Province announces nine new schools for Calgary
Calgary... An innovative approach to new school construction by the Alberta Government will result in nine new schools in Calgary by September 2010.The new school construction, which is part of the government's Public-Private Partnership (P3) school consolidation pilot project, calls for six schools to be built for the Calgary Board of Education and three for the Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School District. The pilot project is based on concepts drawn from governments' experience at home and abroad. The school sites were selected in consultation with school boards.
"This consolidated approach to new school construction will place schools where students live and address some of the growth pressures in Calgary," said Minister of Education Ron Liepert. "The project will also help alleviate some of the cost pressures associated with transporting students."
The new schools will be built to provincial standards and will use a standard design. A permanent core building with essential elements of a school will be complemented by state-of-the-art, steel-framed modular classrooms that can be added to or removed as required. The project criteria includes K-4, K-6 and K-9 school configurations only.
Education services for students will remain the responsibility of the school boards and use and access to the new schools will be managed like existing schools.
"Student education services will remain the same," said Lloyd Snelgrove, President of Treasury Board. "No matter how we build the schools, they will be owned by the school boards and operated by school boards. The teachers, students and parents will not notice any difference in the quality of the facility or in the delivery of education."
The consolidated new schools pilot project will result in the construction of 18 new schools in Edmonton and Calgary.
"This is a logical approach to address the immediate school infrastructure needs in Edmonton and Calgary," stated Luke Ouellette, Minister of Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation. "The P3 approach provides good value for taxpayers, and means communities will have quality school facilities to meet their needs."
Investing in Alberta's school infrastructure is one of the actions under Premier Ed Stelmach's plan to manage growth pressures. Other priorities for the government are to govern with integrity and transparency, improve Albertans' quality of life, build a stronger Alberta, and provide safe and secure communities.
Backgrounder
Province uses new approach to build 18 new schoolsNew Schools P3 Consolidation Pilot Project –School Project List
Calgary Board of Education
| Community/School (Grade Structure) | Capacity |
|
|
Saddle Ridge K-4 | 550 |
Evergreen K-4 | 550 |
Bridlewood K-6 | 600 |
Cranston K-4 | 550 |
Royal Oak K-4 | 550 |
West Springs K-4 | 550 |
Calgary RCS School District
| Community/School (Grade Structure) | Capacity |
|
|
Evergreen K-6 | 600 |
Cranston K-9 | 800 |
Saddle Ridge K-9 | 840 |
Edmonton Catholic School District
| Community/School (Grade Structure) | Capacity |
Windermere K-9 | 500 |
Lewis Farms K-9 | 500 |
Heritage Valley K-6 | 500 |
Edmonton Public School Board
| Community/School (Grade Structure) | Capacity |
|
|
Pallisades K-9 | 850 |
Meadows K-9 | 850 |
Terwillegar Heights K-9 | 850 |
The Lake District (Belle Rive) K-9 | 850 |
Heritage Valleys K-9 | 850 |
Pilot Sound K-9 | 850 |
Standard core school design natural fit for new school construction
Calgary... As part of a new approach to school construction, government will use core school designs for K-4, K-6 and K-9 school configurations only and modular classrooms to build 18 new schools in Edmonton and Calgary.Core schools have a permanent core building with all the essential elements of a school, including a gymnasium, library, administration offices, washrooms, classrooms and special teaching spaces for subjects such as music, art, science, and career and technology studies. Steel-framed modular classrooms are added to and removed from the core building as needed. The core school design allows schools to grow and reduce in size, responding to changes in student enrolment.
The government hired three architectural firms in May 2007 to develop core school designs. Each firm will design one core design and provide two exterior appearance options for the school. This model will be the standard for new schools and will be used by school boards for new school projects across the province.
Features of Core School Design
The standard core school design will provide school boards with significant time savings and reduce consultant fees for new school construction. The designs provide equitable facilities that meet provincial school standards and guidelines and will support the Alberta curriculum. The designs will also be easily adaptable to different sites across the province.
Features of Modular Classrooms
Modern steel-framed modular classrooms have replaced older wood-structure portables, providing improved durability that can retain its shape during multiple moves. The new modular classrooms are constructed and shipped as a complete 24-foot-wide unit. This means the classrooms do not have joint lines that can shift and misalign, protecting them from unwanted air and moisture. The modular classrooms look like permanent classrooms on the inside, thanks to the use of painted drywall, drop ceiling and oversized windows. Overall, the new generation of modular classrooms has been designed for improved health and comfort of students and teachers, and constructed to last 25 years.
