MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Cremona School principal Darryl Korody has updated council on his school’s recent activities and programs.
He appeared before council as a delegation during a recent regularly schedule council meeting, held in person and online.
The 360-student K-12 school is located in Cremona and is part of the Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD).
After four years as a vice-principal at the school, Korody is in his first year as Cremona School principal.
“We’ve got an amazing facility,” he said. “The facilities we have are exemplary. We have a caring and compassionate staff.”
The school is the largest employer in the village. It has 100 per cent graduation, 60 per cent post-secondary transition, and 90 per cent attendance rates.
As well, 85 per cent of school’s students are from the county, 15 per cent from the village.
There are some travel barriers for Cremona students, who need to travel long distances for things such as swimming lessons – to Didsbury or Olds for example.
The school is offering dual-credit programs in conjunction with Olds College and Red Deer Polytechnic Institute, he said, noting programs including animal health, ag tech, finance, welding, health care, and mechanics.
Local parents sometimes help out by driving buses to and from the college for the dual-credit initiatives, he said, noting the school division has also been helping in the process.
Division 2 Coun. Greg Harris asked Korody if students at the school are given instruction on municipal government and what municipal governments do.
Korody replied that local government is part of the Grade 6 Social Studies curriculum and students in Grade 12 receive instruction on national and provincial government.
“There would be an opportunity for municipal people to come in to speak,” he said. “Grade 9 is a great place to get in because they have a little more flexibility in their timetable to learn more about municipal government.”
Coun. Jennifer Lutz said the Cremona School has commendable community support.
Council accepted Korody’s presentation as information.
