The information presented in the draft Strategic Facilities Plan is a culmination of the work done in phases one and two. It includes draft recommendations in the areas of proposed new programs of choice, catchment area reviews, capital plan priorities and land management. These draft recommendations have been shaped by the feedback the school district collected throughout the consultation process.
In the final step, the school district consulted with the public using a variety of tools to inform Board of Education decisions on the Strategic Facilities Plan and deepen public understanding about the proposed draft recommendations. We hosted an Open House on September 30, 2015, and prepared an online survey, which remained open from September 24, 2015 to October 8, 2015.
The board will adopt the finalized Strategic Facilities Plan in October 2015.
The summary of recommendations below includes the page number within the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan document where background information is discussed.
For a full summary of the consultation process and the public feedback received, please refer to the Facilities and Learning for Today and Tomorrow: Public Consultation Summary document.
Fine Arts
The development of a thriving Fine Arts program requires the commitment of school staff and the school community. It is recommended that an in depth review of the viability of a Fine Arts focus at Blue Mountain Elementary and a Fine Arts academy hosted at Garibaldi Secondary be completed by February 2016 with recommendations for next steps presented to the Board by March 2016.
In addition, it is recommended that staff explore the feasibility of post-secondary partnerships in the area of Fine Arts programming in secondary schools and make recommendations about next steps and possible timelines to the Board by March 2016.
For additional background information, see page 9 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.
International Baccalaureate
The expansion of the International Baccalaureate program requires approval from the International Baccalaureate organization, a significant financial commitment as well as school staff and school community support.
The International Baccalaureate global authorization process spans over three calendar years therefore if a submission for consideration was made in January 2016 the earliest implementation date for the new International Baccalaureate programs would be September 2019.
It is recommended that an in depth review of the viability of expanding the International Baccalaureate program hosted at Garibaldi Secondary be completed by December 2015, with recommendations for next steps presented to the Board by January 2016. This review shall include further consultation with school staff and school community at Garibaldi Secondary, discussions with the International Baccalaureate organization and a full financial impact analysis.
It is also recommended that an in depth review of the viability of expanding the International Baccalaureate program to Blue Mountain Elementary be completed by June 2016, with recommendations for next steps presented to the Board by September 2016. This review shall include further consultation with school staff and school community at Blue Mountain Elementary over the course of the 2015/16 school year, discussions with the International Baccalaureate organization and a full financial impact analysis.
For additional background information, see page 10 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.
Trades Programs
HORTICULTURE
It is recommended that staff work with post-secondary institutions and community partners on determining the feasibility of creating a new Horticulture trades program, and make recommendations regarding the program to the Board by February 2016.
AUTO COLLISION REPAIR
It is recommended that staff work with post-secondary institutions and community partners on determining the feasibility of creating a new Auto Collision Repair program, and make recommendations regarding the program to the Board by February 2016.
For additional background information, see page 12 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.
General Recommendations: Programs of Choice
It is recommended that staff continue to work on building awareness of all choice programming available in the school district.
It is recommended that staff continue to work with post-secondary institutions on expanding trades options in all Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows schools.
For additional background information, see page 13 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.
Early French Immersion
It is recommended that a new Early French Immersion program be established at Maple Ridge Elementary starting September 2016 and that an implementation plan is created by senior staff in consultation with the school community.
It is recommended that the catchment areas for Early French immersion as outlined in Map B be adopted effective September 2016 with students currently enrolled in the school and their siblings not being subject to the newly drawn catchment areas.
It is recommended that the French Immersion program intake for September 2016 be reduced at Pitt Meadows Elementary by limiting the growth of the French Immersion program to two kindergarten classes annually. This will ensure a balance between the English and French programs in dual-track schools, and limit the growth of the school to the existing capacity of the facilities.
For additional background information, see page 46 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.
Pitt Meadows Elementary Catchment Areas
It is recommended that the catchment areas for Pitt Meadows as outlined in Map C be adopted effective September 2016 with students currently enrolled in the affected schools and their siblings not being subject to the newly drawn catchment areas.
For additional background information, see page 47 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.
Secondary Catchment Areas
It is recommended that the catchment areas for Garibaldi Secondary School and Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary School as outlined in Map C be adopted effective September 2016 with students currently enrolled in the affected schools and their siblings not being subject to the newly drawn catchment areas.
It is further recommended that the intake of grade 8 students annually at Samuel Robertson Technical will be limited to 150, which would maintain the school population at about 750 students.
For additional background information, see page 47 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.
Capital Plan Priorities for Existing Facilities
It is recommended that staff with the assistance of consultants develop renovation, building envelope remediation and routine capital projects for inclusion in the school district Five-Year Capital Plan with the following priorities for existing school district facilities:
- high risk safety deficiencies are addressed;
- the facility has an FCI greater than the provincial average of 0.43; and
- the facility is used at or over the average capacity utilization for the school district and will continue to be needed for the foreseeable future.
For additional background information, see page 49 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.
Capital Plan Priorities for Future Schools
Because the school district will not require the Pitt Meadows South Bonson site for the foreseeable future, it is recommended that the Board begin the property disposal process.
It is further recommended that the Board take the following actions with regards to Maple Ridge future school sites and new schools:
- in order to accommodate all estimated elementary student enrolment from Albion at build-out, ask for Ministry of Education support to expand the 104th school site to accommodate a school with a nominal capacity of 550 students and acquire one additional school site in Albion that would at a minimum accommodate a school with a nominal capacity of 550 students; and
- in order to address current enrolment pressures in the Albion area, continue to ask for Ministry of Education funding to build a new school on the expanded 104th school site; and
- in order to accommodate all estimated elementary student enrolment from Silver Valley at build-out, ask for Ministry of Education support to acquire one school site in Silver Valley that would at a minimum accommodate a school with a nominal capacity of 550 students; and further
- once Ministry of Education approval is received for acquisition of new school sites, work with the City of Maple Ridge to jointly acquire the school/park sites; and finally
- when the building of new schools is approved by the Ministry of Education, the Board will consult with the municipality and other stakeholders on school design so as to:
- ensure facilities decisions today do not limit future educational innovation, and
- explore opportunities for the joint development of new facilities.
For additional background information, see page 53 of the Draft Strategic Facilities Plan.