Edgehill Elementary School is headed for some much-needed redesign and development next spring, due the school being almost 70 years old, and the current number of enrolled students being at 178 per cent capacity, including five portables.
During the qathet School District (qSD) board meeting on Wednesday, December 11, qSD director of operations Jared Formosa, gave an update to school trustees on the progress of the design and development at Edgehill.
Formosa's visual presentation outlined some key factors as to why the school is being redeveloped and what the redesign will look like after construction.
Capacity and enrolment
Currently, Edgehill's design capacity is for 145 students, however, as of 2023, there are 242 students enrolled. Formosa said district enrolment is projected at two per cent per year and so, by 2025, it is projected the school will be at 185 per cent operating capacity. The new revised design will allow for up to 285 students: 60 kindergarten and 225 in grades one to seven.
New design features
There will be a curved wall installed that opens up into the renovated gym, media-tech and music rooms. The curved wall will create room for a flex space as a small common area and will allow more traffic between rooms. Formosa emphasized that the redesign will also create more natural light coming into the building.
The school entryway will be redesigned with architectural timber elements to create a more inviting and aesthetic welcome, said Formosa. New kindergarten classrooms, a new staff office and two rooms for student support services will also be included in the redesign.
Project highlights
Changes include an electric infrastructure upgrade, a renovated gym, removal of five portables, an increase in student support services and increased media and technology spaces.
There will also be a new HVAC system to replace the boiler system for heating and cooling. Formosa said this change is in line with qSD's climate goals.
Construction timeline
"Some construction activities will start during spring break, which begins March 17, 2025, and ramp up once classes are out of session at the start of July 2025," Formosa said in an email to the Peak. "Construction will complete in August 2026 with an anticipated additional occupancy of September 2026."
Formosa added that the school will be fully operational during the expansion project, and Unitech, the construction management contractor, does not anticipate any disruptions to the academic calendar.
Join the Peak’s email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
