Our School
Wynyard Elementary School is a Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 school that presently has an enrollment of 243 students and employs 35 staff members, as of September 2017. Our staff currently consists of a principal/teacher, 15 (14.0 FTE) teachers, 9 (7.0 FTE) educational assistants, a full-time secretary, a full-time non-teacher librarian, and 1.20 custodians. The school also has an itinerant band instructor, Speech-Language pathologist, SLP-Assistant, student counselor and 8 bus drivers, as well as access to an Occupational Therapist, Educational Psychologist, and other student services personnel.
The school year runs from late August to late June; however, students do not, typically, begin attending until after Labour Day. The school’s daily schedule currently runs from 8:45 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. with a 47 minute lunch break as well as two, fifteen minute recesses. Currently, extended holidays in the schoolyear are provided for Christmas, February(winter) break, and Easter (spring).
The motto of Wynyard Elementary is “Learning for Life”, a maxim that is incorporated into regular programming. WES also promotes a “Respect Initiative” that focuses on respect of self, respect of others, respect of property, respect of community, respect of community property, and respect of environment. The motto surrounding the principles of this program is “Think First” where students are encouraged to think first about certain attributes and values. WES is currently implementing the “Leader in Me” process in many of its classrooms, and all staff are currently receiving training in the "7-habits of Highly Effective People", adding further to the ideas of the Respect Initiative.
Wynyard Elementary provides quality academic programming that is delivered by dedicated staff members. The provincial curriculum is followed, with specific emphasis recently placed on Literacy, Safe and Caring Schools, and Assessment. Assessments administered at WES include: Fountas and Pinnel reading assessments in Grades 1-6, Early Years Evaluation (EYE) in K, Help Me Tell My Story(PK and K), Ages and Stages (PK), as well as the OurSchool survey in Grades 4-6. WES also uses several different “daily programs” to emphasize growth in literacy, comprehension, language, and math. With 0.90 FTE Learning Resource Teachers, programming is provided to numerous students with various diverse and intensive needs; they are responsible for the delivery of a Levelled Literacy program, in a literacy support teacher capacity, that is designed to help improve targeted literacy outcomes fora variety of students. English AdditionalLanguage (EAL) programming provides support to students who speak English asa secondarylanguage in the home. Pre-Kindergarten for 3 and 4-year-old students is also a part of the programming at the school on a referral/application basis. Specialized ArtsEducation programming and a Grade 5/6 band program are also provided.
WES prides itself in its diverse programs and special events. We boast an active “sports club”and competitive cross-country, volleyball, basketball, flag football, and track teams. The school's SRC provides unique leadership opportunities to its members. As well as providing protection to WES students, the Safety Patrol Program instills leadership and citizenship for senior students. Our Eco Kids club allows students to take on a leadership role with respect to various environmental issues. Other activities range from science and/or heritage fairs, intramurals, drama, chess club, inMotion, choir and oratory presentations to Christmas and band concerts. Numerous presenters are also invited and welcomed into our school each year to share their expertise and/or entertainment skills. In addition to diversity and inclusion, the school fosters a very caring, progressive, and respectful environment. Many special events are held at WES on a yearly basis. Noteworthy annual events include the school’s Open House during Education Week in October, an annual Remembrance Day service and Legion literary competition, a Christmas concert, a school-wide oratory competition, a curling bonspiel for Grade 4-6 students, a skate-a-thon in support of Telemiracle and school programs, a Grade 6 farewell, PK family events and outreach program, and a school-wide track meet and play day. WES students also participate in many other programs, both in and out of school and are active in fundraising initiatives for a variety of charities and causes throughout the year.
WES also boasts a number of valuable partnerships including those with the Town of Wynyard (facility use and other agreements), Wynyard Golden Acres(adopted grandparent program), Wee Care preschool (facility and programs), the Wynyard RCMP (school liaison officer), and Wynyardigans Day Care (after school program), Touchwood Hills Wildlife Federation (archery), along with several other community groups through facility use and other agreements. Wynyard Elementary is a modern, extremely clean facility with a gymnasium; resource centre; special education kitchen, early learning area; and a fully operational computer lab in addition to several classrooms. Access to the community’s indoor skating rink, curling rink, and swimming pool is facilitated by the Town of Wynyard for a very minimal fee to the school.
Wynyard Elementary School also has an enthusiastic School Community Council that is very involved with the students and school as whole and as a supportive advocate group. Additionally, several activities and events are facilitated by this group each year. The community of Wynyard is located approximately 175 km east of Saskatoon on Highway 16. Wynyard is primarily known for its agricultural industry and the thriving Sofina poultry production facilities, as well as recent potash development in the area.