Students and staff from Ecole Plamondon School have adjusted well to their new temporary school locations, says Nicole Garner, a spokesperson with Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS).
A flood that ran through Ecole Plamondon on the afternoon of Thursday, April 18 caused extensive damage along with the closure of the school building, which meant students and staff would be spending the remainder of the school year at alternate sites in Plamondon and Lac La Biche.
While construction crews repair the school – which is anticipated to be reopened by the start of the upcoming school year and cost an estimated $2.5 million to fix – students in Grades 4-12 have been doing their classes Lac La Biche Portage College campus while the Plamondon Curling Club/Community Hall is serving as a temporary school for K-3 students and preschool is being held at Ecole Beausejour.
“They have received a lot of support from families and the community which has certainly helped with the transition,” Garner told Lakeland This Week.
In some cases, the transition has even offered a few perks. Grade 4-12 students taking classes at Portage College not only have access to advanced learning resources, but also recreational facilities as well.
“They are able to gain access to other services and recreational facilities while they are on campus,” Garner explained. “That includes the trades labs, which has been great for our high school students.”
Despite the flooding and the closure of the school, a graduation ceremony for the 22 Grade 12 students who will be finishing their studies at Ecole Plamondon this year is set to proceed on Friday, June 28.
This year’s graduation events will include the traditional ceremony and march, as well as a banquet, presentations, speeches and awards.
When asked about the progress of repairs to Ecole Plamondon-as well as if there were any changes to estimated costs or a timeline regarding when work could be completed-Garner stated that she had not updates. However, she added that there may be such an update on that issue during the next meeting of the Northern Lights Public Schools board of trustees, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 29.
The last day of classes for all NLPS schools – including at temporary locations – is June 27.
