The final school addition for full-day kindergarten in B.C. is about to get underway at T.E. Scott Elementary in Surrey, and seismic upgrades will be part of the package.

The eight-classroom addition to T.E. Scott brings the total number of new student spaces - created through adding classrooms for elementary grades as well as full-day kindergarten - to more than 700 at six schools in the district.

The Province will invest a total of $5.6 million for this project, which includes $3.6 million for new classrooms and $2 million to seismically upgrade the school's 1957 classroom block and 1965 gymnasium.

The four new full-day kindergarten classrooms will add space for 80 students, and the four new elementary classrooms will add space for 100 students in grades 1-7. This will increase the school's overall capacity to 100 full-day kindergarten and 375 elementary students.

Construction is set to begin at the school in June 2011 and scheduled for completion by September 2012. The school district may need to house students temporarily in portable classrooms for the 2011-12 school year while construction is underway at the school.

Quotes:

Surrey-Panorama MLA Stephanie Cadieux -

"The addition to T.E. Scott Elementary will add another 180 student spaces in Surrey. We know the enrolment demands in this community are extremely high, and we will continue to work with the district to find solutions that best meet the needs of their students."

Education Minister George Abbott -

"It made sense to look at the projects at T.E. Scott and other schools from all angles and make the best use of resources by providing extra elementary classrooms at the same time that full-day kindergarten classrooms were being added. These are small steps to help address the need for space in B.C.'s fastest-growing school district."

Surrey board of education chair Laurae McNally -

"The benefits of full-day kindergarten are well documented and include improved reading and numeracy. As leaders in education, the Surrey school district is pleased to provide these spaces to ensure our students have the educational foundation in early childhood that will put them on the path of lifelong learning."

Quick Facts:

* As part of the Province's $144.5-million capital commitment to full-day kindergarten, Surrey is receiving:

o 26 new modular classrooms at 18 different school sites.

o Funding to convert 36 existing available classrooms to kindergarten use.

o 32 new classrooms through additions at six of their elementary schools:

A.J. McLellan, Cambridge, Chimney Hill, Hazelgrove, Hillcrest and T.E. Scott.

* More than $581 million has been spent on seismic upgrades at schools in 37 districts between 2001 and 2010:

o 90 school seismic upgrades have been completed.

o 21 are under construction.

o 10 are proceeding to construction.

* In Surrey, 16 seismic upgrades have been completed and two are currently underway - at Surrey Traditional and Hall's Prairie Elementary schools.

* Since 2001, the Province has invested more than $230 million for 44 capital and seismic projects and eight site acquisitions in the Surrey school district. Among these are 10 new schools, including Hazelgrove Elementary and Adams Road Elementary.

* During that same period, government has spent more than $1.8 billion to complete 83 new and replacement schools, 149 additions, 26 renovations and 22 site acquisitions across B.C.

* By the end of 2010-11, the Province will have committed more than $3.9 billion in school capital and maintenance projects throughout B.C.

Links and Resources:

* Watch B.C.'s new modular classrooms being built and see how the Province is creating learning spaces for full-day kindergarten: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/capitalplanning/fdk_modular/

* Learn more about full-day kindergarten programs: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/early_learning/fdk/

* B.C.'s Seismic Mitigation Program: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/capitalplanning/seismic/

Contact:

Public Affairs Bureau

Ministry of Education

250 356-5963

Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect.