Ah, September.
There’s a chill in the air, the trees are tinted yellow and there’s a rush of energy as the seasons start to change and Flin Flon and Creighton area students head back to school.
September brings thoughts of warm apple cider, nights by campfires under blankets, raking leaves, back to school shopping (the writer in me has always loved brand new pens and pencils and the fresh start of a blank notebook), and the excitement of new experiences and new information.
There are surely lots of the latter in store for this year’s crop of young minds (and older minds, for those committed to lifelong learning).
Schools in the area will see several changes this year, many of which are outlined in the pages of this issue – from changing infrastructure to new faces to old faces in new roles. These changes are sure to bring new innovation, something that the Flin Flon and Creighton School Divisions have not been lacking.
At last week’s meeting of the Flin Flon School Division, Superintendent Constance McLeese laid out several of the materials that staff ranging from educators to administrators are given at the beginning of the year. These materials cover everything from the basic curriculum to fostering indigenous student success to best practices for implementing Google’s 20-time projects to leading like a pirate – seriously, one of the books is titled Lead Like A Pirate, and I’m searching it out for myself as soon as possible. Arrr!
One of the great things about living in this small, somewhat isolated community is we get to know the teachers and administrators who are working with our kids on a personal level. So we know those staff are creative, caring people, and we know they are supported. Our students are in good hands, and they’re going to have the opportunities to go places and make great change.
There are a few things the rest of us need to keep in mind as eager learners head back to hit the books.
As of Sept. 1, all school zone speed limits are in effect until the end of June. Take note of the posted 30 km/h signs – they are here to protect our kids. It’s simple to keep your eyes open and obey them to keep kids safe and avoid a ticket.
Keep your eyes peeled, too, at crosswalks. It’s all too easy to forget to hit the button when your mind is on your homework.
To all the students hitting the books, happy first week of school! We hope this year is full of new knowledge, new friendships, and lots of fun.
