ABOUT US

School Council Meetings

School Council typically meets at 7 PM on the second Tuesday of every month.

Meetings consist of an update from School Council, a report from RDL Administration (Principal and Vice-Principal). FCREC (Foothills Cultural and Recreational Enrichment Centre) are held as needed and feature funding requests and subsequent votes.

Parents are welcome to attend all School Council and FCREC meetings. Meetings generally conclude by 9 PM. They are a great way to hear directly from RDL administrators and teachers, voice your opinion, make an impact with fundraising and meet fellow parents!

The Foothills Cultural, Recreational & Enrichment Centre Foundation (FCREC) is the registered charitable society that supports Red Deer Lake School. While School Council provides parent voice and organizes community activities, FCREC is the fundraising and financial arm. It manages grants, donations, and fundraising dollars to ensure resources and programs directly benefit our students.

FCREC

Become a Member

All parents and guardians of students at Red Deer Lake School are invited to become members of The Foothills Cultural and Recreational Enrichment Centre Foundation. Membership is free and offers you the opportunity to participate in important decisions, including voting on council positions. By becoming a member, you play an active role in shaping our school community and supporting our students. Membership must be renewed annually.

For more information, please complete the membership form by clicking the button below. To review our bylaws, please click here.

Membership Form

Understanding the Difference Between RDL School Council and FCREC

At Red Deer Lake, you’ll often hear about two groups that support our school community: Red Deer Lake School Council and the Foothills Cultural, Recreational & Enrichment Centre Foundation (FCREC).

While they often work side by side, they are not the same thing — and each plays an important role.

RDL School Council

The School Council is made up of parents, guardians, teachers, and school administration who come together to:

Provide a parent voice in school matters
Share ideas and feedback with school leadership
Build community through events and activities
Support initiatives that enhance the learning experience

In short, School Council is about connection, collaboration, and communication.

Important note: School Councils in Alberta are advisory bodies. They are not legally permitted to handle or manage significant funds.

FCREC (Foothills Cultural, Recreational & Enrichment Centre Foundation)

The FCREC is a separate registered charitable society that exists to:

Manage fundraising activities
Apply for grants and accept donations
Oversee financials and issue charitable tax receipts
Ensure funds are used to support programs, resources, and experiences for RDL students

Think of FCREC as the financial and fundraising arm that helps make many of our projects possible.

How They Work Together

School Council identifies needs, gathers parent input, and helps plan community activities.
FCREC manages the fundraising and financial side, ensuring dollars are used effectively to benefit the school.

Together, they form a strong partnership that enriches the RDL student experience.

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Meet The Team

Sarah Ftichar

President

I’m Sarah Ftichar, a parent at Red Deer Lake School and currently serving as School Council President. I really enjoy being involved in the school and helping create opportunities that make the experience even better for our kids and families. In my day-to-day, I work at Spruce Meadows, where I’m part of the team behind events and community initiatives. I try to bring that same practical, collaborative approach to School Council, supporting fundraising, communication, and initiatives that benefit our students. I'm fueled by great coffee and amazing people, and I’m grateful to be part of such a strong and engaged school community!

Kerry Conroy

Vice President

Kerry’s family has been part of the RDL community for four years. She joined RDL School Council to stay informed and help raise funds for great causes that support our school. What she enjoys most about RDL is the strong sense of community and the amazing teachers who make the school such a special place. Outside of school events, Kerry loves spending time with her family skiing, hitting up the pump track, and traveling. She’s a tea fan but never says no to a good latte.

Krista West

Secretary

Krista is excited to be part of the RDL community! With kids in grade 2 and grade 3, she loves being connected to what’s happening at school and seeing the culture firsthand. Joining the School Council felt like a natural way to learn, contribute, and help make RDL an even better place for kids and families. She believes school councils are important not just for building community, but also for giving parents a voice in shaping school priorities and creating fun opportunities that bring families together. It’s been reassuring to understand how things work behind the scenes, and inspiring to see how parent involvement can make a real difference. When her family isn’t busy with school or activities, you’ll usually find them outdoors- camping, exploring, and soaking up fresh air together. Staying active and enjoying adventures is their favorite way to recharge!

Kate Berkan

Treasurer

Kate has three children at RDL in Grades 7, 4, and 2, and her family has been part of the RDL community since 2018. She has been serving on the parent council as treasurer since 2022 and has greatly enjoyed being involved and supporting the school. At home, Kate’s family shares a passion for cars and enjoys collecting farm animals. When she’s not busy with school council, parenting, farm life, or work, she is also a silversmith and hand engraver. She looks forward to continuing her involvement on the council and supporting the school community.

VACANT

Director - Fundraising

Interested in joining RDL School Council? Please reach out!

Amanda Moore

Director - Hot Lunch

More to come...

Adrienne Day

Director - Communications

Adrienne has two children at RDL—one in Kindergarten and one in Grade 3—and her family has been part of the RDL community for about four years. She was encouraged by Kerry Conroy to get involved with School Council and is excited to be part of it. One of the things she loves most about the school is the holiday events, especially the Welcome Back BBQ, the Halloween dance, and the Christmas concert, as they provide wonderful opportunities for the community to come together. A fun fact about Adrienne’s family is that they hope to one day live on a boat and travel the world. When she’s not attending school events or activities, she enjoys getting crafty. And just for fun—she’s a café latte all-the-way kind of person and definitely a “late bird, early owl.”

Lindsay Flynn

Director - Volunteers

Lindsay’s family has been part of the RDL community for nine years, with children currently in Grades 6 and 8. She joined RDL School Council to stay connected and informed about what’s happening at the school. One thing you might not know about Lindsay is that her family has travelled to 22 countries together! When she’s not at school events, she enjoys skiing, golfing, and traveling. She’s a coffee lover through and through, and while she claims to be neither an early bird nor a night owl, we’re grateful for the time and energy she brings to our school community.

Sandra Russell

Director - Landscaping

Sandra Russell is the proud parent of Briggs, who is in Grade 4, and Ryatt, who is in Grade 2 at RDL. Her family has been part of the RDL community for the past two years, and they have truly enjoyed getting to know the school and the amazing people in it. She chose to get involved with School Council because she enjoys supporting the school and being part of a community that works together to create a positive experience for students. One of the things she appreciates most about RDL is its welcoming atmosphere and the strong support among staff and families. In her downtime, Sandra enjoys refinishing furniture and working on creative projects. When she’s not attending school events or activities, she values spending time with her family. And just for fun—she drinks coffee like it’s going out of style (and jokes that Starbucks might miss her if she stopped!) and is definitely more of a night owl than an early bird. She looks forward to becoming more involved and getting to know everyone in the community.

Lisa Procyk

Director - Casino

More to come...

Ashley Clerk

Director at Large

Meet Dr. Ashley Clerk NP/Phd Ashley is mom to 4 dragons, Elle (grade 5), Max (grade 4), Nathan (grade 2) and Weston Clerk (future kinder dragon). She lives on an old ranch in the Foothills MD, where her and her husband Robert have a hobby farm with horses, goats, chickens, turkeys and a few Great Pyrenees. The family has called the Foothills Municipality home for almost 13 years, has only been a part of the RDL family for 3. She joined the RDL parent council to better understand the gaps in school initiatives and help support Red Deer Lake bridge the gaps between the education system and our community. Professionally Ashley is a lifelong learner. She has held positions as associate professor with University of Calgary, clinician and researcher in critical care medicine and now practices in her own private clinic Bardöt and Calgary Menopause Institute. Outside driving her kids to hockey, ringette, skiing, lacrosse, soccer… Ashley also enjoys showering, going to the washroom (alone) and driving her car in silence. Her only hope at surviving the chaos is waking up at 5am to a bucket of coffee and the hope that she hasn’t forgotten one of the kids somewhere…

Becky Grunewald

Internal Communications

More to come...