New Schools in Willoughby (By: Jordan Brundrett)
In the next few years, Langley can expect to see the development of new schools in response to increasing population in the rapidly expanding Willoughby area of Langley. Unlike other areas of the province where school populations are in decline, the planned new schools are badly needed in Langley where class sizes and school populations are at all-time highs.
Construction of the new Yorkson Area Middle School is well under way and expected to complete in time for a fall 2014 opening. The 26 million dollar project is expected to provide some relief in the Willoughby area. The school will accommodate 750 students and be located on 84th Avenue at 206th Street.
In addition to the benefits Yorkson Area Middle School will provide to the parents and students of Langley, it is expected to create 150 jobs during the construction phase and many more once the school opens. Many parents and students are anxiously awaiting its opening.
The Langley School District is building the Yorkson Area Middle School in a “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” Gold design. This new and eco-friendly design will make the school more energy-efficient and will help it minimize the impact it has on the environment. The MLA for Langley, Mary Polak, commented, “I am excited about this new middle school. We are [happy to provide] safe, efficient, and modern schools for a growing Langley.”
The new middle school will consist of grades six through eight. As of September 2014, students who would have gone into eight at R.E. Mountain Secondary School will instead go to the new Yorkson Area Middle School. This is expected to relieve some of the demographic pressure on R.E. Mountain Secondary with its current enrolment exceeding 1000 students. Ms. Polak said that the Yorkson Area Middle School “will soon be a hub for hundreds of Langley students and residents.”
The Yorkson Area Middle School will not be the only new addition to the Langley School District’s arsenal of new schools. Set to open in September of 2013, the Richard Bulpitt Elementary School has stirred up interest among the students and residents of Langley.
The Richard Bulpitt Elementary School (located at 20965 77A Ave ) was named after a former Langley superintendent. The school will provide schooling to 510 Langley students from kindergarten to the fifth grade and will feed students into the new middle school.
A veteran Langley School District administrator and father of five, Richard Bulpitt is remembered as man who was “quiet and hardworking, who always encouraged [students] to follow their passion.” He worked as the Langley’s Superintendent of Schools from May 1996 to March 2001 when he retired. “Richard Bulpitt was admired by students, colleagues, and friends for his love of education and dedication to the community,” said board chair Wendy Johnson.
Over the next 20 years, Willoughby is expected to be built out (entirely developed). As a result, the School District projects that it will need another two new secondary schools, four middle schools, and 11 elementary schools.
In response to these projections, the School District along with Langley City and Township have created committees to plan for these upcoming projects. They are trying to ensure a proper distribution of students in the District. The next developing area, after Willoughby, has been predicted to be the Brooksword area.
Properly managed, the two new schools will bring some relief to the Willoughby area and to R.E. Mountain. Given the steadily increasing demographics in the area, only time will tell if that relief is temporary and sufficient.