WINNIPEG -- The Pembina Trails School Division has come forward with a proposed recommendation to deal with capacity issues at South Pointe School that for some French immersion students could mean moving to a different school farther from home.

“It saddens us that this is the step we need to take,” said Pembina Trails superintendent Ted Fransen. “South Pointe has grown faster than we projected and the province, through its policy directive, is not in a position to add space at South Pointe.”

Under the proposal, the division would move 91 students to two other schools within the division which are located in Fort Garry – École St. Avila for kindergarten to grade six students and École Viscount Alexander for grade seven and eights – starting in Sep. 2020.

The 91 French immersion students are from the neighbourhoods of Richmond West and Fairfield Park which were previously part of the catchment area for South Pointe School.

“The board, two years ago, changed that,” said Fransen. “Those two communities now go to St. Avila and Viscount Alexander. The other students in French immersion who live in those two communities, who do not attend South Pointe, attend St. Avila or Viscount Alexander. So these 91 students would now be joining the other kids in their community.”

Fransen said South Pointe School has a capacity of about 850 students but projections show it will have 1,000 students next year.

The move comes after the Manitoba government rejected Pembina Trails’ requests for portable classrooms.

“Their comment to us has been that we must make full use of all empty spaces in adjacent schools before they will agree to add space at École South Pointe School,” said Fransen.

Richmond West resident Jim Smith isn’t happy about the proposed changes.

“I feel like my kids are being treated like ping pong balls, a bit,” said Smith.

Smith’s two daughters, 11 and 8, currently attend South Pointe School after moving from Bonnycastle School and under the proposal they would have to move to new schools next year.

“My oldest daughter will be now going from a school that she can ride her bike to a school that’s eight kilometres away down Pembina Highway,” said Smith. “My youngest is very tight with my oldest, we weren’t expecting them to be split up in schools for another two years. Now, all of a sudden they’ve got this staring them in the face that they’ll be going to separate schools."

“I understand there’s a problem that’s got to be dealt with, I’m just hoping they can deal with it in a less disruptive manner.”

The Manitoba government has previously said its planning to build a new K to 8 school in Waverley West "in the very near future."

Fransen and school trustees are scheduled to meet with parents Wednesday night.

The division’s board of trustees will vote on the recommendation on Mar. 11.