Art Smith Aviation Academy turning to K-9 school

Changing the grades offered at certain Cold Lake public schools will also mean an adjustment for Art Smith Aviation Academy. 

Originally, Art Smith was supposed to stay as a K-8 school, but now it will offer Grade 9 as well starting in 2023-24.

“The COVID pandemic negatively impacted enrolment across the province and enrolments at Art Smith did not increase the way we thought they would,” said Northern Lights Public Schools board chair Karen Packard. 

A survey done in April with families of students in grades 5-8 indicated they supported the change as it would reduce the number of school transitions students would have to make before high school.

Next school year is the last in a three-year plan to change the configuration of NLPS schools in Cold Lake to address capacity issues at some schools.

This included Cold Lake Elementary School becoming K-3 (originally K-4), Nelson Heights School 4-6 (originally 5-8), Cold Lake High School 10-12 (originally 9-12), Cold Lake Junior High 7-9 (originally 4-8), and North Star Elementary School K-6 (originally K-3).