It appears the North Surrey Learning Centre may move back to the location it was forced to leave eight years ago.
As reported in The Leader last week, the Surrey School District has been told the program – for high school students who wish to learn outside the mainstream school system – must vacate the building in Newton near 134 Street and 77 Avenue it currently calls home.
The landlord is unwilling to extend or renew the lease and the learning centre will have to move at the end of this school year.
According to a report given to trustees at last week's public board meeting, school district staff have considered many options, and have determined Surrey Community College has space to accommodate the 240 or so students who attend the learning centre.
The college, operated by the school district, is located in a building beside the District Education Centre (DEC) at 92 Avenue and 140 Street – the same locale the North Surrey Learning Centre had to vacate in 2008 while DEC was under construction.
The college will continue to operate, but because some courses have been discontinued due to low enrolment, there is space in the building.
The decision to move the learning centre there is not final, and staff will consult with students, staff and the public before reporting back to the school board. On Thursday (Jan. 15), trustees gave the go-ahead for that consultation to begin. An update is due back to the board sometime next month.