October-November 2012 Conversations

The latest round of community consultations regarding Re-Imagining our Sherwood Park Schools took place October 29, November 5, and November 6, 2012. Details are below.

Those who were unable to join us in person at one of these open houses were invited to share their feedback on the three different options for proposed boundary changes for urban Sherwood Park schools through our online survey available from October 29 to November 8.

We encourage you to read this full page of information for a basic overview of the process to date, to review the proposed option maps, and to see a list of the key features of each option.

Feedback Collected during Phase 3

EIPS was pleased to have 292 parents, students, staff, and interested community members attend our open house events in late October and early November. In addition to the open houses, we provided an opportunity for the Sherwood Park and Strathcona County community to provide their feedback through an online survey.

EIPS received 637 surveys in which respondents answered at least one question. A total of 460 participants provided feedback on the strengths and challenges of all three boundary map options. The documents below provide a list of the strengths and challenges of each option that were collected through the open houses and online survey.

Please note: There have been minor edits to the strengths and challenges comments to address spelling and grammar, to remove personal information, add clarity, and ensure they are appropriate for posting on our division website. Some comments reflect individual opinions or persectives that may not be shared by others, but we have tried to maintain as much of the integrity of the original comment as possible. The Board of Trustees will receive a verbatim copy of all comments collected.

Option 1
Strengths - Option One
Challenges - Option One

Option 2
Strengths - Option Two
Challenges - Option Two

Option 3
Strengths - Option Three
Challenges - Option Three

Other Comments from the survey

Comments from Lakeland Ridge Parent Meeting (Nov 28)

Why we are doing this work

To make better use of the space and programs available within urban Sherwood Park, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) administration began a comprehensive review in early 2012 known as Re-Imagining our Sherwood Park Schools: Student, Program, and Boundary Planning. The average school utilization rate across the Sherwood Park sector is about 89 per cent, but some schools are beyond capacity and a few schools are underutilized. An overview of the process is available through the link on the left: Re-Imagining our Sherwood Park Schools.

In reviewing school boundaries, the division supports a feeder school framework in which students progress from Kindergarten through Grade 12 as a community of learners. This feeder school framework has been embedded in our guiding principles for the Re-Imagining process.

EIPS’ Board of Trustees will make the final decision on any proposed changes. Currently, the recommendation is planned to go to the Board in January 2013.

Below, you will find an overview of the three phases of consultations that have taken place so. We encourage you to review this information to be informed about the process, whether you have participated in it from the beginning, or are new to the process.

Beginning the Conversation: February-March 2012

This process did not begin with a specific set of outcomes in mind; rather, all possibilities were on the table, including changes to school boundaries and grade configurations, and how such changes might impact programming.

During the first phase of consultation, parents, students, and staff reviewed relevant information about our Sherwood Park schools’ capacities and enrolment trends. Participants made observations, posed questions, and proposed potential solutions. This information informed the next steps of the process and is available through the link on the left: February-March Conversations.

EIPS’ staff responded to the questions posed through an FAQ document, considered all proposed solutions, and brought forward key themes important to participants at the second phase of consultation.

Continuing the Conversation: May 2012

At the May consultations, EIPS’ administration collected participants’ feedback on the themes from the February-March conversations and key decision-making areas to assist us in moving forward. The six topics of conversation at the May consultations were:

Exploring other grade configurations;
Before and after school care: Maximizing opportunities;
K-9 French Immersion and K-9 Logos Christian programs: Locations and grade configurations;
Moving boundaries: Criteria to consider;
Grandfathering (length of time in transitioning students to a new school): Criteria to consider; and
Criteria for making decisions on recommendations: Feedback for trustees.

A detailed summary of the May public participation meetings is available through the link on the left: May Conversations.

Refining the Conversation: What We Heard and What We Did

After considering all the feedback gathered through the first two phases of consultation, EIPS administration:

Decided the division will not change the locations of the French Immersion, German Bilingual, and Logos Christian programs.
Decided the division will not change the locations of any current system special education programs.
Decided to further explore an attendance boundary map option with a K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grade configuration, in addition to the current K-6, 7-9, and 10-12 model.
Acknowledged the importance of before and after school care, but this factor is not one of the criteria being considered in re-drawing the attendance boundaries. It is hoped that by better utilizing our existing schools, some schools may have more available space for this use.
Used the list of criteria to consider in moving boundaries that was generated by participants at the May conversations, to help develop the urban Sherwood Park attendance boundary map options.
Shared with trustees the participants’ preference about grandfathering, and has committed to determining maximum grandfathering implications for each boundary map option. Grandfathering implications will be included with the recommendation brought forward to the Board of Trustees. The Board will make the final decision on the length of time the division will grandfather students and who will be eligible to be grandfathered.
Forwarded to trustees the feedback gathered on criteria for making decisions on recommendations.

Further Focusing the Conversation: October-November 2012

In the fall of 2012, we invited all parents/guardians, students, staff, and interested community members in urban Sherwood Park and rural Strathcona County to join us for one of three open houses. These events followed a drop-in format, allowing participants to review and provide written feedback about the strengths and challenges of three proposed urban Sherwood Park school boundary map options.

Option 1: Establishing feeder schools within the current grade configuration (K-6, K-9, 7-9, 10-12)
Option 2: An alternate grade configuration with feeder schools (K-5, K-8, 6-8, 9-12)
Option 3: Establishing feeder schools with a change to Lakeland Ridge’s grade configuration (from K-9 to K-6)

The drop-in sessions took place in the Boardroom at EIPS' Central Office between 4:30 and 8:00 p.m. on:

Monday, October 29;
Monday, November 5; and
Tuesday, November 6.

At each map option station, a staff member provided additional information and answered questions. EIPS invited all parents, students, and staff to take this opportunity to share their input on boundary planning for our Sherwood Park schools. The public's involvement will help ensure the recommendations presented to trustees will be for the maximum benefit of all students.

Re-Imagining handout provided at the open houses

What about grandfathering?

Those who were unable to join us in person at one of the open houses were invited to share their feedback on the proposed boundary map options for urban Sherwood Park school through our online survey available from October 29 to November 8.

Feel free to refer to our current urban Sherwood Park boundaries and our current rural Strathcona County boundaries (which are not changing) so you can compare them to the proposed options.

As we drew revised boundary lines…

EIPS developed a feeder school framework within urban Sherwood Park so students can move through school (K-12) as a community of learners.
Administration considered the top five criteria for moving boundary lines as identified by parents, students, and staff during the May public consultations. These criteria (in no particular order) are:
- Physical proximity to school
- Keep neighbourhoods and communities together
- Use major roadways and natural breaks in dividing large subdivisions
- Ensure room for growth at each school
- Length of bus rides
When the division has approval for a new school in the northeast section of Sherwood Park, we should be able to adjust these boundary lines to create a designated area for the new school without an intensive review process like Re-Imagining that would impact a large number of our schools.
The new school’s boundary area could be created by taking small portions from a number of schools to minimize the impact on any one school.

Option 1: Establishing feeder schools within the current grade configuration (K-6, K-9, 7-9, 10-12)

Key Features

All urban Sherwood Park schools will maintain their current grade configurations.
School boundary lines have been adjusted to better balance school utilizations.
Mitigates enrolment pressures at schools operating at full or over capacity.
Decreases the current patchwork of school boundaries in the northeast area of Sherwood Park.
Reflects a feeder school framework so students can move through school (K-12) as a community of learners.
Total number of students impacted by changes to boundary lines = 558 (7%).
Student Transportation does not see any significant changes that would positively or negatively affect efficiencies.

Option 1 Proposed Elementary Boundary Map
Option 1 Projected Elementary Enrolments and Utilization

Option 1 Proposed Junior High Boundary Map
Option 1 Projected Junior High Enrolments and Utilization

Option 1 Proposed Senior High Boundary Map
Option 1 Senior High Projected Enrolments and Utilization

NOTE: These projected enrolments and utilizations do not include out-of-boundary students or students who might be grandfathered.

Option 2: An alternate grade configuration with feeder schools (K-5, K-8, 6-8, 9-12)

Key Features

All urban Sherwood Park schools (not including Strathcona Christian Academy Elementary and Secondary and Next Step) will move to a K-5, K-8, 6-8, 9-12 grade configuration.
School boundary lines have been adjusted to better balance school utilizations.
Mitigates enrolment pressures at elementary and junior high schools by incorporating Grade 9 into the high schools where more space is available.
Decreases the current patchwork of school boundaries in the northeast area of Sherwood Park.
Reflects a feeder school framework so students can move through school (K-12) as a community of learners.
Total number of students impacted by changes to boundary lines and grade configurations = 1,564 (19%).
German Bilingual would become a K-5 program.
Logos Christian would become a K-8 program.
Grade 9 French Immersion students would have the option of enrolling in the existing program at Ardrossan Junior Senior High.
Student Transportation does not see any significant changes that would positively or negatively affect efficiencies.

Option 2 Proposed Elementary Boundary Map
Option 2 Projected Elementary Enrolments and Utilization

Option 2 Proposed Junior High Boundary Map
Option 2 Projected Junior High Enrolments and Utilization

Option 2 Proposed Senior High Boundary Map
Option 2 Projected Senior High Enrolments and Utilization

NOTE: These projected enrolments and utilizations do not include out-of-boundary students or students who might be grandfathered.

Option 3: Establishing feeder schools; change to Lakeland Ridge’s configuration (from K-9 to K-6)

Key Features

Lakeland Ridge will change from a K-9 school to a K-6 school to accommodate more elementary students closer to the school.
All other schools will maintain their current grade configurations.
Junior high students currently designated to Lakeland Ridge will move to Sherwood Heights Junior High, providing them with more diverse course options.
School boundary lines have been adjusted to better balance school utilizations.
Further decreases the current patchwork of school boundaries in the northeast area of Sherwood Park.
Reflects a feeder school framework so students can move through school (K-12) as a community of learners.
Total number of students impacted by changes to boundary lines and grade configurations = 793 (10%).
Student Transportation anticipates more direct busing routes, which could result in shorter ride times for some students.

Option 3 Proposed Elementary Boundary Map
Option 3 Projected Elementary Enrolments and Utilization

Option 3 Proposed Junior High Boundary Map
Option 3 Projected Junior High Enrolments and Utilization

Option 3 Proposed Senior High Boundary Map
Option 3 Projected Senior High Enrolments and Utilization

NOTE: These projected enrolments and utilizations do not include out-of-boundary students or students who might be grandfathered.