The Waterloo Catholic District School Board is considering redrawing boundaries to help north Cambridge schools deal with serious overcrowding as it pushes the province to fund a new school.
While the majority of Ontario's schools are reporting a decline in enrollment, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School is seeing a population surge.
The school was originally built for 325 students, but a surge in new housing has pushed its current enrollment to 650.
Principal Mark Godin says the school is reaching the tipping point, "There are 300 students in 12 portables. So that's like an entire school outdoors."
With the Catholic board is reviewing school boundaries, some students could get shuffled to St. Elizabeth Catholic School, which is also overcapacity.
That means there would likely be a second shuffle of children in the near future.
Concerned parent Ann Dwyer says she's not happy with the idea, "I don't want my kids bussed when I am within walking distance of a school."
And Grade 6 student Leah Ritchie says she wants "to graduate with all her friends."
There are also safety concerns with students having to cross busy intersections and parking lots to get to school.
The board is hoping to build a new school on Guelph Avenue but approval and construction could take up to three years.
Meanwhile Our Lady of Fatima's gym and library can't continue to handle the number of students, Godin says "It's a really painful decision –- we are a school community."
Results from Wednesday's public information meeting will be presented to the Board of Trustees and a decision is expected in March.
