On Wednesday, June 10, 2015, the Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows school district Board of Education hosted an Open House on Facilities and Learning for Today and Tomorrow. At this Open House, the board presented a number of facilities planning options for public feedback. These options were developed based on the feedback the district received through an online survey that ran from May 11 to May 25, 2015.

Those who attended the Open House were given an updated copy of our Engagement Framework document and a booklet outlining all SD42 Programs of Choice.

The Open House consisted of a number of stations, each presenting and asking for public feedback on specific facilities planning options. These stations are described below. Open the Engagement Framework document below in a separate window to view the posters presented at each of the stations.

Where Do You Live?

As they arrived at the Open House, attendees were invited to tell us where they lived by putting a sticky dot on an enlarged map of all school zones.

The information we collected from those who chose to mark their location on the map showed us that our Open House had drawn attendees from across the school district.

General Information

At the General Information station, attendees were able to review the timeline of the engagement process and survey result highlights. They learned that the online survey received 861 responses, and that the respondents were from across the school district.

Attendees were also able to review what priorities survey respondents had identified when it came to making changes to school boundaries, and what additional programs of choice they believed the school district should consider.

Finally, at this station the school district shared survey responses with respect to interest in the possible addition of an Early French Immersion Program in an East Maple Ridge or an existing, under-utilized West Maple Ridge elementary school, and reviewed enrolment projections for elementary, secondary, and all school district schools.

Fine Arts

In the online survey, respondents indicated a strong appetite for a Fine Arts Academy within our school district.

At the Fine Arts station, the school district explored options for the expansion of Garibaldi Secondary’s current programming into a more robust Fine Arts program, as this school’s facilities were most suited to hosting such an expanded program.

Participants were asked to indicate their level of interest in the following possible additions to the existing program: music, film, visual arts, drama, dance, and digital arts. They were also asked to offer other suggestions, should they have any.

Trades Programs

The Trades Programs station offered participants a summary of the current trades offerings, identifying both the schools in which these programs were hosted and the number of registered students in each. The Trades Programs station also listed the following three potential new offerings: Horticulture (a popular selection on the online survey), Dairy Production, and Auto Collision Repair.

Participants were asked to indicate if they would like to see some of the current programs expanded to other schools in the district, and were also asked if they had other ideas for potential programs that the district has not yet considered.

International Baccalaureate

The International Baccalaureate (IB) station offered attendees information about the current IB program hosted at Garibaldi Secondary, and about the potential expansion of this program to the primary (ages 5-12) and middle (ages 11-16) years, utilizing the neighbouring elementary school, Blue Mountain.

Participants had an opportunity to ask for additional information about this program of choice, and express any concerns they may have.

Early French Immersion

In response to the expressed interest in the community for the expansion of the Early French Immersion program to new sites, the French Immersion station presented the possibility of expanding this program to the under-utilized Maple Ridge Elementary School, and offered Open House participants three proposed Early French Immersion school boundary options for feedback.

Participants were asked to select the option they prefer (map A, B or C), and share why they believed the option they had selected was the more desirable choice.

Download Early French Immersion catchment maps (3MB)

Pitt Meadows: Elementary Catchment Review

At the Elementary Catchment Review station, attendees were presented with three options for adjusting elementary school boundaries in Pitt Meadows. Participants were also shown a graph with current and forecasted enrolment numbers at Pitt Meadows schools, illustrating the pressures that necessitated these proposed boundary revisions.

The proposed school boundary changes would be effective September 2016. Siblings of students enrolled in the school would be given priority to enrol in the same school as their sibling(s).

Participants were asked to select the option they prefer (map A, B or C), and share why they believed the option they had selected was the more desirable choice.

Download Pitt Meadows Elementary Catchment Review catchment maps (3MB)

SRT & Garibaldi: Secondary Catchment Review

At the Secondary Catchment Review station, attendees were presented with current and projected enrolment numbers for Samuel Robertson Technical (SRT) and Garibaldi Secondary school, and three options for adjusting school boundaries.

The projections showed that while the student enrolment at SRT will continue to exceed the school’s capacity over the next decade, significant space is available in the neighbouring secondary school, Garibaldi.

In addition, attendees learned that while the current catchment for SRT includes over 1200 eligible secondary aged students, only 600 of these students currently attend the school. SRT school boundaries need to be reviewed and redrawn to ensure that all in-catchment students can be accommodated in the facility.

Participants were invited to select the option they prefer (map A, B or C), and share why they believed the option they had selected was the more desirable choice. Participants also had an opportunity to offer feedback about any questions or concerns they may have about the proposed changes.

Download Secondary Catchment Review: SRT & Garibaldi maps (3MB)

Albion and Silver Valley

The Albion and Silver Valley station shared information about enrolment projections for the East Capital (including Albion) and Central Capital (including Silver Valley) zones, and outlined the capital planning process timeline for new schools.

Attendees learned that once a school district receives ministry approval for a new school, the ongoing operating facility based costs of $370,000 must be funded within the existing operating budget, and that the timeline for the development of that school can span anywhere from 37 to 49 months.

Attendees also learned that the building of new schools is highly dependent on student population yields and the pace of development in Silver Valley and Albion. They were invited to give the Board of Education feedback about what they would like to see in new schools in this area in terms of educational programming and community services.

OPEN HOUSE