Author: Jason Hewlett
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SD73 secretary treasurer chosen
When Kim Morris takes over the books at School District 73 this spring, her first priority will be to listen and to learn from those who know the district best. “The main thing to do when you get there is make sure you’re listening and learning from what’s already going on before we start to…
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Incoming SD73 superintendent promises staff, students will feel seen
The incoming superintendent for SD73 wants to create schools where students are excited enough to run to classes in the morning.And, if Mike St. John has his way, he wants staff and teachers to approach each school day with that same level of excitement. “We want to create a school where kids run to school…
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Sale of park will ease SD73 budgetary woes
The $1.98-million sale of SD73 parkland to the City will take some of the pressure off the district’s lean 2025-2026 budget. The one-acre property at the intersection of Parkcrest Avenue and Schreiner Street, long known to residents as Parkcrest Park, was purchased from the Kamloops-Thompson School District in late November, with the cost covered through…
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NorKam lockdown prompts review of SD73 communications plan
Keeping parents and the public better informed during a school lockdown will be SD73’s top priority should such an unfortunate event occur again. “If we can’t say much we will say something,” Interim superintendent Mike McKay told media during a recent press conference. McKay said district staff conducted a thorough review with RCMP and Kamloops…
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Westmount students displaced until 2026
The discovery of asbestos in Westmount elementary means students displaced by an act of arson won’t return to their school until the new year. “We’re definitely not going back before Christmas,” said Jelena Hansen, chair of the school’s Parent Advisory Council. “Worst case scenario we don’t get back in this year. Best case scenario, for…
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Mike St. John has been chosen as the next superintendent for SD73. His tenure is set to begin in 2026.District selects 30-year education veteran to helm SD73
The Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education has tapped veteran educator Mike St. John as the next superintendent for SD73, with his tenure set to begin in early 2026. Board chair Heather Grieve and interim superintendent Mike McKay announced the hire during a school board meeting on Nov. 24, and St. John met local media virtually the…
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School food program helps students
More families are struggling to make ends meet, which is why the Kamloops-Thompson School District took advantage of federal and provincial funding to take the pressure off parents and ensure students are well fed. The district’s School Food Program aims to reduce the stigma about hungry students while coming up with creative ways to ensure…
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Photo courtesy of the BC Wildfire ServiceNight vision, quick response credited for late-season wildfire success
Several factors helped forest service firefighters turn the tide when a late-season heatwave sparked a series of new blazes across the Kamloops Fire Centre this past summer. According to regional wildfire coordinating officer Dale Bojahra, the addition of night-vision equipment to helicopters made a major difference in how crews tackled fires during the crucial late-season…
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Suspicious fire closes Westmount Elementary
RCMP seeking information No one was harmed and the school was saved, but the act of arson which forced Westmount elementary’s 250 students to temporarily locate left its community rattled. “Everybody is super shell shocked. How could somebody do this?” asked Jelena Hansen, chair of the school’s Parent Advisory Council. “Parents in general are outraged…
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Grade 2 students from Bert Edwards Science and Technology School learn about salmon at a recent Rivers Day event.Rivers Day connects students with nature
For nearly two decades, students at Bert Edwards Science and Technology School have learned firsthand about the value of spending time outdoors — and the importance of protecting the Earth’s natural environment. That tradition continued last month when the school’s 250 students made their way to the banks of the North Thompson River for the…