As students are readying themselves for summer break, the Sooke School District is already making arrangements for next fall.

SD 62 will start next school year with 100 per cent of its kindergarten classes operating for full days. Kindergarten enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year is already more than 700 students B次元官网网址� a healthy amount above the predicted 660.

B次元官网网址淲e always get more who sign up after school starts,B次元官网网址� observed Ron Warder, assistant superintendent. B次元官网网址淲e could get 20 more and thatB次元官网网址檚 a lot, thatB次元官网网址檚 a whole class.B次元官网网址�

With extended days for the five-old-year freshmen, SD 62 has added 27 classrooms through additions to four school buildings and eight free standing modular classrooms at six schools.

John Stubbs, Crystal View, Happy Valley and Lakeview are receiving classroom additions built onto the existing school.

Sangster, Willway, Sooke and Hans Hegesen have received one modular each and two have been added at Wishart and 脡cole Poirier. Modular classrooms are treated as permanent buildings and have been secured to a concrete foundation.

B次元官网网址淚 think (the modulars) are beautiful spaces, you donB次元官网网址檛 feel like you are in a portable,B次元官网网址� said Frances Krusekopf, district principal of curriculum and programs for SD 62.

Peter Godau, manager of facilities for SD 62 points out the walls of the buildings are eight inches thick to help insulate the building. B次元官网网址淭he construction is much heaver (than a standard portable),B次元官网网址� Godau said. B次元官网网址淭hey are also architecturally designed.B次元官网网址�

Modulars have large windows at the front of the class equipped with electric shutters, and each have their own washroom, janitor room and mechanical room. Across the province, 138 modulars have been added to school districts.

The cost for each modular classroom is about $250,000 and are designed to have a life span for about 40 years. A standard portable is expected to last no longer than 20 years.

SD 62 officials expected huge challenges transporting the 1,100 square foot building from the Mainland on a B.C. ferry with only an eight inch gap between the roof the building to the ship bulkhead, but none were damaged in transit.

B次元官网网址淭here was a lot of space width-wiseB次元官网网址� said Gus Gustafson, SD 62 capital forman.

During the 2010-2011 school year, two-thirds of the kindergarten classes were full day and proved to be popular.

B次元官网网址淭he feedback we are getting is (full day K) is the gift of time,B次元官网网址� Krusekopf said. B次元官网网址淎 lot of the teachers we talk to say they donB次元官网网址檛 know how they ever did it in half a day.B次元官网网址�

With a focus on play-based learning, Krusekopf said teachers are not feeling rushed to get through projects with the students.  B次元官网网址淚 think full day K has provided a lot of opportunities for that.B次元官网网址�

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com