opened in October. “The project was managed by Alberta Infrastructure, but the builder made an effort to hire local tradespeople,” she adds. “It’s great to see local businesses benefit from these projects, especially up here in the north.” The board is already gearing up for its next major undertaking: modernizing École Héritage in Falher. Originally constructed in 1954 as a college for priests, it underwent a renovation in 1997 but now requires further updates. Looking ahead, there’s growing interest in expanding francophone education to Slave Lake, where a significant number of francophones have expressed interest in local schooling options.“We’ve had a lot of requests for a new school there,” Kropielnicki explains. “We’ll be exploring this with the town council and the local MLA in the near future.” LIFELONG LEARNING AND THE REWARD OF GROWTH In the ever-evolving world of education, lifelong learning is a necessity. “This is my 32nd year in education, and I’m still learning,” Kropielnicki shares. “Society in 2024 is not the same as it was in 2014. A lot has changed, and we must evolve with it. Being in education means you can’t stop learning—you must keep up with the research and adapt to the world around you.” For her, this constant evolution is not a challenge but a defining feature of the field. Maisonneuve finds the reward for this continuous effort in the students themselves.“The most rewarding part of working in education is working with youth, with children,” she says. Every child matters. Watching them grow and develop into contributing members of society—that’s the most fulfilling part.” Seeing the collective efforts of families, educators, and community partners reflected in a student’s success makes the work so worthwhile. “It’s amazing to see the cycle,” Maisonneuve adds. “You see all these investments—time, energy, care— from multiple partners come together, and then these children grow into adults who start the cycle again. It’s a powerful thing to witness.” This longterm impact reinforces the value of education as a fundamental driver of progress within society. 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01
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