Teachers, students and parents help design Saskatchewan's future schools

Teachers, students, parents and administrators have been brainstorming ideas for new schools this week.

The group of 97 spent the time in a warehouse in Saskatoon that allowed participants to create small-scale models of schools, as well as build full-scale mock-ups of what the designs would look like in a classroom.

Eleven students were asked to contribute their ideas to the process.

Luke Yakubowski, a Grade 8 student in Saskatoon, says he thinks the future of public education is not in the traditional classroom.

"I think it is different now because before it used to be everybody would sit in their desks and work in classrooms for hours," Yakubowski said. "But now as the future comes they're going to get to work in open spaces, way more collaboratively."

Education Minister Don Morgan addressed the crowd on Friday morning. He thanked everyone for their input and emphasized the importance of the student's input.

"The ideas and insights from students, parents and teachers will ensure that the schools are comfortable and creative spaces for students to achieve success," Morgan said in a press release.

The province plans to build nine, new elementary schools in booming Saskatchewan cities over the next three years. The schools are considered by the province as joint-use facilities, which means they will include a separate and public school in the same building.

The government hopes to have schools built in the following locations in time for the start of the school year in 2017:

• Warman - one elementary school
• ​Martensville - one elementary school
• Saskatoon - four elementary schools, one each in Hampton Village, Stonebridge, Evergreen and Rosewood
• Regina - three elementary schools, one each in Harbour Landing, the southeast and the north

The schools will be built using funding based on a P3 model. The procurement process has not started.