Jasper students will have to wait for local schools to be deep cleaned before they are able to return, which could take 30 to 60 days.
Supt. Carolyn Lewis with the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division reported that their Jasper schools were all still standing, but an occupational hygienist has determined that they require a deep clean.
“During the summer before the fire, we had our caretakers cleaning the school and because it was so hot, they had the windows open, and of course, then the fire came and people had to leave so quickly that the windows in our schools were left open,” Lewis said. “Some windows were left open and that meant that soot and char and ash got into our school at some areas worse than others.”
Jasper’s two school buildings are École Jasper Elementary School and Jasper Junior/Senior High School, with the Francophone school École Desrochers housed inside the high school.
A deep clean means that everything in both buildings must be washed with soap and water and computers and technology will get an ultraviolet wipe.
Lewis explained that a restoration team will go into each room and a cleaning contractor will go in after.
Windows, floors, walls, desks and exposed ductwork must be washed, and every ceiling tile needs to be replaced.
Everything in the food rooms will need to be cleaned, textbooks will be wiped, the schools’ exteriors will be washed and the playground equipment will be sprayed down.
Every fire alarm will need to be replaced, and air scrubbers are currently cleaning the air in the buildings.
“For us, the health and safety of our students and staff are paramount and we want to make sure that when we open our school, our students are coming and our staff are coming back to very safe environment,” she said.
“And we are working very hard to minimize the learning disruption, and we're working to get the schools open as soon as possible.”
Lewis added that the schools had electricity but no potable water, which also prevents the school from opening.
The school district has sent a letter to Jasper parents giving them details and information about the upcoming school year.
Lewis said their goal was to get their schools open as soon as possible and confirmed that bus service would resume simultaneously.
If the schools are unable to open in the first week of September, parents can register their children at a nearby school in Hinton. A bus will be available to transport students in both directions.
If they are in Edmonton, Calgary or somewhere else in Alberta, they can register for school there, and online learning will be an option.
A support and services team will be available to provide support to both Jasper students and staff.
The division is also working with the provincial government to expedite temporary housing for individuals who require it. Staff have already filled out a survey to inform the district about their requirements.
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides confirmed in an interview with the Fitzhugh that displaced students will be able to register with a different school division if they find themselves in a different jurisdiction.
“Of course, we're making sure that we're providing a lot of flexibility to these students and families, so that at any time, if they return home to Jasper and want to then adjust their registration to their local school division and continue locally, they can do that as well,” Nicolaides said.
Alberta Education has been providing oversight and guidance for the deep clean, and the contractor now has 24/7 access to town and the schools so the remediation work can be finished as soon as possible.
“Getting the two schools up and running so that they can welcome students back in, it’s my ministry's number one priority, and all hands are on deck to make sure that we can get these schools opened as quickly as possible,” Nicolaides said.
He added that his ministry has been communicating with school divisions to get an understanding of what temporary accommodations are needed for teachers and staff.
There would also be a “government-wide approach” for housing essential workers as re-entry begins for Jasper.
