Summer holidays are coming to an end and students in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo will soon be heading back to the classroom.
Secretaries, administration, and teachers are already back in schools within the Fort McMurray Public School Division (FMPSD) prepping for the quickly approaching 2022-23 school year.
Annalee Nutter, FMPSD superintendent stated during an interview that hiring new staff had gone well.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the numerous applicants they (human resources) were getting. It was not what we expected at all,” Nutter commented that this included hiring support staff.
“We were well staffed before summer, as we get more registrations, we will have a need for more staff.”
She noted that the FMPSD are having a staggered entry for students similar to last year, with a slight alteration.
“Last year we had the grade ones go first and then the grade twos, and then the teachers recommended that we flip that. They felt the gap was too much for those young kids to start on a Monday and not be back until the following Tuesday, so we flipped it,” Nutter said.
Start times for FMPSD students are the following:
- Monday, Aug. 29 – Grade 5/6/7
- Tuesday, Aug. 30 – Grade 3/4/8/9
- Wednesday, Aug. 31 – Grade 2/10/11 & Kindergarten/ECDP (Early Childhood Development Program)
- Thursday, Sept. 1 – Grade 1/12 & Kindergarten /ECDP (Early Childhood Development Program)
- Friday, Sept. 2 – PLF No Classes
- Tuesday, Sept. 6 – All Students Back for Regular Classes
Superintendent Nutter gave the following tips for parents getting their kids ready for the new school year:
- A school supply list can be found on your child’s school website under the “Parents” tab.
- Regularly check your school’s social media
- Some schools use the app called “Remind: School Communication”
- When choosing a new school, book tours sooner than later
- Start switching your child’s sleep/eating schedules back to normal
As for kids coming back to school this year, she reminds students that if they want to make recommendation for their school or want to see something new to ask their principal. “If you want something, just ask for it.”
To register your child, go to fmpsdschools.ca.