School Profile
Robert W. Zahara Public School
Location:
9802 - 93 Street, Sexsmith, AB, adjacent to the Sexsmith Arena and Sexsmith Secondary School.
9802 - 93 Street, Sexsmith, AB, adjacent to the Sexsmith Arena and Sexsmith Secondary School.
Grades:
Kindergarten to Grade 6, with an enrollment of approximately 450 students, providing educational services to an equal mixture of rural and urban students.
Special features:
The replacement Robert W. Zahara (RWZ) Public School opened in April 2016 and features spacious classrooms, a music room that conveniently opens up to create a performance stage into the large gym, and a naturally-lit learning commons featuring floor-to-ceiling windows. Other special features include an oversized gymnasium, dedicated speech therapy and occupational therapy rooms, and a servery. A well-equipped playground provides open spaces for games, and students enjoy weekly skating at the adjacent Sexsmith Arena during the winter.
The school was designed to accommodate 550 students from Sexsmith and the surrounding rural area, and replaced the original RWZ Public School which was erected in 1978-1979.
Programs:
The school offers three Early Childhood Services programs, two days per week, to approximately 50 students. School staff includes teachers and a large support staff of teaching assistants, librarians, administrative assistants, and speech assistants. View our staff list.
RWZ is family-oriented with a strong, caring school community. The school offers programs which highlight Indigenous cultures, diversity, inclusion, parenting courses, speech and language therapy, and literacy intervention. A focus on social justice and responsibility provides opportunities for students to develop leadership skills and make a difference within their school, the community and globally.
All students participate in fine arts and music education, and participate in the annual Grande Prairie Music Festival. Students in Grades 4-6 receive instruction in French as a Second Language.
Technology is an important part of learning. Depending on their grade and assigned tasks, students have access to iPads, Chromebooks and laptops. All students are taught to be ethical digital citizens.
Extracurricular clubs include drama, music, choir and sports. Students may participate in drumming groups, flute circle, choir, ukulele, and other musical endeavours.
Sports:
Volleyball, basketball, cross-country running, running club, skating, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Karate is offered after school.