École South Pointe School Update
December 2015
As construction proceeds, Pembina Trails staff are busy preparing for the first day of school in September 2016. Our new principal and vice-principal have already been announced. The new school building will be state-of-the-art, but it is Pembina Trails staff, and the broader community, who will help make École South Pointe School an exceptional place to learn.

We look forward to the community meeting Ruthanne Dyck, principal, and Glenys MacLeod, vice principal at the parent meeting scheduled for January 27, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the theatre at Fort Richmond Collegiate. Parents are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn more about the plans for the fall and midyear transition into the school. We will also share the Kindergarten registration process with parents of prospective Kindergarten students at this meeting.

Meanwhile, the school office for École South Pointe School will open on January 7, 2016 at the Pembina Trails administration office at 181 Henlow Bay. This will be Ms. Dyck’s office until the new school is ready. Ms. Dyck has years of experience and is currently the principal of Whyte Ridge School.

One of her main priorities is engaging the École South Pointe School community. Other tasks include hiring teachers and other staff, dealing with the thousands of details involved in opening a new school, and helping ensure that the transition for students and families goes smoothly. As announced earlier this year, the school and day care are currently scheduled to open in early 2017. There are a number of reasons for the revised schedule including the late addition of
more classroom space and resulting delays in the tendering and permit processes.

Pembina Trails staff are in the process of determining where students will start the school year. The goal is to keep École South Pointe School students and teachers together in neighbouring schools for the first part of the year and then move them as a group to the new school when it opens. That way classes and relationships will remain intact. Details of these plans will be shared with the South Pointe community at the parent meeting in January 2016.

More information about École South Pointe School is available at www.pembinatrails.ca/southpointe/main.html. On this site you will find a Frequently Asked Questions section which includes a place to comment or send us your questions. We encourage you to visit often.

Ted Fransen
Superintendent of Education
Pembina Trails School Division