The stars of Prairie Sky K-9 school in northeast Calgary shone bright Friday, showing that all are welcome in their new school.

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) school, located in the northeast community of Skyview Ranch, opened to students officially in April 2023, but celebrated its grand opening April 2024. It’s home to more than 900 students in kindergarten through Grade 9.

School principal Mona Harswinder Bains said it’s been a unique journey for the students and staff at the school. The school didn’t quite open on time for the start of the 2022/2023 year, and while the kids were still assigned to the Prairie Sky School, they had to start out at four different schools before they could attend the one in their community.

“It is a day of celebration and excitement to be in our building, and to really emphasize that we made it and we’re in the community of Skyview,” she said.

Celebrate, they did.

Students from several of the different grades and classes took part in a music, song and artistic demonstration to mark the schools opening.  The band played, a video was shown and the kids sang a song tied to a children’s book celebrating diversity titled, All are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold.

“We’re not an elementary versus junior high. We are a learning community from K to nine,” Bains said.

“I think the speciality is that we’ve made it work and the kids there’s relationships right across from kindergarten to Grade 9.”

Ward 5 and 10 Trustee Marilyn Dennis said she loved the painted lines along the school’s hallway floors and was told that they all lead to a destination inside the school. She said she’s been eager to see where they’d take her.  Dennis said it was an exciting day for all the families in Skyview Ranch.

“We did have classrooms of students attending school in other buildings, a school within a school model, so when the school opened, they were all very excited to finally come together as the student body but also as a group of staff to be able to welcome the students here in April of 2023,” Dennis said.

School is already bursting at the seams

Earlier in the week, the Calgary Board of Education approved funding for the relocation of four portables to Prairie Sky School due to capacity concerns.

The 2023-2024 opening day utilization rate was 110 per cent. Right now, overflow students are being sent to three different schools. Once the portables are added, school utilization is expected to be at 92 per cent for the 2024/2025 school year.

Dennis said that the CBE is experiencing unprecedented enrolment growth overall. She said they submit a capital plan to the province annually.

“We are requesting many more new schools, and many of them for northeast Calgary,” she said.

Alberta Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides said this opening was a great day for students, families and the community.

“It’s an absolutely amazing facility that’s going to make sure that we can continue to deliver world-class education,” said Minister Nicolaides.

“I think it signifies the growth and success of our province.”

Nicolaides acknowledged the growth pressures in Calgary. He said they work closely with school boards and take direction from them on where schools are needed most.  

“We’re seeing the most growth in the City of Calgary in the northeast quadrant and the southeast quadrant and the city continues to grow in both of those areas. It does create additional pressure,” he said.

The province did approve design funding for a new high school in Cornerstone and a new K-4 school in Redstone. There’s also planning funding in place for a new Grades 5-9 school for Saddle Ridge.

Challenges with Prairie Sky construction

Minister Nicolaides said school site soil and drainage issues delayed the project, then Covid-19 and supply chain issues collided to create a greater need for the school. Then, Calgary’s population started to skyrocket. That’s pushed them into the capacity position that they’re in now.

“The world is very different. The enrollment pressures that we’re seeing have ticked up exponentially at rates that were not expected, I think, for our school divisions,” he said.

While there are hundreds of students already in the school, they came with hundreds of smiles as they celebrated the official grand opening.

CBE Chief Superintendent Joanne Pitman told the students sitting restlessly through the event that it might seem like each speaker thanks the same people and repeats the same messages. 

She said that’s because on a day like today, when they are celebrating a long journey to get here, it really matters.

“People have cared for this building even before you were ever inside,” she said.

Pitman said this was an important school for the CBE and also for the community.

“Walking through the halls this morning, and I look forward to touring around later, I can see the pride,” told students.

“I am struck, students, by your incredible discipline, your thoughtfulness and your intelligence, if oozes out of you. Your community’s voice is reflected in the design of the school and combined with everything that we know how to make our schools great, makes this an excellent place to learn.”