A specialized program at Pioneer Middle School designed to support students with significant behavioural challenges is expanding within Wild Rose School Division (WRSD).

WRSD will open a second RISE program at Frank Maddock High School in Drayton Valley beginning in the 2026-27 school year, effectively doubling the division’s capacity to support students with complex behavioural needs.

Leah Odynski, director of inclusive services with Wild Rose School Division, said the division first launched the program in Rocky Mountain House in 2024 following an increase in student complexity after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The RISE program — which stands for Reaching for Individual Success Everyday — supports between 10 and 12 students with a staffing complement of one teacher and three educational assistants specially trained to work with students facing severe behavioural challenges.

Odynski said the program is not intended for students with cognitive disabilities or complex medical needs, but rather students who struggle behaviourally and academically in traditional classroom settings.

“We believe in Wild Rose that students struggle behaviourally often because they have a lack of skill, and often struggle to be successful in a regular classroom environment,” she said.

The program focuses heavily on social-emotional learning, project-based education and community involvement with collaboration between educators, families and support agencies.

Students also have access to speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and district psychologists, along with outside behavioural specialists when needed.

Odynski said the ultimate goal is to transition students back into their home schools after six months to two years in the program.

“In the Rocky program over the last three years, we’ve been able to return five students to the classroom with great success,” she said.

Odynski added that the division believes the program has also helped reduce violent and aggressive incidents within schools.

“We’ve reduced those incidences dramatically. I believe that RISE is one of the key factors in that.”

Leah Odynski speaking about the reduction in critical incidents over the past three years

The division said the Drayton Valley expansion will help reduce lengthy transportation times for students currently travelling from the north end of the division to Rocky Mountain House.

“The round trip for Drayton Valley would be approximately an hour and a half each way,” Odynski said. “We feel like it’ll be much more successful if we can have this program in Drayton Valley so we can service our north end.”

The Drayton Valley expansion to the RISE program is expected to take effect in time for the 2026-2027 school year.

Odynski adds the “proof is in the pudding,” pointing to the success in reducing critical incidents and returning students to their home classrooms in just the last three years.