New Elementary School in Batchelor Heights – Board Advocacy Priority

The Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education has advocated for a new elementary school in Batchelor Heights since 2021.

This new school is the top priority in the 2023-2024 Capital Plan due to space pressures in the schools within the area that have already undergone catchment changes and disruption to manage these pressures. 

On February 28, 2022, the Board of Education approved a catchment change impacting the following schools in the area: Westmount Elementary, Westsyde Elementary, and David Thompson Elementary.  At that time, Westmount Elementary was at 181% capacity and had 41% of Westmount students in six portables, so the Board confirmed the District staff recommendation for a catchment change for these three schools to redistribute students within the restricted space available to relieve pressure at Westmount Elementary.

Westmount Elementary’s current capacity utilization is 122% (as of February 2024). Due to enrolment pressures, Westmount Elementary currently has four portables with additional portables expected to be added until a new elementary school in Batchelor Heights is built. 

The catchment changes that have been done to alleviate space pressures is not enough. The only solution is a new school to accommodate students in Westsyde and Batchelor Heights, and the growth expected in these areas over the next decade.