Turtle Island Public School

Thames Valley has received funding approval from the Ministry of Education to construct a new $25.6 million elementary school and child care centre in north Woodstock. The school will have space for 856 students with a five-room child care centre for 10 infants, 30 toddlers and 48 preschoolers. The school consolidates enrolment for students at elementary schools located in Woodstock, Innerkip, Drumbo and Zorra. On October 22, 2024, the Board of Trustees approved Turtle Island Public School as the name for the new school.

Location/Attendance area

Woodstock, Oxford County
717 Knights Lane

Interactive map of Turtle Island Public school attendance area

PDF map of Turtle Island Public School attendance area

Project Status

UPDATED DECEMBER 2024

Construction Phase

Construction site as of October 2024

Overhead shot of new school

Construction site as of August 2024

Timeline

Expected Completion: Winter 2026

Project information

Budget: $31.9-million
Capacity: 856 students + 10 infants, 30 toddlers and 48 preschoolers
Architect: JP Thomson Architects
Child Care Operator: YMCA of Southwestern Ontario

Documents

Virtual Community Information Session

A virtual community information session was held on Thursday, October 27, 2022. JP Thomson Architects Ltd. and Thames Valley staff presented an overview of the project and its design at this session. The public was able to ask questions after the presentation.

Downloads

Design Committee

Thames Valley District School Board established a Design Committee to give the school community a voice in the schematic design phase of the process. Schematic design includes the general layout, basic concept drawings and understanding of project requirements and goals. The members consisted of parent representatives, teacher representatives, Superintendents, Trustees and Capital Projects staff.

The Design Committee convened on June 2, June 15, June 30 and September 14, 2022.

Updates

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

At a Board meeting on Tuesday, October 22, Thames Valley District School Board Trustees approved the names of three new elementary schools under construction in North Woodstock, Northwest London and Southwest London.

The new school names were collected from community input, identified by the Naming Selection Committee and voted upon by the school communities. Respondents were asked to rank the name options in order of preference.

The following names received the majority of first place votes:

North Woodstock: Turtle Island Public School (40%)
Northwest London: Northwest Public School (43%)
Southwest London: White Pine Public School (69%)

All three names were approved by the Board of Trustees at the Tuesday Board meeting.

"One of the goals from our new Multi-Year Strategic Plan is engagement and collaboration," said Board Chair, Beth Mai. "The Board of Trustees is grateful to these school communities for their thoughtful participation in the school naming process.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Child Care Operator selected for new North Woodstock Elementary School Child Care Centre

The YMCA of Southwestern Ontario is the successful operator.

The YMCA of Southwestern Ontario currently operates a Child Care Centre in Woodstock, as well as many Before and After School Programs in Oxford County. They have built trusting relationships with the families and school staff, and are very familiar with the Woodstock community.

Parents interested in child care can contact the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario directly by emailing Cyndi Frizelle at cyndi.frizelle@swo.ymca.ca.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Thames Valley awards construction tender for new Woodstock elementary school and child care centre

Thames Valley District School Board awarded the construction tender for this project to Graceview Enterprises Inc. on April 3, 2024. The project is expected to be completed by January 2026 for the 2025-2026 school year.

Monday, March 4, 2024

Thames Valley seeking Child Care Operators for three future elementary schools

Thames Valley District School Board is seeking Child Care Operators for child care centres that will be located in three future elementary schools, to be built in Northwest London, Southwest London and Woodstock.

A call for submissions will be posted on Thames Valley District School Board's Purchasing website (https://biddingo.com/tvdsb) on March 4, 2024 with a submission deadline of April 5, 2024.

Tuesday, February 20, 2023

Thames Valley issues construction tender for new Woodstock elementary school and child care centre

The Ministry of Education has approved Thames Valley District School Board to issue a tender for the construction of a $31.9-million elementary school and child care centre for north Woodstock.

The school will be located at 717 Knights Lane and have space for 856 students. It will also include a five-room child care centre for 10 infants, 30 toddlers and 48 preschoolers.

The current funding includes an additional $6.3-million from the Ministry to address cost overages.

The tender for the project will close in late March.

The school is expected to be completed for January 2026 for the 2025-2026 school year.

“Thames Valley is excited to share with Oxford County students and families that a new elementary school and child care centre for north Woodstock is one step closer to completion,” said Thames Valley Director of Education Mark Fisher, “We look forward to seeing shovels in the ground and working towards opening the school.”

School board Chair Beth Mai joined Vice Chair/Oxford Trustee David Cripps and Oxford Trustee Leanne Hopkins in thanking everyone involved in the project: “We are deeply grateful towards the Ministry as well as the municipalities and community partners who have supported the changing needs of this project. We look forward to welcoming students and families while celebrating future milestones with the community and everyone who has made this new school and child care centre a reality.”

“We are determined to build schools and expansions faster, part of our commitment to modernize schools in fast growing communities," said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. "We are proud to deliver this critical expansion to the capacity of the new Woodstock Public School for local families, along with increasing funding, staffing and a back-to-basics focus on reading, writing and math skills to help ensure students graduate with confidence that they can succeed in good-paying careers."

“This new school will be a welcoming addition to north Woodstock,” said Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford. “I am excited to see this project is getting underway. My constituents and I are looking forward to seeing this new learning environment that will come from this tender process.”

"Oxford County welcomes the additional child care spaces planned to get started in the near future to provide much needed spaces and improve access to child care in Oxford County. Child care within schools provide opportunities for partnerships and seamless transition for children into school-age education. Oxford County is pleased with the investment in licensed school based child care in the County," said Kelly Black, Oxford CMSM.

For more details about the future Woodstock elementary school and other Thames Valley Capital Projects, visit https://www.tvdsb.ca/projects.

Friday, August 25, 2023

Ministry announces funding to increase size of future Woodstock school

The Ministry of Education has approved $8 million in additional funding to increase the size of the future north Woodstock elementary school.

“I’m thrilled that this funding will enable us to increase the size of the future Woodstock elementary school from 660 to 856 students,” said Thames Valley Director of Education Mark Fisher, “Thames Valley looks forward to enhancing our ability to support Oxford County students and families.”

“On behalf of Thames Valley’s Board of Trustees, I want to express our sincere gratitude to the Ministry as well as the municipalities and community partners who have supported us throughout the planning and design process for this important elementary school and licensed child care facility,” said Thames Valley Chair, Lori-Ann Pizzolato.

The total funding for the school is now $25.6 million. It will also include a five-room child care centre for 10 infants, 30 toddlers and 48 preschoolers.

The school is expected to be completed by the 2025/26 school year pending additional Ministry approvals.

“The funding for additional student spaces at the new north Woodstock elementary school in Woodstock is great news for our community,” said Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford. “This investment will ensure families and students have access to a quality learning environment in the years ahead.”

For more details about the future Woodstock elementary school and other Thames Valley Capital Projects, visit https://www.tvdsb.ca/projects.

Monday, June 12, 2023

Scope change submission

Based on the significant increase in the number of residential units that have been proposed in this area since the submission of this business case and further discussions with Ministry of Education staff, Thames Valley District School Board has submitted a scope change for this project to increase the size of the school to 856 pupil spaces. Thames Valley is hopeful that we will have a response from the Ministry of Education shortly on the recent revision to this project.

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Site acquisition update

Thames Valley District School Board closed on the Woodstock school site on April 4, 2023 and now has title to the property.

Friday, January 27, 2023

Site acquisition update

The Ministry of Education has given Thames Valley District School Board funding and approval to purchase an 8-acre school site within the 5th phase of the Havelock Corners subdivision. The Planning Department is working towards a closing date with the developer now.

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

New school in Woodstock announced

The Ministry of Education has announced funding for a new elementary school and child care centre in north Woodstock.

“This is great news for students, families and community members in Oxford County,” said Thames Valley Education Director Mark Fisher. “This is a major milestone for the community, and we are very excited to support Woodstock with a much-needed elementary school and licensed child care facility.”

The $17.5-million project includes a new school for 660 pupils, and a five-room child care centre for 88 infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers.

“The recent Attendance Area Review that was approved by Trustees helped to balance enrolment at existing schools in Woodstock, paving the way for approval of this new school,” said TVDSB Board Chair Lori-Ann Pizzolato, who praised Oxford Trustees Barb Yeoman and Graham Hart for their leadership and community engagement during the review.

“We are so pleased with Ministry of Education’s support for our students and their families,” added Chair Pizzolato.

The project is part of a provincewide investment of more than $600 million to support new school and child care spaces that were recently announced by Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education.

“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made safer schools a priority, which is why we continue to invest in modern and accessible learning spaces with improved ventilation,” said Minister Lecce. “This investment is part of our multi-year plan to build, expand, and update schools and child care spaces across our province. It will leave a lasting legacy that benefits working families for years to come.”

“The new north Woodstock elementary school is great news for our community,” said Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford. “This investment will provide choice and flexibility for families and new opportunities for the children of north Woodstock.”