St Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6

The post war boom brought many Non-Catholic people to the town of St Albert. Between the years 1948 and 1951 the population grew 60% to 1,938. March 14 a vote was made. The outcome was successful with 45 people favoring a new district. By April 1st, 1958 the "St Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6.” Was now a reality. They had 5 trustees, 128 students but no schools or teachers. With a $200,000 budget a new school was to be erected. By the end July the school was still undergoing construction. Many problems arose during this time to delay the completion of the school. At one time the architects were dismissed by the board only to be rehired a couple of days later. There were issues with the town’s administrators, the builders hesitated to start, plumbers on strike and the health inspector declaring the building unhealthy for children as the cement was still green. The school wasn’t going to be ready for the beginning of September. From Permission of the United Church, students were taught in the basement in the meantime. The Protestant school board hired 9 teachers from grades 1-7. A pioneer of western Canada was the name chosen for the new school. Sir Alexander Mackenzie School was ready January 3, 1959.

St Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6 encountered yet more problems. One of the regulations attending the school was the dress code. Boys were to wear dress pants or slacks, never blue Jean, black leather jackets or hobnailed boots. Girls were to wear certain length skirts. If these regulations were not followed it would be decided if the child should be sent home or not. On one occasion a family took their case to court for their boy was suspended because he wore his blue jeans to school.

In 1963, on Fairview Boulevard, Paul Kane High School was constructed. Ten years later the student population grew enough for the present Paul Kane School to be constructed on Cunningham Road. The old high school was renamed Lorne Akins Junior High. By the 1960s two more schools joined the family. Leo Nickerson ( in ’64) and Robet Rundel (in ’65). The first core school opened as Ronald Harvey Elementary in 1975. ( A core school has the main central building with approximately 6-8 classrooms and add-on portables. Depending when the population increases or decreases the portables are then added or removed. Wild Rose Core (1977), W.D Cuts (1979), and Elmer S. Gish Core School (1981) were to follow, all built in the span of 6 years.

Under school age children now have a chance to going to school. Since 1975 Kindergarden offered an easier transition for kids going into grade 1. French Immersion was the next step. In 1981 Muriel Martin proposed the idea for a French immersion program. A vote was made, and a French immersion kindergarden class was erected. Nine months later the program expanded to third grade. Muriel’s dream lives on with 4 schools, (Leo Nickerson, Muriel Martin, Sir George Simpson, and Paul Kane) offering the complete program from kindergarden to grade 12. Other language studies are also offered in the district, such as German, Japanese and Spanish. They also offer addition courses such as Recourse room, Learning Assistance and Academic Challenge classes. Integrated Occupational Program (IOP), Logos (a Christian program), Career and Technology Studies (CTS), Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate.

The latest schools to be added to the Protestant School Division are as followed. Keenooshayo, Bellerose both constructed in 1988, and Muriel Martin in 1991. St Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6 just recently completed its 50 year anniversary in from 1958 to 2008.

Bibliography

The Black Robes Vision

Proud of our past... Excited about the Future, St Albert Protestant Schools.

St Albert our History

A special thanks to Paula Power for helping with this blog