An eight-classroom addition at a Surrey elementary school has officially opened.
The $6.1-million project at Panorama Park Elementary School opened Friday (Dec. 6) and included a speech from a student and a musical performance.
It adds 200 new seats to the elementary school, located at 12878 62nd Ave.
READ ALSO: How teens grapple with growth at Surrey’s most crowded high school, June 11, 2019
Harman Gill, a teacher at Panorama Park, said the addition has “created a space that enables students to participate in lively group discussions, sharing of knowledge and collaboration.”
“The fluidity of the student and teacher workspace aligns with 21st-century learning where the emphasis is placed on the process,” Gill said.
With the new space, teacher Amrit Hundal said, students and teachers have been able to engage in a “more collaborative environment.”
“The extension has provided learning opportunities for students that encourage movement, networking ideas and taking ownership of their learning. The accessibility for an outdoor learning space has also contributed to a flex environment that progresses beyond the classroom,” Hundal said.
Students (including Gr7 Paulo) & staff are excited to have more space — 8 new flexible classrooms (and no more portables)! #sd36learn #SurreyBC # pic.twitter.com/rUS8MLwfmp
— Surrey Schools (@Surrey_Schools) December 6, 2019
In the 2018-2019 school year, Panorama Park had four portables.
“We don’t want to see students learning in portables; disconnected from the rest of the school,” said Jinny Sims, MLA for Surrey Panorama. “That’s why our government has made investing in Surrey schools a priority. Students are better supported and studying in a more positive environment. Every child needs a real classroom.”
READ ALSO: The struggle for space inside Surrey’s elementary schools, June 13, 2019
Five new schools and four additions are under construction in Surrey, according to a release from the Ministry of Education.
The release states that since September 2017, the province has approved nearly $250 million in new schools, expansions and seismic upgrades in Surrey. In total, that’s more than 7,400 new student seats in Surrey between 2018 and 2022.
“After years of underinvestment in Surrey, we are working hard to get students out of portables,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. “When students have the positive, engaging educational experience they deserve, they have a better chance to succeed - and it’s great to see that happening at Panorama Park.”
READ ALSO: Construction to begin soon on Sullivan Elementary addition, April 18, 2019
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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