PSD reviewing school attendance boundaries in Stony Plain

STONY PLAIN -- The Parkland School Division is engaging residents as part of their review of attendance areas in Stony Plain.

The review has been underway since the summer and seeks to examine the attendance boundaries for École Meridian Heights School, Forest Green School, High Park School, and Westview School. The primary goal of the review is to address the year-over-year decline in enrolment for Meridian Heights. Since the 2021-2022 school year, attendance at the school has dropped from 724 to 573 students.

The PSD believes that without a change to the attendance area, utilization is projected to reach 53.5 per cent by 2035-2036. Deputy Superintendent Bryn Spence says that one of the possible scenarios to alleviate the decline in attendance is to modify attendance boundaries around High Park School.

"Scenario one is the idea of re-designated the High Park attendance area outside of the Town of Stony Plain to École Meridian Heights," said Spence. "We've had conversations with Meridian Heights School Council, Westview School Council, and Forest Green School Councils. All have had really good feedback and said things that have really made us think." 

Other proposed scenarios include the possibility of re-designating the northeast attendance areas of Westview and Forest Green to École Meridian Heights. Another possible option would designate Grade 7–9 students transitioning from Forest Green to École Meridian Heights rather than Westview, and be phased in over three years. As part of this process, a number of engagement opportunities will be available for the public.

Forest Green parents can weigh in on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., while a General Online Engagement Session will take place on Oct. 27 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. This will provide families with a scenario overview followed by questions and feedback.

Input from school council meetings, open houses, staff consultation, the online session, and a public survey will be compiled into a What We Heard Report. This summary will inform PSD administration's recommendation, which will be presented to the Board of Trustees at their November Board Meeting.