Innovative ideas and wistful challenges are part of any school district’s new semester, but just like its location, the Canadian Rockies Public Schools (CRPS) is in a unique class of its own.
With the beginning of a new academic year in the books, CRPS Superintendent Chris MacPhee looks to the horizon for the students, staff and community including crafting a new school division calendar, international escapades, and Bow Valley housing expense woes.
The problem isn’t attracting families to the Canadian Rockies, said MacPhee; it’s keeping them here.
“What I’m watching and monitoring right now is our enrolment, because that’s how we are funded from Alberta Education,” MacPhee said. “The challenge I’m hearing come to this office right now, it is anecdotal right now, is there are no rental controls and it’s challenging and families are leaving the valley … because they can’t find a place to stay or the cost is going through the roof.”
A single family home in Canmore can start at over $600,000 and rent for a two-bedroom condo typically ranges over $1,500 per month.
CRPS has observed a few increases in numbers over the summer of families who have left the Bow Valley. MacPhee said it’s disappointing, and it’s something they’ll monitor every day from the first month of school.
“Our enrolment last year was the first time in 10 years it went up approximately 110 students. Now it’s going to be interesting what that number is come Sept. 30,” MacPhee said.
According to the provincial government, enrolment in Alberta schools is anticipated to grow by over 18,000 new students, or three per cent, in 2014/15.
As far as educating students goes, MacPhee says they’re fortunate to have the “crčme of the crop” of educators in the Bow Valley, as they receive hundreds of applications for job openings. But as staff begins to “change slightly” among age groups and people retire, “we need to be able to have these young, talented educators come into our community.
“Right now we’re fully staffed, but we’re starting to see it become more and more prevalent that there is difficulty for young teachers if there is a job available for them ... I don’t want it to be housing that holds them back from coming here because we want the best people for our children.”
MacPhee continues to monitor the situation, buts looks at another important matter that will reflect the education schedule over the next few years.
The division will review and renew the School Division Professional Learning Calendar for the next three years. There will be numerous steps over the next few months, and a final calendar will be presented by March 2015 at the Public School Board meeting for final approval.
CRPS going to China
As Alberta’s international relations bloom, the province has chosen four schools in Alberta to send personnel to China this school year – CRPS being one of those selected. Principals and senior administrators of each district will present their work to the Chinese.
“Superintendents have been asked to send some individuals to China, at the cost of the provincial government, to talk about the wonderful things that are going on in inspiring education,” said MacPhee, adding China will send representatives to Alberta at a later date.
This past summer, CRPS also held two international student ESL programs where approximately 50 Chinese students visited for two weeks to a month.
