North Delta adds four classrooms, new library to elementary building

Construction work is underway this month at North Delta School as school leaders respond to enrollment growth and sweeping changes in education.

 According to John Howell Jr., Headmaster at ND, the school is expanding its elementary building by approximately 5,000 sq. ft., increasing the number of classrooms from 8 to 12 and also adding a new elementary library. The Randy Sullivan Memorial Gymnasium will be equipped with a new air conditioning system this summer. Also, the middle school hall and restrooms at the school will be renovated with new flooring and lighting.

 The expansion and upgrades come as the school experiences growth. Last year, North Delta served 444 students. For the 2014-2015 term, North Delta will be serving at least 480 students, which is in the range of where the school’s leaders plan to stay. “The additional space in the elementary will help us absorb growth from last year as well as this year’s growth.” The school does not plan additional expansion for significant additional growth, despite the fact that some grades are full. “One of the reasons our school is successful is that we are a small, nurturing school,” he said.  

 Behind the scenes, the school also this summer is investing heavily in its network and wi-fi capabilities in preparation for students to bring laptops and other devices to school daily. “Education is undergoing historic, sweeping changes in terms of how today’s teachers reach their students,” said Howell. “North Delta will see to it that our network is ready and that our teachers are trained to take advantage of the tremendous online resources that are available to help our students to learn and to be ready for college.”