North Centre High School Update

As of January 2007, and after the recent funding for three schools, the North Centre High School is now number twelve on the CBE list of new school construction. Ahead of our high school are schools for the following communities; Coventry Hills (gr 5-9), Northwest High School (Arbour Lake), Piitoayis Family School (k-9), Evergreen (k-4), Saddle Ridge (k-4), Cranston (k-4), Panorama Hills (5-9), Royal Oak (k-4), Bridlewood (k-6), Taradale (5-9) and Hamptons (5-9).
Provincial funding is unpredictable, so it is very hard to know when a high school in our area will be built. Estimates vary from 10 to 15 years before it reaches the top of the list. The province and CBE have deemed that elementary schools are higher priority than a senior high school under their policy of placing schools for the youngest close to home.
Another issue that affects the placement of a high school on the priority list is that as the city grows, there will be new, yet un-developed communities that will need elementary schools. These may advance up the list while our high school remains stagnant.
All funding for schools comes from the province. In 2002, the provincial debt as approximately $5 billion and $1 billion was spent on new school construction. In 2005, the provincial debt was zero and $207 million was spent on new school construction province wide.** Funding seems to be decreasing as our financial resources are increasing. There is currently an estimated $5 billion in new school construction needed provincially just to meet current needs, in other words just to catch up, not to build for the future.
So why is it important to build community based schools? Community based schools are an important piece of the puzzle for strong, caring and vibrant quality of life in our communities. Currently the CBE is required to bus approximately 70% of it 100,000 school population to fill existing infrastructure (older schools). This means that many children face daily commute times similar to and in some cases greater than their parents. With so many children being bused to school, the CBE has been forced to have some children as young as 12 take public transit to get to school.**
The Calgary Board of Education is the fourth largest school board in Canada.* and the largest in Alberta. For planning and logistical reasons, the CBE is divided into five pie shaped areas. Each area is further divided into a number of sectors. Hidden Valley, Kincora, Evanston, Panorama Hills, Coventry Hills and Harvest Hills are all in Area II, sector 4.
There are four high schools within Area II, namely John Diefenbaker, James Fowler, Queen Elizabeth and Crescent Heights. Of these, only John Diefenbaker is in sector 4, the others are located in sector 3.
John Diefenbaker was the last high school built in our Area in1971. It was designed to accommodate 900 students, its current enrolment is 1200. The population in our area has increased dramatically since construction. In fact, we are in the area of the city projected to have the highest growth of all areas in the next decade. Is it not time for a high school to be built?
So what can be done to speed up funding? That is the $5 billion dollar question. The CBE currently estimates it required $1 billion just to clear the backlog of school construction.
If you wish to receive updates on how funding for schools is progressing and/or participate in a multi-facetted campaign to encourage our provincial government to increase funding, please contact the North Centre High School Action Committee.

Contacts are:
Peter Adams - pyst@shaw.ca
Monika Ruediger - monirob@shaw.ca
Jadine Kohut - karatklub@hotmail.com

Footnotes;
* CBE 2006/7 School Capital Plan
** CSAC (Community School Action Committee)

Websites;
http://www.cbe.ab.ca/aboutus/documents/2006-2009SchoolCapital%20Plan.pdf
http://www.cbe.ab.ca/trustees/Ten-YearFacilitiesPlan.pdf
http://www.csac-calgary.org/