Prairie Rose students have access to a class specifically focused on mental health programming but only in Medicine Hat. Prairie Rose School Division's boundaries reach from the U.S. border to central Alberta. Teachers in small, rural schools told CBC News in a survey they feel overwhelmed managing classrooms, attending to additional needs and helping all students. Reflecting on a long drive homeAt the end of a school day in Oyen, students brush the snow off their trucks or settle in for long bus rides. (Collin Gallant/CBC)"That social isolation piece is quite big with our rural kids," Wheeler said.

Source: CBC News March 27, 2026 10:01 UTC