An update on our new schools in South Winnipeg

We would like to thank our community who attended the new schools update evening in late November. During the information session, our board and senior administration team shared an update on the new K-8 and high school in South Winnipeg.

The schools, announced in March 2017, will be built halfway between Kenaston and Waverley on the south side of Bison Drive in a location currently referred to as “Area B.” The drawings of the new buildings are nearing completion. The tender process is expected to begin in the New Year, with shovels in the ground in 2020 and an estimated opening of 2022.

The community update was a chance to present the planned catchments for the new schools and the decision-making behind the process. Our team has used enrolment projections that consider build rate, number of students per home and other factors. This data helps guide decisions on what is best for our fast-growing communities.

The new South Winnipeg high school

• Will have a capacity of 1,000 grade 9 to 12 students
• Will offer English programming
• Vocational programming will be open to students across Pembina Trails
• Grade 9-12 students living in Waverley West, including “Area B” will be eligible to attend

The new K-8 school

• Will have a capacity of 800
• Will offer English programming
• Students living in “Area B” will be eligible to attend
• Bridgwater Centre students will be eligible to attend
• Prairie Pointe students living in stages 2,3,4 will attend until new school is built
• Bridgwater Trails students will attend until new school is built

Catchments for the other Waverley West communities

Bridgwater Forest students - continue to attend École Bonnycastle and Arthur A. Leach

• Prairie Pointe students, stage 1, continue to attend Bairdmore and Arthur A. Leach
• Bridgwater Lakes students continue to attend Whyte Ridge and Henry G. Izatt

Schools of Choice

Parents or guardians wishing to enrol a student outside of the catchment area may submit a Schools of Choice request. There are circumstances when schools are unable to consider Schools of Choice applications. We anticipate that for the opening years of the new K to 8 school in "Area B" some families wishing to attend could do so under Schools of Choice. More information is available here. 

More about “Area B”

The developer responsible for “Area B” is proposing 1,332 single-family homes. The South Pointe community alone currently has 1,400 single-family homes. During the first year of École South Point School opening in 2017, the K-8 school was at capacity with more than 800 eligible students.

Two additional schools in the works

Looking ahead, the province has announced funding for two additional schools to meet the growing needs of our communities. The new schools are as planned:

• K-8 school in Prairie Pointe
• K-8 school in Bridgwater Lakes
• One of these will be dual track: offering English and French Immersion

Daycare

We understand the important role child care centres play for our young families. While, we often share learning spaces, daycares are not operated by Pembina Trails. Schools in Manitoba are not permitted to operate child care centres.

We have been planning to include daycare spaces as part of our schools. Recently, the province has informed us that they have a preference to construct the daycare as a detached facility on a campus location yet to be determined. We have been assured by the province that they remain committed to funding and building the daycare. 

Our board will continue to consider all of the community feedback before making a decision this spring.

Additional information

View our Community Update 2019 PowerPoint to learn more about enrollment numbers and catchments.

Learn more about our plan for new housing developments here.

Read our South Winnipeg new schools FAQ here.