On a roll-ment
More students are enrolled in the new Daaxiigan Sk’adaa Née K-12 school than the district expected this year.
The district was expecting 85 students in the elementary grades at the new K-12 school in Masset, but 103 students enrolled. The school has a total capacity for 278 students.
“I am excited to see the growth of our enrolment,” said Roeland Denooij, the district’s vice-chair, speaking at a Sept. 17 board meeting.
“You build it and they will come, I guess.”
As of Sept. 22, there were 507 students enrolled across all six Haida Gwaii public schools. The district deadline to report its enrolment numbers to the province is Sept. 30.
“We had projected for 491 kids — we are at 507 right now,” said deputy superintendent Manu Madhok.
In the 2023 school year, the district had a total enrollment of 465 students.
Classes go phone-free
The first week of school saw Haida Gwaii students getting used to a new policy limiting the use of cellphones, smart watches and other internet-ready devices.
Following a province-wide request by the B.C. Ministry of Education, the Haida Gwaii School District brought in new rules in June for this school year.
Elementary students cannot use personal cellphones during the school day. High school students can use them during breaks, but not during class.
Teachers can make an exception for a particular lesson, and there are also exceptions for medical reasons and accessibility needs.
“It is very new, but schools are reporting that it is going well,” said SD50 Superintendent Lisa Bernoties. “Everyone is reporting they are really proud of the students and staff.”
Schools are taking feedback from students about the new policy. Many students have expressed concern about not having their devices on field trips or trips off the island so that they can contact their families.
Bernoties told the school board that school principals are looking at exceptions for certain trips.
Delays at Daaxiigan
Daaxiigan Sk’adaa Née opened the school year with all its classrooms ready, but the school is not quite done.
The former high school in Masset was extensively renovated and extended so it could reopen as a kindergarten to Grade 12 school this year.
In June, the Haida Gwaii School District had hoped to hold an opening ceremony on Sept. 4.
Lisa Bernoties, the district’s new superintendent, said difficulty finding specific tradespeople and some unexpected trouble installing the large cedar posts that will support the school’s new front canopy have set the full completion back.
Speaking on Sept. 17, Bernoties said crews are focusing on finishing the interior of the separate Strong Start building.
Normally, she said the Strong Start program opens by the third week of September, but it will be delayed by construction as well. At Strong Start, children under five learn in a play-based environment together with parents.
“We are making that Strong Start opening a real priority right now,” Bernoties said.