The Principal at Parkcrest Elementary is optimistic about the future as students return to school at George Hilliard Elementary today.

Catherine Gorman is glad that all of the roughly 400 staff and students will be staying together, after a fire burned down their school on September 5.

She says she is also grateful for everyone who has helped get the space at George Hilliard Elementary ready in time to welcome students back to school.

“Loads of parents who’ve done drives for school supplies or things that we need in classrooms. We have had truck loads from all over the province that have dropped off donations,” she said.

“Our teachers are extremely grateful for that because as you can imagine, getting a school back up and running is a challenging task at the best of times, and then when you don’t have anything to do that, everything is welcome.”

She says while the building will be different, the school community will be the same.

“We recognize that there are a lot of other people and a lot of other moving parts in the district that have made this happen including the moving of TREC and Four Directions as well at the allocation of space from NorKam,” Gorman added. “So from a Parkcrest standpoint, our staff and our school community are extremely excited in front of us.”

She says student well-being is their top priority, noting there will be supports available all of this week.

“We want to make sure that kids have what they need and that teachers have what they need for learning to happen moving on,” Gorman said. “If we do have students who need some support, we do have people in our district who will be there providing that support for us.”

Students will be in class from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon today, and tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon on September 17. Regular classes get underway on Wednesday.

(Photo via SD73 Superintendent Alison Sidow)