Despite the fact that the program is thriving, Prince of Peace School may be closed at the end of the school year as it’s building lease is coming to an end.
“The bottom line is to keep everyone together at that school we need to have a long-term building in order to do that,” said Rocky View Schools (RVS) Board of Trustees Chair Todd Brand.
“At present we don’t have…a long-term building,” he said.
The RVS board is looking at three possible options for the school: lease or purchase the school building, move the program & RVS district resident students to an existing RVS school, or close the program.
The preferred option by both the school board and Prince of Peace parent’s is for either the current building to be purchased or have the lease renewed or for a new facility to be found that will allow the existing, students and staff to continue together next school year.
However, in Alberta, the province is responsible for the approval of purchase or building schools.
RVS has approached the province twice with a request to purchase the Prince of Peace school building and been turned down both times.
In a statement, Cabinet Communications Kate Toogood, wrote that Alberta Education had received requests from RVS about Prince of Peace School.
“We strive to balance the needs of school authorities across the province.
“Given the many capital priorities, we are unable to support the purchase of this property at this time,” said Toogood.
She went on to say the Province encourages RVS to collaborate with both the local municipalities and Alberta Education staff to identify a site for a future school project to be included in the RVS three-year capital plan.
“The project would be considered as part of our normal capital planning process,” she said, “[the] Government of Alberta does not typically purchase land for future schools and are not considering it in this case,” she said.
With the future of the program uncertain and the possibility of the need to close the program, RVS has, as required by legislation, begun the school closure process.
This process can be stopped at any time if a viable solution for the continuation of the program is found.
More information on the public consultation and Rocky View School’s next steps is available online at: http://www.rockyview.ab.ca/consultation
