Classes resumed last Thursday at schools within the Wolf Creek Public School District, but the teachers and staff had already long been behind the scenes preparing for the first day.
At Rimbey Elementary School, principal Jody Bramfield is busy preparing for a new school year which will see an increase in student population and several staff changes.
As of Aug. 31, 31 new students had registered at Rimbey elementary bringing the population up to 420. Last year, the school was sitting with 403 students at year’s end.
Grade 4 teacher Jim Peck and Grade 3 teacher Kim Trautman have both retired from teaching this year.
New to the teaching staff is Monica Sylvester who will teach Grade 2 in the mornings. Kaylene Reddekopp will float among the classrooms and teach Grade 5.
Deirdre Aubie will teach Kindergarten filling in on a maternity leave and Francis Beagle will become the full time Grade 2 teacher.
Kathleen Robertson will go from teaching Grade 2 to teaching Grade 3 and Margaret Bjornson will teach Grade 3/4.
Dawn Doll will teach Grade 4 full time.
Bramfield said the leveled literacy intervention program initiated last year at the school will continue this year.
“It was well received and (the students involved) showed incredible growth,” she said.