A New School? Replacement? Modernization? Modulars?

It is years in the making and an extensive process to acquire needed school space, whether it be through modernization or a new school build. Parkland School Division has been fortunate to have developed a cooperative and progressive relationship with the City of Spruce Grove to accommodate and support the addition of required new school spaces to keep pace with the growth of the student population. The process requires a lot of time and effort by Trustees (as advocates) and the Administration doing the detailed “leg work”.

Over my terms as trustee, we have been successful to achieve for Spruce Grove:

● Brookwood School (number of new modulars to accommodate student growth)
● Prescott Learning Centre (new school) plus extra modular classrooms added
● Copperhaven School (New School)
● Woodhaven School Modernization (which increased student spaces substantially)
● Ecole Broxton Park (major alterations)
● Millgrove School (new and replacement modular classrooms)
● Spruce Grove Composite High School (interior realignment to increase class spaces)

Parkland School Division has completed all the steps (listed below) related to its number one priority, which is a modernization of, or a completely new build for the Spruce Grove Composite High School. We were not included in the 2020-2021 announcements and are awaiting the announcement of the next list of approved capital projects by the Government of Alberta.

School Board Trustees have been lobbying diligently for this project and the three MLAs that represent our division boundaries claim that they are also pushing for this project announcement.
The process to acquire a new school, replacement, modernization or modulars….

The School Division completes a detailed school utilization/school infrastructure review on a regular schedule and then compiles the information in a detailed report. This provides the basis for deciding how identified deficiencies can be addressed. Items for consideration include:

● Can our own facilities department correct the deficiencies, or increase classroom space within the original
footprint of the school?
● Can additional student spaces be accommodated through requests for replacement or new modular classrooms?
(Spruce Grove schools have received a large number of new modular classrooms)
● Can deficiencies and/or extra student spaces be achieved through modernization or does it require a new
replacement school?
● After analyzing the information, the School Division establishes a Capital Plan that lists its top 3-4 priorities and
submits it to Alberta Infrastructure and Alberta Education (this is done yearly).
● Alberta Infrastructure comes out and completes an audit of the top priority/priorities and establishes the cost of
each. If a modernization request comes close to 70% of a new school build, a more detailed audit is completed to
see if a new school build would be more cost-effective.
● Alberta Infrastructure, Alberta Finance and Alberta Education then announces the approved capital projects for
the province for the year.

It is a complicated process that requires future planning and for a School Division to do their homework accurately,
efficiently and in a timely manner.