Seven school parent advisory councils (PAC) in School District 47 have received community gaming grant funding for activities that benefit students’ social, cultural and physical health.
A media release from the ministry of municipal affairs outlined the grants.
Assumption School PAC will be receiving $2,500; Brooks Secondary School PAC will be receiving $14,360; Henderson Elementary School PAC will be receiving $1,980; James Thomson Elementary School (PAC) will be receiving $4,840; Kelly Creek Community School PAC will be receiving $2,780; the partners in education (PIE) PAC will be receiving $27,200; and Westview Elementary School PAC will be receiving $6,340.
“We’ve been through so much over these past couple of years, and parents have been champions in our schools, working hard to keep kids connected with safe and rewarding extracurricular activities,” stated Josie Osborne, provincial minister of municipal affairs. “Activities like these provide tremendous benefits for children’s health and well-being, and they help keep students active and engaged in learning.”
In total, nearly $11 million in community gaming grants is supporting PACs and district parent advisory councils (DPACs) in the 2021 to 2022 school year.
“Extracurricular activities are so important for students so they can connect with their friends and maintain their physical, social and mental health,” stated Jennifer Whiteside, minister of education. “Through community gaming grants, PACs and DPACs across the province provide a wide range of extracurricular activities for students, allowing them to build new friendships, develop life skills and share more experiences together.”
Schools offer many extracurricular experiences for kindergarten to grade 12 students, including sports and playground activities, drama, writing and music programs, and graduation ceremonies with support from community gaming grant funding. PAC groups use the funds to put on music, dance and theatre performances, purchase computers for extracurricular activities such as robotics, yearbook and photography clubs, and hold social gatherings such as movie nights.
