P.E.I. schools ready for kindergarten classes

Five major school construction projects tackled in the past year on Prince Edward Island are ready for students.

Most of the $14 million in new construction was built to deal with an influx of more than 1,000 kindergarten students.

Until this school year, kindergarten had been offered by private operators using a provincial curriculum. The classes are now part of the public school system.

The projects include a 14-classroom addition to Westwood Primary School in Cornwall, and major additions at Charlottetown's West Royalty Elementary School and L.M. Montgomery Elementary School.

"When it all started we wondered if it would ever get completed," said L.M. Montgomery principal Heather Cudmore. "But  the contractors have been fabulous to work with the schools, and the items we need are on hand. The place looks lovely and so I think we're going to be ready."

Meanwhile, the new Stratford Elementary School is also ready for students, but not quite completed. There's still work to do in the library and gym.

But Principal Derek McEwen said the classrooms will be ready to go.

"In six weeks or eight weeks time we're going to have a brand new facility with the kinks hopefully worked out," he said.

The construction was all done very quickly, with the new school built over the past year and most of the additions completed over the summer.

The provincial government says the construction has come in on budget.

School starts for most students on Tuesday, with kindergarten students starting two days later.