Steinbach, MB. June 2, 2026 鈥� 91快活林 Superintendent/CEO Joe Thiessen has submitted his resignation to the Board of Trustees and will step down from the position on December 31, 2026.

Over a remarkable career spanning more than three decades in education, Joe has served the 91快活林 as a teacher, principal, and Superintendent/CEO, leaving a lasting impact on students, staff, and the broader school community. His journey in Hanover began in 1995, when he joined the division as a teacher, serving students in the early, middle, and senior years at Niverville Collegiate Institute, Blumenort School, and Woodlawn School. In 2004, he was appointed principal of Mitchell Elementary School, where he provided steady and caring leadership for 20 years.

Since becoming Superintendent/CEO, Joe has worked collaboratively with trustees, staff, families, and community partners to support student learning and strengthen the division’s commitment to educational excellence.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve 91快活林 as a teacher, principal, and Superintendent/CEO,” said Thiessen. “Each role I have held has reinforced my belief in the power of education to transform lives and strengthen communities, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside dedicated staff, students, families, and community members throughout my career.”

On behalf of 91快活林, the Board of Trustees expresses its sincere appreciation to Joe for his many contributions to the division over the past 30 years and wishes him all the best in his future plans.

Steinbach, MB. June 2, 2026 鈥� 91快活林 Assistant Superintendent Dr. Leanne Peters has submitted notice of her retirement to the Board of Trustees, effective November 30, 2026.

Throughout her 27-year career in education, including 15 years in senior administration, Leanne has made significant contributions to teaching and learning as a teacher, principal, and educational leader. Since joining 91快活林 in 2020, she has provided valued leadership as Assistant Superintendent, supporting schools and staff in fostering student achievement, well-being, and inclusive learning environments.

Prior to joining 91快活林, Leanne served as Assistant Superintendent in Sunrise School Division from 2018 to 2020 and as Assistant Superintendent in Lakeshore School Division from 2011 to 2018. Earlier in her career, she served as a principal and teacher in Rolling River School Division and taught in Mountain View School Division.

The Board of Trustees thanks Leanne for her dedication, leadership, and service as Assistant Superintendent of 91快活林. Her commitment to supporting students, schools, and staff has been greatly valued, and the Board wishes her all the best in her future plans.

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

91快活林 can confirm that the RCMP responded to an incident at Green Valley School earlier this morning after staff became aware that a student had brought a weapon onto school property. Police were notified immediately.

Staff acted quickly to detain the student without incident prior to police arrival. Shortly after, RCMP took the individual into custody.

As a precaution, the school was placed under a lockdown while the situation was assessed. The lockdown has since been lifted.

91快活林 thanks the RCMP for their prompt response and assistance in helping ensure the school community remains safe.

The division recognizes that incidents like this can be concerning for students, staff, and families. School staff are providing support as needed, and the well-being of our school community remains our top priority.

Steinbach, MB. Mar. 4, 2026 鈥� The 91快活林 Board of Trustees has approved the 2026-27 budget, which includes $146.7 million in combined operating and capital expenditures, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 7.4%. Provincial funding for the 2026-27 school year will increase 4.1% over the previous year.

The 2026鈥�27 budget prioritizes staffing to accommodate a projected enrollment increase of 298.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) students compared to the previous year. It provides funding for approximately 20 teachers to address this growth, along with eight additional teaching positions. Of the 28 positions, six are designated as literacy and numeracy support teachers, along with a $500,000 allocation for Grade 1 literacy initiatives. The budget also includes funding for 22 additional educational assistants.

鈥婣 combination of provincial property value reassessment and the need for additional funding will result in a 2026 Mill Rate of 13.32, a 7.97% increase from the 2025 Mill Rate. A home assessed at $354,000 will see an increase of $53 in school taxes for 2026. Tax impacts will vary based on the Provincial Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit (HATC) and assessment growth in each community served by 91快活林.

The 91快活林 Board of Trustees continues to prioritize the delivery of high-quality education while proactively responding to ongoing challenges, including rising enrollment, larger class sizes, and increasing fixed costs. In developing the budget, the Board has carefully balanced these priorities with responsible fiscal management, supporting long-term sustainability while remaining mindful of the impact on local taxpayers.

Catchment Changes for the 2026-27 School Year

Steinbach, MB 鈥� December 2, 2025 – The 91快活林 (HSD) Board of Trustees has approved a series of coordinated measures to address significant enrollment pressures at Steinbach Regional Secondary School (SRSS). These decisions were announced at the Board of Trustees Public Meeting on Tuesday, December 2 and will take effect beginning in the 2026鈥�27 school year.

SRSS is currently at or near capacity, with enrollment projected to exceed 2,300 students by fall 2026. Rising student numbers have led to limited course availability and concerns about overcrowding, building congestion, and traffic around the campus.

To ensure sustainable, safe, and high-quality learning environments across the Division, the Board has adopted a multi-pronged strategy that redistributes a portion of SRSS鈥檚 future Grade 9 enrollment to schools with available capacity.

Beginning in the 2026鈥�27 school year, and in subsequent years, Grade 9 students from the Kleefeld catchment will attend Green Valley School, while Grade 9 students from the Bothwell catchment will attend Niverville High School. To support these changes and to ensure balanced enrollment, Green Valley School will transition to a Grades 7鈥�12 school, and South Oaks will transition to a Grades K-6 school. Students currently in Grade 5 will remain at South Oaks for Grade 6.

Students from the Blumenort catchment will have the option to request a catchment change from SRSS to Landmark Collegiate, subject to enrollment capacity and overall interest, as a minimum number of transfers is needed to support both program delivery and transportation scheduling.

Entering Grade 10 students continue to have the option to apply for enrollment in the vocational program at SRSS, regardless of their designated high school catchment area. Availability may be limited based on vocational program capacity and the allocation of spots for rural high schools, as outlined in the HSD Program Not Offered and School of Choice procedures.

These changes affect only students entering Grade 9; all current high school students (Grades 9鈥�12) may remain at their existing HSD high school until graduation.

Transition planning, including busing and school-level support, will be communicated to families in the months ahead. The Division will work closely with affected schools to ensure a smooth transition for all students.

Steinbach, MB 鈥� November 18, 2025 鈥� The 91快活林 and the Government of Manitoba today celebrated the official ground-breaking of the Green Valley School Gymnasium Addition and Renovation project in Grunthal, marking a significant milestone for the school and surrounding community.

鈥淭his project reflects our government鈥檚 commitment to creating modern, inclusive learning environments for Manitoba students,鈥� said Tracy Schmidt, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning. 鈥淚nvestments like these ensure that schools have the spaces and resources they need to support academic achievement, physical wellness and creative expression, both now and for generations to come.鈥�

Cheryl Froese – Trustee for Ward 4 (Grunthal)

Designed by and contracted to , the Green Valley School Gym Addition and Renovation project consists of a new addition (1532 m2 / 16,490 ft2) and renovations to select areas within the existing school. The estimated project cost is $14.6 million. The new addition will include a gymnasium with change rooms, an integrated fitness facility, three classrooms, and ancillary spaces. Renovations to the existing school will provide two new science rooms, a performing arts space (in the former gymnasium), structural roof reinforcement to existing classrooms, and a new interior barrier-free ramp connecting the existing school to the new addition. Site revisions will include a new gravel parking lot in the northeast area of the site, electrical rough-ins for six future EV stations at the existing west parking lot, and regrading, including new trees, shrubs, and sod around the new addition and at select areas of the site. Construction will be completed in stages, with full project completion expected by November 2027.

鈥淭he enhancements planned for Green Valley School represent a significant investment in student learning,鈥� said Superintendent-CEO Joe Thiessen. 鈥淎 new gymnasium, dedicated fitness space, modern science rooms, and a performing arts area will enrich programming and create flexible spaces that support both current needs and future growth.鈥�

The Board of Trustees appreciates the provincial government鈥檚 support for this project. The Green Valley School addition and renovation underscores the importance of continued collaboration between the Government of Manitoba and school divisions in addressing the evolving needs of growing communities.

News Release (PDF)

LEFT to RIGHT: Lindsay Forsyth – Associate Project Architect (Verne Reimer Architecture), Joe Thiessen – Superintendent/CEO (91快活林), Nic Thiessen – President (Three Way Builders), Angela Burtnack-Schinkel – Principal (Green Valley School), Rilee Born – Student (Green Valley School), Brennan Friesen – Student (Green Valley School), Cheryl Froese – Trustee for Ward 4 Grunthal (91快活林)

Steinbach, MB 鈥� September 25, 2025 鈥� The 91快活林 and the Government of Manitoba celebrated the official opening of Parkhill School today. The Honourable Tracy Schmidt, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, participated in the opening ceremony along with students, staff, and guests.

鈥淭oday marks a significant milestone for Steinbach and the 91快活林. The opening of Parkhill School reflects our government鈥檚 commitment to investing in education and supporting growing communities across Manitoba,鈥� said Schmidt. 鈥淭his beautiful, modern facility will provide students with a safe, inclusive, and inspiring place to learn and grow. I鈥檓 especially proud of the sustainable design and the integration of child-care spaces, which demonstrate our dedication to supporting families and building a future-ready education system.鈥�

Designed by Prairie Architecture Inc. and built by general contractor Penn-Co Construction, the new school spans 62,304 square feet and accommodates up to 500 students from Kindergarten to Grade 4, with core capacity to expand to 600 students in the future. The facility includes 20 classrooms, including three kindergarten rooms, gym and mini gym, kitchenette, library, music room, multi-purpose spaces and life skills room, as well as a 104-space infant, preschool and school-age child-care facility. The official groundbreaking took place on July 26, 2023, and the school opened for students on September 4, 2025.

鈥淭his is an exciting day for the 91快活林 and for the families of Steinbach,鈥� said Superintendent-CEO Joe Thiessen. 鈥淧arkhill school will ease K鈥�4 enrollment pressures and create room for future growth, providing students with a welcoming environment where they can thrive in their learning.鈥�

Ensuring a future-ready learning environment also meant embracing sustainable design and operational efficiency. The new K-4 school was designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, which supports the Government of Manitoba鈥檚 philosophy that school facilities should provide the best possible environment for teaching and learning, while also reflecting environmental responsibility and principles of sound financial stewardship.

The Board of Trustees appreciates the provincial government鈥檚 support for this project. The opening of Parkhill School highlights the importance of collaboration between the Government of Manitoba and school divisions in meeting the needs of growing communities.

L to R: Mayor Earl Funk, Superintendent-CEO Joe Thiessen, Principal Kim Koop, Parkhill Student, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning the Hon. Tracy Schmidt, Director of Facilities Trevor Thiessen, and Board Chair Dallas Wiebe.

-Click Images to Enlarge-

Steinbach, MB, September 2, 2025 鈥� The HSD Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dallas Wiebe has been elected Board Chair and Jeff Friesen as Vice-Chair for the 2025鈥�2026 school year. These appointments, voted on by their fellow trustees, are for a one-year term.

Dallas has served on the Board since 2022 and previously held the position of Vice-Chair during the 2024鈥�2025 school year. Jeff, also elected in 2022, served as Chair for the 2024鈥�2025 school year.

Congratulations to both Dallas and Jeff on their new governance roles.

Steinbach, MB. Mar. 5, 2025 鈥� The 91快活林 Board of Trustees has approved the 2025-26 budget, which includes $136.6 million in combined operating and capital expenditures, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 5.87%. Provincial funding for the 2025-26 school year will increase 2.2% over the previous year.

The 2025-26 budget prioritizes enrollment growth, estimated to be 132.5 (FTE) students, along with staffing needs. It includes funding for 12 additional teachers and 14 educational assistants.

A combination of provincial property value reassessment and the need for additional funding will result in a 2025 Mill Rate of 12.36, a 3.0% reduction from the 2024 Mill Rate. When property reassessment is combined with changes to the Provincial Educational Tax Credit system, a home assessed at $354,000 will see no change in school taxes for 2025. Property owners with assessments below $354,000 will see a decrease, while those with assessments above this threshold will see an increase. Tax impacts will vary based on individual reassessment factors and the Provincial Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit (HATC).

The 91快活林 Board of Trustees remains committed to delivering high-quality education while proactively addressing challenges such as enrollment growth, class sizes, and rising fixed costs. The Board has carefully balanced these priorities with fiscal responsibility, ensuring that investments in education remain sustainable and mindful of the impact on taxpayers.

Steinbach, MB. Feb. 5, 2025 – The 91快活林 Board of Trustees has approved a proposal to adjust the grade configurations at South Oaks School and Green Valley School, effective at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year.

Under this approved change, South Oaks School will expand to include Grade 5, while Green Valley School will serve students from Grades 6 through 12. As a result, current Grade 4 students will remain at South Oaks for their Grade 5 year rather than transitioning to Green Valley School.

This decision aims to optimize the use of available space at South Oaks while addressing significant capacity challenges at Green Valley. Additionally, it provides Grade 5 students with the advantage of remaining in a familiar, age-appropriate learning environment for an additional year.

The 91快活林 sincerely thanks parents/caregivers and community members for their valuable input during the consultation process. The Division looks forward to implementing this change and ensuring a smooth transition for all students and staff.