Q & A
Please ask us any questions you may have! We will post Frequently Asked Questions here for your convenience.
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The Project
- How did the Community Learning Campus begin?
- How much does the CLC project cost?
- Why do plans and projected costs change from time to time?
- Who will pay for the CLC?
- How does the CLC align with and support Alberta Government policy and vision?
- How many buildings are included in the CLC?
- How will the CLC try to incorporate environmental sustainability?
- How has the community been involved in the development of the CLC?
- How will the community benefit from the CLC facilities and programming?
- I understand the CLC will be spearheading the creation of Community Engagement Sites. What are they and how will they benefit the community?
- How much access will the public have to the CLC facilities?
- My son/daughter already graduated from Olds College/Olds High School. Why does a successful campaign make any difference to him/her?
- My son/daughter will be entering high school in a couple of years. How will the success of the CLC campaign benefit him/her?
- Will the College and High School students share space?
- What Olds College facilities will be used by high school students?
- What CLC facilities will be used by Olds College students?
- How will the CLC affect other Chinook's Edge Schools in the surrounding area?
- Students in grades 8-12 currently attend Olds High, but in the future only grades 9-12 will attend the CLC. Will there be enough space and a good program at Deer Meadow for the grade 8 students?
Q. How did the Community Learning Campus begin?
The CLC had its beginnings as a response to a rural community’s concern with a $6.8 million grant from the Alberta Government to modernize the existing Olds Junior Senior High School. The concern focused on the ability of the school to meet modern program needs and the dangerous situation created by playing fields separated from the school by the busy Highway 27. The community felt the school was in need of an extensive modernization to meet programming needs of the 21st Century beyond the modernization grant. However, the announcement of modernization dollars was the catalyst for the Superintendent and CEO of Chinook’s Edge School Division and President and CEO of Olds College, supported by their respective governance boards and officials, the municipal governments, members of the community, and Alberta Ministries to work together to strengthen rural education and rural development by conceiving of an educational reform initiative which would address the needs of the rural community learners in a unique manner.
At the same time that Chinook’s Edge School Division was in a position of needing newer facilities and Olds College was contemplating the development of a Health & Wellness Centre to replace existing facilities that were dated and limited. Concurrently Olds College students were vying for a leadership centre. Conditions were right to pool resources, strategies, and synergies to create an integrated initiative including both facilities and programming.
Q. How much does the CLC project cost?
The anticipated cost of the CLC is approximately $65.4 million.
Olds College has committed to raise $5 million of the funds required.
Q. Why do plans and projected costs change from time to time?
The CLC is a unique project and one of the largest current construction programs in central Alberta. As the plans become steadily more refined, so to will the design of buildings and programs. The province’s booming economy is also affecting project plans for the CLC and virtually every other construction program. We are proud to be achieving the vision of the project while staying very close to original cost estimates.
Q. Who will pay for the CLC?
The provincial government has provided $55.4 million. Additional funds will come from several sources including grants, and the sale of the current high school property. The CLC will also seek significant donations from corporations, organizations and individuals who share our vision. In addition, the Health and Wellness Centre will earn ongoing operational revenue from tenants who will provide services to the community and users of the facility.
Q. How does the CLC align with and support Alberta Government policy and vision?
The CLC was framed in the submission to government in March 2005 as an implementation solution to three key Alberta government policies: Alberta’s 20 Year Strategy, Rural Development Initiative, and Campus Alberta. These policy directions provided a fertile ground for the emerging idea of the CLC. The Alberta government wisely recognized that investment in unique approaches, such as the CLC, would be required if they were to achieve their goal of raising the productivity of labour and educational institutions. In addition, the Alberta government acknowledged that rural communities are challenged in their efforts to improve high school completion, transition to post-secondary, variety in programs and services and broadband technologies. The CLC submission addressed the competitiveness-driven and equity-driven nature of the Alberta policies in a number of ways, including increasing access to trades training and post-secondary education and also emphasized the importance of the SuperNet to provide access to broad band technology and distance delivery in rural communities. To complement the CLC at the Olds College campus, the CLC submission proposed the development of remote sites to provide CLC programming to outlying rural communities by linking them electronically to the CLC, thus increasing productivity and equity. Addressing the learning needs of rural learners in their own communities was considered a unique approach which extended the reach of the CLC and justified the expenditure to meet the needs of a broad base of constituents.
Q. How many buildings are included in the CLC?
The CLC will consist of five buildings. These are the Core High School, Bell e-Learning Centre, Fine Arts and Multi-Media Centre, Health and Wellness Centre, and Bus Maintenance Facility. In addition the CLC offers links to outdoor amenities, including playing fields. One of the buildings also offers green roof technology. All will be built on the Olds College campus providing many opportunities to share facilities and resources.
More detailed information on the individual facilities is available upon request.
Q. How will the CLC try to incorporate environmental sustainability?
Environmental sustainability is a key focus of the CLC, both in the design stage and then once the buildings are complete, in maintaining it. We are striving to meet environmental building standards that will provide for cost effective and sustainable buildings and engage students in learning about environmental sustainability.
Q. How has the community been involved in the development of the CLC?
The community participation began in the spring of 2005 with a series of meetings with Olds College and Chinook's Edge School Division officials and staff. These input sessions resulted in a detailed action plan which included building designs. The action plan that was developed with community input has proven to be an important guide to the Governance Team and officials charged with the responsibility of building the CLC. In addition, two representatives of the community constituents, Mayor Judy Dahl representing the Town of Olds and Reeve Al Kemmere representing Mountain View County, sit on the CLC Governance Team.
Community members are invited to provide input as the project progresses and are invited to visit the website or to call the Executive Director with comments or questions.
Q. How will the community benefit from the CLC facilities and programming?
The CLC Learning Plan reaches well beyond the high school and college student population to impact all learners, opening doors for continuous learning, retraining opportunities, and professional development, regardless of age and educational background. Operating on a year-round schedule and offering distance and on-site opportunities, the CLC allows learners greater flexibility to personalize their academic and career paths.
The facilities provide members of the community and surrounding areas access to a wide range of technology, health and wellness and arts and cultural opportunities. The CLC’s Fine Arts & Multi Media Centre is designed to maximize the contributions of various users and make use of synergies to provide a full scale, vibrant performing arts centre. The Health & Wellness Centre provides many shared facilities for sports and leisure. It will offer opportunities to develop leadership skills, athletic skills, and healthy attitudes and instill a commitment to physical activity and a healthy lifestyle – from young children to seniors. The Bell e-Learning Centre will provide access to innovative technologies and support to community, business and industry.
Q. I understand the CLC will be spearheading the creation of Community Engagement Sites. What are they and how will they benefit the community?
The Community Engagement Site is designed to advance rural community development.
Specifically, the Community Engagement Site may provide:
- On site facilities for computers and Internet access;
- Facilities for business support services (printers, copying, fax, scanners, etc.);
- Training room facilities with computer equipment for hands-on learning;
- Access to online courseware and services;
- Staff trained to provide ongoing coaching and support;
- Access to broad band technologies, such as a video conference suite
With the establishment of such sites people will have access to a location within (or close to) their community for the development of skills, access to internet services, and coaching and support. The key to the success of the Community Engagement Sites is helping people learn how to use technology for their personal benefit.
Q. How much access will the public have to the CLC facilities?
Policy and procedure which will facilitate the operation of the CLC are under development by the CLC Facilities Use Committee. This committee is comprised of representatives of Olds College, Chinook’s Edge School Division, the Town of Olds, and Mountain View County. The mandate of this committee is to outline the use of the facilities, including public access. A fee structure will be needed to cover the costs of operation and maintenance.
Q. My son/daughter already graduated from Olds College/Olds High School. Why does a successful campaign make any difference to him/her?
All Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) and Olds College degrees and diplomas are well regarded today. This campaign is designed to ensure future quality as well. As Olds College and CESD stays strong and competitive, so will the value of our degrees/diplomas and their holders.
The CLC is also unique in that the learning does not end once the school or college program is completed. The Community Learning Campus plan delivers rural life-long learning that reflects the Government of Alberta’s Go Alberta Strategy, Rural Development Initiative, and Campus Alberta. The CLC will continue to create opportunities for learners of all ages to live and work in their communities. From video conferencing offered through the Bell e-Learning Centre, to theatrical performances offered at the Fine Arts & Multi Media Centre, to access to fitness facilities and outdoor amenities, the entire community will continue to benefit from CLC.
Q. My son/daughter will be entering high school in a couple of years. How will the success of the CLC campaign benefit him/her?
Raising the total funds for the CLC campaign will ensure that construction will be completed. Based on the current construction schedule the new Core High School will be completed in time for the 2009 school year.
Your son/daughter will benefit by being able to attend a state of the art facility with expanded program offerings that provide reciprocal and seamless transition for students between high school, post-secondary, and the workforce. The new high school incorporates alternative teaching and learning methods to facilitate personalized learning plans, and provides expanded programming for learners, which includes enhanced access to arts, cultural, recreation, sports and wellness programs.
Q. Will the College and High School students share space?
Yes. We recognize there is a significant difference between the requirements for the well-being of a grade nine student and those of a college student. The physical design of the CLC will have a big part to play in ensuring a suitable environment for all.
The Community Learning Campus vision considers students in grades 9 and 10 to be in the exploratory stage and their activities will be primarily within the core high school. By grade 11 and 12, students would be provided with more opportunities to learn within Olds College facilities. Chinook's Edge works with students to develop character, values and positive pro-social skills, and to make appropriate, safe choices. This is a personalized process designed to take age and individual social development into consideration.
You may also be interested to know:
- Olds College has 24 hour-a-day security.
- Olds College employs more than 400 faculty and staff.
About 55 Olds High School staff will be relocated to the CLC.
- More than half of Olds College students are female.
- The average student age at Olds College is 22 years old.
- Half of Olds College students have previous post secondary experience.
- Chinook's Edge has 6 successful K-12 schools where students from 4 years old to 18 share the same facility each day.
Olds High School and other Chinook’s Edge students have been on the college campus many times in the past years working with college instructors and students and accessing resources, so this is a relationship that is already rooted in the educational experience of our community.
Additionally, Group 2 Architecture Engineering Interior Design has significant experience in designing shared facilities for students. Group 2 has worked on six multi-use projects during the past five years. One of Group 2's recent education projects is Confluence Campus in Rocky Mountain House. This new, state-of-the-art school was designed in collaboration with Wild Rose School Division, Red Deer Catholic Regional Division, and Red Deer College. All under one roof, students from the two high schools and college will share a library, Career and Technology Studies, computer lab, music and art rooms, and a future cafeteria.
Q. What Olds College facilities will be used by high school students?
High school students will have an opportunity to access Olds College facilities in a number of ways. Firstly, students will have access to the Olds College Library in the Learning Resource Centre. Research methods of high school students have broadened significantly since the huge expansion of available resources through the internet. With connection to the SuperNet, we plan to help our high school learners hone their internet research skills through computers within the high school. To satisfy students' need to explore encyclopedias, magazines, books and other paper-bound reference materials, students will be introduced to the Olds College Library. The current collection of resources housed in the high school library will be moved to the College where we anticipate expanding the library experience for all users of the CLC.
We are also establishing the high school industrial (practical) arts lab in the Agricultural Technology Building on the Olds College Campus. We believe opportunities for our learners are stronger if the lab is in the Ag Tech building. Students will have access to space and resources that are normally unavailable to high school students. Finally, grade 11 and 12 students will have access to all College facilities according to the college, apprenticeship and university courses in which they enroll. High school students will also be involved in applied research projects through the Olds College School of Innovation.
Q. What CLC facilities will be used by Olds College students?
Enhanced recreation, wellness, and fine arts facilities will provide new opportunities for College students. The Bell e-Learning Centre will provide a portal through which Internet-based learning resources may be accessed for many purposes. The $1 million investment of the Olds College Students’ Association is a great testimony to the value the CLC brings to Olds College. College students will also see an increase in reading materials in the library such as novels, fiction, and non fiction.
Q. How will the CLC affect other Chinook's Edge Schools in the surrounding area?
Students who are within the current attendance boundaries for Olds High School will attend the CLC for grades 9-12. Students who are not living within the Olds High School attendance boundaries will attend their own community schools.
We plan on welcoming students outside Olds High School attendance boundaries for special learning opportunities they may not be able to access in their home communities, like the pre-employment welding program that was offered in 2006. Fifteen students from around the Chinook's Edge School Division attended the community high schools in the morning and in the afternoon participated in pre-employment welding at on the Olds College campus. Their school had the benefit of receiving the CTS funding credits and the students benefited from an enriched program that could lead them to apprenticeship and a trade. Other opportunities could include a connection to special programs, events or courses throughout the year, including a wider selection of summer school course offerings. Through video conferencing and the SuperNet, schools in Chinook's Edge will engage with the CLC as both senders and receivers of learning opportunities.
The CLC is not aiming to draw students from other Chinook's Edge Schools. We will provide opportunities for them to stay in their home communities and still access some exciting learning opportunities through the CLC.
Q. Students in grades 8-12 currently attend Olds High, but in the future only grades 9-12 will attend the CLC. Will there be enough space and a good program at Deer Meadow for the grade 8 students?
Deer Meadow was built with the core capacity to expand classroom space if needed. Based on enrollment predictions, we anticipate that there will not be a need for additional classroom space, but as we watch student populations, we can re-evaluate that from year to year.
Traditionally middle schools incorporate students in grades 5 to 8, so this is a wonderful opportunity for Deer Meadow to revisit and renew its middle school program with all of the children who are considered to be middle year students.
