Young voices echo the halls, as Durwest Construction employees lead some students through the future North Saanich middle school. The current students were among the dignitaries to tour the school that will bring kids and community together next spring.
Members of the school board, students, parent advisory council members, representatives of the Panorama Recreation Commission and others involved in the school community toured the school under construction on McDonald Park Road.
“These are my favourite kind of projects, because you can build a condominium but it’s just another condominium,” said Karl Novak of Durwest. “You build something like this and it’s the community.”
The carefully crafted design of the school takes in mind not only LEED standards — as the school strives for environmental gold — but student needs as well. Natural light filters across classrooms and through hallways, and the air smells nothing like a construction zone, save for a little dust.
The new facility represents an opportunity to move into a world of 21st century programming and personalized learning, said School District 63 Superintendent Keven Elder.
“We’ve said for a long time you don’t need a new school to do that, that you could do new things in old places. We are doing new things in old places. North Saanich in the current facility is a very, very innovative place in terms of instruction and assessement and quality of teaching and learning and community connections. But you know it sure doesn’t hurt, to move into a place like this … that’s designed for the 21st century.”
With a capacity of 400, the new school for Grades 6 to 8 replaces the existing 550-capacity school built in 1944. It’s on budget and on time to open after spring break in March 2012.
“It’s about finding today’s ways to reach kids and have them be part of the learning. We’re really excited about all the opportunities that it’s going to bring,” said principal Keray Wing.
A cultural room will acknowledge the First Nations in the school community, with two pieces of art and the legends that go with them, greeting those who visit the school.
Art tiles will decorate the school, portraying everything from the Sidney seaside to farmers fields.
“We’re going to be reaching out to the rest of our community and saying ‘Come and take part in this. Build us a tile.’ And we are going to be putting them inside the school,” Wing said. “It’s another little feature that says we’re not just about Grade 6, 7, 8, we’re about all the people in our community.”
Community will be invited into the school after hours as well, with the Neighbourhood Centre of Learning through a School District 63 partnership with Panorama Recreation.
“We see partnerships such as this as a very effective use of tax dollars,” said Carl Jensen, chair of the Peninsula Recreation Commission. “Our great staff are already planning what they are going to do. I’m sure they’re going to program the snot out of the gymnasium, multipurpose room and the food lab.”