A Yuill School of Agriculture update has been presented to PRPS trustees

—

Neubauer told trustees the program is being developed with input from 24 representatives from across the agriculture sector to help ensure the training aligns with industry priorities and workforce needs.

“Ensuring that the programming that we develop is very relevant and responsive to the needs of industry is super important to us, so we believe that the best way that’s achieved is by involving industry,” Neubauer said.

“So we’re extremely grateful to 24 different people that we have approached from everything from agronomy to feedlot health to veterinarians and heavy-duty equipment operations,” she added.

“We have brought a really diverse group together to really talk about and dream, and [about] what does the future look like? What will the U.S. School of Agriculture be known for five years from now?”

Neubauer said the school is expected to emphasize experiential learning through agricultural enterprises, work placements and partnerships with producers.

“So we’ve got that built, and from there now we’re heading to individual committees in a program advisory committee format where people are going to bring their expertise for each general area,” Neubauer said.

Students may also have access to dual-credit opportunities with post-secondary institutions while still completing their high school studies.

Board members heard that the program is intended to benefit Prairie Rose students by providing practical training in areas such as livestock care, crop production, agri-business and trades connected to farming operations.

“I always say students can’t dream about what they don’t know about, and that’s what the Yuill School of Agriculture promises,” Neubauer said.

Plans for the school also include integrating modern technology such as drones and precision agriculture tools, while school-based agricultural projects could help support the program financially in the future.

Other items discussed in the meeting include trustees approving the division’s 2027–2030 capital plan, which outlines infrastructure priorities for the next three years and planning considerations for the next decade.

The division’s top priority is a new school in Redcliff, which is nearing the end of the site assessment stage and moving toward design planning.

Other priorities include a potential Kindergarten to Grade 12 replacement school in Oyen, a replacement school in Burdett and an expansion at Eagle Butte High School due to growing enrolment.

Trustees also heard highlights from the executive report, including the division’s support for the Medicine Hat 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games, with school buses and drivers providing transportation for athletes.

The trustees had also received an overview of the 2026 Alberta budget for education, noting a provincial funding increase and continued support for teacher hiring, though final financial impacts for the division will be clearer once funding profiles are released.

Additional items approved during the meeting included alternative program fees for Prairie Rose schools in Calgary offering Arabic language and cultural studies, the sale of a small parcel of land tied to a historic school site pending provincial approval, and the introduction of new locally developed high school courses.

Trustees also approved the 2026-27 school calendar, which will see students return to class Sept. 1 and finish the school year in late June.

by Jett Schwaier

A Yuill School of Agriculture update has been presented to PRPS trustees

Our Community