KEEPING YOU SAFE & ON THE ROAD
Page 2 - FeBrUarY 16 , 2017 - martensville messenger
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Principal of Lake Vista Presents New School to Parents
Ciara O ’ Reilly , Martensville Messenger
The North Ridge Community Centre was the location for an information and question session for parents interested in placing their children in Lake Vista Elementary school , which will be offering its services this September . Chris Mason , principal of the new school , did well in explaining to parents the current and future plans for the school and what it has to offer . The session took place on February 13th and ran for just under an hour . During the presentation , parents were treated to a sneak peek as to what the school looks like at this point in construction . Construction work is on schedule and the school looks absolutely beautiful .
Vast open spaces , a two story library and natural lighting radiates throughout the school through its many large windows . The school will have two gymnasiums , the larger of the two will be shared between the catholic school ( École Holy Mary School ) and Lake Vista . The shared gymnasium also has a stage included , and the smaller gymnasium , comparable in size to Venture Heights ’ and Valley Manors ’, will be used specifically for the students at Lake Vista . Lake Vista also has a band room to offer , as well as a home economics lab , IA room , a before and after school program , and an additional child care centre that can hold 90 recipients . The school has also been built to withhold prekindergarten students if that option is to become available . School grades offered at the new school are K-8 . Lake Vista Elementary School will also be offering French Immersion if enough interest is portrayed through parents in the distributed surveys . Decisions of the new school will be made distinctly through parental feedback . If there is not enough or minimal feedback presented in , for example , students in a grade seven class , a grade seven year will not be offered at the school . “ I will not be putting students in situations where they feel alone , uncomfortable , or upset ,” said Mason .
Last September a survey was in the works among the parents of Martensville regarding any concerns they may have about the new school . Many common themes that came up during the s u r v e y s i n c l u d e d transportation , l o c a t i o n , child care , friendships , and the importance of parent choice . P a r e n t s e s p e c i a l l y wanted to know if they had the choice of where to send children
their to
school , which they will be happy to learn that yes , they do . Attendees of the new school will not be based on location . If families live closer by to schools Venture Heights or Valley Manor , they will still have the option to send their child to Lake Vista , and vice versa . If families have recently moved to the Lake Vista area they are not required to relocate their children to the new school . As the new area develops , natural attendants will follow . Transportation will thusly be supplied to children of the Prairie Spirit School Division based on the feedback received from parents on the new information survey , which is due to be handed in on March third . This survey will acknowledge the interest in attending the new school and a transportation route will be configured at a future date .
The playgrounds are in the preliminary stages of development . A playground committee has been established , and Lake Vista is working together with the attached Catholic school - though Lake Vista is currently in need of a playground committee of their own . All community members and parents are welcome and encouraged to volunteer . The infrastructure is entirely dependent on the work put forth by community members , parents and business donations . Mason mentioned that those who sign up to be a part of the playground committee will likely have a part in being his acting parent advisory group , as an SCC group ( student community council ) will not be in place until May . He predicts that there will be a playground structure up by the fall , but is hesitant to say whether the entire plans for the playground will be completed by the new school season . “ I believe the resurrecting playgrounds will benefit the student ’ s as well as the developing community ,” said Mason . “ There will be a huge tarmac area ; the construction crews have already done great work as it has six to eight basketball hoops on the side , with hopscotch areas too . There is going to be lots of areas for students to play when the school is open .”
Lake Vista Elementary school has many wonderful opportunities to offer to the
ABOVE : Pre-liminary designs for one of the playgrounds . students of Martensville . Mason mentioned that the best thing that could happen between the three elementary schools would be even distribution . He also said that the schools ( Venture Heights and Valley Manor ) have really raised the bar for Lake Vista , and Mason hopes to provide equal if not upgraded opportunity to the future students of the new school . Mason declared that he will continue to keep everyone as up to date as possible through his website , and will continue to make decisions based on the input of parents . “ I will continue to make all decisions based on what ’ s best for students and the opinions you ( parents ) have for what is to come ,” says Mason . “ I am really excited to be the principal of Lake Vista , it ’ s a beautiful facility and I am quite proud of the work that has been put forth so far .”
Parents are reminded to hand in their informational surveys by March 3rd and are encouraged to sign up and volunteer for Lake Vista ’ s playground committee .
ABOVE : Principal of Lake Vista , Chris Mason .
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