Managing Space For Students
SSAP Redesignations for Schools in South-Central Calgary
Over the past few years, the community of Windsor Park has experienced significant growth in the school-aged population, and sustained growth is expected into the future. Growth in Windsor Park and other south-central communities has resulted in Elboya School (K-9 regular program and Grade 5-9 Early and Late French Immersion programs) and Rideau Park School (K-9 regular program) becoming over-utilized. Enrolment at both schools is capped, with some students being overflowed to nearby overflow schools. Capping and overflow are intended to be a short-term accommodation measure.
Two nearby schools, Chinook Park School (K-6 regular and French Immersion programs) and Woodman School (Grade 7-9 regular program and Grade 5-9 French Immersion program), are both under-utilized. Ensuring school utilization rates are optimized in the mid-to-high 80 per cent range helps ensure student populations are large enough to support robust learning and extracurricular opportunities. It also minimizes crowding as much as possible and reduces the need for enrolment caps and overflows, which create uncertainty. Balanced enrolment also helps provide equitable access for all students to quality learning environment while concurrently maximizing the amount of operational and maintenance dollars provided by the province under a funding model that rewards schools with an 85 per cent+ utilization rate.
In May 2024, the former Bel-Aire School was returned to the CBE from charter school use. The return of this school opens more than 200 K-6 spaces in the area, a welcome development given the rate of growth in the area.
These three factors – two over-utilized schools, two under-utilized schools and the opening of more than 200 K-6 spaces in south-central Calgary – are the key drivers for this SSAP redesignation plan, which will balance enrolment and provide a more equitable learning experience for students at all affected schools .
After thoughtful and thorough analysis, we have determined there is one
redesignation plan that effectively achieves the benefits for students, families and schools and reflects the
CBE's planning principles.
Some details of this plan are dependent upon the
relocation of CBE Home Education, which is currently located at Windsor Park School. Redesignations will be implemented for the 2025-26 school year.
View the Redesignation StoryMap
Students living in eight communities are impacted by the redesignation plan.
Redesignations will result in changes to enrolment and utilization rates at seven schools. Elementary, middle and junior high schools offering the regular program, Early and Late French Immersion programs or a combination thereof are impacted.
Why We're Making Changes
The redesignation plan balances enrolment at schools in south-central Calgary, benefitting staff, students, families and schools. Specifically, this plan:
- Supports student success
- Opens much-needed K-6 learning space in the area
- Contributes to our goal of removing the cap and overflows from Elboya and Rideau Park schools
- Increases enrolment at under-utilized schools
Moving CBE Home Education
CBE Home Education currently operates out of Windsor Park School. CBE Administration is putting forward a recommendation to the Board of Trustees that CBE Home Education be relocated to Bel-Aire School to re-open Windsor Park School for community students. This change would reduce the need to overflow students at Elboya and Rideau Park schools and create space to relieve pressure on other neighbouring schools. The recommendation will be submitted to the Board of Trustees in December 2024 and the final decision is expected to be made by the Board of Trustees by February 2025, in alignment with
GC-3E (2): Closure of Schools Procedure.
The Board of Trustees’
process and decision are separate and apart from this redesignation plan; however, the Board decision will impact what some of the redesignations look like.
Redesignation Plan Details
- StoryMap | View complete plan information, including maps, projections and decision rationale
- PDF Overview | Download a printable PDF overview of the plan
Communication to Families
Oct. 3, 2024 Project Announcement Letters
Contact
Area 7 for Elboya, Rideau Park, Mount Royal and William Reid schools
Area 6 for Chinook Park and Woodman schools
