City Profile
Education & Health Services
Education and Health Services
EDUCATION SERVICES
GRANDE PRAIRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT #2357
10213 - 99th Street
Telephone: 780-532-4491
Grande Prairie Public School District #2357 is committed to fostering a learning community in which every student succeeds.
The District, a recognized leader in education, operates nine schools, serves approximately 5,500 students and is staffed by highly qualified teachers. Following are some of the student services and programs offered in the District.
Coordinated Assessment Services For The Exceptional
The GP Assessment Team is a specialized consultant team that provides assessment and consultation services to Zone 1 school jurisdictions. The specialist's role is to assist in the provision of educational services for severely emotionally disturbed, severely language disordered, and sensory impaired students. This program is based at Crystal Park School.
Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities programs are provided in all elementary schools.
General Learning Resource Programs
This program is available to students at the elementary, junior, and senior high levels, in designated schools in the District, to accommodate students with general learning problems or severe learning disabilities.
Integrated Occupational Program (IOP)
The IOP program assists students who have difficulty in learning and who require an alternative program to enhance their basic skills and their ability to enter into employment and/or further training. This three year provincial authorized program begins in Grade 10 and continues through Grade 12.
Enrichment Program
Enrichment programs are in place for students at the elementary and secondary levels.
SPEAD Program
The Child Behaviour Resource Room is designed to accommodate elementary students experiencing problems with behaviour or emotional upset in the regular classroom. Located at Swanavon School.
Computers
Literacy programs and computer assisted instruction is extensive at the elementary school level and is offered on a complementary course basis in junior high. Computing Science courses are offered at the Composite High School and computers will be used extensively in other business education courses. Computers are now used in most core and complementary courses to enhance instruction.
French Immersion
French Immersion is offered from Kindergarten to Grade 6 at Parkside School, from Grade 7 to Grade 9 at Montrose Junior High School, and from Grade 10 to Grade 12 at the Composite High School.
Music
A full range of instrumental, both band and strings, and choral programs are offered to students in Grade 5 to 12.
Bridge Network
Outreach Program - helps students of high school age, who for whatever reason can't attend regular school.
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GRANDE PRAIRIE AND DISTRICT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
9902 - 101 Street
Telephone: (780) 532-3013
Fax: (780) 532-3430
Grande Prairie Catholic School District 28 serve the communities of Grande Prairie, Beaverlodge, Sexsmith, Spirit River and Fairview, striving for academic excellence and religious values. It operates ten schools, serving approximately 2,800 students and is staffed by 205 highly qualified staff. Following are some of the student services and programs offered in the District.
Special Education
Programs for students with learning disabilities are provided in all schools.
Integrated Occupational Program (IOP)
The IOP program assists students who require an alternative program to enhance their basic skills and their ability to enter into employment and/or further training. This five year provincially authorized program begins in Grade 8 and continues through Grade 12.
Academic And Creative Excellence
Enrichment programs are in place for students at the elementary and secondary levels.
Technology
Each school has well equipped Computer Labs that are used as productivity tools at the elementary and junior high school levels. Each library is computer automated, uses CD Rom storage and has Internet access. Computer Information Processing courses are offered at St. Joseph High School and St. Thomas More with Pentium Computers used extensively in other Career & Technology courses. Computers are now used in most core and complementary courses to enhance instruction.
Religious Education And Christian Family
These programs are integrated into each school program.
Reintegration Program
In cooperation with the John Howard Society, this program is provided for 13-16 year old students who are at risk of leaving school or recent school leavers.
French Immersion
French Immersion is offered from Kindergarten to Grade 9 at Ecole St. Gerard and from Grade 10 to Grade 12 at St. Joseph High School.
Band Instruction
An instrumental program is offered to students in Grade 5 to 12.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Hillcrest Christian School - Kindergarten to Grade 8
10306 - 102 Street
Telephone: 780-539-9161
Hillcrest Christian School offers an excellent K-9 academic program with qualified teachers on staff. The school follows the Alberta curriculum with an emphasis on phonics, reading and writing skills, science and math. A high student/teacher ratio is maintained with the largest class having fifteen students. The school provides a music program using the Kodaly and Orff approaches to classroom music, incorporating the use of mallet instruments, recorders and voice. As well, each classroom (Grades 4-9) has its own computers for student/teacher use. A strong focus is placed on guiding the students in personal character development using Biblical principles and ongoing home/school communication.
Grande Prairie Christian School - Kindergarten to Grade 12
8202 - 110 Street
Telephone: 539-4566
The Grande Prairie Christian School offers a first rate academic program in a Christian environment for students in kindergarten to grade 12. They follow the Alberta curriculum enhanced by Christian materials and employ evangelical teachers with Alberta Certification. All the core subjects are offered, as well as a variety of complementary courses.
The Seventh Day Adventist School - Grade 1 to 9
Enrols approximately thirty students.
FRENCH SPEAKING PUBLIC SCHOOL- Kindergarten to Grade 6
10807 – 101 Rue
Telephone: 780-814-7945
Telecopieur: 780-814-6922
At Ecole Nouvelle Frontiere, you will find services that will allow your kindergarten to grade 6 child to master the French language and to know their French cultural origins; but most of all, the means of developing their language, culture, and the capability of communicating in French with confidence.
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GRANDE PRAIRIE REGIONAL COLLEGE
10726 - 106 Avenue
Telephone: 539-2911
Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) was established in 1966 to serve the post-secondary education needs of the people of the Peace River region.
The landmark Grande Prairie Regional College building was designed in 1969 by renowned architect Douglas Cardinal, and is recognized worldwide as both a work of art and an architectural marvel. It was built in the early 1970s. A complementary expansion, which effectively doubled the original building, was designed by local architects Field, Field and Field, and completed in 1991.
Fine educational, athletic and cultural opportunities are all part of the contribution Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) makes to community life in Grande Prairie and the Peace River region. More than 2,000 students annually pursue university studies, career and academic upgrading programs at GPRC or at regional campuses, and some 8,000 students register in continuing education classes each year. Exceptionally qualified faculty, provide up to two years of baccalaureate degree courses in Arts, Commerce, Community Rehabilitation, Education, Fine Arts, Kinesiology, Physical Education and Science. Through agreements with other institutions, students may complete some degrees on campus. The Bachelor of Education and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing are offered at GPRC through the University of Alberta. The Bachelor of Administration and Bachelor of Science in Computing and Information Systems may be completed at GPRC through Athabasca University. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered through the University of Calgary Access program.
The 121 full-time faculty are highly qualified: 29% hold Ph.D. degrees, 42% Master degree's, and 28% Bachelor degrees. An additional 34 part-time faculty and 140 supportive and administrative personnel complete the College community.
Diploma and certificate programs are offered for full or part-time study. Widely acclaimed programs in Business Administration, Community Rehabilitation, Computer Systems Technology, Early Childhood Development, Fitness Leadership, Human Services, Industrial Maintenance (Millwright), Music, Office Administration, Power Engineering and Visual Art add skilled employees to the labor market each year. A Music Conservatory provides opportunities in music instruction for citizens of any age.
An exciting new fine arts diploma option which has been developed at GPRC is the Interactive Digital Design Studies program, preparing students for careers in music or visual digital art.
Academic upgrading is provided on campus, to help students achieve college prerequisites, high school preparation, or competency in English as a Second Language. TOEFL instruction is available for foreign students preparing for post-secondary study in Canada.
Workforce Development provides hundreds of non-credit career training or personal interest courses annually, as well as several certificate programs to enhance the skills of working professionals. The courses offered through Workforce Development are constantly evolving in response to the needs of the community and the job market.
The state-of-the-art athletic facilities at GPRC include the Wolves Gymnasium, GPRC Fitness Centre, and GPRC Climbing Gym. The Wolves Gymnasium is a spacious facility ideally suited to both competitors and spectators. Grande Prairie Regional College has been the site of many National level competitions, most recently as host of the CCAA Men's and Women's Volleyball Nationals.
The College is home to nationally competitive teams in badminton, basketball, cross-country running, curling, speed swimming and volleyball. Community sports are nurtured through the Wolves club program, utilizing the volunteer enthusiasm of athletes, athletics staff, and community partners.
The Library provides more than 70,000 print and electronic resources, as well as database options that offer road opportunities for research and information gathering. The Library is a member of TAL (The Alberta Library) and NEOS (Library Consortium Catalogue) to further expand accessibility to materials for users. Public use of these facilities is welcomed and encouraged.
Grande Prairie Regional College is now celebrating 35 Years of providing post-secondary education to the people of Northwestern Alberta. Visit their web site at www.gprc.ab.ca
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NORTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - Grande Prairie Campus
Currently located on the campus of GPRC, the Grande Prairie campus of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) offers training for millwrights, electricians and instrument technicians, and pre-employment programs for millwrights and welders.
NAIT is one of the largest institutes of technology in Canada and serves more than 67,500 students annually at eight campuses in Alberta. That includes more than 17,500 full-time and apprenticeship students and more than 50,000 continuing education registrations. The Institute is the largest apprenticeship trainer in Canada, providing training to 50 percent of tradespeople in Alberta and 17 percent nationally. NAIT also delivers 36 different apprenticeship programs and is the sole provider in Alberta of 15 of these trades.
NAIT plans to build a new facility on 22 acres it has acquired near the Knowledge Campus, on the south side of the City. Originally, NAIT had planned to build a one-storey campus with strictly NAIT programming. But after consulting with the community in regards to their programming and student needs and the skilled labour crisis, NAIT came up with an innovative solution - to partner with Northern Lakes College so more programming could be offered at the same site. Both schools agreed having more programming available to the area communities would benefit everyone and the economy.
The new building will be a two-storey building instead of a one-storey building. One floor will house NAIT programs while the second storey will house mostly Northern Lakes College programs. Both schools hope to see the campus open in August of 2008, with construction starting Summer 2006. The campus, which will exude high technology with a human touch, will be called the NAIT Centre for Trades and Technology. Plans for the 9,700 square metre facility also include distance learning labs, video conference rooms, a student village, a book store, cafeteria, and an Aboriginal student centre. The facility will increase NAIT student enrolment from 278 to over 1,000, while student enrolment for Northern Lakes College will increase from 24 to 300. In total, the campus will provide enough spaces for over 1,300 students in a variety of courses. It has also been designed to accommodate anticipated expansion over the next decade.
A number of programs will be offered at the new campus. The NAIT programs include millwright, electrician, instrumentation technician, welder pre-trade, welder, carpenter pre-trade, multi-purpose camp cooking certificate, culinary arts certificate, and cooking pre-trade. Northern Lakes College will offer upgrading assistance to students entering the trades in the form of: Alberta Education credits, life management courses to help them develop work skills, and extra academic help while they work on NAIT programs. In addition, the College plans to offer a series of rehabilitation assistant programs, as well as practical nurse, social work, health-care aide, and eCampus Alberta health-related courses.
Quick Facts
- Training for more than 400 students in several programs, including Millwright, Electrician, Instrument Technician, Welding, Carpentry and Saw filer;
- Multi-purpose lab and shop spaces, wireless access, video-conferencing, computer labs and VOIP telephony;
- Increased continuing education registrations and contract training;
- Distance delivery of NAIT’s proposed Bachelor of Technology program.
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PEACE COUNTRY HEALTH REGION
Regional Office
2nd Floor, 10320 – 99 Street
Telephone: 780-538-5387
Fax: 780-538-5455
The Peace Country Health Region provides services to an area of over 150,000 square kilometres in the Peace Region and provide health services to a population of 130,000 people in 16 communities. They employ 3400 people, making it the largest employer north of Edmonton.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II HOSPITAL
10409 – 98 Street, Grande Prairie
Telephone: 780-538-7100
The Queen Elizabeth II Hospital is a fully accredited modern-day hospital, committed to providing excellent patient care. It is a regional health care facility that employs over 1,000 people who, collectively, care for more than 10,000 inpatients and more than 100,000 outpatients annually.
A full spectrum of disciplines is offered by the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital. Medical care is provided by 30 family practitioners and 23 specialist physicians on staff. The Hospital offers a wide range of services from specialized surgery to coronary care, respiratory therapy, pediatric care, obstetrics, and rehabilitations. These many services are supplemented by visiting consultants from Edmonton who provide out-patient services in specialty areas such an ENT, dermatology, rheumatology, pediatric cardiology, endocrinology, and gerontology. A full range of diagnostic, therapeutic, and support services are also available. The Clinical Laboratory at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital acts as a regional consultant to other hospitals in the region. All of these separate entities must be correlated into one central purpose--to provide excellent patient care!
The Queen Elizabeth II Hospital has been serving its community and region for over 80 years. There are 160 acute care beds.
The community is also served by excellent emergency response capabilities. Today, the people in and around Grande Prairie depend on "Northern LifeFlight" for the rapid evacuation of patients in need of specialized care. A team of physicians, paramedics, pilots, and ground crew join together to form one of the finest medivac services available.
The Hospital also extends its personal care through offering "Lifeline", a 24-hour emergency response system. Over 200 subscribers benefit from this service knowing they can receive help by a simple touch of a button, linking them to their hospital.
The community and region of Grande Prairie are well served by a team of devoted, professional caregivers, committed to the challenge of providing the best care possible, always striving to fulfil the Hospital's mission "to provide excellent health care to our patients."
HEALTH UNIT PROGRAMS/SERVICES
The Dental Health Program offers a "Tiny Teeth" program, pre-school dental clinics, a school program, water testing and fluoride supplements and provides consultation on dental concerns.
Environmental Health staff provide education, inspection and assessment, enforcement, investigation and consultation on matters of environmental concern.
The Home Care/Rehabilitation program arranges for available health and support services in the home, including: Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory, Nutrition, Pharmacy, Home Help, and Personal Care, as well as authorization for Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL) products.
A Community Nutritionist promotes healthy eating habits throughout the life cycle by providing education, consultation services, resources, and community programming.
The Health Promotion Coordinator works with the community to address health issues. Examples of issues that may be addressed include heart health, smoking, and injury prevention.
Public Health Nursing provides services to all individuals/families/groups/communities throughout the life cycle. Programs include Prenatal/Postnatal Health, Hereditary Diseases, Child Health, School Health, Adult Health, Senior Health, Communicable Disease and Tuberculosis, and Healthy Lifestyles.
The Sexual Health Program's focus is to promote healthy concepts about sexuality, pregnancy, birth control, and sexual decision making through education programs and individual confidential counselling.
Speech-Language Pathologists provide clinic and school-based assessment and treatment services and resources to children and adults in area communities.