Rocky View Schools has confirmed École Edwards Elementary in Airdrie will repurpose its music room, library and wellness centre into full-time classrooms next fall as part of a school-wide space reconfiguration.
Currently, the school is designated as a K-Grade 5 school; however, according to RVS documents outlining the results of changes due to the Balancing Airdrie Student Spaces Decision, beginning in the fall of 2025, École Edwards Elementary will become a K-6 school. RVS previously noted that, "All schools except for Cooper’s Crossing School adjust by one grade level".
"To prioritize classroom space, École Edwards Elementary is making adjustments to how space is used within the building," the division said in a written statement. "This includes repurposing the large music room into two classrooms, while continuing to offer music programming to all Kindergarten to Grade 6 students through two dedicated music teachers, each with their own instructional space."
The division said the school’s current library will be replaced by five classroom libraries within the new Grade 6 classrooms, and two smaller age-specific library areas—one on the main floor for younger students, and one upstairs for older grades.
"It will be smaller than the current library but offer students a library experience to continue to encourage a love of reading at school and at home," RVS said.
The wellness centre will be repurposed, with wellness spaces relocated to common pod areas, according to RVS. These spaces will support small group work, one-on-one sessions and quiet breaks.
"These areas will be primarily used by Child Development Advisors (CDAs) and learning assistants when working with and supporting students," the division said.
The confirmation follows the public circulation of a document titled School Spaces & Classroom Configurations, which has been widely shared on social media in recent days. Discover Airdrie asked RVS whether the document was an official communication from either École Edwards or Rocky View Schools. The division did not answer that question in its response.
The document outlines multiple internal changes for the 2025–26 school year. One section states that "in order to create the space for the necessary number of classrooms," the school’s music room, library and wellness centre will be "converted into full-time classroom areas."
Another line notes the relocation of Kindergarten to Grade 3 classrooms to the main floor, and Grade 4 to 6 classrooms to the second floor.
The document also says the central library will be replaced with five classroom libraries within the Grade 6 rooms, and a smaller curated collection will remain accessible to students in Kindergarten to Grade 3.
It further describes plans for team-teaching classrooms in Grade 2 French Immersion and Grade 4 English/French Immersion. According to the document, two teachers will share "one large, open learning space to collaboratively teach their classes."
The document also states that a request for portable classroom units was submitted to Alberta Education but "was not approved."
In its written statement, Rocky View Schools confirmed the modular request was denied.
"While we hoped that École Edwards Elementary would get some additional space via two more modular classrooms, unfortunately the request was not approved by the government," the division said.
RVS did not confirm whether the removal of the library and wellness centre is permanent or temporary. It also did not answer questions about the configuration, acoustic separation or staffing of the planned team-teaching spaces.
According to the RVS website, École Edwards currently has eight modular classrooms already on site.
In its 2025 modular classroom request to Alberta Education, submitted Nov. 1, 2024, the division sought 27 new classroom units and one washroom relocation. École Edwards was listed in that request for two new modular classrooms.
On April 17, RVS was advised it had received approval for five new modular classroom units and one washroom relocation. École Edwards does not appear on the April 17 list of schools receiving modular classroom approvals.
In a summary of its May 1 board of trustees meeting, RVS wrote: "These six units fall short of RVS’ request and, as a result, pressure on our schools will continue with utilization at many rising above 100 per cent by 2026/27."
RVS also noted that it is "not yet known when the new modulars will be delivered and installed but it is unlikely to be by the start of the 2025/26 school year." The division said it is asking Alberta Education for permission to reallocate approved units "to schools identified to have the greatest need."
Systemwide, RVS stated that one-third of its entire classroom capacity now exists in modular classrooms—"the equivalent of 411 classrooms." It reported that 68 per cent of RVS schools are "currently at maximum modular capacity on their school sites."
The division said that while this is more recent for École Edwards, "unfortunately, other schools have needed to make similar adjustments to best use the space they have."
It said citywide adjustments began in 2023 with the Balancing Student Spaces engagement process, which included boundary and grade configuration changes across Airdrie.
RVS said two new K–9 schools have since been approved by the province but will take two to three years to open. The division said it will continue to request modular units as interim relief.
The reconfiguration at École Edwards also comes amid broader labour tensions in Alberta’s education system.
On June 10, Rocky View Schools superintendent Greg Luterbach told families that "all RVS schools and facilities remain open and classes and planned activities are continuing as normal" following a province-wide strike vote by Alberta teachers.
"A strike vote is a step in the provincial bargaining process which could lead to labour action," Luterbach wrote. "If the ATA took labour action they would need to provide 72 hours notice. They would have up to 120 days from now to begin labour action."
He added: "We respect the bargaining process and remain hopeful that the provincial government and the ATA reach a negotiated settlement."
That same day, Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling said the vote outcome sent "an unmistakable message."
"Teachers have just indicated that they’ve had enough," Schilling said. "We are seeing reports from different school divisions across the province where they’re using their school libraries or their learning commons as classrooms. They’re using gyms as classrooms. They’re using boot rooms as classrooms."
"We’re short-changing kids’ futures here," he said. "Teachers want to see their students thrive, and right now, they’re just merely surviving."
The current capacity and projected enrollment for École Edwards were not provided.
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