On September 5, the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) held a groundbreaking ceremony at the future location of the New South Kitchener Elementary School, at 670 Thomas Slee Drive in Kitchener. We were grateful to be joined by representatives from the Region of Waterloo, City of Kitchener, and YW Kitchener-Waterloo as we look forward to all that this new school will bring to the students, families and community we serve.
"As a former educator and administrator, I spent my fair share of time in WRDSB schools, and I know first-hand the incredible places they can be for the students, staff and families that make them their own," said Maedith Radlein, Vice-Chair of the WRDSB Board of Trustees. "I think that's why it feels so special to be here today, at the start of this educational adventure."
The design partnership between the Architects at WalterFedy, a locally headquartered multidisciplinary firm with a long history in school design, and an Anishinaabeg-owned and operated architectural firm, supported WRDSB in establishing the design for the project and gathering input from students, families, caregivers, and community members. The new design will feature a welcoming lobby, shading canopies, winter garden planters, urban forest areas, and gardening patches throughout the site.
"I want to express my sincere thanks to Elder Myeegun Henry for leading WRDSB staff and contractors in a land acknowledgement and blessing ceremony in June, before any work had been started on this site," said jeewan chanicka, WRDSB Director of Education. "The design of this school reflects an ongoing commitment of WRDSB to deepen our understanding and relationship with the environment as taught to us by the Indigenous people who have been its stewards from the beginning. We worked with an all women, Indigenous led architectural firm who in turn engaged students, families and community around the design. We believe that this school will become a hub in service to the entire community."
As construction continues, the New South Kitchener Elementary School will also receive a name, in accordance with:
- Board Policy 4020: Naming and Renaming of Board Facilities
- Administrative Procedure 4865: Naming and Renaming of Board Facilities
About the New South Kitchener Elementary School
The New South Kitchener Elementary School, located at 670 Thomas Slee Drive in Kitchener, will accommodate 591 students in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, and will be home to a child care centre. The school is tentatively scheduled to open in September 2025.
A Boundary Review is currently underway to establish an attendance area boundary for the new school. Read more about the Boundary Review.
