A Flourishing Community

Foothills School Division is welcoming you to a project aiming to bridge the known and perceived gaps of service, connection, and partnerships in our rural communities— and beyond.

The Fast Forward Flourishing CommUNITY project brings together members of our diverse communities to scaffold a more resilient and cohesive society.

Foothills School Division serves a wide region south of Calgary and contributes to the communities of Foothills County, DeWinton, Millarville, Diamond Valley, Longview, Okotoks, High River, Blackie, and Cayley.

Safeguarding Rural Schools and Communities

Why Is this important?

At Foothills School Division, we believe strong relationships and supportive environments help everyone thrive. The world is more complicated and unpredictable these days, but our goal is simple: put education at the heart of a caring, safe, and successful community. We want every student, staff and community member to feel they belong and can grow. Instead of just reacting to challenges, we’re choosing to work together to make our schools and community better for everyone.

A Legacy Project

We know there is pressure and a sense of division in society. That’s why it’s so important for the Foothills region to work together to enhance and build trust. Belonging helps to protect us from feeling alone or uncertain and lays the foundation for sustained learning, creativity, and positive change for everyone.

We have started the groundwork for this project by engaging our staff, parents, and students to answer these guiding questions:

• How can we make sure everyone feels included?
• How do we provide support for every student?
• How do we keep schools at the heart of our community?
• How can we advocate for strong rural education?
• And how do we use technology and A.I. to support, not replace, the human connections that matter most?
• How can we continue this work well into the future for the benefit of residents, businesses, and systems that contribute to, and support, the Foothills region.

With their recommendations for action in hand, we are now weaving their ideas into our strategic plans. But, this work doesn’t stop in schools. We are turning to community leaders (you) to hear your answers to these questions and to collaborate with you so we can flourish forward – together.

How We’ll Work Together

To begin, we will meet to gather your insight and perspective. Based around the question of, “What would have to be true for this problem to never exist?” we will use simple and effective methods like small group talks, world cafe style activities, storytelling, and brainstorming to collect your ideas.

Together we will listen, reflect, and imagine new solutions to move forward—drawing on resources from experts here in Alberta, across Canada and around the globe.

How You Can Be Involved

You can make a difference and build the legacy of a flourishing community in two ways:

• Be a Flourishing Community Ambassador
  • Join us in this work and contribute to the discussions and actions forward.
• Be a Flourishing Community Sponsor
  • Sponsor the procurement of tangible materials, facilitation, and guest speakers to make this project a sustainable endeavour.

Either way, we cannot do this work without you.

Project Timeline

This will be ongoing work, and we aim to meet 2 to 3 times each year to stay connected. Your opportunity to be involved begins Spring 2026.

May 15, 2026

Gathering of Community Ambassadors

• Review the project
• Collect perspective
• Review feedback from FSD students, staff and parents
• Plan for next meeting
  • who else needs to be at the table
  • gather voice from our groups over the Summer

October 2026

• Hope Circuits with Author, Jessica Riddell
• Share insights from our groups
• How can we make sustainable changes?
• Plan forward