Signal Hill Battalion Park School Zoning Changes

In 2013, the (former) CBE Chief Superintendent of Schools, Naomi Johnson, made significant changes to priority zoning for entry into Battalion Park School. This decision has drastically diminished the ability of some Signal Hill residents, members of the original school community, to access Battalion Park School, the community school of Signal Hill.

Historically, all Signal Hill residents have had priority #1 access entry into Battalion Park School. The Chief Superintendent has now changed this, dividing our community into different priority zones, de-prioritizing a portion of our neighbourhood and handing priority #1 status to a portion of Springbank Hill instead. Signal Hill bus zone residents no longer have equal access to our community school. We need to let the Chief Superintendent know that it is not okay to make these changes without proper public consultation and without regard to the original school community.

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The community of Signal Hill (and Richmond Hill) waited 14 years for a K-3 and 21 years for a K-6 within our community. Signal Hill is a 'mega community' which eventually received a 'mega school' with capacity for 700. Our entire community does not fit neatly within a walk zone, but we are still one community.

Since Battalion Park School opened in 2000, first priority had been given to all residents of Signal Hill (and Richmond Hill) to attend our community school. The community of Springbank Hill, a distinct and separate community, was re-zoned to Battalion Park School in 2008. Prior to 2008, they were zoned for Glenbrook School. Springbank Hill was re-zoned with the understanding, as outlined by the CBE at the time, that they would fill remaining spots and be overflowed to Glenbrook if necessary.

The attendance zone of Battalion Park School has increased over the years and extends to Calgary's western city limit. The community of Springbank Hill is currently awaiting the approval of Springbank Hill Elementary, (listed as priority #9 on the Calgary Board of Education School Capital Plan, 2014-2017).

Last spring, the CBE decided to change priority considerations on a city-wide basis. This decision was made without any community consultation and without regard for original school communities. As a result, the walk zone of Signal Hill still has priority but the bus zone of Signal Hill no longer does. Instead, priority has been transferred to the walk zone of Springbank Hill. Anyone now living in the bus zone of Signal Hill, even at properties bordering the walk zone, has the same chance of attending our community school as a child living as far west as the city's western limit.

There are city-wide school overcapacity issues and this is a CBE attempt to address these issues. However, this decision in no way better utilizes the school. For example, this decision does not enable more students to attend Battalion Park School. It merely recalibrates who has priority access and who does not. This decision has required the CBE to create a new bus route through Signal Hill to Glenbrook School. The CBE has begun busing children OUT of our neighbourhood so other children can be bused INTO our neighbourhood. Due to the topography and street design within our neighbourhood, this bus has no choice but to traverse the entire length of Battalion Park School and it's property in travelling from the north portion to the south portion of our neighbourhood en route to Glenbrook, the overflow school.

Battalion Park School is an amenity of our community, for which our community waited a long time. Battalion Park School exists because of the population threshold and efforts of the residents of our community. As a community without a community centre building, our school serves as an anchoring point of our community. In a large city like Calgary, it is important to maintain these ties. Sense of community is degraded when a large number of our residents are turned away from our neighbourhood school. Losing this amenity for even a portion of our community is ultimately a loss for the entire neighbourhood. This decision also negatively affects the overall value of living in Signal Hill, and likely our property value.

This change to CBE priority zoning was not widely known about in our community until recently. The CBE failed in consulting stakeholders during the decision making process as mandated under Board policies OE-3, Treatment of Owners, and OE-9, Communicating with the Public, as well as, Administrative Regulation No. 1090, Student Accommodation Planning Process.

We wish for the CBE to reconsider this decision and its effect on the attendance zone of Battalion Park School. We wish for the CBE to consider the concept of 'original school community' - the community for which a school was approved and built to serve. We wish for the CBE to create realistic attendance zones and ensure the community for which the school was approved and mandated gets priority access to their long awaited school.

Even if you live in a new community you should be concerned. When the Alberta Government releases funds for the building of your school, you would want assurance that the intended community (or communities) will benefit and have priority before the CBE zones in other neighbourhoods.

De-prioritizing original neighbourhoods is an unacceptable way to deal with current school overcrowding and access issues.

Thank you for your support.

***In addition to signing the petition, we encourage you to include in the comments section, your personal story or opinion with respect to this issue.***