When Deanna Hannaford looks out her office window as principal of Woodcrest Public School, she frequently sees houses being built in the neighbourhood.
Responding to the growing population in the area, Lakehead Public Schools is building an expansion to their newest elementary school.
“We are growing,” said Hannaford. “We want to accommodate every single child in this neighbourhood. We would like them to walk to our school each and every day.”
The province announced $2 million for the addition Wednesday and with tendering starting immediately, construction on the four-classroom expansion is expected to begin in spring 2012.
Although Woodcrest only opened four years ago, director of education Cathi Siemieniuk said the neighbourhood’s growth has exceeded the board’s original projections.
“Fortunately, this school was designed to accommodate an expansion because we know this is a growing area of Thunder Bay,” she said, adding that since the building was intended to be extended, they are prepped and ready to build.
She added they’re hoping the addition will be finished by fall 2012.
Woodcrest has about 510 students enrolled this school year and when they first opened in 2007, they had just more than 480.
“At the time, we wanted to make sure we didn’t have 10 empty classrooms at the other end of the building,” Hannaford said. “We wanted to make sure children were taken care of; they weren’t questioning why we have so many empty rooms.”
Responding to the growing population in the area, Lakehead Public Schools is building an expansion to their newest elementary school.
“We are growing,” said Hannaford. “We want to accommodate every single child in this neighbourhood. We would like them to walk to our school each and every day.”
The province announced $2 million for the addition Wednesday and with tendering starting immediately, construction on the four-classroom expansion is expected to begin in spring 2012.
Although Woodcrest only opened four years ago, director of education Cathi Siemieniuk said the neighbourhood’s growth has exceeded the board’s original projections.
“Fortunately, this school was designed to accommodate an expansion because we know this is a growing area of Thunder Bay,” she said, adding that since the building was intended to be extended, they are prepped and ready to build.
She added they’re hoping the addition will be finished by fall 2012.
Woodcrest has about 510 students enrolled this school year and when they first opened in 2007, they had just more than 480.
“At the time, we wanted to make sure we didn’t have 10 empty classrooms at the other end of the building,” Hannaford said. “We wanted to make sure children were taken care of; they weren’t questioning why we have so many empty rooms.”
