Skip to main content
wâhkôhtowin School
Inspiring Learning
News Item

Board of Education hears about successful early registration day

September 25, 2019

Opening the doors before the first day of classes in September allowed schools better to welcome new families and students this fall, trustees were told during the Sept. 17 Board of Education meeting.

Early Registration Day was held Aug. 29 at all our elementary schools. It gave students and their parents the opportunity to see the school, ask questions, take a tour, and meet some of the staff in a calm, inclusive, and informative way. Feedback from both staff members and families indicate the day was beneficial and reduced lineups and congestion on the first day of school.

This was the first year Early Registration Day was held division-wide. It's one way that schools work to fulfill the commitment to fostering relationships and welcoming families to a new school community.

Other highlights of the board meeting were:

  • The board received literacy results from the 2018-19 school year that reflect an expanded emphasis on the Five Pillars of Reading:  phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Sixty-seven per cent of Grade 3 students were reading at or above grade level at the end of the school year, while 19 per cent were on the cusp of reading at grade level.
  • Trustees received an update on extensive facilities work completed during the summer months to prepare schools for a growing number of students. Initiatives included: painting and/or flooring replacement at 22 elementary schools; two new portable classrooms for Willowgrove School; roofing replacement at various schools; creation of an additional classroom at John Dolan School; and boiler replacement at Marion Graham Collegiate and Royal West Campus.

Reports and information presented at board meetings can be found at saskatoonpublicschools.ca. The next scheduled meeting of the Board of Education is Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019, at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.