Latest news with #schoolconstruction
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
New Halifax elementary school won't be ready for September
The new St. Joseph's-Alexander McKay Elementary School in Halifax won't be ready for September, according to a message sent to families on Thursday. The original school building was demolished and its replacement was expected to open in 2023. Since then, the project has expanded, delaying its construction. "Unfortunately, the new SJAM will still not be ready to welcome students at the start of the 2025-26 school year," says the message from the Halifax Regional Centre for Education. "This is awful news and we share your disappointment. "We acknowledge how disruptive this news is, especially to your children and your family's plans for the next school year." The message goes on to say the Department of Public Works has been assured by the contractor that the school will be ready for students midway through the 2025-26 school year. It said the Halifax Regional Centre for Education would provide updates on project timelines. 'Unexpectedly complicated' "While these kinds of issues are not uncommon in the construction industry these days, we appreciate this project has been unexpectedly complicated," the message says. "The Department of Public Works has had the construction lead add more trades workers and contractors, and we have asked them to work overtime and on weekends to get the school open as quickly as possible." A followup message to families on Friday confirmed students will remain at École Beaufort until the new school is ready. Shortly before the message was sent to families, Jesse LeGallais, a parent of two children who attend St. Joseph's-Alexander McKay, told CBC Radio's Mainstreet Halifax that he was concerned about further delays. "Whether the excuses are valid or not, there has been abysmal communication from Public Works, there has been abysmal communication from the HRCE," LeGallais said. "They do send out updates, but those updates, I find, are unreliable." Advocating for the school "The Beaufort school isn't really fit to service," LeGallais said. It doesn't have a real gymnasium, it doesn't have a real music room, it doesn't have a library, it's got various issues that the staff and the teachers and principals are dealing with but there's only so much you can do," LeGallais said. He said the kids are being bused in and that extends his children's own day by up to an hour. He said it also cuts down on the amount of time parents have to interact with teachers and other parents. LeGallais said he knows of families who have pulled their children out because of the delays, but that's not something he's considering because his children have friends there and he likes the staff. "So, I think the best thing we can do is not give up on the school but to advocate on behalf of the school because if we can organize as parents and we can put enough pressure — things can get done." MORE TOP STORIES
CBC
9 hours ago
- General
- CBC
New Halifax elementary school won't be ready for September
The new St. Joseph's-Alexander McKay Elementary School in Halifax won't be ready for September, according to a message sent to families on Thursday. The original school building was demolished and its replacement was expected to open in 2023. Since then, the project has expanded, delaying its construction. "Unfortunately, the new SJAM will still not be ready to welcome students at the start of the 2025-26 school year," says the message from the Halifax Regional Centre for Education. "This is awful news and we share your disappointment. "We acknowledge how disruptive this news is, especially to your children and your family's plans for the next school year." The message goes on to say the Department of Public Works has been assured by the contractor that the school will be ready for students midway through the 2025-26 school year. It said the Halifax Regional Centre for Education would provide updates on project timelines. 'Unexpectedly complicated' "While these kinds of issues are not uncommon in the construction industry these days, we appreciate this project has been unexpectedly complicated," the message says. "The Department of Public Works has had the construction lead add more trades workers and contractors, and we have asked them to work overtime and on weekends to get the school open as quickly as possible." A followup message to families on Friday confirmed students will remain at École Beaufort until the new school is ready. Shortly before the message was sent to families, Jesse LeGallais, a parent of two children who attend St. Joseph's-Alexander McKay, told CBC Radio's Mainstreet Halifax that he was concerned about further delays. "Whether the excuses are valid or not, there has been abysmal communication from Public Works, there has been abysmal communication from the HRCE," LeGallais said. "They do send out updates, but those updates, I find, are unreliable." Advocating for the school "The Beaufort school isn't really fit to service," LeGallais said. It doesn't have a real gymnasium, it doesn't have a real music room, it doesn't have a library, it's got various issues that the staff and the teachers and principals are dealing with but there's only so much you can do," LeGallais said. He said the kids are being bused in and that extends his children's own day by up to an hour. He said it also cuts down on the amount of time parents have to interact with teachers and other parents. LeGallais said he knows of families who have pulled their children out because of the delays, but that's not something he's considering because his children have friends there and he likes the staff. "So, I think the best thing we can do is not give up on the school but to advocate on behalf of the school because if we can organize as parents and we can put enough pressure — things can get done."
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Llanelli special school to be built after Ysgol Heol Goffa U-turn
Proposals to build a new special needs school have been given the go ahead after a "year of torment".It comes after Carmarthenshire council said last year it was not possible to continue with the original plan in Llanelli due to construction 300 campaigners protested in September 2024 claiming the council broke a promise to fund a new building for Ysgol Heol Jenkins, chairman of governors at the school, welcomed the news, adding: "We'll be keeping the pressure on the local authority to make sure that we do get what was promised eight years ago." The unanimous vote comes after multiple U-turns over plans for the school.A replacement school was first proposed in 2017 which was due to be relocated and expanded to meet May 2024, the council said it would not go ahead with plans due to financial pressures which led to protests by council commissioned an independent review of additional learning needs (ALN) provision in the area which was published in February outlining six options for the school and of those were formally proposed to the council on Monday by Glynog Davies, Plaid Cymru cabinet member for education, and both involve building a new special school. During the meeting he said "children's welfare is an obvious priority" along with balancing the costs of the proposals would see a school created for 150 pupils which is estimated to cost £27.3m - £35.4m as well as developing proposals to build one primary and one secondary specialist centre for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) attached to mainstream would see a review and revision of the current proposal to build a new special school and design it to include a provision for pupils with ASC with capacity for 250 pupils costing between £36.2m and £51.2m. After the meeting, Mr Jenkins said it came as a "relief" for the school after a "year of torment".He thanked the community for the "depth of feeling and love" towards the pupils and staff and said he looked forward to a "positive dialogue" with the council moving forward.
