The public school board is looking for approval from the Ministry of Education to move forward with the final $6.5-million renovation that will see W. F. Herman Secondary School flipped to a JK to Grade 12 model.
The first phase of the project began in June and Superintendent of Education with the Greater Essex County District School Board Todd Awender tells BlackburnNews.com students are coping well as the second phase of construction wraps up.
"They're trucking along and understand that there's a little bit of commotion going on, but at the same time they're going on with their studies, completing all their work and doing a great job in the school," says Awender.
The school renovation is part of a previous accommodation review done by the board and will see students from Percy P. McCallum Elementary School folded into the new JK to Grade 12 at Herman. Renovations are expected to be complete in time for the new school year beginning September 2016.
Awender says the newly renovated school will help the board deal with empty students spaces and expects it to be a positive learning environment.
"You're now going to be filling it with almost 1,300 students so it's going to be a pretty full place. It should be pretty vibrant and a lot of excitement, we're hoping, is going to come from this too," says Awender.
The total cost of the renovation project is nearly $13-million.