Louis Riel School Division’s Senior Leadership Team is proposing that École Howden be reconfigured to a Kindergarten to Grade 6 school, beginning in September 2025. The proposed reconfiguration will address enrolment pressures currently impacting student learning at École Howden. Below are answers to many questions addressed during the Dec. 5 Information Evening. 

What is the projected enrolment at École Howden for the next five years?

The graph above shows the number of Kindergarten to Grade 8 students projected to attend École Howden over the next five years. The projections are based on data from June 2024. The actual enrolment for September 2024 was higher than expected. As a result, these projections likely underestimate enrolment. 

What is the building capacity?

Building capacity refers to the number of students a school can accommodate. It is a subjective measure. It depends on the designated purpose of each room. The current capacity of 455 students (shown in the graph above) means that spaces that are standard in other elementary schools do not exist at École Howden; instead, they are repurposed for regular instruction. For example: 

• Student Services spaces are small  
• Kindergarten classrooms are undersized 
• Breakout space is limited  
• There are no facilities for band, guitar, or practical arts 
• There is no dedicated space for childcare

What is the impact of limited building capacity?

• There is little flexibility for programming. 
• Grade 7-8 students must travel to Collège Béliveau (CB) for band and guitar, reducing instructional time. 
• Schedules for specialists such as Student Services Teachers and clinicians must be staggered so they have space to work. 
• The current enrolment of 418 students occupies 92 per cent of what is effectively a challenging capacity.

École Howden just started keeping its Grade 7/8 students. Why is the plan changing?

• Grade 7/8 students residing in Windsor Park were reassigned from Collège Béliveau to École Howden in 2022 to create space to accommodate the surge in enrolment from Sage Creek. 
• In 2019, the school division submitted a formal request to the Province for a four-classroom addition to be constructed. Requests for the addition of two portables were submitted in 2023 and again in 2024. 
• To date, none of these requests have been approved by the province. 
• As a result, the Division is seeking another solution to the space constraints being experienced at École Howden. 

What will enrolment projections be if the proposal is approved?

The graph below shows enrolment projections for École Howden as a Kindergarten to Grade 6 school. With four classrooms currently used for regular instruction repurposed for other uses, the school’s capacity will reduce to 355 students. 

What are the projected class sizes?

The Division strives for Kindergarten to Grade 3 classes to have approximately 20 students and Grade 4 to 8 classes approximately 25 students. The Class Size Tracker on LRSD’s Data Hub shows class sizes across the Division. 

What are the next steps?

• The proposed reconfiguration requires the approval of the Board. Notice of motion occurred on December 3, with a vote scheduled for Dec. 17.
• Nov. 26 
  Members of the Senior Leadership Team shared the proposal with staff at École Howden and Collège Béliveau. 
• Nov. 27 
  School administration shared the proposal with Grade 6-7-8 students. Families were notified by email. 
• Dec. 5 
  Information evening offered community the opportunity to ask questions and express concerns. 
• Ongoing 
  A Forms survey is being used to gather feedback from students, staff, and families. A summary of the results will be shared at the Dec. 17 Board meeting. 

What benefits will there be for the Grade 7 & 8 students moving into a high school setting? Is it safe for Grade 7 & 8 students to learn alongside high school students?

• Grade 7/8 students will have access to specialized learning facilities on-site, without the need to travel between buildings. 
• CB has been a Grade 7-12 school since its inception in the 80s. It is a model that staff and community is familiar with. 
• The Grade 7/8 program operates like a school within a school, with classes taking place in a separate wing of the school. 
• Grade 7/8 students follow a different schedule, so they have lunch at a different time than high school students have lunch, and they're dismissed earlier than high school students. 

If students move to Collège Béliveau for Grades 7 and 8, would classes be similar to a high school model with different teachers for each subject, or would it be a junior high model with a primary homeroom teacher? 

• Grade 7 & 8 students typically have two teachers for their core subjects with physical education, practical arts, and band/guitar/art taught by specialist teachers.
• In fact, a number of our high schools, including CB, have adopted a similar model where Grade 9 & 10 students spend the first period with the same group of students and the same teacher throughout the year. Two subjects are assigned to this block, with opportunities for cross-curricular learning. Examples include Français/Sciences humaines, English/Social Studies, and Math/Science.   

If students move to Collège Béliveau for Grades 7 and 8, would classes be similar to a high school model with different teachers for each subject, or would it be a junior high model with a primary homeroom teacher? 

• Yes. A new Kindergarten to Grade 8 French Immersion school is set to open in September 2025. Whereas Grade 7/8 students from Sage Creek currently attend CB, they will be reassigned to the new school next fall. This population of students is larger than the group of Grade 7/8 students that will be coming in from École Howden.  
• The population of French Immersion students is projected to continue growing, as shown in the graph below. It will soon outgrow the facility at 296 Speers Road which is why the Board has approved a plan for the French Immersion program to be reassigned to the building at 1015 Cottonwood Road. The latter has enough capacity to accommodate Grade 7/8 students from École Howden, as well as all French Immersion high school students from CB’s partner elementary schools: École Guyot, École Van Belleghem École Henri-Bergeron/École Provencher, École Sage Creek/Bonavista, and École Howden. 

When will the French Immersion program move from 296 Speers to 1015 Cottonwood? 

The program reassignment will occur when necessary building improvements to 296 Speers have been completed. The Division is currently awaiting a funding announcement from the province. A detailed description of proposed changes to 296 Speers and 1015 Cottonwood can be found here. 

Is the new school in Sage Creek guaranteed to open in Fall 2025? 

Yes. The Division has been working closely with our construction manager to ensure that the building is ready for occupancy in July so that the school is ready to welcome staff and students in September. 

Should we wait to approve this proposal until provincial funding is approved to support the program reassignment to 1015 Cottonwood Road? 

Overpopulation at École Howden is impacting student learning. Waiting places an undue burden on students, staff, and families. Ultimately, these moves are necessary to meet the needs of the growing number of families choosing French Immersion. The Division is working closely with provincial officials to see them realized.  

How will students be prepared for the transition to CB if the proposal is approved? 

There will be opportunities for students and families to visit CB, ask questions, and meet staff. Teachers from the two schools will work closely to ensure a successful transition. 

Will there be a plan implemented to help current Grade 6/7 students advance their leadership skills, given they will miss out on being the oldest students in their elementary school? 

École Howden will work closely with CB to provide such opportunities. For example, Grade 7/8 students could take on leadership roles by walking with younger students during our annual Terry Fox Walk, leading intramurals or clubs, or running special Festival du Voyageur or year-end activities. 

If the proposal is approved, would the childcare program at École Howden be able to expand? 

• Happiness Is currently operates its before- and after-school program out of two spaces, the library and Room 2. It is licensed for 12 Kindergarten spaces and 23 Grade 1-6 spaces.  
• While École Howden does not currently have any additional space to entertain expansion of the childcare program, the increased programming flexibility brought about by the proposed reconfiguration would ignite such possibilities.

How can I get more information? 

Questions can be sent to communications@lrsd.net. You may also reach out directly to:  

• Joanne DeCruyenaere, Principal, École Howden 
• Andrea Kolody, Principal, Collège Béliveau 
• Jeff Anderson, Assistant Superintendent