Boundary changes mean some southeast Calgary students are headed for different schools next year

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) is redrawing some school boundaries in the southeast after concerns that classrooms at Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School (JCS) in Seton will be over capacity.

In a letter sent to parents on Friday, the CBE said JCS is at capacity after expanding to accommodate Grade 12 students for the 2019-20 school year.

Over the next two years, the CBE said it anticipates there will be an additional 200 students attending JCS each year.

In an attempt to alleviate the problem, the CBE decided to re-designate the communities of Douglasdale, Douglasglen (including Quarry Park), McKenzie Lake and McKenzie Towne.

This means that students that were set to attend JCS will instead be sitting at desks at Lord Beaverbrook High School for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.

“Though the CBE is currently in the process of engaging with stakeholders to balance high school enrollment across the entire system, this issue requires a short-term solution be implemented before a decision is made through the high school engagement process,” the letter read.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Though the CBE is currently in the process of engaging with stakeholders to balance high school enrollment across the entire system, this issue requires a short-term solution be implemented before a decision is made through the high school engagement process," the letter read.

According to the CBE, students currently attending JCS will not have to change schools.

The changes only affect families living in the four communities with students currently enrolled in Grades 8 and 9.

Students who will be in Grade 10 for the 2020-21 or 2021-22 year, as well as students in Grade 11 or 12 and moving into the communities of Douglasdale, Douglasglen (including Quarry Park), McKenzie Lake and McKenzie Towne, will attend Lord Beaverbrook High School.

The changes are for a two-year period only.

The CBE said it took factors like over-capacity and distance from the school into consideration when making the changes.

“When student enrolment at a school is either too high or too low it affects student access, flexibility and choice in programming and extracurricular activities, including athletics and clubs for students,” the letter read.

The redesignation of these communities reduces enrolment at JCS which the CBE said will allow the school to operate within its capacity and reduces pressure on the learning environment.