School District 68 trustees will hear public opinions while forming a plan to create more space at NDSS (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

full school

SD68 launches public consultations to address NDSS capacity crunch

Jan 30, 2023 | 5:23 AM

NANAIMO — Local school board trustees are asking for guidance in establishing solutions for over-subscribed Nanaimo District Secondary School (NDSS).

During its Wednesday, Jan. 25 regular board meeting Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools trustees endorsed moving forward with examining five scenarios to implement over the next two years to create much needed additional space at NDSS.

Secretary-treasurer Mark Walsh acknowledged tough decisions will likely have to be made.

“What we’re looking at is some controversial suggestions, trying to move about 150 to 200 students — that we get ND(SS) solved by 2024, or at least the solution in place that we know it’s coming by 2024.”

One scenario involves having Gabriola Island students attend Cedar Secondary as opposed to NDSS, which could be arranged as soon as September.

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Seventy to 100 Gabriola Island students attend NDSS annually, according to a staff report.

Trustees signaled strong support for an in-person meeting on Gabriola Island in the coming weeks to hear how people in that community feel about the scenario impacting the community.

Moving sports academy programs from NDSS to John Barsby Secondary is another of the five options, as are minor expansions to Wellington Secondary and NDSS.

The longer range goal is replacing NDSS entirely, which tops the District’s capital wish list.

Concepts of shifting catchment maps, minor expansions or moving programs to different schools will be up for discussion over the next several weeks with trustees intending to make a decision by spring break.

Options considered not feasible involved re-opening old Woodlands Secondary, removing French Immersion from NDSS or a major expansion of the school.

Walsh said the suggested options or one’s not being recommended are not set in stone.

“Just to be transparent to the community it doesn’t mean the board can’t say ‘No this is what we want to do’ if the community comes back and say that. What we’re saying is we don’t want to go to the community with an option that we don’t think is a good one or a viable one.”

Details on the scenarios to create additional capacity at NDSS and the consultation process running until Feb. 23 are available here.

About 1,640 students attend seismically unsound and outdated NDSS, far beyond the school’s 1,400 capacity.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes