Two schools in northeast B.C. are enjoying additional classroom space this year, with a brand new building at the elementary school in Wonowon and a new wing at a middle school in Fort St. John.
Wonowon is a small rural community of around 300 people located 88 kilometres north of Fort St. John, along the Alaska Highway.
Wonowon Elementary's brand new building, complete with a library, gym and more classrooms, replaces the original building constructed over 60 years ago.
"Wonowon is definitely a growing community. We always have lots of students coming into kindergarten," said principal Jaclyn Gieni.
The new school is attached to the old one, which is expected to be torn down this summer.
The school has 80 students, who celebrated the grand opening of the new building on Tuesday alongside teachers, staff and parents.
Gieni said students are excited to learn in the new school, and thanked them in a speech for their enthusiasm helping set up classrooms every day.
Many residents in the area have Russian, Ukrainian, and German ancestry and according to the school's website, about 90 per cent of its students are English language learners whose first language is Russian or German.
Gieni said the school also serves as a gathering and emergency shelter space outside of school hours.
In Fort St. John, students at Dr. Kearney Middle School are still settling into new classrooms that opened in January.
A new wing with eight new classrooms was built to accommodate 200 Grade 7 students.
-with files from Tom Summer/CBC News
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