Enrollment surges at new Simcoe County elementary school

A new elementary school in Alliston is welcoming hundreds of students to the community.

The Catholic school has registered just over 450 new students since its opening in September, with its numbers continuously growing.

"It is really wonderful and phenomenal to see how quickly the school has grown and become a school instead of a construction site," said May Boucher, St. Cecilia Catholic School principal.

Enrolment numbers at the new school continue to rise as the area experiences a surge in new housing developments and increased population growth.

"As new builds are closing and families are moving in, we continue to register students on a weekly basis, and it's beautiful to see," said Boucher.

It's a growth that New Tecumseth Mayor Richard Norcross said could see the community expand by the thousands in the next several years.

"We could see upwards of 100,000 people moving into the area in the next several years, and this school is badly needed. The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic school board worked in collaboration with the town to make it happen, and we think families are loving it," said Norcross.

Tanya Rodrigues is a mother of two whose son attends St. Cecilia. Her Grade 8 son was forced to change schools due to student boundary changes, but she welcomes the move.

"At first, we were terrified, and it was a big change for him with the boundary changes; however, now he is absolutely loving it," said Rodrigues.

On Tuesday, the school celebrated with a grand opening ceremony with parents and students.

According to the school board, St. Cecilia Catholic School is just the latest school to open its doors, with the board expected to add three new elementary schools in Innisfil, Tottenham, and Bradford in the coming years.

The board noted all the projects are in the beginning planning stages.