INNISFAIL - Provincial funding totalling $50,000 is being provided to the Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) and the Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division (RDCRS) to support pre-planning work for a new collegiate campus in Sylvan Lake that, if approved and built, would serve students across the region, say officials.
CESD associate superintendent Shawn Russell told the Albertan the new funding marks an important step in the collaborative process to establish the new campus.
The pre-planning funding will be used to conduct comprehensive partnership planning, including defining shared goals, developing operational frameworks, and establishing collaborative governance structures, he said.
The Innisfail-headquartered CESD includes schools across the region, while the RDCRS division includes schools in Innisfail and Olds.
The proposed new collegiate campus would “provide student with access to diverse educational pathways, specialized programs, and innovative learning experience,” he said.
The partnership between CESD and RDCRS on the project reflects a commitment to maximizing resources and enhancing outcomes for student in the region, he said.
In a release, RDCRS chair Murray Hollman said, “This investment is a testament to the power of collaboration and the shared vision of our school divisions.”
In the same release, CESD chair Holly Bilton said, “We are eager to create a hub for the Central Alberta Collegiate Institute where students throughout Central Alberta will gain increased access to career exploration and post secondary programming.”
The new collegiate campus would have an opening capacity of 975 students for CESD and 500 for RDCRS.
Although RDCRS and CESD will be receiving the pre-planning funding, Alberta Education approval of the new campus and related funding has not yet been granted.
