By Shaun Penner

French to remain K-7

GPCSD Board approves change back to Grade K-8 model for English students

Feb 10, 2021 | 12:07 PM

English Grade 8 students in the Grande Prairie and District Catholic School division will not be moving to high school starting next year, as the Board of Trustees voted Monday to have St. Kateri, St. Catherine, St. Clement, Holy Cross and Mother Teresa Schools become Grade K-8 schools once again.

The move will come into effect for August 2021, ahead of the next school year.

Superintendent Karl Germann told EverythingGP last month, as discussions around the move began, that it was always the plan to revert to the K-8 model.

With pressure of overcrowding at the K-7 level easing, and with O’Brien Lake School and the new St. Patrick School slated to come online in the next 2-3 years, the move makes sense now to help rebalance some of the school populations.

“Several years ago, the Grade 8s were moved to the high school(s) to alleviate overcrowding in the elementary schools,” said Germann, in a letter sent home to families Tuesday.

“With the opening of two new schools… and a reduction in the overall student enrollment, we are able to reconfigure the English K-7 schools into English K-8 two years ahead of our original plan.”

This will mean St. Joseph’s High School will be reconfigured to a Grade 9-12 format starting next year.

As for St. Jean Paul II High School, it will serve as an English Grade 9-12 school, while the French immersion side will remain Grade 8-12.

“Unfortunately, Ecole St. Gerard Catholic School does not have the capacity to accept the Grade 8 French immersions students,” added Germann. “Ecole St. Gerard will remain a K-7 school for now. It is already home to 20 modular classrooms.”

Germann, in his letter, says he thanks the board for “making a decision that we believe is in the best interest of kids.”