Manor School hosted their annual back to school BBQ on Monday, Sept. 1, between 5 and 6 p.m. with the help of Manor Agencies.
The BBQ was a way for students to settle into their lockers and get acquainted with their new classrooms and the new teacher.
This year Manor welcomes Kathyrn Hunt to their staff. She has been teaching for 11 years and has focused on elementary and middle school years during this time.
"I was shooting for younger ones when I first started, but I love this age group, their learning curve is very exciting," Hunt explained.
Most recently Hunt taught in Gladmar. A term position, she decided on Manor to be closer to family in Manitoba.
Hunt is looking forward to coaching as well as bringing more arts and drama to the school.
"I want to bring the arts back into the classroom and I try to integrate that into my teaching, I find students learn a little better with that," Hunt said.
She's also looking to start a school choir and bring back the live singing of "O' Canada" to school assemblies.
In addition to speaking with the new teacher, The Observer spoke with school principal, Todd Butler about what this year will look like.
"We're wanting to continue promoting athletics, this school I've found is very sporty," Butler explained. "We have staff and community members coaching golf, cross country, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, badminton, and track. Which is a wide variety, but the high school kids in particular are into athletics."
The school is also planning to foster more spirit and community amongst students by introducing a monthly fun activity.
"Student council or volunteers will come up with activities for Kindergarten to grade sixes and for grade seven to twelve students," Butler explained. "It will just be a 30-minute, once-a-month something fun for the students as a sort of reward and break from their hard work throughout the year."
The usual spirit days and anti-bullying focus will again be part of making the school an accepting and safe place for their students, which number 85 this year.
Though athletics are important to Manor School it will also be focusing on their academics, specifically on their math scores this year from Kindergarten to grade 12, which Butler says is a division wide initiative this year.
"We want to be a good place which fosters academic success, being physically active and healthy, a place for emotional security and somewhere to feel safe," he explained.
These projects are important to the school, while Butler says they will also be looking into expanding the fitness centre in the gym and a skate park.
"We have a fitness group in the school wanting to expand the fitness centre, so we'll see how we can make that happen," Butler stated. "I don't think we can really help with funds but hopefully we can figure out a way to make that happen. We'll have a discussion to see if we can make it go forward."
A large amount of middle year students have expressed interest in a skate park, which Butler says he hopes the school and community can work together to make something happen for the youth.
"The students are wanting a play structure - a skate park - so our community council will work on that," Butler said. "It may not be on school grounds, but somewhere else in the community. The middle year students are big into their scooters and skateboards so to be able to hopefully come up with something for this spring would be awesome."
With a focus on school and community as well as both academics and athletics, Manor School is looking forward to a good year with the interests of the students in mind.
