Edmonton's Nellie McClung all-girls program to close by June 2028 after enrollment collapse
The 31-year-old program at Wîhkwêntôwin School will discontinue after enrollment dropped to 13 students in grades 8 and 9, with zero in grade 7.
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Edmonton Public Schools announced Wednesday it will close the Nellie McClung Girls' Junior High program by the end of June 2028, ending 31 years of Edmonton's only public single-gender junior high program for girls.
The program at Wîhkwêntôwin School (formerly Oliver School) has seen enrollment plummet to unsustainable levels: zero students in grade 7 and 13 combined in grades 8 and 9. The school and the Nellie L. McClung Educational Society spent several years promoting the program, but enrollment continued to decline. Current students will be permitted to complete their studies through June 2028.
EPSB moved the program into its low-enrollment model in spring 2025, then advanced to the second phase this past spring. The board will repurpose the Nellie McClung space for other programming needs at the school.
The program was founded in 1995 with around 85 students in grades 7 and 8, then expanded to Avonmore School in 1998 and Bannerman School in 2000. It peaked at more than 450 students in 2003. The program was cut from Bannerman in 2015 and from Avonmore in 2018, leaving only the Wîhkwêntôwin location.
Nellie McClung was built on research arguing that girls perform better and develop higher self-esteem in single-gender environments. The program emphasized leadership, girls' empowerment, confidence, women's issues and contributions to society, and good citizenship. Its iconic uniforms and dress code became distinguishing features. Parents originally lobbied the school division for an all-girls option, and the division allocated six classrooms in an empty wing of the old elementary school to launch it.
The facts
When will the Nellie McClung program close?
The Nellie McClung Girls' Junior High program at Wîhkwêntôwin School will close by the end of June 2028.
How many students are currently enrolled?
The program has zero students in grade 7 and 13 combined in grades 8 and 9.
How long has the program operated?
The Nellie McClung program has operated for 31 years as Edmonton's only public single-gender junior high program for girls.
What was the program's peak enrollment?
The program peaked at more than 450 students in 2003, having started with around 85 students in grades 7 and 8 when it was founded in 1995.
