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One more long weekend and the school year will begin!
The Halton District School Board (HDSB) has issued a release telling residents that it is excited to the new school year, with roughly 67,000 Kindergarten to Grade 12 students set to attend the first day of school on Wednesday, September 6th.
A reminder was issued that Tuesday, September 5th is a PA Day and staff across the HDSB will be engaged in professional development to further strengthen skills in their roles to bring quality education to students.
The HDSB’s 2,961 elementary teachers, 1,421 secondary teachers and 2,597 non-teaching and support staff, as well as more than 200 principals and vice-principals have been busy outfitting classrooms, cleaning buildings and organizing schedules in preparation for a productive, engaging and fulfilling school year.
“As we enter a new school year, we do so with hope, optimism and a great deal of enthusiasm for a successful and fulfilling year of learning,” says Curtis Ennis, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “Our staff have been hard at work to ensure our schools have what they need to be ready to welcome students and families on Wednesday. We are ready, motivated and prepared to give students the best and safest educational experience we can.”
Over the last 12 months, the HDSB has completed more than $36 million in capital renewal and maintenance across the region including new roofing, windows, electrical, mechanical, building automation, accessibility and paving upgrades. This work includes upgrades to T.A. Blakelock High School to support implementation of the HDSB’s I-STEM program, which will now be offered at this school.
More than $55 million of new school construction is underway at new elementary schools in Milton and Oakville. All of this work is in addition to summer cleaning and preventative maintenance work completed in preparation for the start of the 2023-2024 school year.
“In the Halton District School Board, we will continue our commitment to our 2020-2024 Multi-Year Strategic Plan which sets direction and actions to ensure our efforts as an organization are aligned and coordinated,” says Margo Shuttleworth, Chair of the Halton District School Board. “We have been so proud of this plan and the positive impact it has had on learning across the entire system. As we enter the final year of the current plan, we remain as committed and steadfast to ensure we fulfill its outlined strategies and goals as we have been since it was implemented three years ago.”
To make the beginning of a new school year as smooth as possible, parents/guardians can visit the HDSB Welcome to a New School Year webpage for helpful tips and resources including links to Transportation, Before and After School Care, Mental Health & Well-Being and more.
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