Last-minute renos for Jr. K causing concern
Tenders coming soon for Hay River, Fort Smith school upgrades, say officials
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Monday, July 3, 2017
HAY RIVER
Some schools in the South Slave region may not be ready for junior kindergarten students next year unless bathroom and classroom renovations are undertaken this summer to accommodate for four-year-olds.
"We don't have any way of guaranteeing when the kids show up in the fall that they're going to have the right space," said Julie Lys, chair of the Fort Smith District Education Authority. "We can't offer any program until the renovations are completed."
According to Lys, staff from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment visited around January or February to assess what changes needed to be made at the schools.
A June 23 news release from the South Slave Divisional Education Council stated Harry Camsell School in Hay River and Joseph B. Tyrrell Elementary School in Fort Smith had been approved for facility upgrades.
But Lys said the work has yet to go out to tender. Olin Lovely, assistant deputy minister for the education department, said a tender will be going out this week for bathroom renovations at both schools.
"We hope to have it done in time (for September), but in the event that it isn't, we're working on contingencies to use other classroom space," he said.
Kandis Jameson, a representative with the Hay River District Education Authority, said a wall also needs to be torn down at Harry Camsell School to turn three existing classrooms into two, although Lovely said he wasn't aware of those concerns.
He estimated it could take anywhere from one to three months to complete the bathroom renovations and said there have been many instances where construction has taken place during the school year.
Lys said having renovations done during the school year is disruptive to students' learning and it is preferable to have work completed during the summer when students aren't there.
Jameson worries it will now be nearly "impossible" to make the necessary changes before the new school year rolls around.
"Really, the work should be commencing immediately," she said, "because it needs to be ready for Aug. 26 when teachers come back."
According to Jameson, the regional office has sent a letter to the education department about its concerns.
Lovely said he was not aware of the letter.
"Working with the department, hopefully we can find a solution that works for everybody concerned," Jameson said. "In the long term, it's always about what's best for the kids."
According to Lovely, the education department plans to spend $3.5 million over four years to renovate things like bathrooms, fences and windows at 24 schools.
Tenders are also expected to go out shortly for renovations at Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchoko, Angik School in Paulatuk, Inualthuyak School in Sachs Harbour and Echo Dene School in Fort Liard, Lovely said.
