Building Futures

St. Albert Public Schools, in partnership with Encore Master Builder, is excited to launch our new Building Futures initiative – a first for St. Albert!

Building Futures is an opportunity for incoming Grade 10 students to spend the school year building a house from the ground up. Students will earn high school credits while learning hands-on construction focused trades.

How does this work?

• Encore Master Builder is providing the building site and the construction knowledge while supervising the actual construction work. St. Albert Public Schools is coordinating the enrollment, providing the instructional expertise and overseeing the initiative.
• Students will register as they normally would with either Bellerose Composite High School or Paul Kane High School but attend “school” on site daily, where they will take part in almost every aspect of construction – from taking soil samples and digging the foundation to installing electrical,plumbing, framing and more. Students will engage in every aspect of home building with the exception of shingling at heights. A portion of the roof may be shingled when the roof is being constructed on the ground.

Who can apply?

• This initiative is offered to students who will be in Grade 10 at Bellerose Composite High School or Paul Kane High School in the 2024-25 school year.
• Up to 24 students will be selected from the applicants. Students must have an interest in the home-building process and must be prepared to work on site in all kinds of weather. Please note that spots are limited and application does not guarantee acceptance.

Will my child still be able to take their core courses?

• Yes! Classes will be held in the garage of the house. Students will take their core courses for half the day, and will work on the construction project for the other half of the day, earning an average of 60 credits during the year.
• Students will be taught by certified teachers and journeymen tradespeople.
• Students will also have the opportunity to take field trips, and to build additional items (for example, dog houses or sheds).

Where is the building site and how will my child get there?

• The site is in St. Albert. Students will register as usual at their home school (Bellerose or Paul Kane), and will be bused between the site and their home school every day. Site hours will be approximately 8:30 am to 2 pm.

Is there a fee?

• There will be a fee, to be determined, to cover transportation to and from the site, along with tools and relevant learning materials. Students must provide their own steel-toed boots. WCB coverage will be provided.

Does this take place over one or two semesters?

• As the build will take approximately nine months, students sign up for the whole year.

Will my child be able to take part in extracurricular activities like school athletics?

• Yes, because the site hours are shorter than the regular school day, students will be back at their home school in time to participate in after-school activities.