At their March 20 regular meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the priorities listed in the Black Gold School Division’s 2025-2028 Three-Year Capital Plan for submission to Alberta Education. As a growing division, enrollment pressures continue to place challenges in the city of Beaumont, and we continue to emphasize the need for new high school space as the current school is over capacity.

The top capital priorities include:

1. A new high school in the city of Beaumont due to significant enrolment growth. Beaumont currently has only one public high school, École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School. The school’s utilization rate is currently at 101% and is projected to increase to 126% by September 2026.
   
2. A replacement for Willow Park School in Leduc due to the infrastructure condition of the current school building. The solution includes building a new 700-student capacity K-9 school and repurposing the current facility for the Black Gold Outreach School.
   
3. Modernization and addition of East Elementary School in Leduc due to the age and overall condition of the facility. The project includes a right sizing to a 450-student capacity school to capture requirements for current and future enrolment growth.
   
4. Modernization of Robina Baker Elementary School in Devon, driven by the age of the school and overall condition of the facility. The project includes an upgrade to mechanical and electrical systems and a modernization of existing spaces.

“Our top priority is a new high school in Beaumont,” said Board Chair Esther Eckert. “Even with the opening of the new addition two years ago, École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School is already over capacity.  With the anticipated continued growth in Beaumont, enrollment will continue to increase, bringing with it the challenges of overcrowded classrooms.”

“The Division has been working together with STAR Catholic and the City of Beaumont to identify a new joint high school site,” said Superintendent of Schools Michael Borgfjord. “We are pleased that the City has committed municipal-owned land for the school and will fund construction of services to the site by Spring 2025.”

Each year, school boards across Alberta must assess their school capital needs and prioritize projects based on the safety of existing school facilities, enrolment pressures and modernization needs.

The Three-Year Capital Plan must be approved annually by the Board of Trustees and submitted to Alberta Education by April 1 for consideration of funding. The submissions are reviewed by the Government of Alberta and funding for approved projects is usually announced by March 31 of the following year.