New Westminster School District 40 International Education Program

New Westminster Schools is growing!

As a growth District, we’re working as hard as we can to build schools that will support the kids we currently have enrolled, while also making strategic choices when it comes to projected growth as well. And we’re proud to be building schools in a way that will enable us to lead into the future by creating spaces that will foster innovation, collaboration and take advantage of updated curriculum guidelines and teaching theories.

Here are our top projects …

The new New Westminster Secondary School

We are excitedly nearing the end of our New Westminster Secondary School Replacement Project – a $106.5 million, state-of-the-art new home for one of British Columbia’s largest high schools!

Our future NWSS space will accommodate 1,900 grade 9 to 12 students in a 21st century learning environment … meeting today’s standards for modern learning, safety and accessibility, while incorporating the latest sustainable energy management systems.

Current Phase: Finishing stage

Phase highlights: We’re busy installing whiteboard walls, hanging doors, polishing off the exterior finishes, ordering new desks and so much more every day!

Anticipated Completion: TBC (Due to COVID-19 related challenges, the previously-anticipated completion had to be delayed. We continue to monitor the situation daily.)

Additional notes: As noted above, on April 30th we had to announce the delay of opening – as a result of both supply chain issues and due to the number of workers we could safely engage on the site each day. We’re now encouraged to see that items that were previously delayed are starting to become available as we see tentative delivery and install dates slowly being made.

Want a sneak peak? Check out this album:

Richard McBride Replacement Project

This Spring we broke ground on the new Richard McBride! The replacement school will feature open spaces and a design that’s intended to support revised and modern curriculum needs. And, in addition, it will also feature a significant expansion to the child care centre with new infant and toddler spaces opening up to better support local families.

Current Phase: Foundation Phase

Phase highlights: Having completed a bigger than normal excavation (due to the location of the building and the slope of the hill, we were aiming to remove around 13,000 cubic meters of fill), we’re excited to be working on laying the foundation now, anticipating a move to the full construction phase in October.

Anticipated Completion: Fall 2021

Additional notes: Due to COVID-19 related reductions of kids, families and staff on the  larger school site, we were please to be able to pick up time through the Spring and Summer. As the COVID situation continues to evolve, and affects different stages of building in different ways, we’ll continue to closely monitor project at timelines as we move forward.

Queen Elizabeth Elementary School addition

In March of 2020 we were excited to share the news that the Province of British Columbia has given formal support to our top capital expansion project in New Westminster: an addition to Queen Elizabeth Elementary School! This much needed expansion paves the way for many additional classrooms to serve the fast-growing community of Queensborough.

Current Phase: Concept Plan and Project Definition Report

Phase highlights: our architectural lead is working with teams of quantity surveyors, mechanical and structural engineers, and more to help build the Concept Plan and the Project Definition Report – the final step required to give us the go-ahead needed to secure provincial funding.

Anticipated Completion: Not yet approved for funding or build

Minor Capital Projects

Funding for minor capital projects (those to occur between April 2020 and March 2021), will also cover: a roof replacement at Herbert Spencer Elementary, a roof replacement and flooring upgrades at Glenbrook Middle, and mechanical upgrades to air circulation systems at Connaught Heights Elementary and FW Howay Elementary.

And, in case you haven’t seen it yet: there’s a brand new playground at Queen Elizabeth Elementary, on Queensborough Landing, for students to enjoy this coming year! (Just remember to wash your hands before and after playing there, keep your distance and follow all the appropriate COVID-19 related etiquette.)