The school was founded in 1952 as a daycare centre, but in the 1960s it became a proper elementary school. The school peaked in attendance in the 1990s, with six portables, before declining. During the 2012–13 school year, the school had only 170 attendees, which was a near all time low.[1] Due to low enrolment in the school, it faced the threat of shutting down, which would be leaving a major gap in the public school system in Nanaimo. The school survived due to its status as an "Eco School" being one of the only ones in the district,[2] highlighting the need to be green in the face of climate change. The current school principle is Larry Dean.[3] The School currently enrols 408 students.
Statistics
Departure Bay Elementary has 18 classrooms, reaching the legal limit for the property, of which five are portables. The school has two fields, although the lower field became smaller to make space for portables. The school has a gymnasium, multipurpose room, two playgrounds, three floors and over 400 students. Over a period of rapid growth between 2015 and 2020, Departure Bay became the largest school in the Wellington Secondary school catchment, surpassing Rock City Elementary.[4][5]
Other
Departure Bay Elementary during its period as an Eco School won the "energy cup" multiple times, which is a climate challenge for schools in the Nanaimo Ladysmith School District.[6][7]
The logo of Departure Bay Elementary features a dolphin, as the school is close to the seashore.[8]
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