Opening & Registration
Q. When will registration begin for the new school and how do I register?
Kindergarten registration begins in January for all CBE schools.
Registration will take place at the current designated school for your community. Students from your community who are currently attending their designated regular program school will automatically be transferred to the new school.
Registration at CBE schools is not determined on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is not necessary to register on the first-day registration opens. However, registering your child as soon as possible helps our principals plan and prepare accordingly for the new school year.
We do not accept transfers or registrations for students for the new schools until the principal is in place. We expect that there will be space for all eligible students to attend the new school in their community.
Find more information on registering at a new school here.
Q. When will the new school in my community open?
Visit your school's
project page to see the expected opening date.
Q. What grades will the new school accommodate when it opens?
Visit your
school's construction page for information on the grades that will be offered in the first and second years.
Q. How was the grade configuration for the new school determined?
The grade configurations for schools have been determined based on current demographics to maximize the number of students in the community who can attend school. However, this can change over time depending on the number and age of students in the community.
For example, within a community that will have an elementary and a middle school, the grade configurations have been determined to provide a K-9 continuum that allows the greatest number of students to attend their community schools.
Another example would be a second elementary school within the community, which may require a change of grade configuration within the existing elementary and middle schools.
Q. Why are Grade 4, Grade 9 and Grade 12 only included in the second year and not the first year the school opens?
In order to minimize transition points for students, we typically do not open a new school to the full grade configuration. Whenever possible, we try to avoid moving students two years in a row. This permits students to finish the final grade in their current school with their peer group.
Q. Will the school be large enough to accommodate community students?
Yes, there will be space in the new schools for all designated students when the schools open. In the event that schools are at capacity in the future, the CBE will develop an accommodation plan.
Q. What is the contingency plan if the school does not open on schedule?
Contingency plans are unique to each situation and will be developed and shared with stakeholders if needed.
Q. Will students be allowed to stay at their current school once the new school opens?
Students who stay at their current school will be considered an out-of-attendance area student. It is up to the principal to decide if the school can accept out-of-attendance area students based on space availability and resources.
The CBE does not provide transportation for students outside the attendance area, so parents are responsible for getting their children to and from school.
General
Q. Why does the CBE lease schools to Charter schools when there is a shortage of space?
Lease arrangements with Charter schools are mandated by Alberta Education; the CBE cannot terminate a Charter school lease unless approved by the Minister of Education. Charter schools are public schools supported by Alberta Education, and as such, Alberta Education would be reluctant to approve the termination of a Charter school lease unless an alternate school property is provided for the Charter school program. School buildings currently leased to Charter schools are located within older, established communities, where other existing CBE schools continue to serve the needs of students in these areas. The location of these schools does not align with the areas of greatest need for student spaces, which are the new and developing communities. The CBE continues to focus on building new schools to meet demand in these communities.
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Q.We would like alternative programming for our child (Traditional Learning Centre, French Immersion). Will the new school include alternative programs?
No, the new schools will offer the regular program.
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Q. What is the process for naming the new schools?
Please visit the
Naming the New Schools page for more information.
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Q. Will there be before and after school care in the building?
Like our existing schools, before and after-school care programs may be offered by a third-party operator in new schools where space permits. The CBE will be working with the school community and third-party operators regarding interest in childcare programs in all of the new elementary schools.
Parents should continue to check the construction project page for the school in their community for updates and information on this topic and more.
Interested operators must submit an application to Property, Leasing & Rentals. For the application form, please contact the office directly at Leasing@cbe.ab.ca.
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Q. How was the school boundary determined?
Typically, the boundary for any new school is the community in which the school is located. In some cases communities are combined for a school based on their potential student population. Please refer to
Three-Year School Capital Planfor information on how new school sites are determined.
When a second elementary school opens in a community the CBE analyzes demographics to best balance the enrolment between the two schools.
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Q. How are school times and days off determined?
The CBE sets non-instructional days for all schools in our system. The school principal, in discussion with the school council, determines additional days off.
Bell times are aligned at all schools that use transportation services, so yellow school buses can complete at least two routes each morning and two each afternoon.
Communication
Q. Can I sign up for an email list to receive announcements/news about the new schools?
We don’t have an e-mail list. However, the web pages for each project are updated monthly or when important information is shared. Please check the webpage frequently for announcements and news.
Planning & Construction
Q. How does the CBE plan for new schools and modernized spaces?
Each year, CBE submits a plan to Alberta Education that outlines the top priorities for new schools and major modernizations. These priorities are determined by analyzing various factors, including population data, educational needs, school condition, community demographics, school enrolment, transportation times, and the economic and growth outlook for Calgary. Alberta Education receives about 400 capital requests annually from school boards across the province.
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Q. What factors does the CBE consider before requesting new schools or modernizations?
CBE considers a wide range of factors before seeking government approval for constructing a new school or modernizing an existing one. These considerations include community needs, school enrollment figures, the condition of existing facilities, educational requirements, and Calgary's overall growth and development trends.
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Q. How does the CBE prioritize communities for new schools?
CBE uses a point system to prioritize communities that require new schools. Points are assigned based on several criteria, including preschool population numbers, K-12 enrollment, projected population growth, and travel time and distance to the nearest school. This process ensures that new schools are built in communities where they are most needed. See
criteria for school capital planning priorities for more information.
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Q. What criteria are used to rank schools for major modernization?
Schools are ranked for major modernization based on a point system that evaluates a variety of factors. These include programming requirements, five-year projected enrolment, quality of the site location, the facility's potential for upgrades, and the condition of the facility as assessed by the provincial renewal capital asset planning process. This ranking system helps prioritize schools that are in the greatest need of modernization to ensure that resources are allocated effectively. See criteria for school capital planning priorities for more information.
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Q. What is the purpose of modernizations, and why are they necessary?
Modernizations are essential for ensuring that school facilities can support the latest educational programming requirements and maximize space for students. These upgrades may include mechanical, electrical, and security system improvements, creating barrier-free access, and other structural enhancements. With more than half of CBE's schools being over 50 years old, modernizations are crucial for providing students with a learning environment that meets modern standards.
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Q. How are sites chosen for new schools?
The Municipal Government Act requires 10 per cent of new development areas to be designated for amenities: parks, public space, community association sites, and school sites. At the initial stage of community development, the developer offers land parcels for schools. CBE and Calgary Catholic School Board, together with City planning, select from the offered sites in general locations for future schools.
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Q. Is the school site large enough for a school?
- K-9 school site plan dimensions are generally the same as a middle schools
- There are occasionally fluctuations in allotments from developers
- If the total acreage of a school site is below the standard size, a custom design will be developed.
Q. Can our community expect to be involved in planning for the new schools?
Information on all projects is available on our website. The CBE works with the City of Calgary in conjunction with the architect to determine site configurations. Site configurations are approved by the City of Calgary during the Development Permit process. Engagements will be held to allow communities to provide feedback on the project.
Q. How is the location of portables on the school footprint decided?
- The location of modular classrooms (portables) attached to new school construction is determined through the architectural process during the design of the school.
- Modulars need to be adjacent to the school and arranged to function with the core school.
- The addition of modular classrooms to existing schools is determined through the annual CBE Three Year School Capital Plan.
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Q. Will the school in my community be modernized?
Please view the Three-Year School Capital Plan in which all requests for new schools, major modernizations, and allocations of modular classrooms (portables) are detailed.
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Q. Can the CBE build K-9 schools?
Decisions on grade configurations for new elementary and middle schools are based on community populations and student projections. Building one K-9 school in the community may not be sufficient to accommodate the projected number of students.
Transportation & Traffic
Q.How do you decide where the school bus and parent drop-off locations will be?
The City of Calgary recommends the location of bus zones and parent drop-off zones at new school sites.
Developers are asked to develop roads on two connecting sides of the school suitable for bus and parent pick-up and drop-off, but this is not always possible.
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Q. Can speed bumps be used to control/discourage traffic in the area?
All traffic questions should be directed to the City of Calgary.
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Q. Is it possible to add more trees around the perimeter to block the view of the parking lot from nearby residents?
- All school designs must include a city-approved landscape design plan.
- The City of Calgary has a process for construction around city-owned trees. Every effort is made to preserve existing trees. Any trees that need to be moved will be relocated or replaced - replacement occurs only when the age and condition of trees, or the cost of working around them, warrants replacement.
- There is a two-year construction window, so some trees will be removed and relocated away from the property to preserve them, then replaced at the completion of construction.
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Q.
Can the parking lot be built along the back of the school so the view along the Boulevard remains enjoyable?
School parking lots are generally located at the front of the building to allow greater space for playfields.
Q. How will the new bus zones be added to the schools?
- New bus zones will be added in accordance with the location of the school.
- The City of Calgary has specifications for bus zones and student drop off and pick up. An effort is made to streamline traffic movement in the community wherever possible within the bylaw restrictions.
Q. How was the school walk zone determined?
The Transportation Advisory Committee determines walk zones. Please read the following to learn How the CBE Develops School Walk Zones.
Q. What are you doing to mitigate traffic congestion in the area? What about traffic safety for young students?
The CBE works with the City of Calgary when identifying new school sites. New school sites are located with collector streets whi, which have a width of 22.5 m and are used to connect local streets within a community. Collector streets are on two sides of the school site to ensure there is enough space for bus and parent drop-off/pick-up zones and for traffic.
Traffic is an issue at every school. Concerns are addressed by the school principal working with the parents, community and students.
Specific traffic concerns can be reported to the school principal and the City of Calgary at 311.
Q. Why isn't there busing in the community - the walk zone is too far for children?
Walk zones are determined by the Transportation Advisory Committee. Please read the following to see How the CBE Develops School Walk Zones.
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