It was show-and-tell for adults last Friday at École John Stubbs, as dignitaries and parents celebrated the official opening of the district’s newest school.

Municipal politicians, trustees and Sooke School District officials toured the bright, modern building touted as having green building features equivalent to a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver standard.

“It’s been 12 years in the making. I’m just the lucky recipient of all the hard work,” laughed principal Ajmare Sundher, who was the principal of the old John Stubbs elementary for five years. “It is up to date with its lighting, computer system, energy efficiency. It’s great to meet a LEED standard.”

John Stubbs is an unusual school in British Colombia with Kindergarten to Grade 8, an elementary-middle school mix. Elementary students were the first kids in the halls in January and in September Grade 8s moved in. The school has 595 enrolled this year, with 750 expected in 2009 and 850 in 2010.

Glenn Whiteley, SD 62’s manager of planning, proposed the configuration about six years ago and it worked for the Ministry of Education. Garyali Architect Inc. designed the building.

“We needed middle school space,” Whiteley said. “We thought instead of two separate schools put two together. The ministry thought it was pretty good. For the public school system (the configuration) is very rare if there are any at all.”

Ron Warder, SD 62 assistant superintendent said convincing the Ministry of Education was one thing. Convincing the Department of National Defence to give up land in Colwood’s Belmont Park was another. Land disposal by DND is a notoriously long process. “They weren’t able to sell the property but they leased it to us for 50 years, basically the life of the building,” Warder said. “If they want to boot us off after 50 years they can.”

The school cost about $23.6 million and employs energy efficient lighting and building materials, large windows for natural light and a ground-source heat pump to warm and cool the building.

Trustee chair Wendy Hobbs just started on the school board 12 years ago when the need for a new John Stubbs came on its radar. Environmental aspects of the design is what the community expects out of schools now, she said.

With Happy Valley, Crystal View and now John Stubbs coming along, the district has built or rebuilt a number of news schools in the past few years. Next on the slate is getting funding for a new Belmont secondary, she said.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Hobbs said. “We are delighted that after 12 years of effort by the board, the community and the ministry we are celebrating the opening of this unique school.”