With a big check mark beside the expansion to Valleyview Secondary, School District 73 is beginning the process to set a new priority capital project to begin lobbying for provincial funding.

School Board Chair Kathleen Karpuk says the process to set a new list of priority capital projects began on Friday.

“We are going through a process right where we are meeting with the municipality of Sun Peaks. We are going to be talking to them about growth projections. Where they see a possible location of a brick and mortar school. Where that fits within their community plan. Hear concerns and see if it is going to be K to seven or K to 12.”

Karpuk says they will also gather input from the city.

“Then the City of Kamloops is going to make a presentation to the board later in May on this city’s official community plan. Again where do we see growth happening. Where do we see developments building out in the next few years. So that we have a better idea of where our population pressures will be throughout the district and then that will drive our ranking for our long range facilities plan.”

She says the board should set a new list of capital priorities in June.

The Kamloops Thompson School Board is also wasting no time on getting the Valleyview Secondary expansion built.

Karpuk says the first step towards getting construction underway happened the same day Education minister Rob Fleming made the Valleyview announcement.

“We had the request for proposals for an architect out the door that afternoon. We were trying to move fast on that. That closed on Wednesday. We should be finding out within the next month who the architect is and then we will be going forward from there.”

So what does that mean for getting shovels in the ground?

“Fingers crossed we may be breaking ground on some construction this fall.”

Valleyview Secondary is currently at 140% of capacity with almost a thousand students in space built for 675.

Last month Education Minister Rob Fleming announced a $34.5 million dollar expansion project including a new sports field, gym, pick up and drop off area, and new classrooms.

The newly expanded school is expected to be complete in time for the 2022/23 school year.