Ralston School opened in 1948 with two teachers, two classrooms and 30 students. Today, there are approximately 148 students in 10 grades with 12 teachers and 8 support staff. The school was originally operated by DRES (Defence Research Establishment Suffield) which turned over the responsibility of operations to the Department of National Defence in 1972. The Cypress School Board assumed administrative control of the school in 1993. In 1994, Cypress became part of the Prairie Rose School Division. Ralston School provides education for students in Reception through Grade 9 which follows Canadian curriculum. High school students from Grades 10 - 12 attend schools in Medicine Hat and Dunmore. Ralston is located just 30 minutes west of Medicine Hat, Alberta and 2.5 hours East of Calgary, Alberta. Ralston is the married quarters for Canadian Forces Base Suffield. Medicine Hat is a modern Canadian city of 66,000.