Calgary schools

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Peanut

I don't understand what people expect when they move into a community that doesn't have any schools. Who cares if your neighborhood is "expensive" or not? I don't think the CBE prioritizes the school construction budget based on average house price in a neighborhood (or at least, I hope they don't).

On the other hand, I think the CBE could tweak their approach somehow to better match reality. There are a bunch of underutilized schools (in my opinion) because of the life cycle of neighborhoods. People move in, have families, kids grow and move out, and people often still live in their houses for a long period of time until they decide to downsize or become snowbirds or move to assisted living or whatever. Or die, even.

So the geographical need for schools is kind of transient with the population base. I'm not sure the best way to address it but constructing more portable schools somehow, or smaller less expensive schools that portables could be added onto to meet demand in the peak attendance years would seem to make some sense.

Admittedly I haven't thought about it too much. I made sure when I bought my house that there was a public school decently ranked, within walking distance, and not in danger of needing a lottery system.

In a lot of ways they do this already. The new schools are built to the size of long term neighbourhood demand. Then they add portables to whatever max capacity the school can handle and then they bus the surplus kids at the peak of the the child population curve to other schools.

Mahogany and Cranston are currently in the bussing phase and it makes parents very angry and tgat is when you here the "I bought a house right beside the school and now my kids can't go to it". Complaints.

I think your last point is very important that individuals need to research the schools as part of deciding where they live. Realators need to do more than say this is where the school will be built (in 10 years) and here's a school you can go do (if you win the lottery)

[Calgary14]

Originally Posted by GGG

In a lot of ways they do this already. The new schools are built to the size of long term neighbourhood demand. Then they add portables to whatever max capacity the school can handle and then they bus the surplus kids at the peak of the the child population curve to other schools.

Mahogany and Cranston are currently in the bussing phase and it makes parents very angry and tgat is when you here the "I bought a house right beside the school and now my kids can't go to it". Complaints.

I think your last point is very important that individuals need to research the schools as part of deciding where they live. Realators need to do more than say this is where the school will be built (in 10 years) and here's a school you can go do (if you win the lottery)

Builders do that as well as realtors. They'll develop an area and set aside land for a future school and say it's 10 years away. What they don't mention is that 10 years is a guess at best and they have no idea as it depends on the province and when they decide to build the school

[ranchlandsselling]

So I bought a house in an older neighborhood (not expensive ), I'm literally across the street from a k-6 school. Would out of community kids get preference when my kid is of school age? How do you sign your kids up for school?

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by ranchlandsselling

So I bought a house in an older neighborhood (not expensive ), I'm literally across the street from a k-6 school. Would out of community kids get preference when my kid is of school age? How do you sign your kids up for school?

No, kids in the catchment area get first priority. If the school is capped, it goes to a lottery system, but that is fairly rare right now.

To sign your kid up, just go to the school in person and fill out a registration form. You will have to bring identification that proves you live in the neighbourhood.

[Rathji]

So, I live in MacKenzie Towne, and there is a middle school set to be built here. Now I see that Cranston is getting one of these schools and wonder if these schools will impact the existing plans of the CBE.

Anyone seen confirmation one way or another?

[kootenayguy9]

Originally Posted by psicodude

No, kids in the catchment area get first priority. If the school is capped, it goes to a lottery system, but that is fairly rare right now.

To sign your kid up, just go to the school in person and fill out a registration form. You will have to bring identification that proves you live in the neighbourhood.

Here is a list of schools that are in the lottery process. Fairly rare? I think not.

Schools currently in overflow

Area I
Tuscany School > WO Mitchell School
Edgemont School > Captain John Palliser School
Royal Oak School > Belvedere Parkway School
Simon Fraser School > TB Riley School
Area II
Panorama Hills School > To Alex Munro School

Area III
Taradale School > Chief Justice Milvain School & Guy
Weadick School
Crossing Park School > Grant MacEwan School , Annie
Foote School & Terry Fox School

Area IV
Olympic Heights School > Wildwood School
Battalion Park School > Glenbrook School

Area V
Cranston School > McKenzie Lake School

Anticipated overflows
Confirmed for 2014

West Springs > TBD
Potential for 2014
McKenzie Towne School > Douglasdale School
Saddle Ridge School > TBD
Evergreen School > TBD

[Daradon]

While schools like what the OP was talking about seem like a decent band-aid solution for current problems, I fear that once started they become the norm because the boards are always looking to save money.