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Campbell River elementary, middle schools to see new classrooms

School District 72 is adding some more classrooms to four of its schools.

The Board of Education approved a draw of up to $287,000 from local capital to increase classroom space at École Phoenix, Southgate, Ripple Rock and Sandowne schools.

“We’re getting to that time of year where we need to be looking at and preparing for next year,” says Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Patrick. “As presented earlier this year, we have an increase of 29 FTE (full-time equivalent) students projected for this next school year.”

Although overall district enrollment is estimated to only increase by 29 in September, there are more middle school students, and migration within the community is increasing enrollment at Ripple Rock and Sandowne.

Both middle schools require one additional classroom, with École Phoenix seeing an increase of 33 students and Southgate seeing an increase of 26 students.

This will be accommodated at both schools by converting a computer lab back into a classroom and creating a mobile computer lab at École Phoenix.

After years of declining enrollment, Sandowne Elementary is seeing an increase of 18 students as more young families move into the neighbourhood.

Patrick says the building has an empty classroom to use, “but they still have requirements for some new furniture and some new equipment for the teachers.”

As Ripple Rock Elementary is in an area of housing growth and is currently at capacity, the school has a projected increase of 12 students next year and now requires a new portable.

The district will apply for a building expansion as part of the next capital plan, but there will also need to be a boundary adjustment to share enrollment growth with another school.

Looking ahead 10 to 15 years, a new school may be built on the old Evergreen school site.

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