Students at Southpointe Academy in Tsawwassen will start classes in their new campus Monday.
Located across 56th Street from the old school, construction of the facility recently wrapped up and teachers and administrators were busy preparing the campus during an extended student Christmas break.
Julia Common, the private school's director of community enhancement, said students will begin the day at the old school and, class by class, they'll walk or bus to continue classes in their new campus during the day.
Headmaster Graham Baldwin will greet each class as it enters the new building.
Meanwhile, the students in the primary grades will take with them shoeboxes containing items from the old school they think are important, said Common.
"The (new) building is outstanding. Once they get in the classrooms they're going to be blown away, it's just incredible," said Common.
Official ceremonies and activities for both students and parents are scheduled for Feb. 9.
The 68,000-squarefoot school, run by the Tsawwassen Independent School Society, was built on land purchased from the South Delta Baptist Church following Delta council's approval of a subdivision and development variance application.
Southpointe moved into its current home a decade ago, formerly the site of Boundary Bay Montessori, entering into a long-term lease arrangement with the Century Group. It also took over another adjacent building, an old motel, also owned by the Century Group.
The goal, however, had always been to find a site for a modern campus.
Accommodating up to 575 students, the new state-of-the-art building will feature communications infrastructure to serve Smart Boards, laptops and other devices.
Some of the other new amenities include a play space and playground equipment, fitness centre and performance theatre.
The move was made possible thanks to the support of the parent body, which has loaned $6.8 million by purchasing Southpointe Bonds, while the Toronto Dominion Bank loaned $10.5 million "at a most favourable interest rate."
