The history of Lloydminster’s educational structure traces back to the early 1900s. Over the years, school divisions in both provinces gradually amalgamated, culminating in a single school division. The fusion of one city in two provinces required the development of an unprecedented agreement called the Lloydminster Charter, which continues to govern how municipal and educational matters are managed across provincial lines. Today, the division operates nine schools, with about 40% of its student population living on the Saskatchewan side and 60% on the Alberta side. All schools, however, operate under Saskatchewan’s curriculum, allowing a sense of unity across the divide. This cross-provincial model creates unique opportunities that have shaped LPSD’s identity as a community cornerstone. “We have a history of making our facilities available to the public… so, we’re very well known as a community partner,” explains Director of Education Jason Neville, highlighting the division’s frontline connection to the needs of the community. For example, the city’s track, used for the Saskatchewan Summer Games, is a shared resource between the city and the division. LPSD prides itself on making its facilities available to the community whenever possible, fostering strong relationships between the school system and the broader Lloydminster population. One of LPSD’s most significant milestones has been the recent expansion of Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, an ambitious project that introduced 14 new classrooms, a state-of-the-art fitness facility, STEM classrooms, a cultural room, and a fully equipped videography and photography studio. “The interesting thing about the expansion is that it triggered some opportunities we’d been looking for. It’s allowing us to do a grade reconfiguration… and at the same time, it triggered another opportunity where we were able to provide serious upgrades to facilities for each high school,” says Board Chair David Thompson. The additions also included a massive gymnasium, which was funded in partnership with the City of Lloydminster, the Synergy Credit Union, and both the Alberta and Saskatchewan provincial governments. This new facility, SynergyPlace, has become a shared community space that is, of course, available to 354 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 11
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