New Surrey Elementary School Opens Amid Ongoing Capacity Challenges

A new elementary school has opened in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, providing temporary relief to the capacity pressures faced by British Columbia’s largest school district. École Snokomish Elementary welcomed its first students this week, but school officials anticipate that the alleviation will only last for a couple of years.

The Surrey School District recorded a decline in student enrolment at the beginning of this school year, marking the first such decrease in 25 years. According to school board chair Gary Tymoschuk, this reduction, along with the opening of Snokomish Elementary, has eased some overcrowding in the district. Still, there is concern regarding the need for additional schools, as current efforts to expand existing facilities are insufficient.

“Our list for new schools is enormous,” Tymoschuk noted, pointing to the ongoing demand for educational infrastructure. While the district has made some strides in addressing overcrowding, there are currently no new school construction projects underway.

Innovative Design and Cultural Significance

Located adjacent to Goldstone Park, a well-frequented green space in Panorama, Snokomish Elementary is a three-storey building, reflecting a shift in design practices. Tymoschuk explained that historical one-storey schools are becoming less feasible due to land costs, prompting the district to consider vertical school designs. Despite higher construction costs associated with multi-storey buildings, such as additional staircases and elevators, they offer savings in other areas, like roofing.

The school’s name, Snokomish, was chosen in consultation with the Semiahmoo First Nation, serving to honour the Indigenous peoples who historically inhabited the area near the Serpentine and Nicomekl rivers. Principal Laura Grills highlighted the impact of diseases like smallpox and influenza on the Sno komish people, emphasizing the resilience of their descendants who became part of the Semiahmoo and Kwantlen First Nations.

Snokomish Elementary has a capacity for 655 students, with approximately 420 currently enrolled in its 27 classrooms. The school, which cost about $44 million to construct, incorporates design elements inspired by the Indigenous medicine wheel, featuring classrooms around a central courtyard. Key amenities include floor-to-ceiling windows, collaborative breakout rooms, an open-concept library, and a “maker space” for hands-on learning.

Future Challenges and Growth Projections

Students at Snokomish Elementary were assigned from nearby schools, including Woodward, Goldstone, Cambridge, and Sullivan. Grills, a former principal at Goldstone Elementary, noted that enrolment at her previous school had exceeded 800 students, a figure now reduced to approximately 600.

The Surrey school board previously estimated a need for 27 new schools and additional space at 21 existing schools, with a total funding request of $5.7 billion. While this year’s request may be slightly less, it remains significant. The recent drop in enrolment has been attributed to federal immigration restrictions; however, Tymoschuk stated that this trend is not expected to persist, with projections indicating a rise in student numbers in the near future.

District superintendent Selma Smith confirmed that surrounding schools are either at or near capacity, underscoring the urgency for further infrastructure investments. To manage costs and timelines for future school builds, the district is exploring creative solutions, including potential collaborations with developers in light of the new SkyTrain corridor through Surrey’s City Centre.

As discussions between the city and the school district continue, Tymoschuk expressed the hope that schools could be integrated into existing city-owned buildings, although specifics remain undisclosed. The commitment to addressing capacity challenges in Surrey’s educational landscape reflects a broader need for innovative solutions in growing communities.