Willoughby students can look forward to learning in a new school as construction gets underway.
The project will also benefit families with a neighbourhood learning centre on the school grounds.
“This will be more than a new school. It will be a community hub that will create opportunities close to home for families in this fast-growing neighbourhood,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. “Our government is making investments like this throughout the province to ensure children are getting the best start in life and students are learning in inspiring environments.”
The kindergarten to Grade 5 school will have space for 555 students. Government made the commitment to invest $28.7 million in the project in May 2019. Without the investment in the new Willoughby neighbourhood school, approximately 23 portables would be required in the school district.
“We hear from parents on the Willoughby Slope who have experienced first-hand the challenges of growth in our schools,” said Alicia Rempel, president, Langley District Parent Advisory Council. “We welcome these new education spaces and understand the positive impact the neighbourhood learning centre will have on our community by creating opportunities to provide social emotional supports and programs for families.”
In order to better support local families with young children, the neighbourhood learning centre has been designed to accommodate child care and before- and after-school care.
“Adding child care to school grounds gives families quality and convenient care in an environment that is already designed to grow young minds,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. “By partnering with local school districts, we’re bringing much-needed spaces online sooner and helping kids have a smooth transition from child care into the classroom.”
The school site is on 78th Avenue, between R.E. Mountain Secondary school and Willoughby Elementary. Construction is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2021-22 school year. Once complete, a total of 2,450 school seats will have been added to the district since September 2018.
Government is making record investments in B.C. schools to give every student the best learning experience possible. In two and a half years, the Province has approved over $2 billion in school capital investments, creating over 13,000 new student seats and more than 26,000 seismically safer seats.
To continue to support this momentum, Budget 2020 includes a historic $2.8 billion for school capital investments over three years.
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Megan Dykeman, chair, Langley Board of Education –
“The Langley Board of Education is committed to providing the best education possible for our children so that all learners may reach their full potential. This school will help alleviate the significant enrolment pressures we face in Langley as one of the fastest-growing areas of British Columbia. The board is excited to finally see construction underway. We are looking forward to continuing to work with the minister to address the growing needs that the Langley School District faces.”