New school year for Edmonton Public School students

At the Belmead School in west Edmonton, the morning bell had students and staff rushing, as another school year has started.

Police are reminding drivers to slow down and stay alert while patrollers help schoolmates cross streets safely.

Grade 6 student Margaux Oviso is one of those patrollers helping to keep other students safe, while celebrating the first day of school.

“Excited, but then I’m also not excited because I got to wake up early again. I can’t sleep in,” said Oviso.

Harry Styles, another student, said, “I’m pretty much excited to see all the kids and like, and like seeing all the classes.”

That first-day excitement is getting mixed reactions from parents as they are back to being busy.

“I’m going to miss them cuz he’s going to be gone all day. But also it’s nice that he’s going to be back at school with all his friends and get to play more and everything,” Nyssa Poirier, a parent.

Megan Styles, Harry’s mother, said, “The kids have been very excited, very eager. The shyness actually just showed up, so all summer they have been talking non-stop about getting back here.”

Hailey Couture, another parent, said, “I’m honestly, I’m glad that she’s going back to a new school, so it’s a new year for us. And I mean, she’s more nervous than anything, but she’s going to have a great year.”

This school year is a little lighter than last year, when students went back to classes only to be called off for a teacher strike.

With no job action expected this year, students and teachers are ready for a disruption-free year.

“There’s been a buzz in the building. The staff was excited, but the building really comes alive when the kids get here. That’s what makes a school,” said Jeff Bone, the Belmead School principal.

Police are also warning drivers there will be more traffic, pleading with everyone to pay attention. During last year’s back-to-school, EPS issued around 750 speeding tickets in school and playground areas.

“There’s a few schools that are notoriously problematic, just historically, just because of the physical layout and whatnot and the volume of students at them, so we hit those schools as best we can,” said Sgt. Kerry Bates, with the Edmonton Police Service Traffic Safety Unit.

That message was echoed by student safety patrollers.

“Sometimes we turn on the crossing lights and put our signs up, but they won’t stop. We’ll just give those cars a minute to go past before we let the people across the road,” said Miracle Rayamajhi, a Grade 6 safety patroller.

Russell Poirier, a parent, added, “I do enjoy having, you know, the volunteers and the kids at the crossing, everything, really helpful. I wish there’s more things like them, more lights around or something. I feel like some school crosses don’t have enough.”

Students at Edmonton Public are back to school on Tuesday, with Edmonton Catholic beginning class on Wednesday.