Jason Emiry
Northern News Services
Published Friday, August 22, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - St. Joseph school is in the middle of renovations but it will be business as usual, albeit with a few changes, next Wednesday when the school opens again for another year.

The bus lane and parent drop-off zones have moved.

The drop-off lane for the buses has been moved to Range Lake Road at the west side of the school.

The parent drop-off and pick-up area has been moved just south of the intersection of Finlayson Drive and Range Lake Road.

"Our whole way of entering has completely changed," said Flo Campbell, principal at St. Joseph school.

"We've made additional changes to our supervision, put extra people out to ensure safety. The changes will include a staff member helping students cross the street at the Finlayson three-way stop."

Campbell said parents can enter the school by going through the main gate off Range Lake Road and then through the playground.

"Once they come in there they'll see very clearly a large sign on our school which indicates our main door," said Campbell. "This time next year we'll have our whole front entrance and new gym built and that becomes our permanent main door. This part is only for a year."

English students from Grades 6, 7 and 8 will be going to William McDonald school for two years during the renovations.

Yellowknife Catholic Schools and Yk1 signed an agreement to share the space.

Gillian Dawes-Taylor will be the principal at William McDonald school for the kids from St. Joseph.

Mike Huvenaars, assistant superintendent of Yellowknife Catholic Schools, said when completed, the $32 million retrofit will make the school more energy efficient.

"The school is 30 years old and the mechanical systems have done their life," said Huvenaars. "You want to save energy nowadays. The boiler and the air handling systems are basically at the end of their lives.

"They are not at the risk of failing tomorrow but they need to be replaced in the next few years to make sure that they can run for the next 30. We will have more capacity for heat, air, lights and better windows."

The retrofit is to be completed in June 2010. All St. Joe's students should be back in the school by fall of 2010.