The Eastern School District advises that classes will resume at Upper Gullies Elementary on Thursday, March 4, following the completion of repairs to the school's electrical system. The school will be open Wednesday evening from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. for any parent or guardian who wishes to pick up their child's personal belongings.

Parents and guardians of Upper Gullies Elementary are advised that electrical repairs are progressing at the school; however, they will not be completed for school to open on Wednesday. Therefore, there will be no classes on Wednesday, March 3 and a further update as to the status of classes for Thursday will be made on Wednesday afternoon. Parents and guardians will also be advised when they can access the school to pick up their child's personal belongings.

O'Donel High School in Mt. Pearl is one of four schools selected to have their 2010 Living Healthy Commotions showcased during Newfoundland and Labrador Day at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, announced today that the chosen schools are Amos Comenius Memorial School, Hopedale; St. Peter's Academy, Benoit's Cove; Baie Verte Academy, Baie Verte; and O'Donel High School.

Living Healthy Commotions are organized each year by teachers and students in schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, and provide an opportunity for school communities to focus on healthy living through different physical activities and the promotion of healthy food choices. On February 26, Newfoundland and Labrador Day at the Olympics, schools and students across the province will show their Olympic spirit by participating in events and activities that support healthy living and focused on the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games including friendship, fair play, and the pursuit of excellence.

The four selected schools will have the unique opportunity to share their commotion activities and events with the rest of Canada and the world on Newfoundland and Labrador Day. Commotion activities will be played as part of the Olympic celebrations including the Canada AM live broadcast from Vancouver; and in Atlantic Canada House - a pan-Atlantic pavilion located on Granville Island in British Columbia designed to highlight the hospitality, culture and heritage of the East Coast during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Schools throughout the province were invited to submit Living Healthy Commotions ideas that focused on the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. One school from each district was chosen to represent the province.

 

The 2009 School Board Elections were held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009. Click here for the results for Eastern School District.

 

Eastern Health is working on a plan to immunize all school-aged children in the school setting wherever possible and feasible. To have children vaccinated at school, parental consent is required.

A letter, a parent consent form and information on the H1N1 vaccine were sent home today.

• Letter to Parents
  
• Pandemic Vaccine Fact Sheet
  
• Parent Consent Form H1N1
  

If you wish to have your child receive the H1N1 vaccination at school, please complete the parent consent form and return it to your child's classroom teacher as soon as possible.

Further details on the schedule for school vaccinations will be provided next week.

The Holy Cross School Council met with Eastern School District officials on Thursday, October 22, 2009. It has been determined by an external environmental consultant and an architectural consultant that extensive repairs to the school are necessary. As a result, students will be temporarily relocated to Roncalli Central High beginning on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. All students' personal belongings and materials will be shipped to their new classrooms at Roncalli Central High. Students will remain in the same classes, with their regular teachers while at Roncalli Central High. The two schools will operate independently with different start and end times, and staggered lunch breaks. Internal modifications will be made, where necessary, to separate the primary and elementary students from the junior and senior high students. Students will continue to take their regular school bus; however, there may be some revisions to the pick-up and drop-off times. Classes will start at 9 a.m and end at 3 p.m. An open house for parents and guardians is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at Roncalli Central High. More details on the relocation plan will be provided at that time.

The Eastern School District advises that Holy Cross Elementary, Holyrood, will be closed for the remainder of this week while moisture/mould issues are investigated.

An environmental consultant and a structural engineer will be conducting a full assessment of the building. The main issue appears to be water infiltration around the windows.

Parents and guardians of Holy Cross Elementary can expect a further update on the status of classes on Friday, October 23, 2009 once a full scope of work and timeframe for conducting repairs is established.

The nomination period for School Board Elections ended on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 5 p.m. Mr. Eric Snow, Returning Officer, Eastern School District, in accordance with School Board Election Regulations, 1998, advises that there are seven acclaimed candidates. School Board Elections will be held in eight zones of the Eastern School District on Tuesday, November 3, 2009. See attachment below for further details and check our elections page for complete election information.

 

The Eastern School District advises that St. Matthew's Elementary will reopen for students in grades one through six on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 and for kindergarten students on Wednesday, September 23, 2009. Cafeteria services will resume on Monday, September 28, 2009.

Final air quality test results have cleared the building for re-occupancy following major repairs to the building envelope. The reopening date is almost one week ahead of schedule.

The Board and senior management team extend a sincere thanks to students, parents and staff for their patience and cooperation during this period of renovation and repair.

Students at Mary Queen of the World kicked off the new school year with special guests Education Minister, Darin King, Eastern School District's CEO/Director of Education, Ford Rice and local MHA Steve Kent. The theme of the school assembly focused around healthy and active living. Students eagerly participated in some dancing and exercise movements and were rewarded with a healthy recess snack.

Parents and Guardians of St. Matthew's Elementary are advised that the school will be closed for approximately two weeks in order to carry out the necessary repairs to the building. The school is scheduled to reopen for classes on Monday, September 28, 2009.

District officials met with the St. Matthew's School Council on Thursday evening to outline the scope of work to be carried out at the school. An environmental consultant hired to assess the building has reported that there are no signs of moisture on the second level and that all remedial work is contained to the first floor. Once all repairs are made, air quality testing will be conducted throughout the entire school building.

The Eastern School District will continue to keep parents informed of any new information regarding the reopening of St. Matthew's Elementary.

The Eastern School District advises that St. Matthew's Elementary School will have a delayed school opening.

During recent renovations to a first floor classroom, wet exterior wood sheathing with suspect mould was discovered inside the exterior brick masonry. Upon further investigation, wet sheathing was discovered in other areas behind brick masonry on the first floor.  A decision was made to remove the brick masonry adjacent to all windows on the first floor, replace the wood sheathing and complete any required interior remediation.

An environmental consultant is in place for this work and to provide a full assessment.

Parents and guardians of St. Matthew's Elementary can expect an update on the status of classes on Friday, September 4, 2009 once a scope of work and timeframe for conducting repairs is established.

With a new school year beginning and the presence of the H1N1 influenza virus in the province, the Department of Education and the province's five school districts, in consultation with the Department of Health and Community Services, are assisting individual school communities in building awareness, providing information and promoting basic infection control practices to help prevent or limit infections from occurring in schools.

 

The Eastern School District advises that a letter is being distributed from the Director of Education to all students in the Eastern School District regarding the H1N1 virus. The attached letter reinforces the messages of the three C's: Clean, Cover and Contain in controlling the spread of influenza. For further information on the H1N1 virus, please contact the Newfoundland and Labrador Healthline at 1-888-709-2929 or visit Hygiene Campaign: Clean, Cover and Contain website.

 

(St. John's, NL) Mr. Milton Peach, Chair, Eastern School Board, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ford Rice as the new CEO/Director of Education of the Eastern School District. Mr. Rice has been the acting CEO since April 28, 2009. He replaces Mr. Darrin Pike who was recently appointed Deputy Minister, Department of Education.

 

The Eastern School District advises that Frank Roberts Junior High will reopen on Thursday, June 4, 2009. District officials and environmental specialists met with the Frank Roberts School Council this evening to review the final air quality test results. The results indicate that the school is safe to occupy. Further details on an assessment plan for the remainder of this year will be forthcoming from the school in the next few days.

The Eastern School District advises parents/guardians of Brother Rice Junior High school that their school will reopen on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. To facilitate the move back to their school, there will be no classes for Brother Rice Junior High students on Tuesday, June 2. Students at Macdonald Drive Junior High will return to their regular schedule on Tuesday, June 2. The Eastern School District appreciates the support and cooperation of the school communities of Macdonald Drive Junior High and Brother Rice during this emergency situation.

The Eastern School District advises that the reopening of Frank Roberts Junior High is delayed by another few days. A further air quality test is being conducted on Tuesday, June 2, 2009. Final test results are expected on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 with a revised reopening date of Thursday, June 4, 2009. A further announcement will be made on Wednesday to confirm the school's reopening.

Frank Roberts Junior High
The Eastern School District advises parents/guardians of Frank Roberts Junior High that the final air quality test report is expected on Monday, June 1, 2009. Therefore, there will be no classes for students on Monday, June 1. A further update as to the status of classes for next week will be provided on Monday once the final air quality report is received.

Brother Rice Junior High
The Eastern School District advises parents/guardians of Brother Rice Junior High school that their school will reopen on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. To facilitate the move back to their school, there will be no classes for Brother Rice Junior High students on Tuesday, June 2. Students at Macdonald Drive Junior High will return to their regular schedule on Tuesday, June 2.

The Eastern School District appreciates the support and cooperation of the school communities of Macdonald Drive Junior High and Brother Rice during this emergency situation.

The Eastern School District advises parents and guardians of Frank Roberts Junior High that the school will be closed for the remainder of this week.

On Monday, May 25, an odour was detected in one of the classrooms. On Tuesday, May 26, students were relocated to another area of the school while test holes were drilled in the walls near the source of the odour. Mould was discovered and therefore further intrusive testing will be conducted on Tuesday evening. Following this testing and remediation, air quality testing will be conducted by an environmental consultant.

The problem appears to be localized to a section of the school that was damaged while repairs were being made to the roof in mid April. Water infiltrated the walls and the contractor replaced the damaged building materials.

Frank Roberts Junior High underwent extensive mould abatement and remediation from September through to December 2008. An environmental air quality consultant conducted a thorough inspection of the school before it reopened for students in January 2009.

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

Twelve schools in the Eastern School District will receive funding from the Provincial Government to help make their schools safe, respectful environments, with each school receiving a maximum of $500.

Schools submitted project proposals which were reviewed by a provincial advisory committee for the Safe and Caring Schools initiative. Projects which best reflected the goals of the initiative and best contribute to a safe and caring learning environment were chosen for funding.

 

The Eastern School District advises that air quality test results have been received and the school has been cleared to re-open. Classess will resume on Tuesday, May 19. The St. John's Fire Department has also determined that the fire alarm system in the school is working properly. The fire detectors did not activate because smoke was able to escape through a broken window and the smoke was not dense enough to activate the alarm.

The Eastern School District advises that Holy Heart of Mary will remain closed for the remainder of this week. Contractors are currently on site conducting a thorough cleaning of the building. This work will be completed late Thursday and on Friday, air quality testing will be carried out. Test results are expected on Friday afternoon at which time a final decision will be made on the school's reopening date. It is anticipated that students will return to school on Tuesday, May 19, following the long weekend.

With respect to the fire alarm system not activating, the investigation is ongoing. The District has engaged an electrical contractor and District officials are consulting with fire department officials on this report. Further information is expected on this on Thursday.

Beginning on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 and continuing until Brother Rice Junior High reopens, students of MacDonald Drive Junior High will share a shift system with Brother Rice Junior High.

MDJH students will start school one half hour earlier at 8:00 a.m. and finish at 12:55 p.m. This will mean a reduction of 30 minutes of instructional time each day. To facilitate this change, school will close at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 27 so both staffs can prepare for this transition. Please see attachment below for more information.

 

Mr. Darrin Pike, C.E.O./Director of Education, today announced the plan to temporarily accommodate students and teachers of Brother Rice Junior High following the recent fire at their school. Brother Rice will be closed for approximately one month to allow for a thorough cleaning of the building and to ensure all necessary inspections are carried out.

In reviewing various options, and in consultation with school councils, the  District plans to temporarily accommodate the approximately 400 Brother Rice Junior High students by sharing a split shift system with Macdonald Drive Junior High beginning on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

 

The Eastern School District advises that due to today's fire, the school will remain closed on Wednesday, April 22. Once District officials asses the damage to the building, a further update will be provided. Please check back for further information.

The Eastern School District advises that St. George's Elementary, Conception Bay South, will reopen for students and teachers on Wednesday, February 25, 2009. Final air quality test results have cleared the building for re-occupancy.

The school has undergone significant renovations over the past five months including the replacement of windows and classroom floor tiles, painting and the removal of exterior brick. A new gymnasium floor is scheduled to be installed during the Easter break.

The Board and senior management team extend a sincere thanks to teachers, students and parents for their patience, understanding and cooperation during this challenging time of school renovation and repair.

Parents and guardians of St. George's Elementary whose children will be temporarily attending St. Matthew's Elementary (Grades 4-6) are invited to an Open House at St. Matthew's Elementary on Tuesday, September 23 from 6-7 p.m.

The Eastern School District advise parents and students of Holy Cross Elementary in Holyrood and Roncalli High in Avondale that the planned closure of the Holyrood bridge for Tuesday morning has been delayed. Therefore bus routes will commence at their normal times on Tuesday, September 23. Further updates will be provided by the schools.

The Eastern School District advises parents/guardians that the relocation plan for students is delayed by one day. This means that students will return to school on Tuesday, September 23 rather than on Monday as originally scheduled. The Meet and Greet for those students attending Topsail Elementary which was scheduled for Sunday, September 21 will now take place on Monday, September 22 at 6 pm at Topsail Elementary school. The Eastern School District apologizes for any inconvenience this delay may cause.

 

Please see the attachment for a complete list of the bus routes for St. George's Elementary students.

 

Students are advised that Friday, September 19 will be an orientation session at Queen Elizabeth High School. The session will begin at 1:30 pm and students will be dismissed at 3:45 pm. Regular classes will commence on Monday, September 22 at 1:30 pm. Monday will be Day 7 on the school schedule.

The revised class and bus schedules are now available.

 

Parents/Guardians are reminded that all students' personal belongings (K-6) will be available for pick up tonight, Thursday, September 18 at All Saints Parish Hall, Foxtrap from 7 to 9 pm. Bus route schedules for the various sites are attached.

 

The revised bus and class schedules are now available. Parents/students can pick up books and personal belongings in the Frank Roberts gymnasium onThursday, September 18 between 6:30 and 7:15 pm.

 

Students and/or parents of Frank Roberts Junior High can up up their books and any personal belongings tonight, Wednesday, September 17, in the Frank Roberts gymnasium between 7 and 9 pm.

A public information meeting will be held on Thursday, September 18 at Queen Elizabeth High School beginning at 7:30 pm.

The Eastern School District today announced plans to temporarily accommodate students of St. George's Elementary and Frank Roberts Junior High while work is carried out to remediate mould and address air quality issues in these schools. Details of the plan are attached.

In addition, a public information meeting for parents/guardians of St. George's Elementary will be held on Tuesday, September 16 at Villanova Junior High beginning at 7:30 p.m.

A public information meeting for parents/guardians of Frank Roberts Junior High will be held on Thursday, September 18 at Queen Elizabeth High School beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Students and parents are encouraged to check the District website for further announcements.

 

Parents/guardians are advised that St. George's Elementary and Frank Roberts Junior High are closed on Monday, September 15. Please check back or listen to local media for future announcements.

The Eastern School District advises that St. George's Elementary in Long Pond and Frank Roberts Junior High in Foxtrap will remain closed on Friday, September 12, 2008. Both schools are currently being investigated for air quality issues.

Recent renovations at St. George's Elementary revealed water infiltration and traces of mould around classroom windows. As a result, air quality tests have been conducted and a thorough investigation of the entire school is currently being carried out. This will necessitate the closure of St. George¿s Elementary for approximately three weeks. A relocation plan for students will be communicated to parents on Monday, September 15, 2008.

The District is also investigating an odour issue at Frank Roberts Junior High. Air quality tests were conducted in five classrooms on August 28 and preliminary test results indicated some evidence of mould in one of the classrooms. This classroom has since been repaired.  The District is continuing to investigate the odour problem. An announcement regarding school reopening will be made early next week.

District officials met with both school councils today and are committed to sharing further information with parents as it becomes available.  Further updates will be provided via local media as well as through school and district websites.

Darrin Pike, CEO/Director of Education, is pleased to announce that four Eastern School District high school graduates will receive Safe and Caring Schools Graduating Student Awards. Raven Warren, Bishops College; Victoria Ralph, Carbonear Collegiate; Darrin Marsh, Southwest Arm Academy; and Andrew Peach, Marystown Central High have been recognized for their leadership in establishing and promoting safe and caring schools and communities. Each student will receive a $500 tuition voucher for post-secondary education.

The goals of the awards program are to promote student awareness of the Safe and Caring Schools policy, acknowledge the contributions of youth in establishing and maintaining safe and caring schools and/or communities; and encourage students to become involved and make a difference in the lives of others. Congratulations to all students.

 

As a result of the recent fire at Gonzaga High School, and ongoing clean-up and maintenance, there will not be regular classes on Friday, June 6. On Friday, the school will be open for students to retrieve books and personal items from 9 am to 12 noon to allow students to study for exams over the weekend. Students must enter via the cafeteria entrance at the rear of the building.
Regular classes will resume on Monday, June 9 at 8:55 am.

The Eastern School District welcomes delegates to the Canadian Association of Principals (CAP) 26th Annual Conference, Charting New Waters, taking place at the Delta Hotel in St. John's from May 14-16, 2008. Over 250 school administrators from across Canada will join with approximately 300 administrators from this province for an inspiring and thoughtful program on issues facing school administrators today. Keynote speakers include Gwynne Dyer: Changing Canadian Demographics and the Implications for Educational Leaders; Alfie Kohn: Testing and Grading and Homework - But Why? Rethinking Traditional Practices in Education, and Barry MacDonald: Mentoring Boys for Success at School. A special thanks is extended to the host planning committee for planning and organizing this national conference.

The Board and management team of Eastern School District would like to extend a sincere thank-you to all the countless parent and community volunteers who contribute to the success of our schools.

School volunteers provide an invaluable service to our teachers and students. They serve as school council members, manage breakfast programs, coach school sports, and assist in numerous school-sponsored activities such as graduations, fundraisers and field trips. Every single volunteer act makes our schools and communities better places for everyone.

National Volunteer Week is an appropriate time to recognize and celebrate our caring and dedicated school volunteers.

The Eastern School District is pleased to announce the Canadian Medic Alert Foundation is expanding its No Child Without program to an additional 25 schools in the Eastern School District (ESD), bringing the total to 45 participating schools.

The Canadian MedicAlert Foundation's No Child Without program will ensure that elementary school students (up to age 14) in 45 ESD schools will be eligible to receive free MedicAlert bracelets and membership. Through the MedicAlert 24-hour emergency hotline number, a student's condition can be quickly identified in the event of a medical emergency.

A complete list of participating schools is attached. For further information on this program, please visit the Canadian Medic Alert Foundation web site: www.medicalert.ca.

 

The Eastern School District will be offering a 48-hour exam preparation program from April - June 2008. This program will be offered Tuesday and Wednesday evenings each week at Gonzaga High School. Registration will be held on Tuesday, April 8 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Gonzaga. Classes will start on Tuesday, April 15 from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. For more information and a registration form, please see attachment.

 

The Director's Office has begun the notification process to parents and schools affected by the theft of the stolen laptops. Schools will be sending home letters or emailing parents today and/or Monday. A copy of the letter is attached.

This issue affects 57 schools in the Eastern School District; 56 schools are in the greater St. John's region and one school, Persalvic Elementary in Victoria, Western region. Schools in the Vista and Burin regions are not affected and the following six schools in the Eastern region are also not affected: Baltimore High School, St. Bernard's Primary, Mobile Central High, and Stella Maris Academy on the Southern Shore, and St. Michael's High and St. Augustine's Elementay on Bell Island.

A dedicated area on the district website has also been established (click here) to provide information and resources to parents who may have further questions.

 

The Eastern School Board salutes all of its employees during National Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. This is a time for students, parents and communities to reflect on the positive, powerful impact that teachers and school staff have in our schools. We can all think of a special teacher in our lives who gave an encouraging word, the secretary who made a phone call home , or the custodian who found a misplaced book. The Eastern School Board encourages everyone to show their support of teachers and school staff during National Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week.
Behind every Great School is a Great Staff!

The Eastern School District currently offers a Late French Immersion Program beginning in Grade 7.  The program is intended for any student who considers fluency in French to be a desired goal. Information packages and application forms will be distributed to Grade 6 students registered in the English program during the week of January 21 - 25, 2008. Completed applications will be accepted during the week of February 18 - 22, 2008 at elementary schools in the district. Information sessions will be held during the period of January 28 - February 15, 2008. Please contact individual schools for further details.

 

The Eastern School District will be offering a 48 hour exam preparation program from February to June 2008. This program will be offered Tuesday evenings (Math and Social Studies) and Wednesday evenings (English and Sciences) each week at Gonzaga High School.

Registration will be held on Wednesday, February 6 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Gonzaga High School. Classes will start on Tuesday, February 12.

Where there is sufficient interest to warrant, classes will be offered in Math 3204/05, English 3201, Biology 3201, Chemistry 3202, Physics 3204, Earth Systems 3209, World History 3201, World Geography 3202 and French 3200.

Participants will be required to complete a registration form and pay the required fee of $160.00 per course at the time of registration. No refunds will be issued after February 20.

Debit/Visa/Mastercard will be available. No cheques accepted.

For further information please call 758-2700.

 

The Eastern School Board tabled its draft Phase II Multi-year School Organization and Capital Works Plan for St. John's area schools tonight at its monthly public meeting. Public consultations for receiving feedback on the draft Phase II plan will be scheduled for late January/early February 2008. The dates, times and locations of the public hearings will be announced later this month.

 

The Eastern School District is pleased to announce that repairs to Mount Pearl Intermediate are almost complete. The last shift for students who have been attending Mount Pearl Senior High, Morris Academy and Newtown Elementary for the past six weeks will take place on Friday, October 26, 2007.

All Mount Pearl Senior High students will return to their regular schedules on Monday, October 29, 2007.

There will be no classes for Mount Pearl Intermediate students on Monday, October 29, 2007. Grades 7-9 students will return on Tuesday, October 30, 2007. Due to a previously scheduled teacher in-service on Tuesday, Grades 5 and 6 students will return on Wednesday, October 31, 2007.

At the request of the Paradise Elementary School Council, Grades 5 and 6 students will remain at the School for the Deaf for the remainder of this school year.

The Eastern School District appreciates the support and understanding demonstrated by all students, staff and parents during this emergency situation.

The Eastern School District advises that Brother Rice Junior High will be closed on Tuesday, October 16th following a fire on the weekend. Clean-up crews are on site and the school is expected to re-open for classes on Wednesday, October 17th.

The Eastern School District celebrates its teachers and applauds their efforts in supporting student achievement.

The next public meeting of the Eastern School Board is scheduled for Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at Donald C. Jamieson, Burin. Members of the public are welcome.

 

The Eastern School District will be offering a pilot distance learning program in Advanced Placement Psychology 4220.  This program will be offered after school hours and will require at least one hour of "live" on line class time one evening each week.  It will be available to a maximum of twenty students throughout the district and it will commence on the week of October 15, 2007 and conclude no later than the week of May 19, 2008.

More information regarding this program and a registration form are attached.

 

Parents of students who attend Mount Pearl Intermediate are advised that they can pick up their child's personal belongings at the Mount Pearl Intermediate gymnasium on Monday and Tuesday between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Parents are requested to use the gymnasium entrance.

Parents of children attending Mount Pearl Intermediate are advised that the distribution of personal items scheduled for Saturday, September 22nd is cancelled. A further update will be provided to students once they are back in class. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Mr. Darrin Pike, acting C.E.O./Director of Education, today announced the plan to temporarily accommodate students following the recent fire at Mount Pearl Intermediate. In reaching this decision, district staff consulted with school councils, conducted an extensive review of facilities in the St. John's metro region and analyzed programming impacts on students.
"As one can appreciate, devising a plan for 900 students ranging in grades from five to nine was a monumental task," says Pike. "Our decision ultimately reflects what we feel is best to meet students' program requirements. For the most part, this plan has allowed us to keep the children in the community with their teachers and classmates. While the plan is not perfect, we feel under the circumstances it is quite workable and will get our students back in class without much more delay."
Elementary Students
Monday, September 24th
Grade 5 Mount Pearl Intermediate students will attend Morris Academy. Students will travel on the same bus routes that were in place when these students attended Morris Academy last year.
Grade 6 Mount Pearl Intermediate students will attend Newtown Elementary. Two new bus routes have been added. Routes and times will be posted on the Eastern School District website or by calling district office at 758-2372.
Tuesday, September 25th
Grades 5 and 6 Paradise Elementary students will attend the School for the Deaf on Topsail Road. Students will travel on the same bus and follow the same schedule that was in place prior to the fire.
Junior High Students
Grades 7-9 will share a shift system with Mount Pearl Senior High.
Mount Pearl Senior High students will begin classes at 8 a.m. (one half hour earlier) and end at 1:00 p.m. beginning on Monday, September 24th. Revised class and bus schedules will be posted on the school and district websites.
Mount Pearl Intermediate students in grades 7-9 will begin classes at Mount Pearl Senior High on Tuesday, September 25th. Classes will begin at 1:30 p.m. and end at 5:45 p.m. Junior high students should report to the gymnasium of Mount Pearl Senior High on Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 pm for their classroom assignments.
The District advises that it is working on a plan to return students' personal belongings. Further information will be available on Friday, September 21. Students and parents are also encouraged to check their school's website, the district website, and local media for further announcements.

Updated bus route information is now available for Mount Pearl Intermediate and Mount Pearl Senior High students. There are no schedule changes for Paradise Elementary students.

 

Monday, September 24th

Grade 5 Mount Pearl Intermediate students will attend Morris Academy. Students will travel on the same bus routes that were in place when these students attended Morris Academy last year.

Grade 6 Mount Pearl Intermediate students will attend Newtown Elementary. Two new bus routes have been added.

Mount Pearl Senior High students will begin classes at 8 a.m. (one half hour earlier) and end at 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, September 25th
Grades 5 and 6 Paradise Elementary students will attend the School for the Deaf on Topsail Road. Students will travel on the same bus and follow the same schedule that was in place prior to the fire.

Mount Pearl Intermediate students in grades 7-9 will begin classes at Mount Pearl Senior High. Classes will begin at 1:30 p.m. and end at 5:45 p.m. Junior high students should report to the gymnasium of Mount Pearl Senior High on Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 pm for their classroom assignments.

 

Parents of students who attend Mount Pearl Intermediate are advised that they can pick up their child's personal belongings at the Mount Pearl Intermediate gymnasium on Saturday, September 22 between 11 a.m and 3 p.m. Locker items and personal belongings have been bagged and labeled. Parents are requested to use the gymnasium entrance.

Mr. Darrin Pike, acting C.E.O./Director of Education, announced today that Mount Pearl Intermediate will remain closed for a minimum of one month to allow a thorough cleaning of the school following last weekend's fire. The school's resource centre was completely destroyed and a major portion of the school received extensive smoke damage. Cleaning crews have been working at the school since Sunday; however, it is estimated that the heating/ventilation system will take at least three weeks to clean properly and the school cannot reopen until all cleaning and inspections are carried out. Senior staff and local school board trustees met with the school councils of Mount Pearl Intermediate and Paradise Elementary (grades 5 and 6) last evening to discuss possible options for placing the approximately 900 students. Details on the relocation plan will be announced by the end of the week.
"We have a full team of professionals dedicated to exploring all options available to us so that students can return to class as soon as possible," says Pike. "We appreciate the patience and understanding of our school communities as we respond to this emergency situation and are committed to sharing further information as soon as plans are finalized."

The Eastern School District advises that Holy Cross Junior High will re-open for regular classes on Wednesday, September 19, 2007.

Mount Pearl Intermediate will remain closed all this week. A further update will be provided by mid-week once it is determined how long the clean-up operation will take.

The Eastern School District advises that Mount Pearl Intermediate and Holy Cross Junior High, Rickett's Road will be closed on Monday, September 17, 2007 as a result of two separate fires that occurred over the weekend. Both facilities suffered smoke damage. The RNC and fire officials are investigating. A further update will be available on Monday as to the status of classes at both schools.

The Tutoring for Tuition Program gives high school students an opportunity to apply for positions as tutors for other students who need academic support.  For more information on how to apply, contact your school Guidance Counselor or Principal now!

 

Students at Bishops College hosted an anti-bullying rally on Friday, September 7th. Education Minister, Joan Burke, was joined by students, teachers, community groups, local police and the acting Director of Education, Darrin Pike. The rally was designed to take aim at bullying and is part of the provincial government's youth violence awareness campaign. Parents and students can get more information from the campaign's web site: www.outragenl.ca.

The Eastern School District advises that school buses will resume their normal bus runs on Monday, September 10th to the communities of Ship Harbour and Fox Harbour. District and government officials, and the bus contractor, visited the area on Friday and have determined that the road is now safe for school buses.

The Eastern School District advises parents of Swift Current Academy that a public meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 10, 2007 at 7 p.m. at the Lions Club in North Harbour. Information regarding the District's plans to temporarily relocate students will be presented at this meeting.

The 2007-08 school year has started!

The Eastern School District advises that Swift Current Academy, a K-level III school in Swift Current, will be closed temporarily while repairs are made to the school. During a recent inspection of the school¿s roof, high moisture readings were detected in the gymnasium, washrooms and in two of the portable classrooms that are no longer in use and slated for removal. Suspect mould was found behind the washroom walls.

Following an assessment of the school on August 31, 2007, a contractor was hired to remove drywall in the affected areas. A gymnasium wall will require major repairs and a consultant has been contracted to provide a scope of work on this project.

On Tuesday, September 4, 2007, school staff notified the parents of the approximately 58 students enrolled at the school of a delayed opening. A team of professionals are currently reviewing options for temporarily relocating students. A parent information meeting will be scheduled for early next week following further investigation and consultation with the school council.

The Eastern School District advises parents of students in Ship Harbour and Fox Harbour that school buses will not be travelling over the main road to these communities for the next couple of days due to unsafe road conditions. Parents are encouraged to drop their children at school. The road situation will be monitored for bus safety and a further update will be provided to parents in the next couple of days.
A note to students from St. Anne's that travel on the Fox Harbour - Ship Harbour bus that do not live in those communities - your normal bus runs will remain the same.

The next public meeting of the Eastern School Board is scheduled for Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at District Conference Centre, Strawberry Marsh Road, St. John's. Members of the public are welcome.

 

The Eastern School District advises parents of Cabot Academy, Western Bay and St. Peter's Elementary, Upper Island Cove, that the plan for relocating students is now available. Please refer to the attached schedule. As a result of the relocation of these students, there will also be a one day delayed opening for students of Tricon Elementary, Bay de Verde; Persalvic Elementary, Victoria; and Holy Redeemer Elementary, Spaniard's Bay. Students will return to class on Thursday, September 6, 2007. Any changes to this schedule will be made via the local media and updated on-line.

 

Beachy Cove Elementary: K-2 students will return to class on Thursday, September 6, 2007. There is no change for Grades 3-6 who will return on Wednesday, September 5, 2007.

St. Peter's Elementary, Mount Pearl: Grades K-6 will return to class on Thursday, September 6, 2007.

Other delayed openings or changes to the regular re-opening schedule may be made by individual schools.

St. Peter's Elementary, Mount Pearl will be delayed in opening for one day. School will open for all K-6 students on Thursday, September 6, 2007.

The Eastern School District advises that two schools in its Avalon West region will not reopen as scheduled on Wednesday, September 5th. Renovations at Cabot Academy, Western Bay, and St. Peter's Elementary, Upper Island Cove during the past month uncovered mould in the interior walls. Repairs are currently underway which will result in the temporary relocation of students from both schools to alternate locations until the schools are determined safe to occupy.

A public information session for parents of Cabot Academy is being held on Wednesday, August 29th at 7 p.m. at Tri-Con Elementary, Bay de Verde.

A public information session for parents of St. Peter's Elementary is scheduled for Thursday, August 30th at 7 p.m. at Ascension Collegiate.

Further information regarding the District¿s plans to temporarily relocate students will be presented at the public information sessions.