BONNYVILLE - École Notre Dame High School (NDHS) hosted its Meet the Teacher BBQ on Sept. 7. Students both new and returning were encouraged to attend and have a bite to eat while getting to know their teachers.
Not only was this an opportunity for the students to meet their new teachers, but a chance for staff to connect a name on a class list to a face, engage in conversation and to learn more about each student individually.
Staff spoke of the importance of the event and how the first week of ‘restriction free’ classes were coming along after two years of pandemic measures.
“It’s good, almost like none of it even happened. We still offer hand sanitizer stations and masks are options students still have,” said Vince Spila, the principal of NDHS.
“(Student) numbers are around 420, which is up. We had to get an extra teacher and may be looking at getting another.”
Julie Norrie, a new teacher to NDHS but not new to the Lakeland Catholic School Division, shared that “The first week of school without restrictions makes the school feel like home, more open and welcoming."
She added, “Of course safety is super important, but it's nice to have that engaging factor and see everyone's face again.”
Notre Dame students, along with other Lakeland Catholic School Division students, had their first day back to school on Sept. 1, where they were welcomed with a restriction-free start to the year.
