Ontario Announces a New School is Coming to Newcastle

Pete Fisher
2 days ago
• Categories: Local

Ontario makes historic 1.3 billion investment to build and expand more schools across the
province.

On Monday, January 27, 2025, MPP Piccini alongside Minister Jill Dunlop announced that Newcastle
would be receiving the much-sought new K-12 School.

The Ontario government is investing $1.3 billion to build 30 new schools and 15 school
expansions across Ontario, creating more than 25,000 new student spaces and more than
1,600 new licensed childcare spaces. The investments address critical needs in growing areas
of the province to provide students with modern learning spaces to help them achieve success.

The 45 projects were selected after reviewing school boards’ project submissions through the
2024-25 Capital Priorities program, and address current and critical space needs in
communities where alternative options are limited, as well as access to French-language
education, to meet urgent needs across the province.

“This is the second consecutive year that our government has made historic investments in new
school construction and school expansion, as part of the government’s Build Ontario plan,” said
Jill Dunlop, Minister of Education. “Under our plan, schools are being built faster and more
efficiently than ever before, so more students have access to a place to learn and prepare for
the jobs of tomorrow.”

The new proposed school will host 1,445 pupils and meet the needs of families in the
Municipality of Clarington, this will replace the existing Clarke High School and Pines Senior
Public School located on Highway 115/35. The new location will be situated at board-owned
land at Grady Drive and Rudell Road.

“This is a promise made, and promise kept to the families of Newcastle. Today would not be
possible without the strong advocacy of parents, local trustees and our board. Our community is
growing, and families deserve a modern, state-of-the-art learning environment,” said David
Piccini, MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South. “Our government is looking squarely in
the front windshield as we build a better tomorrow for our next generation.”

“Schools are the hubs of the communities we serve, and we believe in the importance of wraparound services for students and families, from preschool to graduation. We extend our sincere
thanks to the provincial government for this capital investment and are excited to bring that
vision to life with a new Kindergarten to Grade 12 school in Newcastle,” says Jaine Klassen
Jeninga, Chairperson of the Board, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. “Municipality of
Clarington Trustees have led our advocacy efforts in seeking to address the enrolment
pressures we are experiencing in the Clarington area and concerns for the safety of students
attending school on a highway classified provincially as a staged freeway. We greatly welcome
this new capital funding as a positive step toward reaching those goals and benefiting students and families for many years to come.”

The ministry of Education will now be working with the KPRDSB to discuss next steps and how
to progress this important project as fast as possible. However, this is an incredible step forward
for the community in the Municipality of Clarington and will address concerns with overcrowding
as well as the safety concerns raised by local parents who have advocated for this new school
from the start of the process.

Quick Facts
• The Capital Priorities program supports the construction of new schools, permanent
additions, renovations, and school purchases.
• For the 2024-25 school year, the Ministry of Education has allocated renewal funding of
approximately $1.4 billion to school boards to renew and improve schools.
• The investment is part of Ontario’s commitment to provide about $16 billion to support
new school construction, renewal and improvement over 10 years.
• In 2023, school boards were encouraged to standardize the design of new school
construction, identify opportunities to work together on joint-use school projects and
bring forward shovel-ready proposals as part of the ministry’s plan to help build schools
faster.