New public high school set to open in southeast Edmonton as enrolment pressure continues – Edmonton [Video]

A brand new public high school is ready to welcome hundreds of students in southeast Edmonton later this week, but school board officials stress there is still a need for more space as enrolment numbers continue to grow.

Elder Dr. Francis Whiskeyjack High School, located along 17th Street at 24th Avenue, will open its doors on Thursday.

“It’s great for the southeast community, for sure. Our students are anxiously awaiting the opening of a brand new high school,” principal Tammy Tchir said Monday morning as members of the media got a tour of the building.

“I’m actually thrilled with how ready to go we are. … We are 95 per cent there so I’m super excited about that.”

At more than 234,000 square feet, the four-storey high school has a capacity of 2,400 students, 150 staff and 103 classrooms.

The school will be open for Grade 10 and Grade 11 …