The majority of modular units being requested by Rocky View Schools (RVS) from Alberta Education are targeted for Cochrane.
Last week, the board of trustees approved a submission for 21 new modular units and the relocation of eight to meet the demands of its constantly growing student population.
Thirteen of the new ones are being requested for Cochrane.
With RVS only receiving design work approved for a new Langdon school, the division is searching for other solutions to accommodate its student population. Many RVS schools are bursting at the seams and are functioning at over 100 per cent capacity.
"As new schools are not coming online as fast as our students are coming to us, we're having to look around us and say, 'what's our grade levels, what's our attendance areas, how much space do we have, can we add more modular classrooms," explains RVS superintendent Greg Luterbach. "Those are some of the different strategies we use to deal with a growing population,"
The Friday announcement by the government also included $125 million for 250 new modular classrooms. Luterbach says there is no guarantee RVS will get what it requests.
"Even last year, the board asked for 39 modular classrooms, and we got seven. We understand that there's pressure all around the province and that Rocky View's not the only growing school division. There are people out there looking for some temporary accommodation space. We certainly feel that there's a high need and we can certainly justify the need for all 21 of these and we'll be anxiously waiting until the spring to find out what we get approved for."
Last year, Cochrane got one new modular that is currently being connected to RancheView School. That school is currently operating at 101 per cent capacity.