Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

By Jill Sperling

PARKCREST ELEMENTARY

Parkcrest students re-start the school year at George Hilliard

Sep 16, 2019 | 4:52 PM

KAMLOOPS — It was once again the first day of school for Parkcrest Elementary students today (Sep 16).

The students had a re-do on the start of classes after their school was lost in a fire just days into this school year.

“I’m so glad that they got to keep them all together, and we’ve been talking a lot about how he’s going to come here,” said Beverly Grey, the mother of a Parkcrest student. “Yes, it’s a new building, but all his friends will be here, and the teachers. It’s going to be the same, just in a different building.”

“This is great,” said Brad Novak, another parent. “We couldn’t ask for anything better. One of the biggest things for us is that all of the kids were actually going to be all together. We didn’t want anybody separated.”

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It was a mix of emotions for students as they walked up to their new school building on Holt Street.

“I just miss Parkcrest a lot,” said one student.

“It makes me feel really nice, because I used to do baseball here,” said another student.

The Kamloops-Thompson School District was challenged to find a school that could accommodate 350 students when Parkcrest Elementary burned down on Sep. 5.

George Hilliard Elementary was selected, but it meant students from the Twin Rivers Education Centre and Four Directions would have to move.

“Right now I’m really feeling for the kids that had to leave this big beautiful school,” said Grade 3 teacher Carol Ellingsen. “This is a way bigger classroom than I had in the other building. I’m sad for them and I hope that they’re feeling like they had a lot of help to get moved too. Everybody’s been uprooted.”

Ellingsen had a busy weekend setting up her new classroom with items donated from the community.

“I can’t believe how many people came to support us,” she said, “they came and helped us move in and unpack like hundreds of boxes because we did order some supplies and it’s all still trickling in.”

Teachers and administrative staff have been working to make George Hilliard feel like home to the Parkcrest students.

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

“We’re all wearing our ‘We are Parkcrest’ t-shirts today and the beautiful signs that were made from the admin are in the hallway that say ‘We are Parkcrest,'” Ellingsen said. “I think the kids are just going to right away feel it.”

While their first day was a short one, the students are ready to get back to school and Vice Principal Grant Naylor says staff are excited to have them back.

“Honestly,” he said, “everything’s come together extremely fast and our staff are super excited to see the kids, as are we”