EDMONTON – Edmonton parents and students have had two days to digest the changes found in Edmonton Public Schools’ new accommodation plan, which includes changing the attendance boundaries for 11 schools.
Of the schools affected, Michael Strembitsky School is facing far more upheaval than any other.
Roughly 350 students there will be forced to move next school year. Even for parents whose children will get to stay, there’s concern.
“They won’t be affected in the sense of where they go to school, but friendships and the kids and what they do outside of school will be affected,” said parent Stacy Jackson.
“Kids shouldn’t be having to pay the price for poor planning. They’re just kids.”
Still, she believes that given the situation, the best decision was made.
Strembitsky opened just a year and a half ago. It’s already full and the neighbourhood keeps growing.
“Just not fair to continue to ask them to stretch, even though they’ve done such a good job handling it – it’s time for some relief,” said Erin Schutz, whose daughter will have to change schools in the fall.
Parents are just hoping the province has plans to avoid future problems: such as building new schools.
Alberta’s education minister says his department is paying attention.
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“Over the next couple of years,” Jeff Johnson said, “I would anticipate there would be more coming because there are pressures. We recognize that. And that’s why…we did what we did.”
The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) is suggesting, though, that the Tories may not be able to follow through on promises of 50 new schools.
The AFL obtained an internal government document that suggests the P3 approach to building schools is not working. Industry is not bidding on the projects like it used to.
The document says Alberta Infrastructure is halting the approach for 19 new schools and is looking for different ways of building.
The infrastructure minister told the Calgary Herald the schools will still be built, even if they’re financed differently.
With files from Fletcher Kent, Global News
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