London’s newest public school will open with 12 portables

A new school meant to address soaring enrolment in southeast London, Ont. is already stretching to meet demand one week before classes begin.

Summerside Public School will open its doors to students for the first time next week with 12 portable classrooms in the schoolyard.

“It’s a sea of portables,” says Rob Gubesch, whose daughter will attend the school. “[I’m] just in awe that a new school can have that many portables before it opens!”

The $14.6 million school on Meadowgate Boulevard in the Summerside neighbourhood has a capacity of 556 students.

However, enrolment has soared.

The additional students will be taught in 12 portables being installed in the north end of the schoolyard.

“I know it seems strange we have a brand new school opening with 12 portables,” admits Mark Fisher, director of education at Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB). “But we have to remember that this school was approved in 2018, four years ago, and we have seen unprecedented growth in London.”

The province lets school boards plan for new schools.

Summerside Public School in London, Ont., as seen on August 31, 2022. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)Summerside is one of several growing neighbourhoods on the periphery of London that have contributed to it becoming the fastest growing city in Ontario.

School board administration won’t predict if there will be more portables during the school next year.

Fisher says an attendance review is underway to adjust school boundaries so as to reduce overcrowding in fast growing neighbourhoods and utilize available space in some older schools in established areas.

He explains that TVDSB must fill all of its existing schools before receiving government approval to build new ones.

“The reality is we probably need another three, four, or five schools in the City of London,” he adds. “That is why we are doing a citywide attendance area review, which is actually the largest attendance area review ever in Ontario.”

A spokesperson for Ontario Minister of Education Stephen Lecce writes in a statement to CTV News London, “Our government has committed nearly $14 billion over the next 10 years to approve new schools, renovations and major expansions at schools that directly benefit rapidly growing communities.”

But as a parent who has waited years for a new school, Rob Gubesch says his neighbourhood is now left to wait for the next one as well.

“We need another school already and we haven’t even got this one opened, so it’s bittersweet,” he says.

The first day of classes at Summerside Public School is Sept. 7.