Kindling Hearts: Creating Positive Childhood Experiences in Prairie Rose Public Schools

It is often the smallest moments that shape a child’s future—a greeting at the door, a trusted adult who listens, a place where a child feels they truly belong. These everyday interactions may seem simple, yet they are often the moments when hearts are kindled and lives are quietly transformed.

There is growing recognition that learning does not occur in isolation from relationships, belonging, and well-being. While academic success remains central to the work of schools, educators understand that students thrive and flourish when they feel connected, valued, and supported within their learning environments.

At Prairie Rose Public Schools, this belief is embedded within the division’s strategic priorities: Ignite Minds, Kindle Hearts, and Forge Futures. Together, these priorities reflect a commitment not only to academic excellence, but also to ensuring that students develop the relationships, resilience, and sense of purpose that will sustain them throughout their lives.

Prairie Rose Public Schools serves a predominantly rural population of approximately 6500 students in junior kindergarten through grade 12. A Board of seven trustees operates 20 Public Schools, 18 Hutterite Colony Schools, and three on-line learning programs.

Our Kindle Hearts priority focuses intentionally on cultivating well-being, belonging, and service across school communities. This work recognizes that when students feel known, supported, and connected, they are better positioned to engage in learning, build healthy relationships, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

This approach aligns closely with the growing body of research on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), led by Christina Bethell and her colleagues. Their work highlights the powerful role that positive relationships and supportive environments play in shaping long-term mental and relational health outcomes for children and adults (Bethell et al., 2019).

Bethell’s research shifts the conversation beyond simply reducing adversity. It demonstrates that intentionally creating positive experiences during childhood can strengthen resilience and promote healthy development, even for individuals who have faced significant challenges.

Engaging with this research has prompted us to consider an important question:

How can Prairie Rose Public Schools intentionally create environments where positive childhood experiences are most likely to occur?

Our Kindle Hearts priority provides a framework for answering that question.

Research identifies several experiences that contribute significantly to resilience, well-being, and long-term success:

• Feeling a strong sense of belonging at school
• Having supportive friendships
• Experiencing caring relationships with adults
• Feeling safe and supported within the community
• Participating in meaningful activities, traditions, and opportunities to contribute

Together, these experiences form what researchers describe as a relational foundation for resilience. When children consistently experience connection, trust, encouragement, and belonging, they develop stronger social-emotional capacities that support both learning and lifelong well-being.

Schools are uniquely positioned to provide many of these experiences. The Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) framework offers a practical model for translating PCE research into action (Sege & Harper Brown, 2017).

For many students, school is where they encounter caring adults, develop friendships, discover their strengths, and learn how to contribute to something larger than themselves. Large-scale studies have found that children who experience more positive relationships and meaningful connection, including mentoring relationships and community engagement, demonstrate lower rates of absenteeism and grade retention, underscoring the educational relevance of fostering positive childhood experiences in schools (Crouch et al., 2021).

Recognizing this, Prairie Rose Public Schools has placed intentional emphasis on creating environments where these experiences are not left to chance, but are thoughtfully embedded into school culture, programming, and daily interactions.

School systems are often scrutinized by academic outcomes alone. Yet both research and experience continue to demonstrate that when students feel connected, safe, and valued, their capacity to learn expands dramatically. A growing body of evidence shows that belonging and connectedness influence psychosocial outcomes well into young adulthood (Willis et al., 2024), while systematic reviews continue to confirm the protective and promotive effects of positive childhood experiences across the lifespan.

Prairie Rose Public Schools is intentionally creating the conditions for students to flourish both academically and personally. Our commitment to Kindle Hearts reflects an understanding that education is about more than achievement alone. It is about ensuring that every student experiences the relationships, belonging, and encouragement that help them discover who they are and who they can become. As one example, the staff at I.F. Cox School (a K-3 school in Redcliff, Alberta) has intentionally engaged in this work and are seeing a difference in their students as a result.

By providing students with diverse opportunities to engage with a variety of safe, caring adults and participate in authentic community traditions, we foster a profound sense of belonging. I.F. Cox doesn’t just teach students; they empower them to become active, proud contributors to their school and the broader community, ensuring they have the social and emotional toolkit necessary for lifelong success.

Learning through experiences is the cornerstone of growth, independence, and self-confidence. To foster a sense of belonging, our Grade 3 students have the opportunity to participate in a formal school jobs program. By applying for roles such as morning broadcaster, office assistant, prep chef, or recycling manager, students engage in a professional process that includes writing letters to the principal and undergoing interviews. Once selected, they receive training and report to various staff members, instilling a deep sense of pride and responsibility. This program is dynamic; students frequently identify new needs within the school and request to create jobs to fill them, proving that they are active, valued contributors to our school culture.

A critical component of a PCE-rich environment is ensuring students connect with a variety of supportive adults. Our “Try New Things” (TNT) program runs twice a year, allowing staff, parents, and community members, including the Medicine Hat Mavericks, to share their passions and hobbies with students. This elective-style program lets children choose activities that interest them, exposing them to new skills in a low-pressure, high-engagement setting. Furthermore, our intergenerational connection is strengthened by senior readers who visit classrooms weekly, providing consistent, nurturing mentorship that bridges the gap between the school and the wider community.

Beyond the classroom, we immerse our students in the arts and recreation through experiential learning, including 2–3 annual field trips per grade and visits to the Esplanade for live productions and art exhibits. We are deeply committed to physical literacy and resource equity, providing all necessary equipment for our five-month winter skating program and transitioning to weekly swimming sessions every spring. Furthermore, we prioritize inclusive programming for our complex medical students, who participate in additional community field trips alongside peers from other schools. These targeted outings are designed to strengthen specialized programming and build vital social relationships, ensuring that every student, regardless of their needs, is provided with the diverse environments and caring adult interactions necessary to foster a true sense of belonging.

We prioritize a holistic approach to student wellness by integrating social skills and community traditions into the school year. Our comprehensive nutrition program ensures every student is fed daily, while our formal Christmas and Easter lunches serve as “classrooms for conduct.” During these events, students help transform the gymnasium into a formal dining space, learning etiquette and social graces alongside a host of community volunteers. These efforts, combined with our participation in the local tree lighting, parade floats, and our annual school BBQs and breakfasts, ensure that every student feels a profound sense of belonging within the town of Redcliff.

In summary, our commitment to Positive Childhood Experiences ensures that students at I.F. Cox don’t just attend school; they belong to a community. By combining real-world jobs, diverse mentorship, and frequent local outings, we provide the steady support kids need to grow. These shared traditions and active learning opportunities build the self-assurance and grit our students will carry with them long after they leave our halls.

Hearts should be kindled in education. Learning does not occur in isolation from relationships, belonging, and well-being. While academic success remains central to the work of schools, we understand that students thrive when they feel connected, valued, and supported within their learning environments.

Reflection Question

How are you intentionally creating positive childhood experiences in your classroom, school or school system?

References

Bethell, C. D., Jones, J., Gombojav, N., Linkenbach, J., & Sege, R. (2019). Positive childhood experiences and adult mental and relational health in a statewide sample: Associations across adverse childhood experiences levels. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(11), e193007. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3007

Crouch, E., Radcliff, E., Merrell, M. A., et al. (2021). Positive childhood experiences promote school success: Associations with student engagement and academic outcomes. Maternal and Child Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-021-03218-z

Sege, R., & Harper Brown, C. (2017). Responding to ACEs with HOPE: Health outcomes from positive experiences. Academic Pediatrics, 17(7S), S79–S85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2017.04.005

(Authors Unknown). (2023). A systematic review of positive childhood experiences and adult outcomes: Promotive and protective processes. Systematic Reviews in Behavioral Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/sXXXX-023-XXXXX

Willis, M. C., Jeffries, J., et al. (2024). The impact of positive and adverse childhood experiences on social connectedness in young adults. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 15(10), 1421. https://doi.org/10.3390/psych15101421

Meet the Expert(s)

Lisa Lindsay

Assistant Superintendent, Student Experiences, Prairie Rose Public Schools

Lisa Lindsay is an experienced educator with over 30 years spent teaching, coaching, and being an administrator. Most recently, she has embraced her role as Assistant Superintendent Student Experiences for Prairie Rose Public Schools.

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Cara McFarlane-Motz

Principal, Prairie Rose Public Schools

Cara Motz, M.Ed. is an educational leader with a passion for inclusive, student-centered learning environments. Throughout her career, she has served as a classroom teacher, Learning Support Teacher, Student Experience Liaison, and school administrator, with a focus on supporting students with diverse learning and medical needs while building strong collaborative teams. She holds a Master of Education in School Leadership and Administration from Gonzaga University and has specialized training in Structured Literacy, UFLI, trauma-informed practices, SIVA, and Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA). Cara believes that positive relationships, collaboration, and high expectations are the foundation of successful schools and is committed to ensuring every student feels a sense of belonging

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