Jr. Kindergarten renos spark concern
Timeline uncertain for completion of upgrades at Fort Smith's Joseph B. Tyrrell Elementary School
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Monday, August 7, 2017
THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
A tender for junior kindergarten renovations at Joseph Burr Tyrrell Elementary School closed last week, but the changes aren't expected to be complete before the youngsters arrive this August, according to the school's principal.
Julie Lys, chair of the Fort Smith District Education Authority, said she would like to see the renovations completed before school begins, so as not to disrupt students with construction. - NNSL file photo |
The tender for the work went out on July 19 and bids closed Aug. 3, according to documents posted on the GNWT's contract events website.
Changes at the Fort Smith school include renovations to bathrooms to accommodate incoming four-year-old students in junior kindergarten, a play-based program the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is rolling out across the territory this coming school year.
Cora America, the school's principal, said the education department guaranteed her in July the renovations would be completed by the end of September.
However, the tender for the work states the completion date is Oct. 31, 2017.
Kelly Mahoney, senior policy advisor with the education department, confirmed in an email the renovations are expected to be completed by the end of October. Students go back to school at the end of August.
In the meantime, the school is working on a contingency plan.
"We will be converting a boys' washroom to the junior kindergarten washroom," said America. "There will be adapted toilet seats to put on the existing ones and stools to help little people reach the toilet bowl."
A half-time education assistant will also escort and assist the young students with existing bathrooms.
Junior kindergarten students are supposed to occupy two classrooms at Joseph Burr Tyrrell Elementary School, but America said the young students will have to share one classroom for now.
The second will be undergoing renovations to install bathrooms in the class, she explained.
America said she will be informing parents about the displacement as soon as possible and is hoping everyone will be patient.
"If we're going to renovate, I would hope it would be done before kids start school so there's no construction when kids are on site," said Julie Lys, chair of the Fort Smith District Education Authority.
"I don't think that's good for the children."
But she added the Department of Infrastructure is in charge of the school building and "we have very little control over what they do."
She said she has received no communication updating her about the timeline of the work and when it will be completed.
On June 23, the South Slave Divisional Education Council issued a news release stating Harry Camsell School in Hay River and Joseph Burr Tyrrell Elementary School in Fort Smith had been approved for facility upgrades to accommodate junior kindergarten.
Local education representatives expressed concern the work had not yet gone out to tender, as the renovations were originally expected to be completed over the summer, the news release stated.
Olin Lovely, assistant deputy minister with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, said at the time the work would be issued soon. He estimated the renovations could take one to three months to complete.
A tender for renovations to bathrooms and classrooms at Harry Camsell School in Hay River closed July 25.
Department of Infrastructure officials have stated the job will be completed by the end of September.
"It would be better to be informed, to work together, but that's the way things are done in the government," Lys said.
No one from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment was available for an interview by press time.
