The Bluewater District School system is ready to go this fall but they’ll do so with fewer students.
Director of Education Mary Anne Alton says they are welcoming back 18,654 students to their 51 schools.
However Alton points out in 1998 when the Bluewater District School Board was formed, enrolment was 25 thousand students.
She says despite another drop this year, there are no schools on the horizon set for accomodation reviews.
Alton says all school students, except the seniors in high school in grades 10, 11 and 12, return to class on Tuesday, September 8th.
The senior high school students will be back in class the next day.
Alton says the reason for that is the first day is reserved for what is called Link Crew Day.
It’s a special day of orientation for those students making the transition from grade 8 to grade 9.
Under the program the students will have high school senior student mentors who will assist in helping the new students get around their new surroundings.
Like the separate school system, Alton says contingencies are in place to deal with the possible return of the H1N1 virus in the school setting.