Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is pleased to share it has made a decision regarding the junior high Attendance Area Cleanup engagement, which ran from fall 2022 to now. As you’ll recall, the Division was exploring possible changes to the junior high attendance boundaries in Sherwood Park:

• moving the feeder school for all regular program students at Brentwood Elementary to F.R. Haythorne Junior High for grades 7 to 9; and
• moving the feeder school for students living within Lakeland Village, Summerwood and Summerwood North to Clover Bar Junior High for grades 7 to 9.

After a series of engagement efforts, the Division paused a decision to consider feedback from other public consultations taking place simultaneously, as part of EIPS’ Three-Year Engagement Plan—all of which were interconnected. Once these were complete, EIPS then analyzed the feedback from the junior high Attendance Area Cleanup engagement, while also taking into consideration recent attendance area changes resulting from the other public consultations. After a thorough review, EIPS determined the best solution for students is to keep the junior high attendance boundaries in Sherwood Park unchanged. The reason is four-fold:

1. Feedback from the Attendance Area Cleanup engagement didn’t strongly support either boundary change.
2. The province has since approved construction for the new Sherwood Park replacement school, grades K-9.
3. The Board approved an attendance boundary change for the Cambrian Crossing area structure plan, which impacts the junior high Attendance Area Cleanup engagement by designating students living in that neighbourhood to either Clover Bar Junior High or F.R. Haythorne Junior High.
4. In January, the Board approved a solution to best address the French Immersion program and balance senior high enrolment, which impacts student capacity at Sherwood Heights Junior High and Ardrossan Junior Senior High.

Keeping the attendance areas unchanged honours the feedback collected from the engagement and ensures EIPS junior high schools have sufficient long-term student capacity.

As such, for the upcoming 2024-25 school year, the junior high attendance area for students living within Brentwood Elementary’s attendance area and the areas of Lakeland Village, Summerwood and Summerwood North will stay the same. Before finalizing the Three-Year Engagement Plan, EIPS still needs to explore the best location for the junior high Logos Christian and Impact programs to ensure sufficient student capacity at the Sherwood Park replacement school when it opens in 2026-27—the Division will provide further details once more information is known.

Thank you, again, to everyone who participated in the public engagement process. Both EIPS administration and the Board appreciate the time and thought put into the feedback provided throughout the consultation process. For more information visit eips.ca.