The Lloydminster Catholic School Division (LCSD) is set to kickstart the new school year with back to school orientation bashes.
Invitations are going out to parents, families and students to get oriented before classes resume on Sept. 3.
"It gives the opportunity for kids to be comfortable in school on their first day, find their lockers, all of that sort of thing," said LCSD's director of education, Nigel McCarthy.
The bashes are scheduled take place at various times and schools on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29.
A special event for staff will be held at Father Gorman School on Aug. 30.
McCarthy says he's just as excited as many students and parents for the first official day of school to start.
"Like any first day of school, you see excited parents dropping off kids for the first time. It takes all of us back to the first day of school for our own kids," he said.
"The more welcoming faces that are there, the better it is for all of us."
McCarthy says enrolment is up from last year with more than 3,000 students to start the fall term.
"Our Kindergarten classes are bigger than last year's graduating class," explained McCarthy.
"What we see is that people are moving to Lloydminster and the vibrancy of Lloydminster is attracting new families. I think that's a hopeful sign for the whole community."
Holy Rosary High School can now accommodate about 1,200 students following the completion of a $10 million expansion and renovation in 2023.
Upgrades have also been made to the high school's track and field facilities over the summer and a new classrooms have been added at École St. Thomas due to enrolment growth there.
"The theme this year is Building the Kingdom, so we're looking forward to really building on all the developments at our schools and making education even more engaging for kids," said McCarthy.
LCSD also has several new teachers on board who are ready to roll.
"They are already working as a working team and just getting ready to be part of the LCSD teaching community," said McCarthy.
He says LCSD also has a number of new educational teaching assistants starting this fall along with some new support staff and new custodians.
"In a growing school division, there is more people and we're blessed there are great people in Lloydminster who want to work in schools," added McCarthy.
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