Rocky View Schools ward boundary review begins

This week, the Rocky View School (RVS) Division is beginning a series of public engagement meetings on the school division’s ward boundaries. The first meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, May 14, will take place in Chestermere, while a date in Airdrie is set for next week.

According to RVS, The Board is engaging in, 'a ward boundary review to ensure effective and equitable representation is maintained.'

"RVS currently has six wards and eight trustees to serve nearly 200,000 residents. Ward boundaries were last changed in 2017. Since that time, some of the communities served by the school division have changed significantly," RVS stated on its website.

Three options are being presented for public feedback, including:

Seven trustee option combining Ward 2 (Langdon, Indus and Chestermere rural areas) and Ward 4 (Crossfield, Beiseker, Irricana, Kathyrn, and Airdrie rural areas) and redistributing 5,600 residents from Ward 6 (Cochrane: Sunset Ridge) into Ward 5 (Bragg Creek, Springbank, Bearspaw, Westbrook and Cochrane rural areas).

Seven trustee option combining Ward 2 (Langdon, Indus and Chestermere rural areas) and Ward 4 (Crossfield, Beiseker, Irricana, Kathyrn, and Airdrie rural areas) and redistributing 5,600 residents from Ward 6 (Cochrane: Sunset Ridge) into Ward 5 (Bragg Creek, Springbank, Bearspaw, Westbrook and Cochrane rural areas).

Eight trustee option adding a trustee to Ward 6 (Cochrane would now have two trustees) and combining Ward 2 (Langdon, Indus and Chestermere rural areas) and Ward 4 (Crossfield, Beiseker, Irricana, Kathyrn, and Airdrie rural areas).

Nine trustee option adding a trustee to Ward 6 (Cochrane would now have two trustees), and redistributing 8,600 residents from Ward 3 (Airdrie: North of Veterans Blvd) into Ward 4 (Crossfield, Beiseker, Irricana, Kathyrn, and Airdrie rural areas) and redistributing 5,100 residents from Ward 1 (Chestermere: East side of the Lake and East of Range Road 282 on the south end of the lake) into Ward 2 (Langdon, Indus and Chestermere rural areas).

In a previous release, Board Chair, Fiona Gilbert said that The Board believes that a key foundation of good governance and accountability is electoral representation.

"Given the rapid growth of some communities RVS serves we believe it is time to review ward boundaries and engage the public for their thoughts."

Four public meetings will be held, beginning this week:

May 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m.: East Lake School (Learning Commons), 325 Kinniburgh Blvd., Chestermere
May 15, 6:30 to 8 p.m.: Cochrane Christian Academy (Learning Commons), 129 Powell St., Cochrane
May 21, 6:30 to 8 p.m.: W.H. Croxford High School (Learning Commons), 2654 Chinook Winds Drive S.W., Airdrie
May 27, 6:30 to 8 p.m.: Online via Zoom (https://rockyview.zoom.us/my/rvsboard)

"Feedback can also be submitted online through RVSEngage until June 16. The feedback received will inform the Board’s decision which could be to not change the ward boundaries, or a different option than those initially proposed for review," RVS added on its website.

If the Board decides to make changes to the current ward boundaries, the changes will go into effect for the October 2025 election.

The initiation of a ward review comes on the heels of RVS announcing its decision on Balancing Airdrie Student Spaces. Come September 2025, several Grade configuration and attendance area changes will be made to several RVS schools. Some of the key highlights include all high schools in Airdrie will serve students from Grade 10 to Grade 12, as well as several Airdrie communities to be redesignated to different schools to address enrolment pressures and optimize space utilization.

Other highlights include grade configurations will be adjusted by one level in all Airdrie schools except Cooper’s Crossing School, as well as no attendance boundary changes will be made for French Immersion or Christian programs, with the Christian program extending to Grade 9 (it currently ends at Grade 8), as well as a small area in central Airdrie will be designated to specific high schools discontinuing a historical choice area.

A detailed breakdown of the decision includes:

A.E. Bowers – Grades change from K – 4 to K – 5 English, French Immersion changes from K – 5 to K – 6, Edmonton Trail (South) and The Village (South) redesignated to École Edwards.

Bert Church – Grades change from 9 – 12 to 10 – 12, pickup Ridgegate, Edgewater, Summerhill and Waterstone for Grades 10 – 12, redesignate Key Ranch Grades 10 – 12 from Bert Church to W.H. Croxford.

Cooper’s Crossing – Grades stay PreK – 5. Prairie Springs redesignated from Windsong Heights to Cooper's Crossing, Cooper's Crossing now feeds into Muriel Clayton for Grades 6 – 9 rather than Northcott Prairie.

C.W. Perry – Grades move from 5 – 8 to 6 – 9, pickup 6 – 9 students from Bayview, Baysprings and Bayside who formerly attended Muriel Clayton.

École Airdrie Middle – Grades move from 6 – 8 English and French Immersion to 7 – 9 English and French Immersion, pickup Silver Creek, The Village (South) and Edmonton Trail (South).

École Edwards – Grades move from K – 5 for English and French Immersion to K – 6 for English and French Immersion, redesignate Silver Creek from Herons Crossing into École Edwards, redesignate Edmonton Trail (South) and The Village (South) from A.E. Bowers to École Edwards.

George McDougall – Grades move from 9 – 12 to 10 – 12, pickup Airdrie Meadows and Downtown for 10 – 12, redesignate Chinook Gate, Cobblestone Creek, Southwinds Grades 10 – 12 to W.H. Croxford rather than George McDougall.

Heloise Lorimer – Grades move from K – 5 to K – 6.

Herons Crossing – Grades move from K – 8 to K – 9, redesignate Silver Creek into École Edwards and feed into Airdrie Middle.

Meadowbrook – Grades move from 6 – 8 for English and Christian program to Grades 7 – 9 for English and Christian program.

Muriel Clayton – Grades move from 5 – 8 to 6 – 9, designate Edmonton Trail (South) and The Village (South) for Grades 6 – 9 to École Airdrie Middle, redesignate Bayview, Baysprings, Bayside for Grades 6 – 9 to C.W. Perry, pickup Grades 6 – 9 students from Cooper's Crossing, Morningside and Prairie Springs.

Northcott Prairie – Grades move from K – 8 to K – 9, redesignate Cooper's Crossing and Morningside in Grades 6 to 9 to Muriel Clayton rather than Northcott Prairie.

Nose Creek – Grades move from K – 4 to K – 5.

Ralph McCall – Grades move from K – 4 to K – 5.

R.J. Hawkey – Grades move from K – 5 to K – 6 for both English and Christian programs.

W.H. Croxford – Grades move from 9 – 12 to 10 – 12, pickup Chinook Gate, Cobblestone Creek and Southwinds from George McDougall and pickup Key Ranch from Bert Church for students 10 – 12, redesignate Summerhill and Waterstone Grades 10 – 12 from W.H. Croxford to Bert Church.

Windsong Heights – Grades move from K – 8 to K – 9, Prairie Springs redesignated to Cooper's Crossing K – 5 and then feed into Muriel Clayton and not Windsong Heights.

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