Chilliwack Board of Education approves 8 recommendations aimed at balancing enrolment, capacity

CHILLIWACK – After two-plus months of consultation with parents and families, the Chilliwack Board of Education on Tuesday night approved eight recommendations aimed at balancing enrolment and capacity that will take effect in the 2027-28 school year.

According to a statement from SD33, the district’s north side Early and Late French Immersion programs will move from Chilliwack Middle School to Rosedale Traditional Community School (RTCS) for the 2027-28 school year. RTCS will transition from a K-8 school to a middle school that year.

Rosedale catchment K-5 students are set to attend the new east side elementary school when it opens in September 2027.

The board approved changes to the Cheam Elementary catchment. The catchment will be split between Little Mountain Elementary, Strathcona Elementary and the new east side elementary school. The use of the Cheam Elementary facility will be explored in the coming year, and a decision will be made prior to the 2027-28 school year.

Among the remaining recommendations approved by trustees:

• The Board approved the relocation of the Early French Immersion program from Cheam Elementary to the new east side elementary school.
• Imagine High Integrated Arts and Technology will become a grade 6-12 school. A.D. Rundle Middle will no longer offer the IAT program beginning in September 2027.
• The board directed the superintendent to review the catchments for Watson Elementary School, Unsworth Elementary School, Tyson Elementary School, and Stitó:s Lá:lém Totí:lt. Staff will present any recommended catchment changes to the Board by spring 2027 to align with implementation of other recommendations in 2027-2028.
• The board voted to leave Late French Immersion at Vedder Middle School (VMS) at this time. Originally, district staff proposed relocating the program to Mt. Slesse Middle School (MSMS) to address capacity pressure at VMS. However, significant community opposition convinced staff to revise the recommendation.

No changes will occur to the pathway for students in the Greendale and Yarrow catchments. Those students will continue to attend Stitó:s Lá:lém Totí:lt for middle school and then transition to Sardis Secondary School in grade 9, the district noted in a statement.