Chinook's Edge & Red Deer Catholic pleased to receive $50,000 investment to plan for new Sylvan Lake high schools

Chinook's Edge School Division and Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools are pleased to announce that Alberta Education has granted $50,000 to fund partnership planning and site confirmation work for a proposed collegiate campus in Sylvan Lake. This significant investment marks a crucial step forward in the collaborative effort to establish a state-of-the-art educational facility that will serve students from both school divisions.

The planned collegiate campus will house a high school for Chinook's Edge School Division and a high school for Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, fostering a unique learning environment that encourages collaboration and innovation. The $50,000 grant will enable the divisions to:

• Conduct comprehensive partnership planning: This includes defining shared goals, developing operational frameworks, and establishing collaborative governance structures.
• Finalize site confirmation: The grant will support meeting initial site requirements. 

"This investment is a testament to the power of collaboration and the shared vision of our school divisions," said Murray Hollman, RDCRS Board Chair. "We are excited to work alongside Chinook's Edge to develop a collegiate campus that will provide unparalleled opportunities for students in Sylvan Lake and the surrounding area."

"We are pleased to receive this funding with Red Deer Catholic," says Holly Bilton, Chinook's Edge Board Chair. "We value our partnership and the shared vision for the facility. We are eager to create a hub for the Central Alberta Collegiate Institute (CACI), where students throughout Central Alberta will gain increased access to career exploration and post secondary programming." 

The proposed collegiate campus aims to provide students with access to diverse educational pathways, specialized programs, and innovative learning experiences. The partnership between Chinook's Edge School Division and Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools reflects a commitment to maximizing resources and enhancing educational outcomes for students in the region.

The school divisions will work closely with Alberta Education and the community to ensure the successful development of this important project. Further updates will be provided as planning progresses.

Chinook’s Edge and Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools appealed to MLAs to make the new shared high school in Sylvan Lake a top priority during a joint meeting held in the fall. 

The new school would provide a total of 1,475 learning spaces in the Sylvan Lake community. The new Grade 10-12 school for Chinook’s Edge would have an opening capacity of 975 student spaces, and the new high school for Red Deer Catholic would have an opening capacity of 500 students.

Both schools are the top items on the school divisions’ capital plans.