This message was shared with families on September 1, 2022.
Families,
Whether your child is just starting with us or entering their last year of high school, we are ready (and so excited) to welcome them next week. This truly is the most wonderful time of year!
The school year will start just as we ended last year, with most routines returning to normal.
We anticipate students being able to participate in a full range of learning and well-being activities, including small-group instruction, band, clubs, sports and field trips.
Public Health Measures
We will continue to follow the advice and direction of Public Health as it relates to living with COVID-19. Students, staff, and visitors are encouraged to:
- get vaccinated if eligible;
- stay home if feeling unwell; and
- frequently sanitize their hands.
Wearing masks will not be mandatory but any students and staff who choose to wear a mask will be supported. Masks and hand sanitizer will continue to be supplied in our schools. Should any of these measures change, we will email you directly.
More information can be found on the province’s Back to School website at https://novascotia.ca/backtoschool .
We Continue to Grow!
As a region we continue to grow. While we won’t have official enrollment numbers until the end of September, next week we are expecting more than 56,000 students in our 135 schools. This is an increase of more than 2,000 students from last year. We planned for this increase in our budget process. More staff have been hired, we’ve added modular and portable classrooms to a number of schools, and bus routes have been adjusted where necessary.
What Can Families Expect?
The first day of school for students is Wednesday, September 7. You can find other important dates in our school calendar .
If your child takes the bus, please review their bus stop times and locations through BusPlanner’s Parent Portal. You can expect to hear from our Transportation Team with more specific advice before school starts.
PowerSchool was updated over the summer and the Parent Portal is now open. You can log in to get the details for the upcoming school year.
We know the first day – really the first week or two – can be challenging as we all adjust to new routines. There are often bus delays and it’s not uncommon for a school to adjust a class or classes to accommodate late registrations and meet class cap guidelines.
The good news is that these challenges are temporary and will be solved quickly.
Reach out
We are here to support your family. If you have questions or concerns about your child, please contact their teacher first and then, if needed, the school principal. If you require further support, please reach out to us (HRCE) at connect@hrce.ca or 902-464-2000. We are partners in your child’s well-being and learning journey.
Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year!
Elwin LeRoux
Regional Executive Director of Education