Board Highlights - December 19, 2023
2024-2025 School Calendar
The Board reviewed the DRAFT 2024-2025 Calendar, and discussed the options presented. Option 1 for both north and south has the spring break in March, which aligns more closely with our Administrative Procedure, and Option 2 has the spring break at Easter, which aligns more closely with our neighboring Catholic boards whom we share teaching and transportation services. The board requested that feedback be gathered from all stakeholders on both option one and two in the south, and option 1b or 2b in the north.
Value Scoping Proposal - Rocky Mountain House Schools
The Board passed a motion to engage Ehan Engineering in the value scoping process for our Rocky Mountain House schools beginning late February 2024, early March 2024. This value scoping will support priority two on our capital plan for a new right sized replacement school in Rocky Mountain House that will replace both École Rocky Elementary and Lochearn Elementary Schools.
Drayton Christian School Society
Drayton Valley Christian School Society has requested the Government of Alberta grant an extension to occupy the current building they are in until 2026, rather than move to the new Powerhouse Campus. They are asking the government to subsidize WRSD to the 85% utilization rate in both schools for the two year extension period. The Board had a lengthy discussion regarding this request, including the other costs associated with keeping both schools open, and how this does not support WRSD’s capital plans to rightsize our schools. It was also noted that neither Alberta Education nor Alberta Infrastructure have reached out to Wild Rose School Division to request this major change to this project that they approved and have been managing over the past 3 years. This request from the Drayton Christian School Society has come with very short notice and at a time when everything is already in place for the move to happen within days, allowing very little time to accommodate if the Board did support this request. The motion to support the Society’s request was defeated.
The Board also heard accountability reports from the Director of Facilities and the Director of Technology. Rocky Christian School brought a delegation to share the highlights from their last mission trip to Belize.
- Leading; Joint Municipality Meeting, Capital Projects. Learning; Indigenous Education Department, Board Governance Session.
