For the Townsman
Students, teachers and staff at Jaffray Elementary/Junior Secondary school in the Southeast Kootenay school district will benefit from $556,785 in provincial School Enhancement Program funding.
Bill Bennett, MLA for Kootenay East announced today, on behalf of Education Minister Mike Bernier, that the district will use the new funding to replace the school's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
"Making sure our schools receive key updates when they need them is an important part of providing a positive learning experience for our students," said Bennett. "By upgrading the HVAC system at Jaffray school, we are ensuring that it will continue to be a comfortable, healthy learning environment for students for years to come."
Government announced an extra $20 million in funding under the program in September 2016. As a result, 217 school improvement projects have been approved to proceed throughout the province.
Out of the 217 approved projects, 122 schools will use the funding to upgrade their plumbing lines and fixtures. A number of districts will benefit from new or repaired roofs or upgraded fire response systems. For this round of funding, the Ministry of Education expanded the scope of eligible projects to include flooring upgrades and 30 schools will benefit from improved flooring.
As a result of B.C.'s fiscal discipline and balanced budget, government is able to support student learning, community development and local jobs through key investments like the School Enhancement Program.