The Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) has shared important updates regarding several ongoing projects and proposed changes, aimed at improving our educational facilities and addressing enrolment growth. Here is a summary:

Progress on New French Immersion School in Sage Creek

The construction of the new French Immersion school in Sage Creek is ahead of schedule, with an opening planned for September 2025. French Immersion students from the Sage Creek and Bonavista communities will be reassigned to the new school. Affected families will receive invitations to an information evening on December 9. Additionally, the new school will offer Middle Immersion (Grade 4 entry) and Late Immersion (Grade 6 entry) programs, in line with Manitoba Education’s initiative to expand access to French Immersion.

Changes for Shamrock School

The current École Sage Creek School will transition to a single-track English Program school for students residing in Sage Creek. Students from Sage Creek currently attending Shamrock School will be reassigned to Sage Creek School for the 2025-2026 school year. The new French Immersion school will offer Middle and Late Immersion programs, providing additional opportunities for students interested in learning French. See the full update here.

Impact on École Van Belleghem

The new French Immersion school in Sage Creek will help alleviate enrolment pressures at École Van Belleghem. French Immersion students from Bonavista attending École Van Belleghem will be reassigned to the new school. As enrolments at École Van Belleghem decline, we plan to ask the provincial government to relocate two modular classrooms to Island Lakes Community School to address enrolment pressures. See the full update here.

Building Exchange Between Windsor Park Collegiate and Collège Béliveau

The planned building exchange between Windsor Park Collegiate (WPC) and Collège Béliveau (CB) has been postponed. This delay is due to the pending approval of provincial funding necessary for the required renovations and additions. While the exchange remains essential to accommodate future enrolment growth at Collège Béliveau, the urgency has decreased, as growth has proceeded more conservatively than originally forecast. We are engaged in positive discussions with provincial officials and are optimistic about securing funding. The Minister of Education will tour both buildings in December to further these discussions. See the update to WPC here and CB here.

Proposed Reconfiguration of École Howden

To address capacity challenges and enhance program flexibility, we propose reconfiguring École Howden to a Kindergarten to Grade 6 school starting in September 2025. Enrolment at École Howden surpassed projections in September 2024 by 13 students, reaching 418 students (92% of capacity). This trend is expected to remain steady.

Grade 7 and 8 students would be redirected to Collège Béliveau, using the space created by the new French Immersion school in Sage Creek. This change aims to eliminate the need for students to travel between schools and to provide more flexible programming spaces at École Howden. The Board will review this proposal, with a decision expected on December 17. A community meeting will be held to discuss this proposal. See the full update here.

Request for New School Building at École Varennes

A detailed assessment of structural, mechanical, electrical, roof, and building envelope condition has shown the school building for École Varennes has passed its life expectancy. To address this pressing concern, LRSD has submitted a capital request to the province requesting the construction of a new building next to the outdated building, on land already owned by LRSD.

Among requests calling for the construction of new school buildings, a new building for École Varennes takes priority.

Number One Priority: J.H. Bruns Collegiate addition and modification

While the series of projects about which we are communicating are crucial and pressing, if we could’ve had any one thing from all our capital requests answered last year, it would’ve been the funding for major classroom additions and renovations at J.H. Bruns Collegiate.

An immediate investment is needed in the school. Securing funding to increase capacity and renovate the structure is long overdue and a pressing need to ensure the best educational experience for students.