School district enrolment grows
For the first time in years, Haida Gwaii public schools have at least 500 students.
The total number of students in Haida Gwaii’s five public schools fell every year between 2010 and 2021, dropping from 622 to a low of 440.
But now the trend has flipped.
The district added about 20 students for each of the last three years, raising the total to 500 full-time equivalent students.
Dana Moraes, chair of the Haida Gwaii school board, said it’s a welcome change. Speaking at an Oct. 15 school board meeting in Masset, she said previous school boards were very concerned by falling numbers.
“We can see that most of the gain is at Daax̱igaan Sḵ’adáa Née,” said Deputy Superintendent Manu Madhok, referring to the newly redesigned kindergarten to Grade 12 school in Masset.
“I think lots of families are looking at the new school and want to be there,” Madhok said. “It’s just nice to see.”
At last count, Daax̱igaan Sḵ’adáa Née had 191 students — 13 more than expected. In Skidegate, Sḵ’aadg̱aa Naay has 152 students enrolled, followed by 121 at GidG̱alang Ḵuuyas Naay in Daajing Giids, 20 at Agnes L. Mathers in Sandspit, and 19 at Port Clements Elementary.
Daax̱iigan construction drags on
Daax̱igaan Sḵ’adáa Née is in for another building year.
Since September 2021, construction crews have been working on an $8-million seismic upgrade and $4-million redesign of the former Masset highschool so it can offer classes from kindergarten to Grade 12.
At the same time, crews finished a $4-million tsunami evacuation tower on the school’s west side and started a new $4-million childcare centre to the north.
When it was announced in 2020, the K-to-12 project was expected to be done by the fall of 2022. But construction delays and the added childcare centre will keep builders on site for the 2024-2025 school year.
“To say this has been a long haul is an understatement,” said Kevin Black, secretary treasurer for the Haida Gwaii School District.
The top priority is to finish the interior of the school’s separate Strong Start building, which still needs drywall, paint, trim, flooring, railings as well as storage cubbies and a kitchen installed. Black said the building needed a new heat pump, which was unexpected. For now, the pre-kindergarten Strong Start program is being held off-site.
At the school itself, Black said some of the cedar beams for the new entrance onto Hodges Avenue were found to be unusable, delaying the entrance work until November. Maintenance staff have also found a few deficiencies that need work, and new furniture is still needed including the library.
Some of the remaining work is to finish the elementary-side kitchen and playground. Black said the new playground equipment includes a swing, a tree-shaped climbing net, and a zip line students are talking about.
“Our journey for the year is going to be tll yadha, making things right,” said Black, noting that he got a feel for what staff and students go through when he felt the school shake as road contractors tamped down gravel for the new bus loop outside.
“I hope the administration, the teachers, elders, support staff and students will continue to be patient with us,” he said.
Students press for outdoor hoops
Students at Daax̱igaan Sḵ’adáa Née can’t wait to shoot hoops under the new tsunami tower.
The $4-million steel and concrete across from the school is the tallest structure in Masset. It has a 13-metre platform with a pair of staircases to safely evacuate the school in case of tsunami.
Engineered to withstand earthquakes, windstorms and tsunami debris, the tsunami platform is also designed to have a brightly-lit, rain-sheltered basketball court below.
Its platform was intentionally set 10 metres above the minimum height for escaping tsunami so it could also shelter the basketball court.
New hoops for the court are ready to go. With glass backboards and double rims, they will be installed at the 10-foot standard height.
Students had hoped to start playing on the court in September, but they will have to wait at least a couple months more because the platform is currently sheltering construction materials for the $4-million childcare centre going up beside the school. Once the centre is built to the point it can be locked, the supplies will be moved inside
Students from Daax̱igaan Sḵ’adáa Née’s leadership class met last week with district staff to talk about construction at the school, and getting the court open was among their top concerns.
Roeland Denooij, vice-chair of the school board, said it’s clear why students are eager to get playing — the new court is nearly regulation size and lit by rows of overhead lights.
“It’s certainly going to be a great place for people to play all year round, when it’s not blowing sideways,” Denooij said, before he was corrected by fellow directors who said a little sideways rain wouldn’t stop Masset people playing basketball.