A Family Inspired to Give

Our family’s journey with River Valley School began with a spark of inspiration at our very first RVS Gala. Seeing the enthusiasm and generosity of others in our community motivated us to get involved and start donating ourselves.

Over the years, our commitment has continued because we’ve been so thrilled with the growth and development of our children. We believe that investing in a child’s early years is one of the most meaningful ways to make a lasting impact—and we hope that other families can benefit in the same way.

Why River Valley School

We chose RVS because of its dedication to whole-child development, where curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning are encouraged every day. Isaac especially thrives in the STEAM program and is already looking forward to more hands-on activities next year. When asked what he loves most about RVS, Isaac doesn’t hesitate: it’s interacting with his friends and exploring together

For us, supporting RVS isn’t just about giving—it’s about helping nurture wonder, curiosity, and connection for all students.

The post Inspiring Curiosity and Giving Back:The Lewkowicz Family Story appeared first on River Valley School.

Our STEAM Club students are moving full speed ahead in their journey toward the APEGA Science Olympics! After weeks of brainstorming, designing, and planning, the club is now at an exciting stage: testing their first prototypes.

Eighteen enthusiastic students from Grade 3 are representing River Valley School at the APEGA Science Olympics, a prestigious event hosted by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA). This annual competition challenges students to apply creativity, scientific thinking, and problem-solving skills to real-world engineering and technology projects.

Grade 3 STEAM Club Testing and Improving Prototypes

To turn their ideas into tangible solutions, students tested their prototypes with care and attention. Each student received a worksheet to evaluate their device, answering questions like:

• What’s the best thing about your design?
• What color blindness issue do you most want to solve?
• Where will your device be used?
• How many lens or color combinations can your device offer?
• Is your device wearable for most people?
• Is your device practical and durable?
• What materials do you need to improve your device for the Science Olympics?

These questions encouraged students not only to analyze the functionality of their prototypes but also to think about the real-world impact of their designs.

Compassion in Action

What makes this project truly special is that it blends excitement with empathy. As students design devices for people with color blindness, they are practicing compassion-driven innovation—understanding the needs of others inspires better problem-solving and more creative solutions. Many students commented on how thinking about “how this will help someone in real life” made their designs more thoughtful and purposeful.

The next step for our STEAM Club is to refine their prototypes into more robust devices. With feedback from testing and careful reflection from their worksheets, students are exploring better materials, improved durability, and innovative design features to take their creations to the next level for the Science Olympics.

Looking Ahead

The journey from concept to prototype has been energizing, educational, and inspiring. Our students are learning that compassion leads to innovation, and that problem-solving is most meaningful when it addresses a real need. We can’t wait to see their refined devices shine at the upcoming APEGA Science Olympics—and to celebrate the creativity, curiosity, and kindness that fuel their work.

Stay tuned for the next edition of the STEAM Club Blog as we follow our students’ progress toward the big event!

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Using everyday items that might otherwise be thrown away, students are learning how innovation can be both sustainable and inclusive. Through brainstorming, prototyping, testing, and refining, they are applying real-world STEAM skills—engineering, problem-solving, and design thinking—while keeping empathy at the heart of their work. Each project begins with an important question: How can we use what we have to make life easier for someone else?

Beyond the weekly hands-on building sessions, our STEAM Club is also preparing for the APEGA Science Olympics this May, where students will showcase their ideas, teamwork, and scientific thinking in a fun, competitive environment. As they work toward the competition, they’re gaining confidence, resilience, and a deeper understanding of how science and technology can create positive change.

Thanks to Mrs. Harris, Ms. Caitlin, and Mrs. Green, our Tuesday lunchtime STEAM Club is more than just a club—it’s a space where curiosity sparks innovation, recycled materials turn into powerful ideas, and students learn that they can design solutions that truly matter.

The post STEAM Club: Designing with Purpose appeared first on River Valley School.

As members of the River Valley community, the Roberts family has embraced every opportunity to give back. Whether through sharing their time, ideas, or financial support, they believe in helping create meaningful experiences that enrich student life for every child.

One initiative that has been especially meaningful to them is River Valley School’s growing STEAM program. To the Roberts family, STEAM is about much more than science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. It represents a way of thinking that encourages curiosity, thoughtful experimentation, creative problem solving, and the confidence to explore new ideas.

They believe that when children are given opportunities to ask big questions, collaborate with others, and create with purpose, they develop far more than academic skills. They build resilience, confidence, character, and the ability to think critically about the world around them.

The Roberts family is proud to support a school that continues to invest in innovative learning opportunities while remaining deeply committed to knowing each child as an individual. Their generosity is helping cultivate the curiosity, creativity, and leadership that will prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s innovators.

The post Investing in Curious Minds: Meet the Roberts Family appeared first on River Valley School.

At River Valley School, we believe that a strong, well-funded public education system benefits everyone, and that independent schools are an important, complementary part of Alberta’s education landscape.

To help families engage in meaningful discussions, we’ve included some facts below, along with a short video created by the Association of Independent Schools & Colleges in Alberta (AISCA):

Key Points & Conversation Starters

• Independent schools support — not compete with — public education.
  We share concerns about class sizes and funding, but defunding independent schools isn’t the answer. Removing support would push more than 56,000 students into public classrooms, increasing pressure on teachers, space, and resources.
• Independent schools reflect Alberta’s diversity.
  Independent schools serve families from all walks of life, with more than 80% earning at or below the provincial average. They offer a wide range of programs, from inquiry-based and arts-integrated learning to language immersion and Montessori, and provincial funding also supports schools for children with special needs, cultural minorities, faith-based education, and specialized learning.
• They’re cost-effective.
  Students in independent schools receive about $6,500 in government funding, compared to $13,000 in the public system. That means they educate students at roughly half the cost while helping reduce strain on public classrooms and infrastructure.
• They’ve always been part of Alberta’s system.
  For more than a century, independent schools have offered families meaningful choice and innovative programs — all within Alberta’s provincially regulated education framework.
• They include ECS and home education programs.
  Many Early Childhood Services (ECS) programs and home education initiatives operate as independent schools. Removing government support would directly affect these foundational learning opportunities for Alberta’s youngest students and families who learn at home.

(Created by AISCA – the Association of Independent Schools & Colleges in Alberta)

Why it Matters

We are all partners in education — parents, teachers, and schools of every kind, working toward the same goal: helping children learn, grow, and thrive. Alberta’s strength has always come from offering choice, balance, and accessibility, ensuring every child can find a learning environment where they feel seen and supported.

Independent schools are proud to stand alongside our colleagues in the public and separate systems. We share the same hopes for fair funding, smaller class sizes, and sustainable supports for teachers and students alike. While we are not the cause of current funding challenges, we remain an important part of the solution — helping to ease classroom pressures and expand opportunities for Alberta families.

Together, we can continue building a well-supported, inclusive education system that serves every Alberta student.

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