Partnership possibilities explored

Times Reporter 

 

With continued growth in enrollment numbers but declining space in schools, Golden Hills School Division (GHSD) is looking at ways to see a new school come to Strathmore. 

There are eight schools in town, all of which have been doing well and are continuously improving, but all of which are also quickly running out of space. Growth brings renewal, brings additional funding, addition taxation base and is good in many ways but it also brings challenges when it comes to finding space for the increase in students.

“The additional students ultimately results in better programming for kids and so we’re very pleased to see that happen. We have worked hard in our school district over the last number of years to provide high quality academic programs, enhance programs in other ways and we have focused on developing connected, collaborative graduates who are tech savvy and who are creative problem solvers,” said Bevan Daverne, superintendent of schools for GHSD.  

In Strathmore the schools are in a constant cycle of renovation and addition to provide the space needed. At Crowther Memorial Junior High, they are now officially out of space to add portables. Wheatland Elementary has portables, now called modular classrooms, coming and with the addition of those they will be close to out of space there. Westmount Elementary has approximately 500 students and is bursting at the seams. The school has been renovated numerous times and modular classrooms will be added later in the year, but the school will quickly run out of space. There are plans at Brentwood Elementary to add more modular classrooms as well. 

Trinity Christian Academy is not housed in a GHSD building. It is currently leasing space and there have been changes with lease support, said Daverne. At some point the school will require its own building, but for now the school is continuously renovated to provide space. The division has been working with administration to try to find a site for a new school in town.

While there are challenges for school space, there are also challenges for recreational facilities in town, said Daverne, which was part of why he and chair David Price made a presentation before council at the Sept. 18 meeting. 

“All our facilities are booked flat out basically 24/7 throughout the school year as a result of demand across the community. We understand that many of you get calls for additional recreation space in the community and certainly within the Quality of Life master plan that you had done there was some mention of providing additional space in there as well,” said Daverne. 

The town is looking to attract new families, and new families means additional revenue that will allow the town to continue to do a better job for existing residents. The division sees the same thing within the school system.

Daverne said the two needs, of recreation and education space, means the potential to work together and provide a facility that would work for both of them. Other communities have created partnerships to fill both needs, which sparked the thought for GHSD.

“Really at this point we’re just sharing ideas and looking at ways we can work together, our two organizations, to both better meet our needs,” said Daverne. 

“Innovation, creativity and partnership have become some of the criteria that receive additional consideration proposals from school districts with the province in looking at new schools and modernizations and facility plans. Partnerships between school districts and private enterprise or the community or the town receive, we believe, additional consideration when the province is looking to invest in infrastructure across the province.”

From point of decision it takes two to three years to have the school up and operating. The more work done now, and the more checks and balances in place, the more likely it is Strathmore will happen sooner rather than later.

Councillor Rocky Blokland asked if the division will soon get to the point where they have to turn away kids. 

“I promise you it will never get to that point where we’re turning away kids. We will continue to be creative and problem solve through this so that we can provide good facilities for students and we’ll continue to make that happen. It will get interesting,” said Daverne.

“We know that we will need a new school in the next few years. We don’t know what that number is exactly. If, as a town council, you feel the same way about recreational facilities in town we have a win, I think, and it makes sense for us to work together because we both know we’re going to need those things.”

“We’re definitely in need of a recreation facility, we have all talked abut that many times and I for one definitely like that sort of concept and project,” said Mayor Steve Grajczyk. 

The option of a potential partnership will continue to be explored by administration and GHSD.