Students from Fort McMurray have been settling into their new classrooms at schools over the past week thanks to support from staff, schools boards and students around the province.
Central Alberta Catholic and public schools have opened their doors to allow displaced students from Fort McMurray the opportunity to finish their school year.
“We've had registrations across the division. We've got students in Olds, Innisfail, Sylvan Lake and here in Red Deer that are registered,” said Guy Pelletier, board chair of Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools. “We're seeing that in all levels, in high schools, middle schools and elementary schools.”
In the Catholic system, a total of 14 students have registered as of Monday, May 9, while a total of 18 students have registered in Chinook's Edge schools.
Those numbers are expected to rise over the coming days.
“I think we'll likely see that number increase over the week as some people move out of the resettlement centres up north,” Pelletier said, noting the length of time it may be before families return home. “They'll start to filter down to friends and relatives and try to get those kids into schools so they don't miss out on any of that learning.”
Kurt Sacher, superintendent of Chinook's Edge School Division, told school board trustees at their May 11 board meeting that several students from Fort McMurray will be attending school in the region, mainly in the Sylvan Lake area.
“Our numbers are small enough that we are comfortable that we can handle this without those numbers impacting staff,” said Sacher, adding that more students may come in over the next little while.
Pelletier noted how the province and the education ministry are working to make special arrangements for evacuated students, particularly high school students that are graduating or writing exams this spring.
“Between their home school board, our boards and the province, they'll certainly accommodate those students as much as they can to make sure they're not disadvantaged in any way,” said Pelletier. “Whether they're here for a week or two months.”
Matthew Candline is a Grade 7 student attending Westglen School in Didsbury after he was evacuated in early May from Fort McMurray and no longer able to attend Ecole McTavish Junior High School.
“We thought we were probably going to be out of Fort McMurray for maybe a few months or a few weeks,” said Candline. “I had to attend a school so my parents said why don't we just send you to Didsbury (Westglen School).”
Candline is no stranger to the school or the town of Didsbury. The family lived there for seven years before his father was offered a job in Fort McMurray two years ago.
“I know all the teachers and most of the students so it wouldn't be like re-starting, like how Fort McMurray was,” he said.
“It is very comfortable for me here. I've dreamed about coming back here and seeing all my good friends and here we are,” he added, noting how students and teachers have welcomed him back to his old school.
“They showed me around, they made me feel comfortable here and they showed me some new people,” he said, adding the school and friends are doing what they can to help him and his family during this time.”
Pelletier also noted the difficult time that students may have dealing with a tragedy of this size and the upheaval it can cause.
“If there was some sort of trauma or a desire to talk to somebody, the counsellors are there,” said Pelletier, noting the resources and help available at schools across the division.
“It's been a traumatic week for them and being in a new town, a new community and new school is tough. But I think for a lot of those kids, just having somewhere to go will be important,” he said.
“We can help provide that little bit of normalcy and a bit of comfort hopefully, within the school environment, to give them something to look forward to each day until they know what their future holds back home.”
"We thought we were probably going to be out of Fort McMurray for maybe a few months or a few weeks."Matthew Candlineevacuee student
