(Nicole Reis/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Nicole Reis

Northwest School Division #203

Northwest School Division plans to renovate and replace some local schools

Jan 13, 2020 | 12:22 PM

Pierceland Central and Ratushniak Elementary could both see new schools.

Northwest School Division #203 named their top three priorities for structural renovation or replacement at last week’s meeting where three schools in the region were addressed.

“In the past Pierceland School has been within our top three priorities and we’ve always requested a new school based on the condition of the ministry’s audits. The school itself is nice and they have some minor roof leaks that we repair every year as with most of our buildings,” Bob Tough, facilities supervisor with Northwest School Board, told meadowlakeNOW.

Tough said the HVAC system at Pierceland school is functioning well but the Ministry of Education audit information says it’s past its useful life and needs to be updated.

“Because of the cost, we’re trying to share some of that cost because of limited funds and try to garner some of the capital funding out of the ministry instead of using other pools of funding,” Tough said.

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Tough said every year the board presents the ministry with their top three capital priorities with include high-end cost items like new schools and major renovations over $2 million.

Pierceland Central School could see a new school or renovation. Lashburn High School is the board’s second priority for a renovation and Ratushniak Elementary could see a new school or renovation next year. Ratushniak is slated to receive three relocatable units in the spring.

School board members say they’ll need to review and approve their priorities at next month’s board meeting.

Kaitlin Harman, Communications Officer with North West School Divison told meadowlakeNOW in an email, capital projects in the education sector are primarily funded by the government, and so are subject to the Ministry of Education’s vetting and approval process. There are a whole host of criteria that must be met for a project to be considered, let alone approved, she said.

“These are the board’s top projects for our division. They will be considered by the Ministry, along with all 26 other school divisions’ top priorities,” she said. “The ministry then selects their top projects, and of them just a small number will actually move forward in the next couple of years.”

Editor’s note: this story was amended Jan.13 to make clear the ministry will ultimately determine which, if any NWSD capital projects are approved.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722