Terrace Ridge School Grade Configuration Review

Important: Terrace Ridge School Grade Reconfiguration Update

Wednesday, April 17, 2020

Dear Terrace Ridge School Parents,

I want to begin by sincerely thanking you for your input over the past number of weeks, as we have engaged with you regarding possible changes to the grade configuration, specifically Grade 7 at Terrace Ridge School. As you know, Wolf Creek Public Schools’ Board of Trustees has been reviewing the grade configuration of Terrace Ridge School for the 2020/2021 school year. This review was necessary because the school’s current utilization rate is 108.29 per cent and is expected to increase. 

On March 19, 2020, the Board decided to give Terrace Ridge School parents the option as to whether their current Grade 6 student would attend École Lacombe Junior High School (ÉLJHS) or Terrace Ridge School for Grade 7 in the 2020/2021 school year. This decision followed extensive feedback from parents, students and staff. The choice for families would be conditional on enrollment numbers at Terrace Ridge School to form a viable and complete Grade 7 class, and would only be for the upcoming school year, and as a transition to begin addressing enrollment pressures.

As you know, school administration has been in contact with those specific families of current Grade 6 students to determine their preference and to get the best sense of what enrollment for Grade 7 would look like.

Those results showed that 40 percent of families of students currently in Grade 6 indicated they would prefer to remain at Terrace Ridge School for Grade 7. That percentage would mean a Grade 7 class size that would not be feasible at Terrace Ridge School. 

Because the majority indicated a willingness to attend ÉLJHS next year, the Board has decided that all Grade 7 students will attend École Lacombe Junior High School for the 2020/2021 school year and moving forward. 

This means starting September, 2020, Terrace Ridge School will operate as a Pre-K to 6 school. 

We have shared information at every step of this engagement. You can view that information at: https://www.wolfcreek.ab.ca/terrace-ridge-school-gradeconfigreview

This was not an easy decision, but is necessary to address the growing enrollment pressures at Terrace Ridge School. More details on how this transition will work for your student heading into Grade 7 next school year will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead.

We truly valued your feedback as the goal was to ensure an open and transparent process, where your voice is heard throughout. 

Sincerely, 
Jayson Lovell
Superintendent

Process Background Information

The following is information that was presented at each stage of the Grade Reconfiguration Review process. This includes communications to parents and students regarding each step of the process, as well as key data and enrollment projections that led to the review. 

March 19, 2020

Wolf Creek Public Schools’ Board of Trustees has been reviewing the grade configuration of Terrace Ridge School for the 2020/2021 school year. This review was necessary because the school’s current utilization rate is 108.29 per cent and is expected to increase. 

Following consultation with staff, parents and students, additionally through a ThoughtExchange to stakeholders, the Board was presented with eight (8) options for grade configuration. 

On March 19, 2020, Wolf Creek Public Schools' Board decided to give Terrace Ridge School parents the option as to whether their current Grade 6 student will attend École Lacombe Junior High School (ÉLJHS) or Terrace Ridge School for Grade 7 in the 2020/2021 school year. 

This choice is conditional on enrollment numbers at Terrace Ridge School to form a viable and complete Grade 7 class. 

Terrace Ridge School administration will be contacting current Grade 6 parents soon to determine preference. The information on parental choice will be presented to the Board at its April meeting for the Board’s final decision on grade configuration.

This option would only be granted for the 2020/2021 school year. In the subsequent 2021/2022 school year and following school years, Terrace Ridge School will be Pre-K to Grade 6 school. 

Thank you again for all your feedback and genuine input through this process, as it has been crucial in the Board’s deliberations.

Terrace Ridge Grade Configuration Review Process

Over the past few months, Wolf Creek Public Schools has been undergoing a review of Terrace Ridge School’s current grade configuration. This has been necessary because of the current utilization rate (the level of enrollment at the school in relation to school capacity) for Terrace Ridge School, which is at 108.3 per cent capacity and expected to continue to increase. 

What has happened so far?

Feedback has been sought from parents, staff, and students. That has taken part over several steps.

Step 1: Superintendent Jayson Lovell met face-to-face with Terrace Ridge School staff.

Step 2: A detailed presentation was shared with current grade 6 and 7 students on the enrollment trends and background. Students were encouraged to share their thoughts via email to the superintendent and through the online Thoughtexchange engagement. 

Step 3: An email was sent inviting parents to participate in the Thoughtexchange online engagement, with a reminder email sent as well.  

The ThoughtExchange asked: In a scenario where there is a change in the grade configuration of Terrace Ridge School for September 2020, what are some important considerations and questions to inform this decision?

Step 4: Terrace Ridge School Council provided feedback in January through a meeting with Superintendent Lovell. 

Terrace Ridge Grade Configuration Options

The following are options that emerged from the recent engagement with parents, students and staff. The Board will consider the eight options at its regular meeting March 19, 2020. 

Option 1: Status Quo for the 2020-2021 School Year

• No change in current grade configuration or student population for 2020-2021.
• Board will review enrollment data after September 30, 2020 and determine any further analysis or next steps. 

Option 2: Reconfigure Terrace Ridge School to be a Pre-K-Grade 6 school

• Grade 7 students will attend École Lacombe Junior High School.
• Will open up two classrooms at Terrace Ridge School.

Option 3: Reconfigure Terrace Ridge School to be a K-7 school

• Pre-K program (Bright Futures) moves to École JS McCormick School.
• Will open up one classroom at Terrace Ridge School.

Option 4: Reconfigure Terrace Ridge School to be a K-6 school

• Both Pre-K program (Bright Futures) and Grade 7 program transfer (Pre-K will move to École JS McCormick School and grade 7 students will attend École Lacombe Junior High School). 
• Will open up three classrooms at Terrace Ridge School.

Option 5: Allow Terrace Ridge Grade 7s the option of attending either Terrace Ridge or École Lacombe Junior High School (keep pre-K). 

• In the spring of their Grade 6 year, Terrace Ridge students and parents would be asked to select their Grade 7 school of choice. This option would only be available for the Grade 7 year. 
• Uncertain how many students will transfer to École Lacombe Junior High School but there is a potential for opening up classroom space at Terrace Ridge School. (ie. one class of grade 7s instead of 2). 

Option 6: Allow Terrace Ridge Grade 7s the option of attending either Terrace Ridge School or École Lacombe Junior High School for the 2020-2021 School Year as a Transition Year. Also, Allow Pre-K to continue at Terrace Ridge School for 2020-2021 School Year as a Transition Year. Starting September 2021, Terrace Ridge School would then become a K-6 School (both Pre-K and grade 7 would move)

• This would provide a full year’s notice of a change in grade configuration. 
• In September 2021, three additional classroom spaces would become available at Terrace Ridge School.

Option 7: Allow Terrace Ridge Grade 7s the Option of attending either Terrace Ridge or École Lacombe Junior High School and move Pre-K to École JS McCormick School

• In the spring of their Grade 6 year, Terrace Ridge students and parents would be asked to select their Grade 7 school of choice. This option would only be available for the Grade 7 year. 
• Uncertain how many students will transfer to École Lacombe Junior High School but there is a potential for opening up classroom space at Terrace Ridge School. (ie. one class of grade 7s instead of 2). 
• Will open up at least one classroom at Terrace Ridge School..

Option 8: Reconfigure the Attendance Area/Boundaries for Terrace Ridge School for K-7

• Redraw the attendance area for Terrace Ridge School to designate more students to the other Lacombe schools. 
• Uncertain how this might impact overall enrollment/utilization as students/families from all grades would be impacted.

Terrace Ridge School | Grade Reconfiguration Review and Engagement

What brought us to this point?

Each fall the Board reviews all enrollment data, while keeping an eye on utilization rates across WCPS. This happened October 2019

Terrace Ridge enrollment/utilization was of particular interest due to growth trends and City of Lacombe development plans. 

Wolf Creek applied for and was successful in requesting two additional portables for Terrace Ridge School (added two years ago) due to enrollment/utilization. 

Terrace Ridge School is capable of adding two additional portables on the north-east side of the school. 

Requesting two additional portables must factor in the overall enrollment/utilization projections of the entire Lacombe sector. 

Portables are not the ultimate solution, as enrollment projections in Figure 1 show enrollment beyond capacity at Terrace Ridge School. 

Figure 1

Wolf Creek also has other schools serving Lacombe in the same grade ranges at Terrace Ridge School. École Lacombe Junior High School serves grades 7-9 (Figure 2), École Lacombe Upper Elementary School serves grades 4-6 (Figure 3) and École James S. McCormick School which serves Pre-K to Grade 3 (Figure 4).

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4