4 new school projects to tackle chronic overcrowding in Surrey

Four new school projects,including a new high school costing $55 million, has been announced for Surrey, B.C, in a bid toease enrolment problems.

The newsecondary school will be in the Clayton North area of the city, and will have places for 1,500 students in grades 8 to12, according to Education Minister Peter Fassbender.

Meanwhile, three elementary schoolsAdams Road Elementary, Rosemary Heights and Morgan will be getting a combined total of 16 new classrooms, to allow for an extra 370 students.

In a press release issued on Thursday, Stephanie Cadieux, MLAfor Surrey-Cloverdale, said she thought families would be thrilled to hear about the new projects.

"There is an urgent need for more student spaces in our schools and I look forward to the day we celebrate the completion of these projects," the press release said.

The government hopes the move will address the chronic overcrowding that has plaguedSurrey school district for years, forcing schools to bring in portable classrooms and extend teacher hours to serve all students.

The total cost of the four projects comes to $65 million, with the province contributing$45.6 million and the school district covering$19 million.

Construction is expected to begin on the new highschoolin spring 2015, with completion in early 2017, while work on the existing schools should begin this fall, and finishin fall 2015.