Photo: SD 23

The Central Okanagan urgently needs more than $400M worth of new or upgraded schools, trustees will hear this week.

The school district is launching a public outreach campaign, “Together We Build,” to raise awareness of the issue as it lobbies the provincial government for funding.

Of the seven major projects awaiting funding, a new $110M high school on the Westside is near the top of the list.

“Enrolment at Mount Boucherie Secondary (MBSS) is at 112 per cent capacity, projected to increase to 137 per cent by 2030,” said the school district’s promotional materials.

A new middle school in Rutland on the Quigley Elementary property, estimated at $58.5M, is the district’s top priority in its replacement program. The school district has been seeking funding for the project for nearly 15 years.

The school district says the current Rutland Middle School is "unsustainable" and notes 46 per cent of students at the school are in 11 portables.

Other requests before the province include a new elementary school in Wilden ($37M), a new Glenmore high school ($127M), replacing Glenmore Elementary ($40M), an addition to Dr. Knox Middle School ($20M) and an addition to CNB Middle School ($13M).

All seven projects are “urgently needed” and awaiting approval from the province, according to the district.