High School Program Planning at École J.H. Picard Catholic School
Updated: April 23, 2026
Edmonton Catholic Schools is inviting members of the École J.H. Picard school community to take part in an upcoming engagement focused on strengthening the long-term sustainability of the J.H. Picard high school program.
J.H. Picard is a French Immersion K–12 school with healthy enrolment in elementary and junior high. However, high school enrolment remains low, which limits course options, extracurricular opportunities, and the overall high school experience for students.
To address this challenge, the Division will move forward with a dual-track high school model at J.H. Picard. This direction is intended to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the high school program while supporting a broader range of learning opportunities for students.
What is an English Academic High School Program?
Beginning in September 2027, J.H. Picard will introduce an English academic program alongside the existing French Immersion program as part of a dual-track high school model.
The English academic program is designed for students seeking a rigorous academic pathway and follows the Alberta curriculum. It will be offered as a separate program and will not replace or change French Immersion programming at J.H. Picard. A similar dual-track model is currently offered at Archbishop MacDonald Catholic High School. The English academic program will have entrance requirements that will only apply to the English program and will not affect French Immersion students.
Introducing an English academic program is intended to increase high school enrolment and support a broader range of course offerings, extracurricular options, and programming for students.
The English academic program will be phased in to ensure quality implementation:
- 2027–2028: Grade 10
- 2028–2029: Grades 10 and 11
- 2029–2030: Grades 10, 11, and 12
What About French Immersion?
French Immersion programming at J.H. Picard will continue, and the Division remains committed to preserving the school’s identity, culture, and traditions as a distinctive bilingual learning community. This includes dedicated leadership, protected instructional time in French, and the ongoing integration of French language and culture into daily school life.
No current J.H. Picard students will be required to change programs or pathways as a result of the dual‑track high school model.
Share Your Feedback
Edmonton Catholic Schools will move forward with a dual-track high school model at J.H. Picard for September 2027. Community engagement is focused on shaping how this model is designed and implemented, including student experiences and school culture.
Engagement is being conducted in phases. Initial focus groups have already provided in-depth discussion and early feedback. Broader community engagement will now take place through a community input event and an online questionnaire.
Families are encouraged to review the video presentation below, which provides important background information and explains the factors that informed this direction. The Community Input Event will be held in a drop-in format and will not include a formal presentation, so reviewing the video in advance will help families provide informed feedback.
All members of the J.H. Picard school community are invited to participate and share their feedback. There are two ways to participate:
Community Input Event
Thursday, April 23
3:30 PM – 6:30 PM
J.H. Picard School Gym
The Community Input Event will be held in a drop-in format. Families can arrive at any time during the event and will move through information stations and facilitated small-group discussions. Staff will be available to answer questions and gather feedback. A formal presentation will not be included, and participants are encouraged to review the video presentation in advance.
Online Community Questionnaire
April 23 – May 8
An online questionnaire will be available for families who are unable to attend the in-person Community Input Event or who wish to provide additional feedback.
What Happens Next
Feedback gathered through focus groups, the Community Input Event, and the online questionnaire will be reviewed and summarized in a What We Heard Report, which will be shared with the community later this Spring.
We encourage all families to take part in this process and share their perspectives.
If you have questions, please contact engagement@ecsd.net.
Background Information
Edmonton Catholic Schools met with the J.H. Picard School Advisory Council on March 2, 2026 to provide an update on the Viability Improvement Process (VIP) and to share plans for upcoming engagement with the school community.
J.H. Picard was first identified as a VIP school in 2023–2024 due to low high school enrolment and retention.
What is a VIP School?
The Viability Improvement Process is used when a school is experiencing enrolment challenges and is a multi-year planning and support process that focuses on strengthening the school and improving long-term sustainability. When a school is identified as VIP, the Division commits additional time, resources, and planning support to better understand local needs and to develop an action plan tailored to that school.
About J.H. Picard
J.H. Picard Catholic Elementary/Junior/Senior High School is a single-track French Immersion K–12 school with strong enrolment in the elementary and junior high. The school is currently operating at 91% overall utilization, which is considered healthy and within the optimal range.
However, high school enrolment has declined over the past year and remains significantly smaller than that of other high schools in the Division. In the 2025-2026 school year, 190 students are enrolled in Grades 10–12, making it the smallest high school cohort in ECSD.
Smaller cohort sizes make it difficult to sustain a full high school program with the range of academic, cultural, and extracurricular opportunities that families value.
Division Actions to Support a Strong and Sustainable High School Program
Over the past several years, ECSD has taken a number of steps to support the J.H. Picard high school program, including:
- Offering a shuttle service from junior high feeder schools to support a seamless transition into high school and make it easier for students to continue their French Immersion education at J.H. Picard.
- Providing additional funding to strengthen course offerings, ensuring students have access to a broad range of academic options aligned with their interests and post-secondary pathways.
- Expanding extracurricular opportunities to enrich the high school experience and foster student engagement.
- Adding staffing and targeted resources to support both teachers and students, helping sustain diverse programming.
- Gathering feedback through the Division-wide French Immersion Engagement.
While these supports were important, high school enrolment has not increased and is not projected to grow to a level that would strengthen the program over time. As a result, the Division is exploring a solution that support long-term sustainability.
Focus GroupsFocus group participants were invited by J.H. Picard school administration to ensure balanced representation of the school community.
The focus group met twice:
- Monday, March 16
- Monday, April 13
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General
Q: Why was this decision made?
J.H. Picard is a strong French Immersion K–12 school with healthy enrolment in elementary and junior high. High school enrolment, however, remains low, which limits course options, extracurricular opportunities, and the overall high school experience for students.
Q: What is being implemented?
The Division is implementing a dual-track high school model at J.H. Picard, introducing an English academic program alongside the existing French Immersion program.
Q: What is the difference between a single-track and dual-track school?
A single‑track school offers one language program. A dual‑track school offers two language programs within the same building.
Q: When will the English academic program begin at J. H. Picard School?
The English academic program will begin in September 2027.
Q: Which grades will be offered initially?
The program will be phased in to ensure quality. It will begin with Grade 10 and expand each school year as follows:
- 2027–2028: Grade 10
- 2028–2029: Grades 10 and 11
- 2029–2030: Grades 10, 11, and 12
Q: Does the current facility have space to accommodate a larger high school population?
Yes. The school is currently operating at 91% utilization. As enrolment grows, the Division will ensure all students can be accommodated.
Q: How will the Division ensure all students can be accommodated?
The Division has requested funding to demolish St. Margaret School, which shares a schoolyard with J.H. Picard, and construct a new K–9 French Immersion school on that site. This would allow the existing J.H. Picard building to serve as a dedicated high school campus.
Q: When will the demolition of St. Margaret and the construction of a new K-9 school happen?
No funding has been announced. ECSD will continue to advocate for these capital projects with the Alberta Government.
Q: What happens if the student population outgrows the current school before funding is announced?
If the student population outgrows the current school before funding is announced, we can request modular classrooms to be installed at the site.
Q: If a new school is built, will there be another school council and society, or will one group have to support two schools?
Each school will have its own parent council and society, and the Division will support parents in establishing these groups.
Program Details and French Immersion Protection
Q: How will the school ensure that FI remains an integral part of the identity of the school?
French Immersion will remain a visible and valued part of the school through dedicated leadership, protected instructional time in French, and the continued inclusion of French language and culture in daily school life.
Q: What new academic options will be available?
Program planning will take place during the 2026–2027 school year. Families will receive a viewbook in January 2027 and be invited to an open house in Spring 2027, to learn more.
Q: Will there be entrance requirements for the English academic program?
The English academic program will have entrance requirements. Students must achieve a minimum of 75% in each Grade 9 core subject to be eligible.
Q: Will the English academic program include advanced offerings such as IB, AP, dual-credit or post-secondary partnerships?
J.H. Picard will continue to offer Advanced Placement (AP) programming. International Baccalaureate (IB) is not being considered as part of the English academic program. As enrolment grows, the Division may explore additional opportunities, such as expanded AP offerings, dual credit, or post‑secondary partnerships, where appropriate.
Q: Will expanded enrolment mean that courses will be offered more frequently?
Yes. With expanded enrolment, more courses will be offered, allowing for more flexibility in a student's schedule. More information will be shared in 2027 as course details are finalized
Enrolment, Class Size, and School Experience
Q: How will increased enrolment affect class size?
Increased enrolment brings increased funding, enabling the school to hire more teachers and manage class sizes.
Q: Will a dual-track model create a hierarchy between programs?
No. Both programs will be supported equitably and contribute to a shared culture.
Staffing and Teacher Workload
Q: How will the school recruit sufficient bilingual teachers?
The Division actively recruits French language teachers throughout the year. Additional English-language teachers will also be hired to support expanded programming.
Q: How will teaching assignments be supported as the new English academic program is introduced at J.H. Picard?
At J.H. Picard, teaching assignments are aligned with program offerings and teacher qualifications. As the English academic program is introduced, qualified teachers will be hired to support the implementation of this program. Assignments are made based on the courses being offered, ensuring appropriate staffing to meet program needs.
Transportation, Boundaries, and Access
Q: Will transportation continue for French Immersion students and will English academic students be eligible?
Yellow busing will continue for K-12 French Immersion students. However, English academic students are not eligible for yellow busing. The preferred transportation method for Grades 7-12 students is Edmonton Transit Service (ETS).
Q: Will catchment areas be adjusted to support a dual-track school?
Yes. Catchment area adjustments will occur to balance utilization between J.H. Picard and Archbishop MacDonald.
Sports Teams, Clubs, and Extracurricular Activities
Q: How will expanded enrolment lead to more sport teams, clubs, and extracurricular activities?
A larger high school student and staff population make it easier to form teams, sustain clubs, and offer a broad range of extracurricular opportunities. Increased enrolment also helps meet participation requirements and supports a more typical and well-rounded high school experience.