Parents told dual school set to open

After several delays, Willowgrove public and Holy Family Catholic schools will open on March 9, the school divisions say.

Notes went out to parents Thursday afternoon confirming the long-awaited date for students and their parents in the city’s northeast.

“It’ll be an exciting day to finally think about opening,” Saskatoon Public school board chairman Ray Morrison said.

Construction of the $40-million building housing both schools, which will serve kindergarten to Grade 8, was meant to be complete by summer 2014 to allow staff to ready the schools for a September opening. Construction delays prompted both school boards to push that opening date back to Jan. 5, then delay it again with no certain opening date.

The delays left parents frustrated, and prompted the school divisions to create contingency plans for the nearly 700 students enrolled in both schools. Since September, Willowgrove and Holy Family students are in their new classes with their new teachers, spread between four other school buildings in the city’s northeast.

The new building will also be home to a new 50-spot daycare centre run by Preston Early Learning.

A letter to Holy Family parents from principal Connie Tenaski said she is “thrilled” to confirm classes will begin in the school March 9.

Holy Family students will have a chance to tour their new school on March 4 and 5, the letter said.

“You may notice there are still finishing touches to complete,” it noted. “None of these affect the safety or the function of the building.”

Tenaski also thanked students, parents and caregivers for their “remarkable resilience and patience.”