By CHAT News Today

The School That Shines

Jun 6, 2022 | 2:00 AM

AUGUST FUNDRAISING: 50/50 raffle, buy tickets here.

For the next 3 months, June through August, Coulee Ridge Development is partnering with Elm Street School for their Community Builder fundraiser! That means Elm Street School will receive an additional monetary boost from Coulee Ridge Development in addition to any funds raised during this time period! These dollars will stay in the Medicine Hat community and be used to create and launch a new outdoor learning space for the school.

Elm Street School has been in Medicine Hat since 1911 and began operating in 1912. It is “one of the oldest schools” in town and described as “a place of possibilities” (also their motto!) by Principle Mike Flieger.

“Currently we’re the smallest school in the public school division,” Flieger says. “We serve the North Flats community.”

Despite being 110 years old, the school is still in pristine condition. The traditional red brick exterior houses bright, cheery classrooms and hallways. Over the course of the pandemic, Elm Street School has pivoted to incorporate more digital learning into their curriculum. The school also goes beyond the classroom to ensure its students and community have the tools and resources, wanting to play more of a role in its community. The school offers community supports. Elm Street School believes in meeting the needs of the community, beyond that of what is traditionally thought of as the role of schools.

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Elm Street does its best to recognize that underlying needs have to be met for kids to be at their best and as such, provides programming like a free hot lunch program for all students each day.

Photo of students and teachers wear Elm Street School’s “We the North Flats” shirts, owning their place within the city.

With their motto being “a place of possibilities,” the school is always looking for new ways to inspire its students and facilitate engaging learning environments. Elm Street School wants to add an outdoor classroom as a new resource for students and teachers. Their goal is to create a space that will allow year-round hands on learning.

“Our specific focus will be on creating an outdoor classroom that enables… and enhances our ability to teach science – a place for kids to get out and do and observe.”

The space the school is looking to convert is the old playground for the daycare that was once housed on-site. With the space going unused this is a great opportunity to recycle what is already available. While the former playground is currently vacant, renovating the area the create an outdoor classroom is a huge undertaking. Elm Street School is hoping to raise $10,000 to create their new outdoor classroom, which includes procuring a sea can to store equipment and projects and have a goal to launch it this October. They will repurpose what they can to make this project as cost effective as possible, while maintaining the functionality of a classroom.

Elm Street School has planned fundraising events for each month of the Community Builder initiative: June will be a bottle drive, in July you can purchase symbolic bricks online. For August there will be a 50/50 raffle! You will have to follow Elm Street School on social media and keep an eye out for the announcement! For those who would just like to donate and support this initiative, Elm Street School is also accepting donations online here and here.

Community Builder is powered by Coulee Ridge Development. Come home to Medicine Hat. Feel proud of the community you live in.