Parents frustrated with growing pains at new Bedford high school

Just over a year after opening their doors, two new schools in Bedford, N.S., are still grappling with the growing pains of surging student populations. 

During their first year open in 2023, the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) had to install modular classrooms at West Bedford School and West Bedford High School  — which are on the same property in separate buildings  — but even that wasn't enough to keep up with the growth. 

Last year, 1,251 students from pre-primary to Grade 8 were enrolled at West Bedford School, according to HRCE's website. To mitigate overcrowding in that building, students in grades 7 and 8 were moved to the high school in September. 

Enrolment at West Bedford High School consequently jumped from 423 students in 2023 to over 1,000 in 2024, according to some parents. 

HRCE spokesperson Lindsey Bunin could not confirm how many students are currently enrolled at the school, but said she should have the numbers later this week. 

For Susan White's daughter, who's in Grade 10 and doesn't do well with crowds or loud noise levels, this jump in students has been overwhelming.  

White said for the entire month of September, her daughter begged to move schools or even try homeschooling. 

Bedford South MLA Braedon Clark said he heard many complaints about the elementary side of the school last year, while things at the high school had been going well until now. 

"This is what happens unfortunately when you have major overcrowding issues and pressures. You solve one problem and sometimes you create another one inadvertently," said Clark. 

The Liberal MLA said the only way to keep up with the booming population within the Halifax Regional Municipality, particularly the rapidly growing community of Bedford, is to build more schools. 

The province recently announced the locations of four new schools for the Halifax area, including an elementary/junior high for Bedford. 

The school will be on Hammonds Plains Road close to the junction of Highway 102, but the province is still trying to purchase a plot of land. 

The Department of Public Works could not offer a definitive timeline for the new school, but officials said the project would take five to six years once the site has been secured. 

Scheduling changes 

In addition to what White's daughter described as standing "shoulder to shoulder" in the hallways, she said there has been disorganization when it comes to class schedules. 

White said a month into the school year, her daughter had changes to four out of five courses.

Bunin said it's not uncommon for more students to register over the summer, meaning schools must hire additional teachers in September and therefore, schedules may change. 

She could not say how many additional students registered throughout the summer, nor how many new teachers the West Bedford schools had hired since the beginning of the school year.  

Melissa Coolen's child is in Grade 11 and has had their class schedule changed seven times so far this year. 

Coolen is frustrated with the situation, but said she knows the teachers and school administration are doing their best to alleviate any confusion. 

HRCE adapting to growth

She said this ultimately boils down to poor planning on HRCE's part.

"The lack of preparedness and the lack of staffing that they had going into Sept. 5 when the school reopened just genuinely astounds me," said Coolen.

Bunin said HRCE is constantly having to adapt to growth and changes in enrolment. 

"We're doing the best we can with the infrastructure we have," said Bunin.

Bunin added that the way the city is growing, she would not be surprised if more modular classrooms will be added at HRCE schools but that would not occur until next summer when there is a clearer picture of enrolment at each school.  

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