Three new Catholic schools approved for Central Alberta

At the Friday, March 22nd Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools board meeting, The Board of Trustees approved the Three Year Capital Plan presented by the Associate Superintendent of System Services.

The top priorities are:

1. New Grade 9 - 12 school in Sylvan Lake

• A new high school (Grades 9-12) in Sylvan Lake in partnership with Chinook’s Edge School Division and the Town of Sylvan Lake is now the highest priority on our 3 year plan. Families have been contacting the school board requesting a high school in Sylvan Lake so their children could remain in the community for the duration of their school years

2. New Grade 9 - 12 school in Blackfalds

• A new 500 student high school (500 core) will be required in the Town of Blackfalds to alleviate the growth in high school aged students being transported into Red Deer in September 2029. Currently these students are being transported into Red Deer

3. New Kindergarten - Grade 5 school in Red Deer

• A new Kindergarten to Grade 5 school will be required in the City of Red Deer to alleviate the continued growth that is occurring. Father Henri Voisin School is now at full build with the final three modular classrooms occupied in the 2018-19 school year

Red Deer Catholic Separate Schools’ capital plan is based on projected enrolments for the division. Capital plan approvals would maintain Red Deer Catholic’s current utilization rate. These enrollment projections are based on previous history and statistics available. The year’s capital plan is separated into two distinct needs: New Construction/ Additions and Preservation/ Modernization. Modular classroom needs are addressed through the submission requirements by Alberta Education in the fall of each year.

The Superintendent shared that this year, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) has hosted 99 in-person and online international students in both short and longer-term programs and the Division is seeing a growing trend for students to stay with RDCRS to graduate with an Alberta Education credential.

Red Deer Catholic International students have also received conditional acceptance to Red Deer Polytechnic, the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary and the University of British Columbia.