SHERWOOD PARK – Alberta’s NDP is committing to residents of Sherwood Park to build a new replacement school for students currently attending two of the hamlet’s oldest schools.
“Should we form a government after the coming election, the Alberta NDP will fund the building of a new replacement school in our first year for students of Sherwood Heights Junior High and Ecole Campbelltown,” said Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley.
Both schools are more than 60 years old and Sherwood Heights has been the No. 1 priority on Elk Island Public Schools’ capital plan since 2020.
Kyle Kasawski, the Alberta NDP candidate in Sherwood Park, grew up in the Park and attended Sherwood Heights Junior High
“Although that was a long time ago, the school was old when I got there,” said Kasawski.
“I’ve been out knocking on a lot of doors and I hear about how important it is to support public education and give our young people the best possible start in life. At a recent event, I was concerned to hear so many people share their stories of how unmanageable class sizes have become.
“I heard about a Grade 4 class with 34 students in an elementary school, a Grade 7 class in junior high with 37 students, and a first-year teacher told us she has 27 students in a Grade 5-6 combined and five of them are high-needs students. This teacher does not have an educational assistant. It’s just her; and one of her students, who recently arrived from Ukraine, doesn’t speak English yet.
“Situations like that are far too common in Alberta schools. We need to support students, staff and families and get class sizes down, and also give teachers the tools they need to help all students be successful.”
The UCP government increased school fees and education taxes even while they underspent the education budget by a billion dollars over the last two years. The UCP ended PUF funding five-year-old children with complex needs, there are 1,000 fewer teachers in Alberta’s classrooms than when the Alberta NDP was in government and the UCP introduced a new K-6 curriculum that was widely discredited by teachers, parents and academics.
“This region is growing fast and as more and more families choose to live here it is critical that we build all the things that help communities thrive. We are committed to supporting and advocating for public education so, of course, I am going to say schools are necessary for any community,” said Sarah Hoffman, Alberta NDP Education Critic.
In addition to building schools where they are needed, the Alberta NDP is committed to reversing the UCP cuts and restoring programs that supported students with disabilities and specialized learning needs. The Alberta NDP will also hire more teachers and educational assistants and provide more help for students to close learning gaps.
“These are important investments for young Albertans, setting them up to be successful in their careers and their lives,” said Notley.
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