Foothills School Division celebrates the engagement, support, and success of all learners through the Annual Education Results Report and Audited Financial Statement

High River, AB: Foothills School Division (FSD) is pleased to announce the release of its Annual Education Results Report (AERR) and Audited Financial Statements for the 2023-2024 school year. These documents provide a comprehensive overview of the Division's achievements, financial health, and ongoing commitment to placing education at the centre of a flourishing community.

The AERR highlights several key accomplishments that underscore FSD's dedication to student engagement, support, and success. Notably, the Division celebrates achievement in several areas including:

Student Learning Engagement: The FSD Assurance Survey, issued to all parents from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, reports that 88% of parents believe that their child is learning literacy and numeracy skills that are useful. From that same survey, 87% of parents are satisfied with the learning opportunities available at their child’s school.  93% of students indicate that it is important to do their best (Student Intellectual Engagement Survey) and 97% of FSD teachers report that students are engaged in learning (Alberta Education Assurance Measures).  

Citizenship: Locally, FSD's citizenship measure is at 86%, which is 6.6% above the provincial average.

Safe, Caring, and Welcoming Schools: Foothills School Division is a Place for All. This is shown in the 91% of parents who responded positively to questions around safe, caring, and welcoming learning environments in the FSD Assurance Survey. This is an 11% increase from 2022-2023 FSD Assurance Survey, reflecting the Division's commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all students. From students, 87% report positive peer relationships on the Student Orientation to Schools Questionnaire (SOS-Q).

Achieving Excellence in Assessments: Grade 12 diploma exams and grade 6 and 9 Provincial Assessment Tests are a standardized assessments in core subject areas. 85% of students scored in the “acceptable” range (at or above 50% mark) for diploma exams, and of those students, 19% scored in the “excellence” range (at or above 80% mark). This is a testament to the dedicated efforts of both teaching and support staff at our schools, as well as the system supports who promote engagement, support, and success for all learners. 

In addition to these educational achievements, the Audited Financial Statements for 2023-2024 demonstrate FSD's prudent financial management and transparency while providing high-quality and robust learning opportunities. 

With a continuous focus on investing in student success, the division utilized over $441,000 of the Mental Health in Schools Pilot Project grant funds to engage students in well-being support programs and resources. While the grant funding was to conclude at the end of this calendar year, we are grateful for the province’s commitment to extend our mental health projects through to June 30, 2024. 

The 2023-2024 budget for the division anticipated a $922,489 deficit. Through strategic budgeting and optimized resource management, the division was able to reduce the actual deficit to $372,505 all while maintaining its high-quality learning opportunities.  To see how the Division has successfully managed its resources to support its strategic goals and ensure the sustainability of its programs and services, you may access the Audited Financial Statements at the division’s website.

In addition to the above, Foothills School Division would like to highlight the following additional accomplishments for the 2023-2024 school year:

• Welcomed the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta to Oilfields High School, who acknowledged the achievement of the Vertical Farm Initiative and its impact on student learning, the community, and our environment. 
• Hosted a division-wide learning conference on building a trauma-informed culture, to enrich supports and services for students.   
• A system of reporting that engages parents in learning, by regularly communicating student growth and achievement, all leading to student success. 
• Continued the Indigenous Advisory Circle to foster reciprocal relationships and advance truth and reconciliation efforts. 
• Hosted the inaugural First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Graduation Ceremony.
• Continued piloting the full-time kindergarten program in select schools across the Division.
• Provided ongoing literacy and numeracy support to address learning disruptions from kindergarten to Grade 12. 
• Engaged with staff and community to build the 2024-2025 academic calendar.
• Co-hosted the third annual Foothills Youth Mental Health Partnership Summit in collaboration with community organizations. 
• Maximized funds to support staffing increases across the Division as part of the budget decisions for the 2023-2024 school year. 
• Identified FSD as a leader with A.I. at the College of Alberta School Superintendents Spring Conference.

For even more celebrations and highlights from the 2023-2024 school year, we welcome you to read the Annual Education Results Report at our website foothillsschooldivision.ca.