Grade 5 Coming to Parkland Village School This Fall

At their Regular Meeting on May 24, 2022, the Parkland School Division Board of Trustees approved Attendance Area Review Recommendation A1, which will see Parkland Village School be expanded to a Kindergarten to Grade 5 school beginning this fall, in the 2022-2023 school year.

"I believe [this decision] positively impacts the most students at Parkland Village," said Board Chair Lorraine Stewart. "The report was very clear, [and] from listening to the folks attending School Council meetings at Parkland Village, [they] are definitely in favour of [students] continuing until Grade 5... It just makes sense that this decision happen this year."

"We are so excited to learn that our school will now offer Grade 5," said Parkland Village School Principal, Todd Hennig. "We can’t wait to see how Parkland Village School can continue to serve these students and provide even more opportunities for growth, learning and leadership."

This decision comes as a result of the Student Attendance Area Study commissioned by the Board in 2021, and conducted by a consultant in order to facilitate long-term planning and the effective use of PSD school facilities in light of the shifting demographics in Stony Plain, Spruce Grove and Parkland County. This study included a number of recommendations, some of which the Board chose to explore further by gathering data and engaging with parents, students, staff and community members who would be affected by these changes.

Adding Grade 5 to Parkland Village School is one of many recommendations being implemented to address capacity issues at Prescott Learning Centre in Spruce Grove. At present, upon completion of Grade 4, Parkland Village students continue their learning in Grade 5 at Prescott. However, rapid population growth in Spruce Grove has maxed out capacity at Prescott Learning Centre just six years after it opened in 2016.

As Parkland Village is presently at 71% capacity and in good operational shape, having undergone several renovations in the last few years, extending enrolment to accommodate Grade 5 at Parkland Village is projected to alleviate strain on Prescott while keeping PVS well within its capacity limits for the next ten years. This change will also allow PVS to maintain its current levels of maintenance funding, and have minimal impact on busing configurations and costs. Attendees at Parkland School Division's engagement events and Parkland Village School's School Council meetings spoke in favour of this change, seeing it as the best option for the affected students.

The full recommendation report and livestream of the May 24 Board Meeting can be found on the Parkland School Division website.

For more information contact:
Parkland Village School
Phone: 780-962-8121
Email: parklandvillage@psd.ca