school will share what the schedule looks like with parents prior to school starting in September.

For more information, including how to register, please visit the NLPS Kindergarten page.

Options

Iron River’s Grade 5-8 students are offered a variety of option classes which include but are not limited to Home-Ec., Outdoor Ed, Art, Band, Advanced Sports.

Band

Iron River School is happy to offer a band program to all students in grades 5 to 8.  Grades 5-6 are exposed to several instruments through the music program.  Grades 7-8 are able to participate in the band program through options.  Students are given the opportunity to develop competencies and to strive for excellence within the limits of their individual capabilities in the following areas: playing, listening, reading, creating, valuing. Students will discover, develop and evaluate their talents and abilities relative to playing a musical instrument, and establish and reinforce correct techniques and skills.

Music

Iron River School has a music program.  We believe that a quality music program is essential, as it not only fosters a love and appreciation for the arts, but research has shown that it also has a significant impact on student achievement in the areas of mathematics and literacy.  We also offer opportunities to sing with a school choir for special events, such as Remembrance Day or the Christmas Concert.

Physical Education

Research supports the assertion that physical activity contributes to the overall well being and academic performance of students.  Students can improve their health, classroom performance and quality of life by participating in the activities offered in our daily PE program.  The active living approach is the focus of the Physical Education Program. 

As part of our concern for the earth and environmental education, Iron River School recycles:

Pop, Juice and Milk Containers:  Bins are set up throughout the school for students to place their empty juice and milk boxes, bottles, or cans.  These are collected regularly and taken to the bottle depot for refund. Money raised is used to support projects in the school or community.

Paper Recycling:  Each classroom and the photocopy room have collection boxes to ensure that paper is saved and brought to a recycling station.

Iron River students are exposed to a wide range of technology as part of their educational program.  Each of our classrooms is equipped with a classroom computer, a projector, SmartTV and various electronic devices for student classroom use to allow online instruction and audio-video presentations.     

The school believes in the use of technology and integrates the program of studies’ Information and Communication Technology outcomes into our classroom instruction.

Computer Use Expectations

• Work at your assigned station.
• Always log in / log out and shut down the computer.
• No food or drinks at the computer stations.
• Only use staff approved websites.
• No use of social media
• Only work on your assigned work.
• There is no such thing as “free time”.
• Report anything suspicious or damaged.
• No tampering with settings, display, wallpaper, or desktops.
• Do not delete anything.