The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) has debuted one of three new elementary schools it will open this year: Jackson Meadows Public School. The nearly $30-million Jackson Meadows Public School, sits in the expanded Summerside neighbourhood in London’s southeast end. While many scenes from the first day of classes mirrored those across our region, there were a few more butterflies here as students and staff came together for the first time to form a new school community. “I’m a little nervous and excited”, said Yuvrha Bahia, a grade four student. Teachers themselves suffering from first-day jitters, worked to calm fears as classes formed outside for the first time. “I know there will be changes from what they’re used to. We’re going to do things differently than their other schools. But hopefully everybody is on board and positive and just keeping an open mind,” said Jessica Bowering, a grade 7/ 8 educator. While ready on day one, finishing touches on the gym and the library will take another week or two. Still, parents told CTV News London they’re impressed with the design and technology found inside and outside of the building. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for kids. They’ve got a state-of-the-art facility for all the students to learn,” said parent Tyler Erdie. The school has a capacity for 655 students but is opening with about 460. That is good news for parents moving their children from crowded schools nearby, said Kyle Trudell as he dropped his children off. “It’s awesome. They were going to Summerside school, but it was overpopulated,” he added. Still, with new housing being constructed around the school site, it may not be long before classrooms fill up, acknowledged principal Ken Overeem. “There’s lots of building going on in the area, so I anticipate within the next couple of years we may be at capacity, depending on how the building goes in the area.” Jackson Meadows is the first of three new public elementary schools to open in the TVDSB this school year. The others are in Belmont and in Lucan. There is more to come, said Dennis Wright, a TVDSB Superintendent. “London’s still one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada. And so, yeah, we’re on track to continue to build over the next few years. We’re looking at new applications to the ministry, even this year, with four or five new applications.”
