Project 1: Frequently Asked Questions

General

Question:   What do the changes mean for French immersion students in elementary and junior high, kindergarten to grade 9?
Answer:   It’s status quo, meaning no school or program changes. However, the Division is adjusting the junior high French Immersion attendance boundaries for students moving into Cambrian Crossing—effective in the 2024-25 school year. So, when there are EIPS French Immersion students living in this area, they will go to Sherwood Heights Junior High for French Immersion, grades 7 to 9, which supports school transitions by keeping all French Immersion students coming from Heritage Hills Elementary together for junior high.

Q:   What do the changes mean for senior high French Immersion students, grades 10 to 12?
A:   When the new Sherwood Park replacement school opens, EIPS’ senior high French Immersion program will relocate to Salisbury Composite High for grades 10 to 12. Meaning, Salisbury will offer a dual-track senior high program—regular English and French Immersion. Relocating French Immersion to Salisbury allows the Division to manage student growth in Ardrossan. It’s also the feeder school for Sherwood Heights Junior High. So, long term, EIPS feels the change will make the program more robust and increase program retention. It does, however, mean more transitions for students in Fort Saskatchewan. That said, the No. 1 priority on the EIPS’ Three-Year Capital Plan is a new junior-senior high in Fort Saskatchewan. If approved, the Division can further explore French Immersion options in Fort Saskatchewan.

Q:   What do the changes mean for senior high students in the regular English program, grades 10 to 12?
A:   The only change is for students living in the Lakeland Ridge area. When the replacement school opens, EIPS will redesignate these students to Bev Facey Community High instead of Salisbury Composite High, which is ideal as Bev Facey is closer for most of these students. The adjustment will balance the senior high catchment areas, ensuring both senior high schools in Sherwood Park have utilization rates in the 80th percentile. Both senior high schools in Sherwood Park will also have open boundaries for EIPS students—allowing students to register at any EIPS school with an open boundary.

Q:   What do the changes mean for the current junior high schools offering French Immersion?
A:   The new Sherwood Park replacement school will offer a single-track elementary French Immersion program, kindergarten to Grade 6, and a dual-track junior high program, grades 7 to 9—regular English and French. Meanwhile, Ardrossan Junior Senior High will offer a dual-track junior high program, grades 7 to 9—regular English and French—and a single-track regular English senior high program, grades 10 to 12.

Q:    When will the new Sherwood Park replacement school open?
A:   It’s difficult to know for sure, as Alberta Infrastructure is project managing the new school build. That said, if everything goes according to plan, the province projects an opening date in the 2026-27 school year.

Q:   Why does EIPS feel this is the best possible solution?
A:    EIPS administration and the Board feel the solution is the best path forward for the French Immersion program and balancing senior high enrolment in Sherwood Park because it:

• aligns with what was heard from stakeholders;
• aligns with the French Immersion vision and principles;
• addresses the anticipated enrolment pressures in Ardrossan;
• balances senior high enrolment in Sherwood Park;
• enables most alternative and specialized programs offered at the impacted schools to remain unchanged;
• addresses students going to a school closest to where the majority resides;
• addresses program retention by supporting transitions and keeping students in their community as long as possible;
• enables robust programming, especially regarding program offerings, career and technology courses, options, extracurriculars and sports teams; and
• is sustainable into the future.

Attendance Boundaries and School Redirections

Question:   What does grandfathering mean?
Answer:   Grandfathering applies when a current student attending a school is allowed to continue attending that same school after an attendance boundary change. Grandfathering decisions are made by the EIPS Board of Trustees, and not guaranteed. When a student is grandfathered, the school then becomes a non-designated school. In terms of senior high French Immersion and balancing senior high enrolment in Sherwood Park, the Board will make decisions about grandfathering when it reviews the transition plan later in the school year.
NOTE: An ineligible student transportation fee applies for students accessing Student Transportation services who attend a non-designated school.

Q:   What is the sibling clause?
A:   The sibling clause is outlined in AP 305: School Attendance Areas and Requests to Attend Non-designated Schools (see, “Section 13”). It applies when a sibling of a current student attending a non-designated school, including a school with a closed boundary, is allowed to attend the same school. Registration at a non-designated school—including students registering under the sibling clause—takes place during the returning student registration process every February. Typically, the sibling clause applies even after an attendance boundary change, but not guaranteed. If the sibling clause isn’t applicable, it’s outlined in the decision made by the Board.

Q:   Can my child attend Salisbury Composite High, even though their designated attendance boundary will change to Bev Facey Community High?
A:   Yes. Both senior high schools in Sherwood Park have open boundaries for EIPS students. EIPS reviews its open and closed boundary schools annually. Currently, the Division anticipates both schools’ boundaries will remain open. That means, because EIPS is a school-of-choice Division, students can register at any school with an open boundary. Simply, request to attend the school during the returning student registration process, which takes place every February—acceptance is subject to available space.
NOTE: An ineligible student transportation fee applies for students accessing Student Transportation services who attend a non-designated school.

Q:   My child currently attends French Immersion at Ardrossan Junior Senior High. Can they continue to attend the school if they transfer to the regular English program?
A:   The answer depends on where the student lives. That’s because Ardrossan Junior Senior High has closed boundaries, which means students can’t register at the school unless the sibling clause or grandfathering clause is applied. EIPS reviews its open and closed boundary schools annually. Currently, the Division anticipates the school’s boundaries will remain closed, given the expected enrolment growth.

Q:   Can my child be grandfathered to Ardrossan Junior Senior High—taking the regular English program—so they can graduate from the school?
A:   Details about grandfathering haven’t yet been determined. The Board will make decisions about grandfathering when it reviews the transition plan later in the school year. EIPS will communicate directly with families when details become available about information about grandfathering, timelines, registration and student transportation.

School Capacity

Question:   Why does EIPS have to relocate the senior high French Immersion program out of Ardrossan Junior Senior High?
Answer:   The reason EIPS has to relocate its senior high French Immersion program is because of the enrolment growth happening in Ardrossan—mostly coming from Ardrossan East. Already, the school is 92% utilized. With the influx of expected families from the Ardrossan East development, Ardrossan Junior Senior High simply can’t accommodate a dual-track senior high program.
     The reason French Immersion is impacted over the regular program is because, under Alberta’s Education Act, it states: “Where a board establishes an attendance area for a school, a resident student of a board who resides in the attendance area for the school must be given priority over a student who does not reside in the area.” As French Immersion is an alternative program that enrols students from attendance areas across the Division, when space issues become a concern, the location of the alternative program needs to be reviewed.
     EIPS understands families and students in Ardrossan are invested in the program and prefer to attend kindergarten to Grade 12 in their community. Given the current infrastructure available, there isn’t enough room at Ardrossan Junior Senior High to accommodate the enrolment growth and keep the entire secondary French Immersion program, grades 7 to 12. However, the Division will use modular classroom units to accommodate growth at the junior high level, to keep the program in the community as long as possible.

Q:   Why can’t EIPS build a new school to house the anticipated influx of students?
A:   EIPS has several replacement schools listed as key priorities in its 2024-27 Three-Year Capital Plan—including a grades 7 to 12 school to replace Rudolph Hennig Junior High and Fort Saskatchewan High, a kindergarten to Grade 6 school to replace James Mowat Elementary and a new school in Cambrian Crossing. However, the province has yet to approve funding for any of these capital requests. Recently, it did approve a replacement school in Sherwood Park, which was a priority on the capital plan for more than 10 years. Funding approval generally takes years, as does the actual construction after approval is granted.
     So, EIPS needs to develop solutions to address its student accommodation issues now. As a result, the Board approved using modular classrooms to manage the enrolment growth at Ardrossan Junior Senior High to accommodate the junior high growth. However, the Division can’t add enough modulars to also accommodate senior high French Immersion without causing significant challenges within the core building.

Q:   Does Salisbury Composite High have the capacity to accommodate a robust dual-track senior high program?
A:   Yes. Salisbury Composite High has sufficient space. Regularly, EIPS reviews projected growth trends in all areas it serves. When developing the recommendation report, the Division used this growth data to project growth and ensure the solution can accommodate the school’s long-term growth. For example, enrolment projections anticipate the school will have a utilization rate of 81 per cent in 2026, which will grow to just 89 per cent by 2037. As such, offering dual-track programming for grades 7 to 12 at Salisbury Composite High is sustainable long-term.

Balancing Senior High Enrolment

Question:   Why is it important to balance senior high enrolment?
Answer:   There are several reasons why it’s important both senior highs in Sherwood Park have balanced enrolment. One is the ability to offer equitable opportunities for all students. When enrolment isn’t balanced, it's challenging for the smaller schools to offer robust programming. Another reason is the Division’s ability to maximize its infrastructure. Balancing the enrolment at both Sherwood Park senior high schools ensures both have utilization rates within the 80th percentile. That, in turn, protects the Division if there is a shift in provincial funding or any infrastructure needs arise.

Q:   Why did EIPS not engage the Lakeland Ridge school community about how it plans to balance the senior high attendance boundaries in Sherwood Park?
A:   The reason is two-fold. First, EIPS strongly believes the solution for the French Immersion program and senior high enrolment in Sherwood Park best serves both French Immersion and regular program students. It addresses all the Division’s concerns, allows students in the Lakeland Ridge area to attend a school closer to where they live, and ensures the French Immersion program can continue to grow—without adversely impacting regular and specialized programming.
     Second, the solution allows the Division the flexibility to keep both boundaries open. Meaning, as a school-of-choice Division, students can choose to attend the senior high that suits their academic needs and interests best. Had the solution meant closing the attendance boundaries for Salisbury Composite High and Bev Facey Community High, the Division would have conducted additional public consultations about redesignating senior high students living in Lakeland Ridge to Bev Facey.

Programming

Question:   Will EIPS change or relocate any programming currently offered at Bev Facey Community High and Salisbury Composite High be impacted?
Answer:   Senior high alternative and specialized support programs currently offered will remain unchanged. EIPS will continue to review all programs annually to ensure they are operating effectively and efficiently.

Q:   Will EIPS offer the same senior high French Immersion course offerings when the program relocates to Salisbury Composite High?
A:   Yes. EIPS will continue to offer the same French Immersion course offerings when the senior high program relocates to Salisbury Composite High. And, if the program’s successful in boosting retention rates, it could also lead to even more French Immersion course offerings.

Q:   Will EIPS continue to offer core subjects in French for the junior high French Immersion—so at Ardrossan Junior Senior High and the Sherwood Park replacement school?
A:   Yes. For the junior high French Immersion program, it’s status quo. That means, EIPS will continue offering French Immersion in all core subjects—French language arts, mathematics, science and social studies—at both Ardrossan Junior Senior High and the new Sherwood Park replacement school.

Q:   Can my child just take one or two French Immersion courses and the rest in the regular English program?
A:   No. EIPS is required to follow the guidelines and outcomes listed in Alberta Education’s programs of study for French Immersion. As such, EIPS cannot deviate from those guidelines. A complete list of program requirements is available in Alberta Education’s Guide to Education.

Q:   Can EIPS allot more time for students to take the French as a Second Language option course?
A:   No. For the French as a Second Language course, EIPS follows the guidelines listed in Alberta Education’s program of study, which at the elementary level is 10 per cent of the programs of study and at the secondary level a total of 95 hours throughout the school year. As a side note, all EIPS schools follow the Division’s Administrative Procedure 212: Programs in Languages other than English, which states instruction in a second language is provided for all students in grades 4 to 6. For the most part, this is the French second language course. A few schools also offer German or Ukrainian for kindergarten to Grade 6. At the secondary level, grades 7 to 12, instruction in a second language is provided based on interest, staff proficiency and available resources.

Q:   How will EIPS ensure Salisbury Composite High supports French Immersion programming?
A:   Under the Education Act, administrators are responsible for providing instruction consistent with the courses and programs of study prescribed, approved and authorized by Alberta Education. As such, they’re responsible for making sure students can meet the standards in the French Immersion curriculum. In addition, all EIPS administrators, who have French Immersion programming offered at their school, are guided by the Division’s French Immersion vision and guiding principles. Collectively, this ensures robust, high-quality, linguistically and culturally rich second language learning environments.

Fort Saskatchewan

Question:   Can EIPS build a new school in Fort Saskatchewan to manage the enrolment pressures?
Answer:   A replacement school is listed as EIPS’ No. 1 priority on its Three-Year Capital Plan 2024-27. However, the province has yet to approve funding for the replacement school, which could take years—the Sherwood Park replacement school was listed as a capital request for more than a decade. Once approved and built, a new school, with a larger capacity, will help address the growing population in Fort Saskatchewan.

Q:   If the province approves a secondary replacement school in Fort Saskatchewan, will the new school offer a junior high dual-track program—regular English and French Immersion?
A:   A junior-senior high replacement school, grades 7 to 12, in Fort Saskatchewan is the No. 1 priority listed on EIPS’ Three-Year Capital Plan 2024-27. Even though it’s EIPS’ No. 1 priority, it could still take years before the province approves funding for the replacement school—the recently approved Sherwood Park replacement school took years. That said, if the province approves funding to the replacement school, the Division will explore if a junior high French Immersion program is viable in Fort Saskatchewan.

Q:   How can the school community expedite provincial approval for a replacement school?
A:   It’s important the school community continues to talk with their local member of the legislative assembly and other elected officials about the requested replacement school and why it’s important. Once funding is approved, there are other ways to get involved too, particularly with fundraising for school equipment and the outdoor grounds.

Busing

Question:   How will busing work for students requiring transportation services?
Answer:   EIPS offers an enhanced transportation service for eligible and ineligible riders. Anyone who wants to access existing Student Transportation can do so by requesting bus services during the new or returning student registration process, which takes place every February.

Q:   What will bus ride times look like for students travelling to Salisbury Composite High for senior high French Immersion programming?
A:   Essentially, they will be the same for all Sherwood Park-based and rural-based riders, shorter than they are now for urban Fort Saskatchewan riders and longer for current direct-bus Ardrossan-based riders—but comparable to other riders coming into town. For more specific information contact Student Transportation.

Q:   Is it possible to offer direct busing to senior high French Immersion students?
A:   No, not currently. For most senior high students living in Ardrossan, Fort Saskatchewan or rural areas, a direct bus would take longer than routing students on transfer-site bus routes.

Next Step

Question:   How will EIPS ensure smooth student transitions?
A:   In the days and months ahead, administration will engage students, school council groups, school administration, staff and EIPS senior administration to develop a transition plan before relocating the senior high French Immersion and adjusting the senior high boundaries in Sherwood Park. The goal: To ensure a smooth transition for all students. To guide the transition plan work, EIPS has developed a tentative implementation timeline, as follows:

Ongoing – Regularly communicate with staff, students and school families about the transition plan, and any related news and updates.
Spring 2024 – Engage staff to develop a transition plan and answer questions. And, Engage students and school families to develop a transition plan and answer questions.
2024-25 – Share the transition plan with staff, students and school families.
2026-27 – Support teachers, students and schools through the implementation to ensure a smooth and successful transition for everyone.

Q:   What will happen to French Immersion teachers and staff when the secondary program relocates?
A:   Similar to all employees, the Division will encourage affected French Immersion teachers and staff to pursue opportunities within EIPS to grow and advance their careers. Human Resources will also work closely with each employee to identify openings that suit their skills, abilities and interests. Most teachers will likely choose to apply for positions within the Division, while others may decide to work at another location.