It’s been a full year, as of tomorrow, since Parkcrest Elementary burned down in Kamloops, and plans to rebuild it are still at the drawing board.

Kamloops-Thompson School District board chair Rhonda Kershaw says the district is working closely with the Ministry of Education on next steps.

“I think that the process is working its way through quicker than normal, but it does still take time. Because designs have to be made, and it does have to go through a process where they do costings.”

School district staff said last year rebuilding the school would cost up to $38 million. The Ministry of Education tells NL News it’s finalizing the project definition report for the new school building, which will include specific details.

“We expect to have more to say about the project in the coming months.”

Parkcrest had about 350 students before it burned down, though the cause of the fire may never be known. Kershaw says it’s unclear at this point if the school will be built to the same size as it was before.

“That’s part of what we look at when we go through the project development process, is what the neighboring capacity is in the other schools and if it’s warranted to be built bigger or to the same standard.”

Those students are preparing to return to class again at George Hilliard again this year.