Prince Arthur School

We hope to see you all on Wednesday! Classroom visits will be held from 5:00 - 5:30 p.m., followed by our family BBQ (hot dog, chips, water/coffee). Kal Tire will be onsite in the garden with some giveaways as we thank them for their generous donation to help us pave a pathway in our garden. We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Help us and help others! For the rest of May the Grade 6/7 class is collecting canned goods for an art project. Once they are done their project all canned goods will be donated to the Food Bank. Each can brought in my a student of Prince Arthur earns them a ticket to win a summer fun basket that will include a basketball and other items. All canned items can be sent to school with students or dropped off at the main office during regular school hours. Prairie South School Division a Community of Learners by helping our community at large.

Thank you to Unifor Local1-s for the generous donations today! Kids and families always appreciate a little help with the essentials. Growing our community of learners and smelling good while doing it!

We love our new yard toys! Thank you to Prince Arthur Scc, Prairie South School Division, and others for supporting our dream! Also thank you to Madera Playscapes who installed all of this in seven short days! Good things happen when community comes together. The kids are very happy.

Big things are happening at Prince Arthur these days! New playground structures are under construction and we couldn’t be more excited to get busy testing things out when it is complete!

It's that time of year again! Here is your opportunity to join a great group of parents who are doing amazing things for our kids.

What is the SCC?
School Community Councils (SCCs) are advisory bodies charged with the responsibility of enhancing support for learning at the school and community level. This support for learning focus is aligned with the Board Strategic Plan and the Provincial Education Plan.

Who we are?
Parents and guardians of students attending Prince Arthur and School Division electors residing in the school catchment area may stand for election to the School Community Council and vote in the elections. The School Community Council is comprised of five to nine elected parent and community members. Elections are being held to fill these positions.

How do you join?
Nominations of parents and community members interested in standing for election must be submitted on the official form and will be received up to the time of the election. Nominations are available from Prince Arthur and can be returned to Prince Arthur prior to the election or be presented at the election.
Contact: Liana Noble at (306)692-3904 Email: [email protected]
School Community Council Administrative Policies developed by the Board of Education regarding the elections can be viewed under the schools' tab, School Community Councils section on the Prairie South Schools website: www.prairiesouth.ca

We need a break from winter! Pre-kindergarten to Grade 5 students and their families are in for a treat on Thursday, February 13 as our SCC will be transforming our gym once again into a magical wonderland. This year we are going ‘under the sea’! No charge for families. Raising funds for our playground uograde - Raffle gift baskets and canteen with homemade goodies.

Thanks for community volunteers who show up again and again. Beyond grateful.

Two residents are continuing the work of a former community worker by running a Christmas store at two local schools, thereby helping children buy affordable gifts for their loved ones each year.

One of these stores was set up at Prince Arthur School on Dec. 12.

“It’s not a fundraiser; it’s trying to teach children the art of giving,” announced Larry Hellings, a Moose Jaw resident who was nominated for Citizen of the Year in 2023 and runs the store with his wife, Dianne.

The Christmas store first opens at Prince Arthur and then moves to St. Agnes School. Inventory is stored in around 100 plastic tubs Hellings uses for transportation and is complemented with further reserves in his trailer and at home.

The store is stocked year-round with donations from friends, family, and through word of mouth referrals. The system ensures children can find a thoughtful and affordable gift, and anything that can’t be stored is forwarded to the Salvation Army or other charitable groups.

Organized across rows of tables in the school’s gym, each class visits separately and students pick something for their parents, siblings, and close relatives. Each item costs 25 cents flat and, if a student doesn’t have the change, Hellings will make the exception.

These gifts are then wrapped on site with the help of teachers and a few generous volunteers.

The Christmas store began at Prince Arthur in 2013 and St. Agnes in 2015, and has continued ever since — interrupted only during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our grandchildren have all gone to St. Agnes School,” Hellings said. “We knew the principal, and she had said that they were losing their community worker because of budgeting.”

Hellings learned that this worker came up with the idea for a small store held in the school’s music room each December. With her no longer working at the school, the project was destined to be discontinued.

The retired couple agreed to keep the venture going and have expanded its scope from Kindergarten to Grade 3 to now include the entire student body.

Giftable items range from coffee mugs packed with chocolates to unopened modern electronics. Some noteworthy purchases have included an unused bed in a bag and $80 bottles of shampoo — all sold for a quarter.

Most donations come through word of mouth from local individuals, businesses, and groups like the Optimist Club. Contributions also come from relatives as far away as Regina, Saskatoon, and Medicine Hat.

Hellings’ trailer was donated by Derek McRitchie at Ottawa Real Estate, and Tim Knittig from Simcoe Draperies provides courtesy bubble wrap each year for packing.

“I’d like to compliment the staff, administration, and the school boards. They’re totally, 100 per cent co-operative with us,” Hellings added. “They get the tables for us, they let us use the gym for two days, and they’re very good to us. We couldn’t do this without them.”

Hellings hasn’t requested widespread donations for the store, but said anyone who knows him can inquire to donate new or gently used items, toys, boxes, or wrapping paper. “Well, I won’t say no,” he concluded with a smile.