Yellowknife (Nov 17/04) - Major educational players in Yellowknife have started down the path to determine where $16 million earmarked for a new school will end up.

Representatives from Yk Education District No. 1, Yellowknife Catholic Schools, the Francophone district and Aurora College joined those from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) and Public Works and Services in a meeting Nov. 5.

A steering committee emerged from the meeting to create a 10-year plan deciding which educational body will benefit from the available funds.

In its draft budget in April, ECE set aside $16,399,000 for a new school in Yellowknife and almost $4 million to replace the K'alemi Dene school in Ndilo. The money will start flowing in 2006/2007.

"The goal here is to work with superintendents to develop a plan," said Charles Dent, minister of education.

"We have monies identified in the capital plan for facilities in Yellowknife," he said, but was hesitant to guess who might benefit from the money.

The Commission Scolaire Francophone de Division, along with Yellowknife Catholic schools, have been calling for a new school for more than a year.

Both districts say surging enrolment is threatening capacity in their schools.

"We are really at a crunch for space. We don't want this process to take five years," said Gerard Lavigne, general director of the francophone district.

The French district receives federal funding as well.

Near capacity

Over at YCS, all three schools are approaching capacity, though no cap has been made on enrolment.

Superintendent Kern Von Hagen is hoping for a "visionary" plan to come out of the meetings, taking population growth and the future of Yellowknife into consideration.

If the territorial government can meet the six-month deadline to decide on a plan, it would come in time for YCS, said Von Hagen.

With plenty of space in their seven schools, Yk No. 1 would like to see the city's existing schools renovated before a new one is built.

There is room for the non-Catholic students currently enroled at YCS in the public system, said Knapp.

The public district is also keeping a close eye on the $4 million slated for replacing K'alemi Dene school in Ndilo. The school has 72 students, but lacks facilities like a gym and a computer lab.

Knapp is hoping for a more permanent fix for the school, though she's realistic that the cash available through Education, Culture and Employment isn't enough for a new building.

"I'm looking at building a quality building that would last a long time," she said.

The steering committee will meet again in a month with a timeline set up to complete the 10-year plan. The final report is expected to be revealed in six months.

The last plan to emerge for educational facilities in 1992 resulted in the construction of Ecole Allain St-Cyr, St. Patrick high school and Weledeh Catholic schools, and renovations to Sir John Franklin and Mildred Hall public schools.