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Pembina Hills asks province for modulars

Pembina Hills trustees passed a motion at their Nov. 12 meeting to ask the province for six modular classrooms for Dapp School and one at Busby School for the 2014-2015 school year.

Pembina Hills trustees passed a motion at their Nov. 12 meeting to ask the province for six modular classrooms for Dapp School and one at Busby School for the 2014-2015 school year.

The request would include two connecting links for Dapp and one connecting link at Busby that would tether the modulars to the main school.

Supt. Colleen Symyrozum-Watt said the province asks school divisions to submit their list of needed capital improvements each spring and an application for modular classrooms each fall.

Dapp School requires six modular classrooms in order to convert it to a K-9 school by September 2014. The proposed Pembina North Community School will also house students from Jarvie School and W.R. Frose School in Fawcett.

The request is based on Alberta Education and Alberta Infrastructure projections. Provincial officials put together a “draft project description” following an Aug. 27 meeting with Pembina Hills.

According to that plan, four modular classrooms would be added to the northern wing of the school to convert it into an elementary wing and the other two would be added to the southern wing, converting it to a junior high wing.

It should be noted the modernization of Dapp School is also the top priority on the school division’s three-year capital plan and that application is still being considered by the province.

“Really, what we’re suggesting to the board is we apply for both, to ensure our bases are covered and we are positioned for September of 2014,” said Symyrozum-Watt.

Busby School principal Nadine Marchand said they have been growing every year and have each grade assigned to its own classroom for most of the school day, barring a few classes that some share.

She noted they used to have combined classrooms; for instance, Grade 1-2 students were together for many years. Unfortunately, the Grade 5 classroom — which was previously the school’s music room — is somewhat cramped, she indicated.

While the costs for modulars are mostly covered by the province, Alberta Education implemented a policy change this year where they will split the cost of transporting the modulars with school divisions receiving them, indicated Symyrozum-Watt.

The estimated cost of moving the six modulars to Dapp is $1.284 million, while the cost of sending one to Busby School is $166,000. The reason the latter costs so much more proportionally is because Dapp has connecting lines to install the new classrooms, while Busby does not.

Symyrozum-Watt clarified that if the modernization of Dapp School were to be approved, Alberta Education would pick up the full tab for the modulars at that school.

When questioned how long it can take to be approved for modular classrooms, Symyrozum-Watt admitted that the process can last years.

“What we are trying to do is apply through every avenue available to us as a board.”

Trustee Judy Lefebvre asked if the province was guaranteed to approve the request for the Dapp modulars and whether there was a Plan B if the request isn’t approved in time for next September.

“Is there space to put that many kids (in the building)? Is there a possibility this might not be approved this year?” she asked.

Symyrozum-Watt acknowledged that was a possibility. In an interview following the meeting, she added that the board has not discussed what will happen if the province doesn’t come through.

“We are moving forward on the development of those plans. That’s what I can tell you,” she said.

She noted they have tried to cover all their bases by putting the modernization of Dapp as the top priority on their capital plan and applying for these modulars.

She also noted they have worked very closely with Alberta Education and Alberta Infrastructure and they have both been very favourable of the project based on the “high degree of community engagement” and the fact it combines three schools into one.


Kevin Berger

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