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History:

Pembina Hills Regional Division No. 7 came into legal existence on January 1, 1995 as part of the provincial regionalization initiative. The three predecessor Boards to Pembina Hills: Westlock School Division No. 37, County of Barrhead No. 11 and Swan Hills School District No. 5109, voluntarily united to form Pembina Hills Regional Division No. 7. The voluntary nature of the union helped lay the groundwork for the spirit of co-operation and independence that exists today. It is notable that the Barrhead-Westlock area was part of Pembina School Division No. 37 prior to 1947 when Pembina School Division No. 37 split to form Barrhead School Division and Westlock School Division. Barrhead formed a County in 1959 while Westlock remained as a School Division. Swan Hills is a relative newcomer to the historical scene. The first school district in Swan Hills (Oil Hills School District No. 5109) was formed in 1959.

Geography:

Pembina Hills School Division delivers educational services to the municipalities of Swan Hills, Woodlands County, County of Barrhead, Town of Barrhead, Westlock County, Town of Westlock, Village of Clyde, the south eastern portion of M.D. of Big Lakes and the southern portion of the M.D. of Lesser Slave River. In June 1997, Pembina Hills assumed operating responsibility for the Alberta Distance Learning Centre, a distance education school that serves all Alberta school districts and divisions. Public school services are provided through twenty schools. Two of these (Sunniebend, Hillman) are Hutterite Colonies while Neerlandia has an alternate public program focusing on a non-denominational Christian education. An Outreach and Virtual School program were established in September 1996. Pembina Hills operates four High Schools: Fort Assiniboine, Barrhead Composite High School in Barrhead, R.F. Staples in Westlock and Swan Hills School in Swan Hills. Fort Assiniboine and Swan Hills are stand-alone schools with no feeder schools. Barrhead Composite High School in Barrhead has as feeder schools: Neerlandia, Barrhead Elementary and Dunstable. R.F. Staples has as feeder schools Westlock Elementary, Busby, Clyde, Dapp, Jarvie and W.R. Frose in Fawcett.

In addition to the public school services, the geographic area of Pembina Hills also contains a separate school; St. Mary's in Westlock and one private Christian school north of Barrhead. The public school system provides transportation services for students to the separate and private schools.

The large geographic area in North Central Alberta which contains Pembina Hills Regional Division No. 7, includes the industrial Town of Swan Hills, the historic farming community of Fort Assiniboine, the agricultural / government services centres of Barrhead and Westlock, and the farming communities of Fawcett and Flatbush.

The agricultural communities of Barrhead and Westlock are essentially service centres for government and agriculture. The immediately surrounding areas contain some of the richest farmland in Alberta. As one travels north and east from Westlock and west from Barrhead farming generally changes from grains to mixed farming. The lumber industry forms a significant part of the Fort Assiniboine-Swan Hills corridor. Gas explorationand extraction is interspersed throughout while oil extraction is concentrated in Swan Hills.

Market analysis data indicates wage rates are somewhat below provincial averages in the Westlock / Barrhead area due primarily to the predominance of the service and agricultural industries. Trade patterns between Barrhead and Westlock are significant with the regions trading primarily with Edmonton. Unemployment is generally lower than provincial average.

District Map

Demographics:

The population base of the region is very stable but aging with approximately 25% of the population in the "seniors" category. The region contains few visible minorities or aboriginals. The Barrhead-Westlock region has been immune from the "boom-bust" cycles of single resource communities such as Swan Hills. Swan Hills has had significant growth since the 60's but its future economy is currently dependent on the future of its oil fields and waste treatment plant. A significant change in either of these industries would reflect in a dramatic change to the town population. The stability of consistent student enrolment in the early 90's changed in 1995. Enrolment in community schools has decreased since 1994/95. Current projections suggest a declining student enrolment pattern of approximately 1 - 2% per year.