New Westminster Secondary School - Future Development

Future Development

The New Westminster School District is has announced the plans for the replacement of the New Westminster Secondary School (NWSS). NWSS will continue to be the biggest school in the Province of British Columbia with this largest and most complex construction project in the history of the province. As the only high school in New Westminster, NWSS also serves as a hub of the community, which means the high school students will enjoy the benefits of facilities not normally found in high schools. The new school will incorporate a community facilities development including improvements to the existing Massey Theatre (1260 seat auditorium), a new Fine Arts Centre which will also include a 300 seat theatre, expanded athletic fields, and a sports field house which will have a capacity for 6 basketball courts. Modern architectural designs will maximize space and light in the new school buildings, and incorporate state of the art heating and ventilation cooling systems.

The new school will be built on the site of the existing school and will accommodate up to 2,400 students – 375 more than the current enrollment. Enrollment at the New Westminster Secondary school is increasing, and this trend is expected to continue through to 2013. The replacement school was expected to open in September 2007, but due to funding issues, it is currently delayed.

As of April 29, 2007, it was believed that the government had promised either the new High School or Middle School would be built by the year 2009. It is currently being decided whether the school would accept students of grades 10-12 and have a middle school with grades 7-9, or to have the secondary school with grades 9-12 and the middle school as grades 6-8.