Student Accommodation and Facilities Strategy 2015-2024

68 Pages·2015·6.45 MB·English

Student Accommodation and Facilities
Strategy 2015-2024

June 8, 2015

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Student Accommodation & Facilities Strategy 2015-2024
Table of Contents

1.0 | Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2
2.0 | CBE Values and Planning Principles ............................................................................ 5
3.0 | Engaging our Public ....................................................................................................... 6
4.0 | Transportation Strategies .............................................................................................. 6
5.0 | Community Schools ....................................................................................................... 8
6.0 | Program Delivery ............................................................................................................ 16
7.0 | Aging Facilities ............................................................................................................... 20
8.0 | City of Calgary ................................................................................................................ 23
9.0 | Student Enrolment .......................................................................................................... 27
10.0 | Analysis by Administrative Area ................................................................................... 29
10.1 Area I ................................................................................................................................ 29
10.1.1 Population ......................................................................................................... 29
10.1.2 Utilization ........................................................................................................... 30
10.1.3 Capacity ............................................................................................................ 33
10.1.4 Facility Condition ............................................................................................... 34
10.2 Area II ............................................................................................................................... 36
10.2.1 Population ......................................................................................................... 36
10.2.2 Utilization ........................................................................................................... 37
10.2.3 Capacity ............................................................................................................ 40
10.2.4 Facility Condition Assessment .......................................................................... 41
10.3 Area III .............................................................................................................................. 44
10.3.1 Population ......................................................................................................... 44
10.3.2 Utilization ........................................................................................................... 45
10.3.3 Capacity ............................................................................................................ 48
10.3.4 Facility Condition Assessment .......................................................................... 49
10.4 Area IV ............................................................................................................................. 52
10.4.1 Population ......................................................................................................... 52
10.4.2 Utilization ........................................................................................................... 54
10.4.3 Capacity ............................................................................................................ 56
10.4.4 Facility Condition Assessment .......................................................................... 57
10.5 Area V .............................................................................................................................. 60
10.5.1 Population ......................................................................................................... 60
10.5.2 Utilization ........................................................................................................... 62
10.5.3 Capacity ............................................................................................................ 64
10.5.4 Facility Condition Assessment .......................................................................... 65

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Student Accommodation & Facilities Strategy 2015-2024
1.0 | INTRODUCTION
Student Accommodation Planning is guided by the Calgary Board of Education’s, mission, results and
values:

Mission: Each student, in keeping with his or her individual abilities and gifts, will complete high
school with a foundation of learning necessary to thrive in life, work and continued
learning.

Results: academic success, citizenship, personal development and character

Values: Students come first.
Learning is our central purpose.
Public education serves the common good.

The Student Accommodation and Facilities Strategy 2015 – 2024 (SAFS) reflects the Calgary Board of
Education’s (CBE) mission, results and values and supports the advancement of the Three-Year
Education Plan and the system priority of personalized learning.

The purpose of this strategic plan is to identify, plan for and facilitate a sufficient mix of quality student
accommodations that integrates with the community and advances sound planning and city development.

The SAFS aligns with Operational Expectation OE 12: Facilities, and the overall goal of ensuring that
physical facilities support the accomplishment of the Board’s Results policies in the following ways:
 Existing and planned school facilities provide physical learning and working environments
conducive to student learning
 New, modernized and renovated schools improve functionality to meet curricular and program
requirements, ensure barrier free accessibility, and address essential asset lifecycle maintenance
 Facilities are safe and operationally sound and compliant with related regulations and legislation
 Learning environments are kept operational and minimize long term hindrances to learning
 Physical facilities enhance the opportunity for students to learn and complete high school.

The following documents collectively influence the strategy and guide both short and long term planning
for Planning and Transportation:

 Annual Education Results Report 2013-2014 http://www.cbe.ab.ca/about-us/provincial-tests-and-
reports/Pages/default.aspx
 Three-Year Education Plan 2015-2018 http://www.cbe.ab.ca/about-us/policies-and-
regulations/Pages/default.aspx
 2015 Community Report - Results | commitment to success
http://www.cbe.ab.ca/FormsManuals/2015-Community-Report.pdf
 Inspiring Education – A Dialogue with Albertans, April 2010
http://ideas.education.alberta.ca/media/14847/inspiring%20education%20steering%20committee
%20report.pdf

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Student Accommodation & Facilities Strategy 2015-2024

The following documents are influenced by and align with the Student Accommodation and Facilities
Strategy 2015-2024:
 Three Year System Student Accommodation Plan (SSAP)
 Three-Year School Capital Plan
 Annual Modular Classroom Plan
 Three Year Infrastructure Maintenance and Renewal Plan

As OE-12 directs, the SAFS is presented to show compliance and provides a strategy that establishes
priorities for construction, renovation and maintenance projects based upon the needs of the entire
organization that:
 assigns highest priority to the correction of unsafe conditions:
 includes preventive maintenance and system replacement cost estimates as necessary to enable
facilities to reach their intended life cycles
 discloses assumptions on which the plan is based, including growth patterns and financial and
human impact individual projects will have on other parts of the organization
 ensures that facility planning and design decisions appropriately consider environmental impacts,
including eco-efficiency and sustainability
 ensures the effective and efficient use of capital funding that demonstrates responsible
stewardship of resources

Provincial Government’s Priorities
In the most recent provincial election held in May 2015, a new NDP government was elected. Over the
next months, the strategic direction of this new government will unfold. In the interim, the CBE continues
to reference existing publications and strategies.

In April 2010, the Minister of Education released a report entitled, ‘Inspiring Education-A Dialogue with
Albertans’. This report outlines a long-term vision for Alberta’s Education system. Albertans’ vision for
education through specific outcomes has been summarized as ‘the Three E’s’ of education.
Kindergarten to Grade 12 education should strive to encourage the following qualities and abilities in all
students:

 Engaged Thinker
 Ethical Citizen
 Entrepreneurial Spirit
The CBE’s delivery of education has shifted and expanded beyond the traditional concept of schooling.
Today’s education model is student centered with shared responsibility and accountability for results.
Communities are engaged to ensure that there is inclusive, equitable access for all students. Delivery of
instruction is responsive and flexible to meet the needs of all students.

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Student Accommodation & Facilities Strategy 2015-2024

The Provincial Government’s, Alberta’s 20 Year Strategic Capital Plan, published in January 2008,
communicates a vision that is consistent with the District’s school building needs, as the Province strives
towards maintaining and improving existing schools. To ensure delivery of quality education to Alberta
students, the Provincial Government sets out the following four key objectives:
 Locate schools close to where students live, particularly in high growth new communities, to meet
the growth in student-aged population.
 Support increased opportunities for career and technology studies (CTS) through the
development of regional skill centres and mobile career and technology studies labs.
 Continue to support and use steel-framed modular classrooms to provide flexibility and respond
to growing student populations.
 Increase the capital maintenance and renewal investments to ensure that the quality of Alberta
schools is maintained.
Over the last two years, the provincial government has announced five major modernizations and 21 new
school construction projects for the CBE.
Even with the capital funding announcements that have occurred since May 2013, the CBE still requires
more schools to be built in communities where students are living. The CBE continues to prepare an
annual Three Year School Capital Plan and submits the plan in the spring of each year to the Province.
The CBE’s Three Year School Capital Plan 2016-2019 was approved by the Board of Trustees on March
17, 2015 and was submitted to the province on April 1, 2015.

Charter Schools
Alberta is the only Canadian province to have charter schools. Alberta’s charter schools are not-for-profit.
They receive the same public funding per student as public schools and do not charge tuition. Charter
schools began in the 1990’s under the leadership of Premier Ralph Klein to provide innovative or
enhanced education programs. Alberta’s charter enrolment 2012-2013 totalled 16,896 students.

There are six charter schools in Calgary: Calgary Science School, Foundations for the Future, Calgary
Girls’ School, Calgary Arts Academy, Westmount Charter, and Almadina Charter School. Teachers at
charter schools are not part of the Alberta Teachers’ Association and are not unionized.

Charter Schools are maintained by the province, as a result, school boards are requested to lease spaces
to Charters where appropriate. Recently, three charter schools were targeted for modernization, ranging
from mechanical, electrical and security upgrades to increased career and technology spaces.

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2.0 | CBE VALUES AND PLANNING PRINCIPLES
The Calgary Board of Education is divided into five administrative Areas (Areas I, II, III, IV and V). Within
these Areas, the CBE offers educational choice through the
provision of a broad range of programs in a variety of
settings.

A long term strategy has been developed to address
student needs ensuring that long range planning
incorporates the mission, vision and values of the Calgary
Board of Education and aligns with the Three-Year
Education Plan.

The Three-Year Education Plan guides the CBE’s work and connects each CBE employee to the Mega
Result and the desired outcome of student success. Our task is to create an environment in which each
student has the opportunity to become an engaged learner, prepared for success in life, work and future
learning. We therefore focus on four strategies: personalize learning; build our capacity; engage our
public; and steward our resources.

The Student Accomodation and Facilites Strategy 2015-2024 is the system’s foundational document to
frame student accommodation.

This strategy includes the following guiding principles for accommodation planning:

 Balance among equity, access, excellence and choice
 Minimum disruption for students
 Learning continuum
 Attending school as close to a student’s residence as possible
 Efficient use of space and resources
 Utilization factors at both the system and school level
 Long term sustainability

Some of these guiding principles are mutually exclusive and it is not possible to meet them all at the same
time. When addressing student accommodation challenges, the CBE strives to meet as many of these
principles as possible. In some cases there are a limited number of principles that are able to be met.
With increasing student populations projected within the next three years, and new schools not opening
until 2016-2017, these principles will continue to be challenged.

OE-12: Facilities, addresses physical facilities that provide physical learning and working environments
conducive to students learning and the achievement of the Board’s Results. Each of the guiding principles
supports this Operational Expectation and the achievement of solutions that allow students to learn and
complete high school.

The CBE also prepares a school capital plan on an annual basis for submission to the Province. The
following drivers have been identified in the Three-Year School Capital Plan 2016-2019.
a) Community Schools – New schools required in rapidly growing communities in order to minimize
student travel times and meet community needs for a local school in their community.
b) Program Delivery – Projects that are urgently required to enable the delivery of school programs,
e.g. Career and Technology Studies.
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Student Accommodation & Facilities Strategy 2015-2024
c) Aging Facilities – Older schools that require modernization, rehabilitation or replacement in order
to provide appropriate learning environments for students. It is estimated the cost for the major
maintenance and repair of CBE educational facilities is in excess of $1 billion.
Further detailed information may be found on the CBE’s website at www.cbe.ab.ca.
www.cbe.ab.caAboutUsdocuments/2015-2018_School_Capital_Plan.pdf

3.0 | ENGAGING OUR PUBLIC
Accommodation and planning decisions affect the public; students, parents, staff and the community at
large. In an effort to educate the public and plan for smooth transitions for families and staff, Planning &
Transportation works to keep stakeholders informed of changes that are expected in the future. Utilizing
the International Association of Public Participation’s (IAP2) Spectrum of Public Participation the CBE
strives to balance the often competing values of public opinion.

Inform Consult Involve Collaborate Empower

Public engagement is defined as a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of
generating sound decisions. It is reciprocal and requires active involvement in the learning and sharing of
information.

By engaging our public we create a channel through which accurate and timely information can be
shared. This engagement helps increase understanding and support for decisions and acknowledges the
public’s desire to have input into decisions that affect them.

Planning & Transportation works with stakeholders regarding accommodation issues, providing
opportunities to share information to enhance understanding and gather feedback. Feedback from
stakeholders becomes an important part of the decision making process when making accommodation
changes.

Decisions that are made regarding student accommodation are felt uniquely by each program and family
in our system. By engaging our public we are able to consider all perspectives as we make decisions.

4.0 | TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES
The School Act (2000) 51(2) states “The board is deemed to have complied when
transportation is provided on a route that is not more than 2.4 kilometres from the
residence of the student.” The new Education Act makes no reference to distance, but
refers to the Transportation Regulation (2012 (2)) which specifies that transportation
must be provided for students who live beyond 2.4 km from the school. Provincial
funding for transportation is calculated by the Provincial Government using the Metro
Formula that estimates the number of “expected eligible passengers” whose
residence is a minimum distance of 2.4 km from the school. Regular program
students whose designated school is in an overflow situation are not necessarily
included in this calculation, nor are there provisions for students in alternative
programs.
CBE AR 6095 9(c) and (d) specify kindergarten and elementary students may be
required to travel 800 m or more, and junior high students 1600 m or more, from their
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home to a school bus stop (as opposed to a distance from home to school). Non congregated stops are
situated using the walk zone limit as a guide, and congregated stops are typically general meeting places
beyond the walk zone limit where a larger group of students would access transportation.
There is a significant gap between transportation costs and provincial funding that needs to be addressed
as the CBE no longer has reserves available for operational funding. As an example, in 2012-2013 the
Provincial Government no longer provided funding for fuel, a loss of more than $2 million to the CBE.
CBE route design has provided non congregated service to students in all regular programs and some of
our language alternative programs. A complete review of the CBE transportation service delivery model
in January 2015 resulted in significant changes commencing September 2015. These changes will
enable the CBE to offer a more streamlined and standardized level of transportation service for all users.
CBE student enrolment is projected to increase by approximately 27,000 students (25%) over the next
decade. Approximately 50% of the growth is anticipated in Area V, followed by Areas II and III. As
Calgary continues to grow both in population and geographically, so does the demand for transportation.
The number of charter buses, Calgary Transit buses, as well as complex needs busing are reviewed and
determined annually. Factors which impact route design, as well as bus fleet requirements, are based on
the eligible number of bus students, new schools opening, as well as service delivery models. The table
below shows the projected 10 year increase in bused students.

Projected Student Ridership by 2023-2024 School Year
School Year Current Projected Change
2014-15 37,373
2015-16 38,745 1,372
2016-17 39,846 1,101
2017-18 40,940 1,094
2018-19 41,486 546
2019-20 42,396 910
2020-21 43,261 865
2021-22 43,985 724
2022-23 44,627 642
2023-24 45,142 515
2024-25 45,579 437
Total 37,373 45,579 8,206
Greenhouse gases continue to be a concern as diesel emissions are the number one cause of pediatric
asthma. The 16 schools opening in 2016-2017, eight of which are elementary schools, which have the
largest bused population, will result in a reduction of 32 buses. In addition, our service providers are
purchasing more propane fueled buses for CBE routes which will allow us to further reduce our carbon
footprint.
CBE Transportation Services continually strives toward fewer greenhouse gas emissions, less energy
consumption, advanced environmental sustainability and a reduction in transportation costs.

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5.0 | COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
Calgary is a rapidly growing city and all areas of the City are not growing at the same rate. A challenge
that will continue in the future is having schools where the students live. The ranking of new school
construction priorities is an important issue for all community stakeholders. The CBE first established
ranking criteria for new construction priorities in January 2002. The model was designed to be
transparent, objective and impart equity and fairness to all Calgary communities. Periodic reviews ensure
the ranking criteria are kept current for planning of new school construction. Over the past year, the CBE
chose to review both the eligibility and ranking criteria for new school construction.
This review focused not only on new school construction but also on the criteria for major modernizations
and the establishment of a ranking criteria for modular classroom requests. Commencing in May 2014,
the CBE hosted a public engagement to receive feedback on their existing processes used to establish
new school priorities. The findings of this public engagement were incorporated into revisions to the
criteria and the establishment of the criteria for modular classrooms. These revisions were presented to
the Board of Trustees and approved on October 7, 2014.
New Capacity
By 2018, the CBE will add spaces for students through:
 the opening of ten elementary schools
 the opening of eight middle schools
 the opening of two senior high schools
 the addition of 19 modular classrooms
 the opening of the Aboriginal Learning Centre at Harold W. Riley School
 the re-opening of Glenmeadows School for Spanish Bilingual in Area IV
As a consequence of the additional new capacity in new growth areas, the amount of unused or excess
space in some of the City’s mature neighborhood schools will increase.
With the continued focus on providing schools where students live, funding for new schools in new and
developing neighborhoods continues to be a priority. Even with the increasing densification,
approximately 72% of new residents are still projected to be moving in to new and developing
communities over the next five years. One of the challenges in Calgary is the large number of new
communities that are all developing at the same time – currently there are 21. Families living in these new
communities want their children to attend schools in their community. There is increasing pressure to
meet the expectations of parents to build and open a school in every new community in Calgary. The
CBE requires approval of new school construction projects from the Province to meet these expectations.

New School Construction Projects
Planning for new schools and the identification of future school sites is a joint endeavour between the City
of Calgary, the CBE, the CCSD and developers. The number of school sites required in a particular
community is identified during the Outline Plan stage of development with actual locations finalized during
the Area Structure Plan phase. This is work is all completed well in advance of any homes being built in a
community. Typically, the CBE is eligible for an elementary school for every 10,000 residents, a middle
school for every 15,000 to 20,000 residents and a high school for every 50,000 to 60,000 residents. Many
of the new communities in Calgary are large enough that once full build out has been achieved, the
community will require a minimum of one elementary and one middle school to accommodate the
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students living in the community. Larger communities will require two elementary schools and one middle
school to accommodate students once they are fully built-out.

Once a school has been approved for construction, there are several steps the CBE must undertake
including applying for a development permit to construct the school. The development permit process is a
City of Calgary process and can take anywhere from three to nine months to complete. There are also
several approval processes in place from the Provincial government that must be satisfied prior to putting
a capital project out to tender and starting to build the facility. All three levels of government recognize
the need for new schools for students to be constructed as quickly as possible and work collaboratively to
stream line processes wherever and whenever possible.

The CBE is currently managing over 30 major capital projects that include new school construction, major
modernizations, modular classroom installations and replacement schools. The involvement of both
internal CBE stakeholders, as well as external community stakeholders, is key part of the CBE’s project
management process. Each project has a steering committee comprised of key stakeholders who meet
on a regular basis to ensure school designs meet the educational programming needs of our students.
Periodically, open houses are held for external stakeholders to share information such as school design
and layout, school boundaries and walk zones for schools.

The table below indicates the year in which new schools requested in the Three-Year School Capital Plan
2016-2019 are required to open to allow the CBE to maintain an 80% system utilization rate. On page 95
of the plan CBE has ranked 30 new school construction priorities and has requested 20 for funding in the
most recent Three Year School Capital Plan. These priorities are indicated in the table below with
required opening dates by 2020-2021 in order to maintain the desired utilization rate. The table also
includes “placeholders” for new capital requests anticipated beyond the timeframe of the current Three-
Year School Capital Plan .

REQUESTED AND FUTURE NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
AREA I AREA II AREA III AREA IV AREA V
Martindale Elementary (2) (K-4) Springbank Hill / Discovery Silverado Elementary (K-4)
2017-2018
Ridge (K-9)
Coventry Hills / Country Hills Cougar Ridge Elementary (K-4) Cranston Elementary (2) (K-4)
Village Elementary (2) (K-4)
2018-2019
Evergreen Elementary (2) (K-4)
Kincora Elementary (K-4) Southeast Calgary High (Gr. 10-12)
Evanston Middle (Gr. 5-9) Skyview Ranch Elementary / Performing Arts School (Gr. 10-12)
2019-2020 Middle (K-9)
Harvest Hills/Country Hills (K-9) Auburn Bay Middle (Gr. 5-9)
Valley Ridge / Crestmont North Calgary High (Gr. 10-12) Aspen Woods Middle (Gr. 5-9)
2020-2021 Elementary (K-4) Mahogany Elementary (K-4)
Sage Hill Elementary (K-4) Signal Hill Middle (Gr. 5-9)
Elementary (K-4)*
2021-2022 Elementary (K-4)* Middle (Gr. 5-9)* Middle (Gr. 5-9)*
2022-2023 Middle (Gr. 5-9)* Elementary (K-4)* Elementary (K-4)*
Middle (Gr. 5-9)*
2023-2024 Elementary (K-4)* Elementary (K-4)* Middle (Gr. 5-9)*
Elementary (K-4)*
2024-2025 Elementary (K-4)* Middle (Gr. 5-9)*

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