FORMERLY THE ROCKY VIEW FIVE VILLAGE WEEKLY
Volume 35, Number 27	OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR THE MD OF ROCKY VIEW #44	Tuesday, July 1, 2008
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Rocky View School Division news
Emergent needs cause portable classroom shuffle
Liz Lindgren-Kubitz

A decision to transfer portable classrooms from A.E. Bowers Elementary School in Airdrie to accommodate a new grade configuration at the Indus School is no longer feasible.

Due to increased enrollment in the Airdrie school, the Rocky View School Division (RVSD) board of trustees instead elected to relocate four portables from Banded Peak School in Bragg Creek to address the need in Indus.

"We’ve had communication from A.E. Bowers that indicate increased enrollments," said John Wheatley, director of planning for the RVSD. "We projected an enrollment of 319 full-time students at the Airdrie school, but it’s possible it will have 370 in September."

The increase is due to Morningside and Coopers subdivisions said trustee Don Thomas who lives in Coopers and has seen the influx of school-age children in the Airdrie development.

"The issue at hand is accommodation of Grade 7 and 8 students at Indus School," said Wheatley, adding that the reason portables have to be moved to Indus is that there is no place to house any more students in Langdon, where Indus students are currently bused for middle school.

Wheatley suggested that rather than taking portables from Airdrie, the board instead grant approval to move four portables from Banded Peak School to Indus.

Banded Peak is the only school in the division with portable units and a sustained low utilization capacity. Banded Peak’s utilization is currently at 60.7 per cent and is projected to be 59.6 per cent for 2008-2009, said Wheatley’s report to the board. The portable units at Banded Peak have been constructed as slab on grade, which will necessitate some additional costs to relocate.

Wheatley requested that the board authorize the superintendent to prepare an application for emergent funding from the Province for this relocation and authorize the expenditure of up to $25,000 to prepare drawings and specifications for the relocation.

The board voted in favour of transferring the portables from Banded Peak School in Bragg Creek and authorized the expenditure even though trustee Helen Clease, who represents Bragg Creek area residents, was absent from the board meeting on June 19.

"We need to look at and remember this is going to be better for students," said trustee Bev LaPeare.