Sooke schools are struggling with some major growing pains.
Despite the province investing a record $2 billion in school capital projects over the next three years, the need for new and upgraded facilities in Sooke continues to rise.
The Sooke School District ended up with double its projected enrolled growth this school year. The district has 11,665 students this year, 18 per cent coming from Sooke schools.
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B次元官网网址淗ow we build new facilities and new schools will depend on SookeB次元官网网址檚 growth,B次元官网网址 said school board chair Ravi Parmar at a recent meeting with Sooke council. B次元官网网址淭here are significant challenges across the district, not just Sooke.B次元官网网址
By the end of 2034, the district expects a combined deficit of 300 seats at Poirier, Saseenos, Sooke and Journey schools.
B次元官网网址淥f course, those are projections,B次元官网网址 Parmar said. B次元官网网址淏y the time we get there, we could be looking at more than that.B次元官网网址
Schools in Sooke are using a combined 11 portable classrooms this year. Parmar said portables would remain in Sooke until new schools can be built.
The school district hopes to open a new Sooke elementary school in the Sunriver area by 2027. Four schools are also planned for Langford and Colwood. Provincial approval is still pending.
There is concern that the new schools already being planned might not be enough to keep pace with all the new families moving into the area.
B次元官网网址淩ight now, weB次元官网网址檙e building two new schools in west Langford, and one of those schools will be at capacity when it opens,B次元官网网址 Parmar said.
He added conversations might be needed in the future to look at more creative solutions to expand school facilities in Sooke.
B次元官网网址淏uilding new schools is just part of it. We may also need to look at expansion or replacements of schools,B次元官网网址 Parmar said, noting Sooke elementary school is 100 years old.
Mayor Maja Tait said the challenge has always been the condition and age of schools in Sooke.
B次元官网网址淢any of our schools donB次元官网网址檛 meet seismic requirements. Despite the enrolment, the schools will continue to age,B次元官网网址 Tait said.
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