The principal of Ecole McTavish, Scott Barr and members of the Fort McMurray Public School District (FMPSD) are counting the months until they can welcome students from grade seven to 12.
Ecole McTavish originally opened in 2011 and will now be expanded to be the first public high school in Timberlea.
The provincial government is funding the $27 million to $30 million project. Currently with grade seven to nine McTavish has roughly 700 students, the public school district is hoping to see that number double when they are able to offer grades 10-12.
“It is hard to know exactly where the population of the community will go over the next five to 10 years, we have to keep in mind schools like this are built for 40 years,” said Superintendent, Doug Nicholls. “It is a long term investment by the province. We don’t just few this as an FMPSD facility, this is a community facility.”
Inside the expansion will be a full size gymnasium, classrooms and a Career and Technology Studies (CTS) wing.
The CTS wing will house classrooms where children can explore career options in robotics, animation, cooking, welding and a music room with a recording studio.
“That is the key…there are certain kids who love curriculum like math and science, but there is lots that don’t,” said Barr. “If we want to keep kids in school we need to find what they’re passionate about and have them stick with that and show them how their schooling supports that.”
The district is hoping construction will be complete by September 2019.
