The Board of Trustees approved the 2023-2026 Capital Plan at the public board meeting. The first year of the three-year plan highlights the increasing need for two new schools and two replacement schools.
- New K-9 school in Heritage Valley/Cavanagh
- Replacement K-9 school in Beverly-Clareview (Consolidation of St. Jerome Catholic Elementary, St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School & St. Nicholas Catholic Junior High Schools)
- New K-9 school in North Edmonton/Crystallina Nera East
- Replacement K-9 School for St. Alphonsus Catholic Elementary/Junior High School
Student enrolment in Edmonton Catholic Schools is anticipated to grow by 13% over the next five years. The Division requires additional space to support this growth. A new Catholic elementary/junior high school is urgently needed in Heritage Valley/Cavanagh which is located in one of the most rapidly expanding communities in Edmonton. It is the first priority in ECSD's Capital Plan and will help relieve pressure at neighbouring schools.
"The shortage of schools in this community has put immense pressure on existing schools in the area, especially Monsignor Fee Otterson where class sizes are as large as 40 in some grades. There is no more space for additional modular classrooms," explained Chief Superintendent Robert Martin.
The second priority on the Capital Plan is a replacement school for the consolidation of St. Jerome Catholic Elementary, St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary, and St. Nicholas Catholic Junior High schools. The project would increase utilization and reduce operation and maintenance costs. The average age of the three schools is 61 years and upgrades are needed to replace obsolete mechanical and electrical systems.
"Edmonton Catholic Schools believes all students should have access to a quality learning environment regardless of the age of the building," said Board Chair Sandra Palazzo. "I want to commend our Educational Planning team for their excellent care in planning and prioritizing our Division's capital needs to ensure we are serving our students and prepared for the future."
The 2023-2026 Capital Plan calls for a total of nine projects. It will now be sent to Alberta Education for review and possible future funding.
