The Thames Valley District School Board has received provincial approval to build a new secondary school in St. Thomas, marking the first time the board has constructed a new high school in more than 20 years.
The project will be supported by a $43.6 million investment from the provincial government. This new facility will provide space for 703 students and include 88 licensed child care spaces. The funding is part of a larger $285 million provincial package aimed at creating new and expanded school spaces across the London area.
As part of this transition, Arthur Voaden Secondary School will close at the end of the current 2025-2026 school year. The school has served the community for nearly 100 years, having first opened in 1926. While the building remains safe for students and staff, the board determined that the long-term maintenance and infrastructure repairs required for the aging facility are no longer sustainable.
Bill Tucker, the director of education for the school board, noted that the project allows the district to look ahead and create an innovative and accessible learning environment for future generations. Local officials, including St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston, have expressed support for the new school, noting that it will offer modern facilities, such as updated technology and skilled-trades training, that could not be accommodated in the existing building.
Families with students currently attending Arthur Voaden Secondary School are being contacted with information regarding school placements for September 2026. Board staff are finalizing transition plans that cover course selection, program offerings, and extracurricular opportunities.
Specific details regarding the location, design, and construction timeline for the new school have not yet been released. Officials are also in the early stages of discussing potential future uses for the current Flora Street property.
