New High School for Western HRM
A new high school in the western part of the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) will help ease overcrowding and give students a safe, modern learning environment.
The province has approved a request by the Halifax Regional School Board to build a new high school to serve students living in the Hammonds Plains-St. Margaret's Bay area of HRM.
"Our system needs to show some flexibility to respond to the changing needs of school boards throughout the province," Education Minister Jamie Muir said today, Jan. 16. "In this case, the Halifax board clearly demonstrated a need for a new high school. It's something the community wants and, by making some adjustments, we were able to make the project fit into our existing budget."
About 960 students will attend the new high school which will cost $16.2 million to construct.
It will have an 8,400 square foot gymnasium, a drama room, music room and two physics labs, two biology labs, a chemistry lab and an information technology lab.
"This is great news for our community," said Sarah Nightingale, chair of the School Advisory Council at Sir John A. Macdonald High School in Hubley. "Our young people can now look forward to attending a new high school with the most up-to-date facilities. This is truly a long-term benefit for the people of this area."
The addition of the new high school will mean changes to some other schools and projects within the Halifax Regional School Board.
Sir John A. MacDonald High School will become a junior high school for 750 students in grades 7 to 9. Conversion to the junior high school will be completed by September 2006.
Because of the change in grade levels, most of the major renovations previously planned at Sir John A. will no longer be needed.
Pam DeMone, a member of the school steering team that helped guide the renovations at Sir John A., is pleased with today's announcement.
"Sir John A. will make an ideal junior high as it right now," said Ms. DeMone. "This is good for our community."
At the request of the Halifax Regional School Board, the new elementary school planned to open in September 2005 in Hammonds Plains will now be a Primary to Grade 6 school.
It will have 25 classrooms and junior high-size (6,500 square foot) gymnasium.
"This is a great day for the students, staff and the community," said Michael Flemming, school board member for District 6. "I'm pleased the government was willing to take another look at its long-term plans and make the necessary changes."
Site selection will now begin for the new high school, which is expected to open to students by September 2006.