While classes continue to shift to the online learning world and the province continues to reduce education budgets, members of the Red Deer Regional Catholic School Board are trying to put their focus on the future.

They’ve outlined 5 new schools in their 3-year Capital Plan they’d like to see built here in Central Alberta, with first on the list being a new middle school for Red Deer. The Capital Plan was approved at their March 21st, 2020 board meeting.

Board chair Anne-Marie Watson says even though design funding for the new grades 6-9 school in Red Deer was announced last fall, they still have yet to receive the money, nor do they know how much it will be or when they'll get it.

“We have moved forward and identified a school site in Kentwood that’s in north Red Deer. So we’ve worked with the City of Red Deer to secure that site and it remains at the top of our list, we just need to really continue advocating for that. It’s really needed in Red Deer. Our middle schools are over 110% capacity and one school in particular, St. Thomas (Aquinas Middle School), is at 137% capacity, so that project is really needed and it needs to get going quickly so we can open on time.”

As well as three new schools for Red Deer, the Capital Plan also contains proposals for new kindergarten to grade 5 schools for Sylvan Lake as well as one in Blackfalds.

Watson says even in these current conditions, Blackfalds is still one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada, which means they have to start planning for the future now.

“As we look further down the list new K-5 school in Blackfalds is also a pretty immediate need. Blackfalds is a very young community, remains one of Alberta’s fastest growing communities even during this time of slow down. Our one school in Blackfalds is over 90% capacity, so knowing that it can take 2-3 years to build the school and that one has not received any further announcement yet. We’re definitely looking at, at least 3 years probably before we can get that built, if it was announced quickly. So that’s a real need.”