What We Heard: High School Program Planning at École J.H. Picard Catholic School
Updated: June 2, 2026
Edmonton Catholic Schools conducted a comprehensive engagement to gather perspectives on the introduction of an English academic high school program at École J.H. Picard Catholic High School, alongside the existing French Immersion program, beginning in September 2027.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to address declining high school enrolment at J.H. Picard Catholic High School, improve student retention, and strengthen the long-term viability of the school’s high school program.
The English academic program will be phased in, starting with Grade 10 in 2027–2028 and expanding each year to ensure quality implementation.
Engagement activities included focus group sessions, an in-person community event, and an online questionnaire. Participants included students, parents/guardians, staff, alumni, and members of the broader school community.
We are grateful for those who shared their perspectives:
- 358 online questionnaire submissions
- 27 community input event attendees
- 32 focus group participants
Whether you participated or not, we invite you to explore what we heard and how this feedback is informing next steps.
What We Asked
The engagement sought to understand community perspectives on introducing an English academic program, including both the potential benefits and areas of concern, as well as the elements of French Immersion identity that matter most, and the supports needed to strengthen and sustain the program.
Key Themes
Feedback reflected both strong support for expanding opportunities and a clear expectation that the school’s French Immersion identity will be preserved.
Five major themes emerged:
- Strong support for expanded opportunities
- Preservation of French Immersion Identity
- Implementation considerations, including the need for clear planning and contingency strategies
- Maintaining a strong sense of belonging and school community
- Need for clarity, transparency, and ongoing communication
Next Steps
During the 2026–27 school year, J.H. Picard will continue planning and developing the English academic high school program for a September 2027 launch.
This work will be guided by what was heard throughout the engagement process. These priorities directly reflect what participants identified as most important.
Key areas of work will include:
- Defining the program structure, course offerings, and learning pathways
- Establishing admission requirements and processes
- Identifying any facility upgrades or space requirements
- Ensuring French language, culture, and traditions remain a central part of the school experience
- Maintaining the strong sense of community that defines J.H. Picard
- Developing a marketing and communications approach
As planning progresses, updates will be shared with families and the community. These updates will provide more detailed information about the program, including academic opportunities and extracurricular options.
Read the Report and Infographic
Learn more about what we heard and how this feedback is shaping next steps.
Read the full report and summary infographic - primary medium button
If you have any questions, please email engagement@ecsd.net.
Background Information
Edmonton Catholic Schools met with the J.H. Picard School Advisory Council in March 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.
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.
How Feedback Was Gathered
A focus group met twice to provide in-dept discussion and early feedback to help inform planning. 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
A broader community engagement was conducted and focused on how the dual-track model would be designed and implemented, including considerations related to student experience and school culture. This included an in-person event on April 23 and an online questionnaire which was open from April 23 to May 8. A formal presentation was not included, and participants were encouraged to review a video presentation in advance.
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 Opportunities
Q: How will expanded enrolment lead to more sport teams, clubs, and extracurricular opportunities?
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.