Westmount Elementary Staff & Students Find Strength in Community

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Story provided by Chelsea Isenor, Director of Communications and Board Administration 

Within days of the fire that closed Westmount Elementary School, students were back in the classroom learning and connecting with their classmates and teachers.

On Wednesday, October 29, Westmount students were welcomed into fully set-up classrooms at their new temporary schools. Their three host schools, Kay Bingham Elementary, Parkcrest Elementary, and George Hilliard Elementary, welcomed them with signs, chalk art, and encouraging cheers.

While this week has been challenging for the closeknit Westmount community, they have come together to start a new temporary normal. With the message “We can do hard things” displayed on posters in their new classrooms, students and staff continue to be reminded of the strength and resilience they have as a community. 

The transition to relocate Westmount students this week was swift and heartfelt. Following Sunday’s fire, the District’s priority was to get Westmount students back into a learning environment as soon as possible. Teachers, District staff, teams at the Henry Grube Education Centre, parents, the three host schools, staff and schools across the district, and community members all came together to find space, arrange transportation, gather and donate supplies, set-up classrooms, and offer support.

By Wednesday, Westmount students were back in the classroom surrounded by books, activities, classroom decorations, and familiar faces. By Thursday, the PAC had resumed the hot lunch program and the Westmount volleyball teams were back competing in games. On Friday, students excitedly participated in Halloween activities and events, including costume parades with their new schools — bringing a sense of their own Halloween traditions in this time of transition.

Principal Roy Styles and the entire Westmount staff have worked tirelessly this week to bring their community back together and help students transition.

“It made a big difference getting our kids here, it feels like the community is coming back together,” shared Kindergarten/Grade 1 teacher, Ms. Bregoliss. “We are a strong community, and we all love our school.” 

After the students’ first day back in class, Grade 6/7 teacher Mr. Caputo shared, “Theres lots of smiles on their faces as long as we’re all together.”

Other teachers shared how it had been a tough transition but “it's nice to have somewhere to go to be together,” and noted how well the student have settled into their new spaces and routines, “The kids are super happy. It's amazing, they’re so resilient.” 

Throughout the week, Westmount students have shown remarkable resilience. When asked how they feel, one student shared “yesterday was hard but today is better.” Another student who was nervous before their first day back shared, “I’m excited to go to school again, I love school.” Most of all, the students are glad to be with their friends and teachers in their new locations. “It’s a lot better being with our friends than not being with our friends,” one student shared.

Their temporary school locations also offer some exciting new experiences, including riding the school bus, being in a new classroom, exploring new playgrounds, and making new friends. At George Hilliard, a group of Grade 7 students befriended a younger George Hilliard student on the playground on their first day together. Other students expressed how excited they were to connect with friends they know at their new schools. 

Reflecting on the week and how the community rallied together, Principal Roy Styles shared, “These kids will never forget this. The community coming together is something we will remember forever. Thank you to the three schools who welcomed us in this week, staff and families across the district who have reached out offering support and donating supplies, and to the Westmount community for supporting each other and our students during this transition.”

While Westmount students look forward to returning to their school one day, they are embracing this temporary change with courage, kindness, and a resilient community spirit. The school building may be closed for now, but the Westmount community remains as strong as ever.