Students and staff at Indus School are taking advantage of the newly renovated building designed for functional and modern learning needs.
“The Board of Trustees is thrilled that the entire interior renovation of Indus School is complete,” Board Chair, Fiona Gilbert said. “It was a priority for our board to modernize the learning environment for students and now we have achieved that goal. Thank you to the staff and students at the school for their resilience throughout the renovation.”
Indus School was built in 1952 and wasn’t an optimum space for students to learn each day.
Ongoing maintenance and occasional renovations kept the original school sound, but there was a need to bring learning spaces to a modern standard able to meet Indus School’s current educational needs, a Rocky View Schools (RVS) media release said.
“Students’ physical surroundings can make a big difference in their learning,” Superintendent of Schools, Greg Luterbach said. “We’re all very excited to be able to provide a beautifully redesigned building with spaces that encourage collaboration, technology, and multi-purpose use.”
The project replaced the interior of the school over 16 months.
Planning began in 2017, and preliminary work started two years later with foundation work. Construction began in 2020 and was completed by August of this year, with finishing touches completed throughout the fall.
Funding for the project came through Government of Alberta Infrastructure and Maintenance Renewal (IMR) funds provided to RVS. The board found a creative funding solution to address much-needed improvements.
Among the highlights of the modernization, the school now features a multi-use Maker Space that can be used as an art studio, shop, robotics studio, or more. A new Learning Commons was designed with inspiration from the school’s rural setting and features corrugated steel walls, faux-reclaimed barn wood, and doors to an open flex space that can be opened or closed depending on the needs of the students. Locker rooms, which the school previously did not have, were added. Several classrooms feature garage-style doors that can open onto a shared workspace, the Living Room, to allow for flexible workspaces where classes and students can collaborate. The building also received a new mechanical system, and its water cistern was replaced and moved above ground, the release said.
Adding, the new space was designed to reflect Indus School’s history and rural location. The reclaimed look is used throughout the school, and blue flooring cutting across various greens and yellows evokes the prairie fields and wetlands that surround the school.
“We are very excited to have moved into the modernized section of the school,” Principal, Chael Wyper said. “Upon entering the building, everyone is impressed by the updated look and spacious feel of the building. It was great to see that features suggested by our students, such as tubular skylights and wider lockers, were included in the project.”
The Indus School currently serves 200 Kindergarten to Grade 9 students in southeast Rocky View County.
RVS believes strongly that students need a learning environment that allows them to thrive. Space for students continues to be a top priority for RVS as growing communities in the division outpace new school builds and additional modular units funded by the provincial government.
Despite the significant need for new spaces, RVS has also prioritized investment to update and improve our rural schools.
More information about RVS’ Board of Trustee’s advocacy priorities visit, https://www.rockyview.ab.ca/board_policies/advocacy.
