Nanaimo school district staff are examining a move of Vocational Adult Secondary Training and the Career Technical Centre carpentry program to John Barsby Secondary School in time for September.
The carpentry program allows Grade 12 students to earn credits for both secondary and post-secondary, while the adult secondary training program offers adult graduation completion. The Ravens Lelum Teen Parenting Learning Centre would also be relocated.
The programs are currently housed at Nanaimo District Secondary School, but with a teaching staff increase anticipated due to a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision and more space needed at NDSS to accommodate construction of an artificial turf field, the district is exploring the feasibility of the move. Furthermore, Nanaimo District’s student numbers are increasing, putting a premium on space.
Four classrooms, two portables and three offices would be moved to John Barsby. The district said Barsby has more space and the move would allow for Barsby to be at capacity in terms of space usage. Barsby has a medical centre and daycare on site and adult secondary training students would be able to take advantage of that.
John Blain, school district superintendent, told trustees at a recent board meeting that there are approximately 100 students enrolled in the VAST program and approximately 27 Ravens Lelum students. The carpentry program has about 17 students.
“Ravens Lelum has been identified as a program that we’ve been looking at anyway to make a move to John Barsby to enhance and facilitate the young parents and their children,” said Blain.
He said Barsby’s extra space “puts all these programs in a brighter light in the building.”
Staff are expected to determine costs, conduct analysis of students and make recommendations, with the intention of reporting back to trustees at the April 12 business committee meeting.