Sun West to unveil multiyear strategic plan T h e S u n We s t B o a r d of Education has been developing a multiyear strategic plan over the past year and will release the plan at two meetings this month. The process began last year by gathering feedback and new strategies to assist with student learning, from stakeholder groups in Sun West at four community meetings. The results have been collated and data and feedback aligned with the four provincial priorities set out by the Ministry of Education. The strategic plan will be released at the Annual General Meeting on March 15, at Elizabeth School in Kindersley and also at a special meeting on March 29 at Dinsmore Composite School. Stakeholders are invited to the meetings to examine the goals and directions of the Board
as it moves forward to implement the multiyear Strategic Plan. Trustees believe that this plan will strive to identify planning strategies and goals to be used over the next decade that will be flexible and adaptable as new contexts come into play along the way. Trustees also believe that by seeking input from the various stakeholders in the division it would maximize the generation of creative solutions to the learning needs of Sun West students. The Sun West Board of Education extended their gratitude to everyone who was involved in this process and shared their feedback. The Annual General meeting in Kindersley and special meeting in Dinsmore are both open to the public.
Drive to Districts . . . Biggar Central School Junior Blazer, Carly Ellis fights off St. Gabriel Saint, Bliss Peters, Monday during Sectional play. With BCS hosting
the event, the Blazers will move on to District play in Outlook. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
Hot Saskatchewan economy keeps hitting new records Saskatchewan continues to attract investors and newcomers with its pacesetting economic activity in early 2012. Saskatchewan broke records for growth in retail sales and wholesale trade, manufacturing shipments and building permits in the month of February. “Saskatchewan’s economy is working at full throttle and producing the kind of figures that put us among the nation’s leaders in terms of growth and opportunity,” Enterprise Minister Jeremy Harrison said Wednesday. “These numbers are sending a message already being voiced by our province’s entrepreneurs - opportunity lives here.” In terms of construction, Saskatchewan’s building permit increases led the nation in 2011 with a 25 per cent increase over 2010,
and the province’s growth outpaced the 1.7 per cent national rate. Building permits totalled $2.6 billion in 2011 - the highest on record, surpassing the previous figure of $2.2 billion in 2008 - and the cities of Saskatoon and Regina also set records f o r b u i l d i n g p e r m i t s. Likewise, Saskatchewan’s 473 housing starts were a record for the first month of the year, with urban housing starts up 70.8 per cent in January 2012 when compared to January 2011. S a s k a t ch e wa n employment reached record highs for the month of January, with 520,600 people employed including 419,900 fulltime jobs. Off-reserve Aboriginal employment experienced year-over-year growth of 6,200 jobs (18 per cent) for the eighth
consecutive month of gains. Aboriginal youth employment increased year-over-year by 1,400 jobs (17.3 per cent) for the third consecutive month, while youth employment overall also increased by 4,300 jobs (5.5 per cent). The province continues to see growth in the major cities with 4,400 more jobs in Regina (year-overyear) and 2,900 more jobs in Saskatoon (year-overyear). Regina’s January unemployment rate of 4.4 per cent was again the lowest in the country. “Saskatchewan, for a host of reasons, continues to be a place of choice within Canada to live and work,” Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris said. “With sustainable growth, a competitive and opportunity-rich
investment climate, and a high quality of life, there are more reasons than ever for people to call this province home.” Saskatchewan’s motor vehicles sales continued to climb at the close of 2011, jumping by 7.3 per cent in 2011 compared to 2010 (seasonally unadjusted), the second highest percentage increase in Canada. Saskatchewan’s December manufacturing shipments totalled $1.1 billion, up by 17.7 per cent (seasonally-adjusted) in December 2011 when compared to December 2010, ranking first among the provinces. Saskatchewan retail sales and wholesale trade set a double record in December 2011 - posting the highestever figures for the month of December and the highest annual totals in the province’s history.
New Creations Community Players takes a leave of absence
A hill to climb . . . With the snow from the weekend, Argo Bush is finally seeing enough white stuff to make for conditions worthy of a good ski. A Tuesday evening sunset and a hill to climb topped off the day. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
The Majestic Theatre will be silent this year as the New Creation Community Players (NCCP) will not stage their annual and much anticipated musical production for 2012. Actors, directors and backstage workers will be taking a well deserved rest. Although NCCP will
not produce their annual spring musical, they are looking at providing a small play for the Biggar Museum and Gallery’s 40th anniversary this fall. The New Creations Community Players board is currently looking at several entertaining musical productions to bring to the Majestic
Theatre for the spring of 2013. New Creations Community Players will be holding an annual meeting in June to gauge public interest in participating in a musical production, and would really appreciate any new involvement from the public. New ideas and
thoughts are also being sought. Watch the paper for date and time. New Creations Community Players has been proudly presenting musical fare and plays for Biggar and area for the last 31 years, and are looking forward to carrying on into the future.