Crews have been busy converting the Summerland Middle School building on Kelly Avenue into an elementary school ahead of the new school year in September.
The changes include installing sinks in primary classrooms and washrooms in the Kindergarten classrooms. Handrails will also be added to the stairways.
The school property will also have new playground equipment and a new sports area for the children.
In January, the municipality of Summerland issued a building permit worth $4.5 million for the renovation of the Summerland Middle School building. This is one of the largest building permits issued in Summerland to date.
The changes to the school building are happening as the school district has been restructuring.
Giant’s Head Elementary School, one of Summerland’s two elementary schools, will close its doors at the end of this school year, while Trout Creek Elementary School will remain open.
The school district plans to lease out the former Giant's Head property.
Elementary students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 who would have attended Giant’s Head Elementary School will attend the new Summerland Elementary School.
The school district made the changes and school closures to address declining enrolment figures.
The Ministry of Education and Child Care’s guidelines call for schools to be at 95 per cent of capacity. However, the schools in Summerland have been at 69 per cent of capacity.
The school district is also constructing a daycare facility at the Summerland Middle School property. This facility will be operated by BGC Okanagan.
Summerland Middle School was opened in January, 2000. At the time, the school was created to meet the needs of students from Grade 6 to Grade 8.
After the middle school was opened, the former MacDonald School in Summerland was demolished and the area was used as a school playing field.
Scott Edwards, principal at Giant’s Head Elementary School and Kelsey Allison, vice-principal at the school, will move to the new Summerland Elementary School as the principal and vice-principal administrative team.
