The expansion of a Parisian school will create eight new classrooms and four nurseries

Cobblestone Elementary School in southwest Paris will soon be able to accommodate 184 additional students thanks to a multimillion-dollar expansion project, the Grand Erie District School Board announced this week.

With developments popping up around the Rest Acres Road area north of Highway 403, enrollment jumped to 121 percent of capacity last school year.

An adjustment to the catchment area diverted about 120 students to three neighboring schools, bringing the student population down to about 600 students.

Nonetheless, the board said in a news release that it anticipates continued growth in the area, and that eight new classrooms will help accommodate it.

The project will also coincide with the addition of four licensed child care rooms, accommodating 64 infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

The Investment Priorities Program dedicated nearly $4.1 million to the classroom project, while early childhood capital funding contributed approximately $2.2 million for child care rooms of children.

It is unclear whether this covers the full cost of the projects.

“Investments like this demonstrate an important commitment to building the infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of families in our district,” JoAnna Roberto, director of education, said in the release.

The school board said it anticipates the work will be completed in time for the start of the 2026 school year.

Celeste Percy-Beauregard’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report stories about Brant County. Reach her at [email protected].

Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator